Last day here in Dallas and head back tomorrow. I have learned sooo much and will begin to apply my new education starting as early as next week. I can’t wait to see my family tomorrow as I have missed them so much. Can not wait to gaze at their beautiful faces and hug them tight.
Luke 1:24-25 [ESV]
After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
Today I finished up this story of Zechariah coming out of the temple after seeing the angel and losing his voice due to his unbelief. The temple worshippers had gotten concerned because he was taking so long in the holy place burning incense. Priests we’re encouraged to not dilly dally due to the fact that the people would fear that God had struck the Priest down in punishment for a ceremonial miss. One of the great honors the Priest picked to do the incense was able to was address the people after the incense offering but he could not because of his newfound muteness.
Now we come to Elizabeth and her conceiving a son. In biblical times, it was considered that a married woman was being punished if she was unable to bear children. Even more so for a Priest’s wife as it was important to keep the Priestly lines running. These barren women were often ridiculed. So, it is thought that she hid for the 5 months so she could wait until she began to ‘show’ as to silence the scoffers. This was why she said that not only did the Lord give her a son but He also took away the burden of the reproach she had carried for being unable to bear children earlier.
Elizabeth though that she was being punished by the Lord but His real plan was to bring glory to Himself through Elizabeth by giving her a child when she was thought to be barren.
For me, the takeaway here is that although it is perfectly ok for me to lament situations, circumstances, and trial in my life, I must also know that perseverance will likely produce a future understanding of Gods ultimate will and purpose for a suffering I might endure. I must also understand that I may never see the will purpose in ‘my’ lifetime.