ELIZABETH: THE MOTHER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

“There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:5-6 NKJV).

Our text describes the mother of John the Baptist in a very beautiful way. Thus, we want to note four things about Elizabeth:

She was a mother in righteousness - Our verse says that she and her husband “were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” Would that as much might be said of every mother. A righteous mother, and a God-fearing father, are the greatest benefit that a son or daughter could possibly have.

She was a mother of unwavering faith in God - When God told her that she would have a child, although she was very old, she did not doubt for one moment. Her husband doubted, but she did not. Not only that, but later when her cousin Mary came to visit, she recognized that God’s promise to Eve relative to the birth of a Seed was about to be fulfilled. She then said to Mary, “Blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord” (1:45).

She was a mother who stood firm amid the crumbling faiths of her day – Unlike Zacharias and Elizabeth, the general run of priests of that day was more like Annas and Caiaphas who lived a life of compromise. However, in the midst of Israel’s apostasy, Elizabeth believed God and lived a life of unshaken faith and confidence.

She was a mother with a song – Instead of the customary greetings, Elizabeth greeted Mary by crying out, “Blessed are you!” Her song which begins in Luke 1:42 is traditionally known as the Beatitude of Elizabeth, conveying words of supreme blessedness or happiness. Elizabeth was happy for all that God had done. We need to pray that God give us more mothers like Elizabeth.

(Adapted from Robert Neighbour’s Wells of Living Water Commentary)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“Godly mothers not only bring you up, they bring you to God!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Enticed

In Jam. 1:14 we read, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed!” (NKJV).

Enticed is the Greek word deleázō (δελεάζω = del-eh-ad'-zo). The word means to bait, entrap, delude. The idea of deleázō then is to catch by use of bait as does a trapper or fisherman who lures prey from their place of hiding. Evil desires act as a bait to “hook” us and get us in trouble. Temptation continually prods and baits us by appealing to our dark side. The point is that no temptation appears as temptation but always seems more alluring and promising than it proves to be.

“Fear Nots” Found in the Bible

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1 KJV).

Did You Know…

In Hebrew, the name “Jabez” means he causes pain. Jabez’s mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain” (1 Chron. 4:9) Jabez is also the name of a town (1 Chron. 2:55).

Bible Quiz

Whose mother asked the Lord Jesus to grant her sons places at His right and left?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: What judge of Israel accused Hannah of being drunk when she fervently prayed to God for a baby? Eli (1 Sam. 1:14).

Names For the Lord Jesus in the Bible

“COMMANDER”

"Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, a leader and commander for the people!” (Isa. 55:4 NKJV).

1. Meaning – COMMANDER speaks of the Lord Jesus as the One who has supreme authority.

2. Insights – The word “Him” here refers not to Israel, but to the Messiah, David’s Son (Matt. 1:1). The Lord Jesus Christ is the “Son of David” who will rule eternally on David’s throne, fulfilling God’s promise to David. He is God’s appointed sovereign Prince. He will be a Commander of all the peoples of the world. As He declared in Matt. 28:18, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

Did You Know – Christian History

Susanna Wesley was born January 20, 1669, in London, England. She never preached a sermon, published a book, or founded a church, yet Susanna Wesley is known as the Mother of Methodism. The example of faith and religious reverence she set for her children John and Charles inspired them to become powerful spiritual leaders, and to launch the Methodist movement.

Susanna was the youngest of 25 children. At the age of 12, she stopped attending her father’s church and joined the Church of England. At age 19, she married Church of England pastor Samuel Wesley. Susanna and Samuel had 19 children. Nine of her children died as infants; four of the children who died were twins. A maid accidentally smothered one child. At her death, only eight of her children were still alive.

Susanna experienced many hardships throughout her life. The Wesleys suffered illness, disease, poverty, and the death of children. Fire twice destroyed their home. Her husband left her and the children for over a year because of a minor dispute – she refused to say “Amen” to his prayer for King William. But through it all Susanna accepted the will of God and placed herself and her family in His hands.

The frequent absences of her husband on church business left the management of the household in her hands. Although managing the home took great planning, she made time to nurture each child. Through it all she remained a steadfast Christian who taught not only through the Scriptures, but through her own example of daily trust in God.

The children were raised strictly. They were taught to cry softly, to eat what was put before them, and not to raise their voices or play noisily. Physical punishment was used, but confession of faults could avoid it. All but one of the children learned to read from the age of five, including the girls. Susanna made it a rule for herself to spend an hour a day with each of the children over the period of a week. She paid special attention to John, who almost died in a fire. Long before women were ordained, Susanna would sometimes gather friends around the kitchen table and lead prayers when her preacher husband was away. She kept the parish going in his absence. Susanna also planted the unconventional idea of letting lay people serve as local preachers.

After Samuel Wesley died in 1735, Susanna lived with her children, especially, in her last year, with John. She died on July 23, 1742, and was buried in London’s Bunhill Fields, where John Bunyan and Isaac Watts are also buried. Her sons won tens of thousands of souls to Christ. She would not have wished for more.

A Little Humor

The mother of three notoriously unruly youngsters was asked whether or not she’d have children if she had it to do over again. “Yes,” she replied. “But not the same ones.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Through His cross, the Lord Jesus rescues and redeems!”