Luke 1:56-66 - God's Revelation Produces Joy

56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house. 57 Now Elizabeth's full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. 58 When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.   Luke is writing his Gospel during a very dark and dismal period in world history, and especially for the nation of Israel. For four-hundred years God has been silent. Between the Old Testament book of Malachi and the first four Gospels in the New Testament God hasn’t spoken, or in any way revealed Himself to the world or His people.   To get a picture of world affairs during this time we need to remember that the nation of Israel was in Babylonian captivity between 597 BCE and 538 BCE. This captivity lasted until they were freed by Persian leader Cyrus the Great. The Greeks ruled the world under Alexander the Great from the early 300’s BCE until the Romans conquered and rule the world beginning in about 140 BCE, and they ruled the world and Palestine until about 470 AD. It was during this dark time that God reveals Himself in the Person of Jesus Christ and Luke is writing his Gospel with the theme of joy and rejoicing! “Joy to the World, the Lord is Come!”   So far in the Gospel of Luke we have been discussing the joy and rejoicing of Zacharias and Elizabeth at the announcement by the angel that in their old age they would have a son. The joy of John leaping in the womb of Elizabeth when she heard the greeting of Mary. And the joy and rejoicing of Mary as she shares with Elizabeth what the angel told her.   According to Luke 1:56, Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months until John was born before she returned to Nazareth. Can you imagine what they must have discussed and talked about with each other, and with their friends and neighbors? This kind of good news under the Roman oppression must have been very exciting and encouraging! God is speaking and revealing His plan for His people once again!   By the time Mary returned to Nazareth, it was clear that she was pregnant, and no doubt the tongues began to wag. After all, she had been away from home for three months; and why, people were likely asking, had she left in such a hurry? Even Joseph, who Mary is engaged to, is upset about her pregnancy and is thinking of divorcing her privately. It was then that God gave the good news to Joseph by appearing to him by an angel in a dream and instructed him what to do (Matt. 1:18-25).   Now in Luke 1:57, Luke describes the birth of John the Baptist, and he tells us that when her relatives and neighbors hear about the Lord’s mercy in giving Zacharias and Elizabeth a child in their old age they are rejoicing too!   Yes, even today in the dark times of chaos and division in our country and the world in which we live, we should be rejoicing because Jesus has already come once, lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins in our place, rose again on the third day, and is presently seated at the right hand of His Father in heaven. We can also rejoice because we have His promise that He is coming again!   I believe according to Biblical prophecy, that Jesus is coming back very soon to rapture His bride, the Church! Are you ready?   God bless!