Elizabeth was born of good lineage. Those within the tribe of Levi were to bare the priests! Alishiba, the wife of Aaron, is a type of Elizabeth. Because Aaron was blessed to have the priesthood line she was the mother of all future priests, her name means “ALL sons are priests.” Elizabeth was destined to bare a son that would be a priest.

Elizabeth married Zacharias, also from the tribe of Levi and a priest. They were both were “upright in the sight of God.” Their life together had promised to be a good one, but as they progressed “along in years” they still had no children. They lived in a culture where childless women and couples were considered less. They must have suffered both socially and personally yet remained “upright in the sight of God.”

It must have been a bittersweet connection when Zachariah returned from the temple bearing the news, written on a tablet for he could not speak, that they would be having a baby.  He must have shared that as he prayed for the Son of God to come for the salvation of all of Israel an angel announced that the time was short at hand. Perhaps with tears in his eyes, Zacharias wrote, that the angel also said: “we would have a son.” Elizabeth must have had many questions, the communication must have been frustrating. After she became pregnant she must have thought about the meaning of her name, “God keeps his promises.” How sweet the reassurance must have been.

Just as Zacharias and Elizabeth received answers to their prayers, even though it seemed impossible, we, too, receive answers to our prayers in God’s timetable.

See Luke 1:8-17, Luke 1:39-45