Elizabeth: a woman of faith and extraordinary circumstances

 Elizabeth is best known as the mother of John the Baptist, the forerunner for the Messiah. Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron and was described as a woman “upright in the sight of God” (Luke 1:6). She is praised for observing all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations without blame. She is also the first to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah (Luke 1:43). Her greatest sorrow was she was childless and aging. She faced the stigma of childlessness within her community. However, her greatest strength is her deep faith. She kept her focus on God and his promises. What is her story? Why is there a stigma of childlessness? What lessons can we find from her life? 

Elizabeth and her husband, Zechariah found contentment in their quiet home. As a descendant of Aaron, Zechariah travels to Jerusalem once a year to perform his priestly duties. This particular year, he was chosen for a high honor. A once in a lifetime privilege to burn incense before the Most Holy Place. As he is performing this duty, a figure appears and declares that Elizabeth will bear a son and he will be called John. Zechariah responds, as we probably would too, with skepticism. As a consequence, Zechariah is rendered mute. Six months later, Elizabeth is well into her pregnancy when Mary visits. As Mary approaches, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leapt, which causes Elizabeth to proclaim, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her! (Luke 1:42-45). Elizabeth recognizes the amazing privilege Mary has been given and rejoices with her. When Elizabeth delivers her son, she proclaims his name is John as the family protests. Zechariah confirms the name by writing it down. When he does, his ability to speak returns and praises God. The people are filled with awe and wondered what this child would be (Luke 1:66). 

For many cultures, a woman’s value is largely measured by her ability to have children. To be aging and childless was a personal hardship and a public shame. Barrenness was viewed as a sign of disobedience and divine disfavor. Deuteronomy 7:12-14 directs the people to follow the laws and He will bless them with children and the crops of the land. Those who don’t follow the laws will not be blessed. However, despite Elizabeth and Zechariah’s piety and faithfulness, they are childless. There is a deep stigma attached to childlessness. When a couple gets married, the first question they are ultimately always asked is when are you going to have children? Having children is a deeply personal choice and emotional journey. For some, it is as saying “yes, we’re going to have a baby” and while others agonize over why it isn’t happening or why it is so difficult. For Elizabeth and Zechariah to be so devout and upright and remain childless must have been a debate among their community. A similar debate would be why a devout and faithful Christian is still struggling. Many people would simply state that there is some sin that needs confessing. But is it as simple as that? I think the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah shows us that it is not always the case. 

There are two lessons or themes we can take from the story of Elizabeth. First, God does not forget those who have been faithful to him. In the Parable of the Loaned Money, Jesus describes three servants who were given a task. One wasted the opportunity and the other two took the task and performed above and beyond. To this second servant, the master says, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21, 23). It is an illustration of how we serve God. Serving him with our time, our talents in order to do our work and tasks out of love for God. When we do, He will remember us and bless us in ways that are beyond our understanding. Second, God’s timetable and methods do not have to conform or follow our timetable, methods or our views on how something should be done. Isaiah 55:8 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” We foolishly think we know how God will work within our lives. There’s a famous quote from a Yiddish adage that states, “Man plans, and God laughs.” It is foolish to put limitations on a God who is limitless. Matthew 19:26, Jesus tells us “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” A faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains (Matthew 17:20-21). 

In conclusion, Elizabeth’s story is another example of God’s use of ordinary people for extraordinary events. God used her and her husband to be the parents of John the Baptist. Their faithfulness was rewarded by being the parents of the forerunner of the Messiah. Like with Hannah (1 Samuel 1:2-2:21), I relate to Elizabeth. As someone who struggled with infertility, it was hard to accept God’s timeline for my journey to motherhood. Accepting my journey came with peace and humility. I did not have the journey I thought I would; but I believe it serves a purpose that I may not see yet. Her story is also a reminder that God does not forget those who are faithful.  

Zechariah and Malachi: the last of the Old Testament prophets

I’ve come to the end of the Old Testament. The minor prophets, Zechariah and Malachi, have powerful messages and lessons that we can heed today. Zechariah’s messages came from visions of powerful things to come and instructions on how to live. He was speaking to the people who had just returned to their land after their captivity in Babylon. Zechariah is the most apocalyptic of the Minor Prophets as his visions detailed coming judgment. He also speaks of the coming Messiah. His purpose was to give hope to the people with the messages of the coming Messiah. Malachi’s message first focused on the sins of the priests and then the sins of the people but ended with a message of hope for those who remain faithful. His purpose was to confront the people with their sins and to restore their relationship with God.

The first half of the book of Zechariah is filled with powerful visions, many visions of things to come. I will discuss two which stood out to me. First, the vision of the Lampstand in Zechariah 4:1-14. He sees a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, seven channels of light to the lights and on either side of the lampstand is an olive tree. An angel of the Lord tells him that the vision means that the lampstand is fueled by the Lord’s Spirit. Verse 6 says “Not by might, not by power, but by Spirit.” The lampstand is kept burning by an unlimited reservoir of oil. It is a vision to remind the people and us that it is only through God’s Spirit that we will succeed, not by our own might and resources but by the pouring out of his spirit. Second, the vision of the four horses and chariots in Zechariah 6:1-8. The first chariot had red horses, the second chariot had black horses, the third had white and the fourth had dappled (spots or patches) (verse 2). The horses represent the four spirits of heaven who go out into the world (verse 5). The chariot with the black horses was sent north, the chariot with the white horses goes west and the one with the dappled horses goes south (verse 6). It is interesting that the chariot with the red horses isn’t mentioned specifically. In verse 7, Zechariah sees the powerful horses go out, “straining to go throughout the world” does this include the red horses as well? Was the chariot with the red horse held back? The Bible is silent about this and I’ve read different commentaries with no clear answer. I'd like to think the chariot with the red horses were held back for some reason, a reason God did not reveal to Zechariah. 

