Elizabeth, a relative of Mary, was barren but was enabled by the miraculous intervention of God to conceive a child. This child was John the Baptist. The miraculous conception would be an important sign, both to Mary (to whom the angel announced this miracle) and to the Jewish people among whom Elizabeth’s husband Zechariah was serving as a priest. Certainly both Mary and Zechariah recognised it not just as a miracle but as a sign. Mary’s famous exclamation on meeting Elizabeth (the ‘Magnificat’) and particularly Zechariah’s prophecy, make this explicit. Throughout the Gospel narratives there are many miracles, and it is important to understand that they were not just done for the sake of the individuals themselves. A miracle for someone is a sign of breakthrough for everyone. The fact that one person, in this case Elizabeth, experienced a miracle, meant that God was doing things and this had consequences for everyone. The nature of Elizabeth’s miracle is particularly symbolic within the biblical context. The giving of life where there was barrenness symbolised the very thing that Israel most needed at the time. They were in a period of great barrenness. There had not been a prophet in Israel for four hundred years. They were wondering where God was and why he wasn’t turning up to help them. This miracle for Elizabeth was a sign to Israel that God was at work among them again. If God does a miracle in your life, it is a sign for everyone. If God does a miracle in someone else’s life, it is a sign for you. A miracle for someone is a sign for everyone.
What do you most want to see God do in yours or another’s life?
Read Luke 1:39-80
