39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town
40 where Zechariah lived.
***
It wasn’t by chance that Gabriel told Mary about Elizabeth.
God knew that Mary would need Elizabeth as a spiritual mother and mentor
because not everyone would accept as true either of their miraculous stories
of God’s supernatural intervention.
Mary hoped to find comfort and reassurance in spending time with Elizabeth.
So, she went the considerable distance
(somewhere between 80 and 100 miles, 4 or 5 days on foot)
from the region of Galilee to the hill country of Judea for a visit.
***
She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.
41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting,
Elizabeth’s child leaped within her,
and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary,
“God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.
43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?
44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.
45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
Luke 1:39-45 NLT
***
John the Baptist had not yet been born, and Zechariah was still mute.
Yet Elizabeth believed the word of the Lord given to her husband in the temple.
Elizabeth also knew that the baby, already in Mary’s womb,
was the Lord who Elizabeth’s son would prepare the way for (the mother of my Lord).
This faith was in Elizabeth because she was filled with the Holy Spirit.
***
***
That Elizabeth not only knows that Mary is pregnant,
but also that she is pregnant with the Messiah
is confirmation of the angel Gabriel words.
In her joy, Mary sang.