The second half of the book of Zechariah was written approximately 38 years after the first half and contains prophecies of the Messiah. Some have been fulfilled with Christ’s life and death and others have not yet come to pass. In Zechariah 9:9-13 is a specific prophecy concerning the Messiah. Verse 9 -10 states that the king will come to the people, first, riding on a donkey (Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 22:1-11, Luke 19:28-38 and John 12:12-16) and second as a powerful ruler. The Messiah will proclaim peace to the nations and he will rule from sea to sea. Zechariah 10:4 speaks from Judah will come a cornerstone, a tent peg, a battle bow and a ruler. The Messiah will be a strong, stable, victorious and trustworthy. In Zechariah 12:10-14 is the image of mourning. “They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son” (verse 10). This mourning can easily describe the crucifixion of the Messiah. Verse 12 states that the land will mourn as well. Lastly, Zechariah 14 describes the eventual triumph of the Messiah over the earth and his reign on earth. The Feast of the Tabernacle, the feast of thanksgiving, will be celebrated with the king (verse 16). It is the only feast that will be celebrated. The other feasts are no longer necessary as they were fulfilled through Christ. The Passover with his death. The Day of Atonement with acceptance of salvation through him. The Feast of First fruits with his resurrection.

The first half of Malachi focuses on the sins of the priests and the people. First, In Malachi 1:6-14, the Lord speaks to the priests for their use of blemished sacrifices. In Leviticus 1:3, the Lord instructed that burnt offerings must be a male without defect, however, the priests were allowing people to offer offerings with defects. Blind, crippled and diseased animals were offered as sacrifices to God in clear violation. God tells the priests by allowing this violation to occur they were dishonoring him and showed him contempt. They were offering sacrifices as they wanted and not as God commanded. Second, in Malachi 2:1-9, God admonishes the priests for setting their hearts against him and thus breaking the covenant he made with their ancestor, Levi. He calls them to follow Levi’s example. Levi spoke with “true instruction” and “nothing false was found on his lips” (verse 6). He walked with the Lord “in peace and uprightness and turned many from sin” (verse 6). Because they have turned away from this covenant, God has caused the priests to be despised and humiliated before the people (verse 9). Lastly, God turns to the sins of the people in Malachi 2:10-16, specifically to the kingdom of Judah. Judah has broken faith with Israel and married “daughters of a foreign god” (verse 11). The people also weep and wail that their offerings are no longer accepted by God (verse 13). God tells them is it because they have broken faith (divorced) the wife of their youth (verse 14) and failing to raise godly children (verse 15). He tells them to guard themselves in their spirit and keep the faith their wives (verse 15-16).

The second half of Malachi is a message of the Lord’s coming and the attitudes of the people. In Malachi 3:1-5, the Lord tells the people he is sending a messenger who will prepare the way for him (this part is understood to refer to John the Baptist) and the Lord will appear like a refiner’s fire (verse 2). He will sit as a refiner and purify of silver and gold (verse 3). This is the image that God will remove the impurities of our hearts and souls like a refiner does with silver and gold in order to make them pure. As the refiner purifies gold and silver with fire, God will refine our hearts and souls by using the difficulties and storms of life. In Malachi 3:6-15, God accuses the people of robbing him from his proper tithes and offerings (verse 8) as well making harsh statements against him (verse 13). Verse 14-15 is particularly meaningful to me as it reminds me of current attitudes toward God. It states “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’” Wow! Sound familiar? These verses point out the selfishness of this attitude. It’s about “what did God do for me? What good did it do for me?” instead of “what did I do for God?” It is the same attitude of those today who turn from God and deny his existence. Often times when I met someone who doesn’t believe God exists, it’s because they treat God like a genie who grants wishes and that someone didn’t get what he or she wanted, then God must not exist. Lastly, God speaks about the faithful few in Malachi 3:16-18. He calls them his treasured possession (verse 17). Those who revere his name will be healed with the rising of “the sun of righteousness” and they will be freed like calves free from the stall (Malachi 4:2).

In conclusion, as the words of the prophets come to a close, we are left with the same warning. Turn back to God, keep the covenant, and prepare for his coming or prepare for his judgment. Zechariah’s message was filled with visions of the coming Messiah and the end times. His prophetic messages were a blending of present, near future and end time visions. His message is clear that our hope is only found in God and his Messiah who are in complete control of the world. Malachi’s message gives us a practical guideline to serve our commitment to God. Give him the best we can, be willing to change from our wrong way of life and welcome God’s refining process in our lives. Malachi was the last of the prophets. When he died, the voices of God’s prophets became silent.