Elizabeth is a special person who does not get the recognition she deserves.  She is a model of a godly woman.  She loved God, and was faithful to her husband, relatives, and friends; she was learned and responsive to the Holy Spirit.  Zechariah being a priest had to marry a “descendant of Aaron” (Leviticus 21: 14).  Like Hannah (Samuel’s mother) and Sarai, she endured the “disgrace” of not having children; like Hannah, she must have spent time praying about this situation.

Imagine the day Zachariah finally got home from his required time at the Temple.  Her husband could not speak (and possibly not hear).  Had he written down the story?  Did he have to write it out in front of her?  How many times did she poke, stick, and scared him to test his condition?  That we don’t know, but her response to God was simply, YES, and THANK YOU.

I have tried to connect Zachariah’s service with the birth of Jesus in the Post – The Day of Atonement, Passover, and Epiphany.  The results are not what I expected about the birth time of Jesus.  The legend/history is better than I thought.

Her going into seclusion for five months was actually good for her and the baby.  A legend about John was he did not move until Mary greeted Elizabeth in Luke 1: 41. But we do know she was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied.  Her word to Mary was directed at settling her anxious thoughts by confirming the angel’s word.  Her strength, knowledge, and courage showed up eight days after the baby came.  She still had a husband that was not talking, a baby demanding her time, and a house full of people who were about to cut her son.  On top of that, they were arguing with her about the name of her son.  Something I came to notice during this study, she did all of this and she was the only person that did not have a visit from Gabriel.  Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds all got an angelic visit.  God knew Elizabeth and knew that she would go on the word of her husband and her faith in Him.

This fact is still interesting – a descendant of Aaron had a relative from the house of Judah.  They were close enough that Elizabeth welcomed her and let her stay for about three months.  The family ties were solid enough that Gabriel used Elizabeth to build faith in Mary.

pic – http://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/