Though only the Gospel of Luke mentions Elisabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, we can see a number of things from her life that we all should emulate.

It is good to banish from our mind that every person mentioned in the Holy Bible was an absolute saint. Each naturally born person was a sinner. Some, however, chose to walk close to God, trusting Him for forgiveness and relying upon Him for their needs. Such were the parents of John The Baptist. Luke 1 speaks of this couple. For this article we will focus on Elizabeth, a godly mother, who had the following characteristics.

Faithful

When Elisabeth, a descendant of Aaron, is first introduced in the Gospel of Luke (chapter 1, verse 6) we read that she and her husband Zacharias were “.

. . righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.” Elisabeth was faithful to walk in harmony with God, and thus was able to live harmoniously with her spouse {1}. Though born a sinner like everyone else we can understand from this statement she came before God to be cleansed and determined to live her life for God to the degree that no one could find actual fault against her based on the written Word.

Verse seven states she was not only aged, but had no child. Many in society at that time would think that such a woman was cursed, or at least had some secret unresolved spiritual fault. Despite this reproach, she loved and trusted Almighty God. There is no indicator she was bitter toward God.

Humble

Yet, it was God’s plan to bless her as the mother of John the Baptist. Verses 24-25 show that instead of proudly blabbing her pregnancy, she looked upon it as a personally awesome blessed event: “After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, ‘This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men.’”

By contrast, in recent years I have seen an image on the Internet of a pregnant woman saying “I make people." It would be good for all of us to remember that the only real reason why we can take our next breath is because God permits it. Humility is lacking in many today. I am of the opinion that, for women, the Women’s Lib Movement had a small role to play in this -- but just a small role. The sin nature itself often looks for the opportunity to lift up self and, at times, put others down. However, being in tune with God through Christ causes one to have a humble disposition.

However, our sin nature would have us think we are in charge and no one, including God, will tell us what to do with our body. So some have sex before marriage. Some kill their babies before they are born. Some abandon their children in various ways. All of this is rebellion against the ways of God.

Once one is in Christ, our (both women and men) attitude ought to be “I, my entire being, belongs to God. Though I am a friend with God, I am also His loving servant.” This was the mind of Christ and if we name the Name of Christ we ought to have His mind.

Spirit Filled

The qualities that comprised her faithfulness along with her humility made Elisabeth a woman that was receptive to the moving of the Holy Spirit upon her life {2}. In verses 39-44 we see she was quite capable of sensing spiritual matters {3}. Her dedicated life affected her unborn child in that he leaped for joy in her womb when the voice of God’s chosen vessel for the flesh of the Messiah reached his mother’s ear (Luke 1:41): “When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”

What reaches our ears? Is it godly? Is it going to affect our lives in such a way that it will have a positive godly affect upon our physical and spiritual children? It would be wonderful that everyone who names the Name of Christ would be filled with the Holy Spirit, and that to overflowing.

Joyous

While one would be naturally happy over such a miracle as occurred to Elisabeth, verses 57-58 indicate that God was not forgotten in the joy she celebrated amongst her friends and relatives. These people were wise enough to underscore a moral attribute of God, mercy -- something we all need and must depend upon {4}. God’s mercy here is described as great. Yet, greater still is when one surrenders to the mercy God offers in Christ by surrendering to Him.

Spirit Obedient

When it came time to name her child, Zacharias and Elisabeth were obedient in spirit, defying the pressure of relatives and others who thought the child should be named Zacharias (vv. 59-60). Godly people do not take the easy way and succumb to peer pressure, but press upward in obedience. Christ must always come first, even before family (Luke 14:26). Those that follow the Holy Spirit and not the whim of others or their own are truly the sons of God (Romans 8:14). 

After John the Baptist was born his life reflected the same qualities that were found in his mother. May we carefully determine to pass a sense of godliness and spirit led obedience on to others. This can only really be done in Christ. When we surrender to God through Christ we will become like His Son. We will develop godly character. 

Notes:

{1} Please read about real love at http://oasisofhope.neocities.org/lv1.html

{2} Hear the message, Don’t Miss Out, at https://archive.org/details/DontMissOut_201412

{3} Luke 1:39-44, Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.”

{4} In the future look for the article, “God Forgave Them?”, to be published on this site.

This article was written in the form of a sermon (message) outline with comments. You should be able to hear the actual message (sermon) by selecting a link at http://www.sapphirestreams.com/life/audioM.html#M120 .

Unless otherwise noted all Holy Scripture is from the New American Standard Bible changing LORD to YHVH as it rightly should be when the text so indicates and adding “(The Existing One)” to readily express the meaning of His Name without making repeated explanations in articles. * = For other versions the spelling of some words is updated for our time in addition to changing LORD to YHVH as it rightly should be when the text so indicates.

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