Elizabeth Series

Elizabeth

Elizabeth was obedient to God's commands throughout her life.

Biblical narrative. According to the Gospel of Luke chapter 1, Elizabeth was "of the daughters of Aaron." She and her husband Zachariah were "righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless" (1:5–7), but childless. ... "

ELIZABETH ["MY GOD HAS SWORN"]

[HEBREW] Elišéva? / Elišáva

Born 1st Century BC

Died 1st Century BC (Or Early AD)

Venerated In Roman Catholic Church

Eastern Orthodox Church

Oriental Orthodox Church

Anglican Church

Lutheran Church

Islam

Canonized

Pre-Congregation

Feast

November 5 (Roman Catholic, Lutheran)

September 5 (Eastern Orthodox, Anglican)

Patronage

HEBREW Pregnant Women

Elišéva? / Elišáva

Biblical Narrative (cont.)

According to the Gospel of Luke chapter 1, Elizabeth was "of the daughters of Aaron." She and her husband Zachariah were "righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless" (1:5–7) …but childless.

While he was in the Temple of the Lord (1:8–12), Zacharias was visited by the angel Gabriel: nevertheless, the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born." —?Luke 1:13–15

The angel told Zacharias that he would be "dumb, and not able to speak" until the words were fulfilled because he did not believe. Zacharias doubted he could believe this since he and his wife were old [past average childbearing age]. According to the Gospel of Luke, she was past average childbearing age when she conceived and gave birth to John.

When the days of his ministry were complete, Zacharias returned to his house (Luke 1:16–23).

After this, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and, for five months, remained in seclusion. "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days, he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people." —?Luke 1:24–25.

Mary, a virgin, betrothed to a man called Joseph after being informed by an angel who told her that she would conceive by the Holy Spirit and bring forth a son called Jesus. She was also informed that her "relative Elizabeth" had begun her sixth month of pregnancy. Soon afterward, Mary traveled to "a town in the hill country of Judah" to visit Elizabeth (Luke 1:26–40). According to the account, later, the angel Gabriel was also sent to Nazareth in Galilee to visit Mary. [Luke 1:36].

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, t Mary, a virgin, betrothed to a man called Joseph after being informed by an angel who told her that she would conceive by the Holy Spirit and bring forth a son called Jesus. She was also informed that her "relative Elizabeth" had begun her sixth month of pregnancy. , and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice, she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 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 1:41–45

Matthew Henry comments, "Mary knew that Elizabeth was with child, but it does not appear that Elizabeth had been told anything of her relative Mary's being intended for the mother of the Messiah; and therefore what knowledge she appears to have had of it must have come by a revelation, which would be a great encouragement to Mary." After Mary heard Elizabeth's blessing, she spoke the words now known as the Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55).

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father, Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."

They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."

Then they made signs to his father to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment, he wrote, "His name is John." Immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. —?Luke 1:56–64