Luke tells little about her.
Luke 1:5-7 (NIV)
1:5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly.
7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.
Zechariah has his visitation in the temple service by the angel Gabriel...and he walks out without the ability to talk - not so much a punishment, but a divine sign that something happened to him in the temple, and perhaps his lack of affirmation was God's way of saying, "Then just watch".
Zechariah comes home to Elizabeth...and he isn't talking. More than one wife can relate to that, but in this case his lack of talking isn't his tired, worn out emotions and body, but rather it's the Lord's doing. What did Elizabeth know? What did she understand? What did she do? It's obvious, something has happened to her husband, and she doesn't get to "hear" it from him...it is merely acted out. They made love... Luke 1:23-25 (NIV)
1:23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home.
24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.
25 "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."
It seems very strange for us "moderns" to understand just what it meant to a woman in her day to be "barren". It is a frustration that many a woman can identify with when they "try" over and over to have children without success. But, for Elizabeth it was more than just frustration...it was "disgrace". "What's wrong with her?" "What has she done that God will not allow her to have a child?", and more.
There's only one more link to Elizabeth and it comes after Mary is visited by the angel and is herself now pregnant. Luke tells it like this...Luke 1:39-45 (NIV)
1:39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
40 where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
Elizabeth is mainly a quiet figure in the story. But to Elizabeth we see a faith that goes beyond human emotion.
1. She points out the defining characteristic in Mary - "Blessed are you who believed that the word God spoke would indeed be fulfilled".
2. She speaks out the quality of Mary's blessed state - "she believed the Lord"
Remember the words of Jesus later...Luke 11:27-28 (NIV)
11:27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you."
28 He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."
Elizabeth...quiet, full of faith, and understands what's going on.
May our Advent be a time of "watching", "waiting", "seeking understanding" in all that God is doing around us, and through us.
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