INTRODUCTION:

A. Elisabeth is mentioned in only one chapter of the Bible, but this does not diminish her importance.
 Elisabeth was a mother in Israel whose story is told because she was the mother of a great man, John 
  the Baptist.
C. Her story needs to be known for she set a great example sorely needed by women today.
 She made her contribution to GodÕs plan of redemption in the role God especially assigned to wives 
 and mothers (I Timothy 2:15).

DISCUSSION:

I. ELISABETH WAS A GODLY WOMAN.

 A. Her name, which means “Worshiper of God,” describes her whole life.
 B. She was the daughter of a priest and the wife of a priest; thus her whole life was involved
   with the worship of God (Luke 1:5).
 C. Both Elisabeth and Zachariah were described as:
  1. “Righteous before God.”
  2. “Walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” 
   (Luke 1:6).
  3. H. Leo Boles wrote:  “...they were both obedient to the will of God as contained 
   in the Old Testament Scripture; they were truly and sincerely living in accordance 
   to the law of Moses; they were blameless according to the imperfect system under
   which they lived” (Gospel  Advocate Commentary on Luke, p. 19).
 D. Doubtless there have been multitudes of quiet, godly women like Elisabeth who will 
  remain unknown to us until the Judgment of the Great Day!

II. ELISABETH WAS A CHILDLESS WOMAN. 

 A. She was like many great Old Testament women who were barren, but given children 
  in answer to prayer.
  1. Sarah (Genesis 11:30; 21:1-5).
  2. Rebecca (Genesis 25:21-24).
  3. Rachel (Genesis 30:1,22).
  4. Hannah (I Samuel 1:5-20).
 B. In Bible times, being barren was considered a reproach.
  1. God commanded Adam and Eve to “Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the
   earth, and subdue it…” (Genesis 1:28).
  2. Woman’s special sphere is in childbearing and the family (I Timothy 2:15).
  3. The Psalmist said:  “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit 
   of the womb is his reward” (Psalm 127:3).
  4. God is a special helper of the barren:  “He maketh the barren woman to keep 
   house, and to be a joyful mother of children” (Psalm 113:9).
  5. Many women today do not consider having children to be a privilege; they are 
   more concerned with how to keep from having them.
 C. When the angel appeared to Zachariah, he said:  “Thy prayer is heard” (Luke 1:13).
  1. Zachariah and Elisabeth had prayed for a child.
  2. By this time, they may have resigned themselves to the thought that it was 
   not God’s will for them to have a child.
 III. ELISABETH WAS A PRIVILEGED WOMAN.

 A. Zachariah was offering incense in the temple in Jerusalem (Luke 1:8-25).
  1. The angel, Gabriel, appeared to him.
  2. Gabriel announced that Zachariah and Elisabeth would have a son.
  3. The son would be named “John” which means “Gift of God.”
  4. He would be a Nazarite from birth (Luke 1:15; Numbers 6:1-21; Judges 13:2-5).
  5. He would prepare a people for the Lord.
  6. Because Zachariah did not believe the angel, he was to be dumb 
   (deaf and mute) until the birth of his son.
 B. In the sixth month of Elisabeth’s pregnancy, Mary visited her (Luke 1:25,26,39-56).
  1. When Mary greeted Elisabeth, the baby leaped in her  womb.
  2. Notice that that which was in her womb is called a baby; it was not just a 
   glob of flesh which could be aborted at the whim of the mother (cf. Luke 1:15).
 C. Elisabeth gave birth and the baby was brought to be circumcised (Luke 1:57-64).
  1. It was Jewish custom to name the firstborn son after the father.
  2. Elisabeth refused to name the baby after Zachariah.
  3. When Zachariah was asked, he wrote: “His name is John.”
  4. Immediately, his speech was restored and he praised God and prophesied 
   (Luke 1:67-79; esp. vv. 77,78).

CONCLUSION:

 Elisabeth was NOT chosen to be the mother of John because she was young, 
 beautiful, rich, or talented.
 She was chosen because she and her husband were godly and therefore would 
 be the best kind of parents.
 

         Rod Rutherford