Read Luke 1:39-45
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home 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 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Mary runs to Elizabeth! It's interesting to note that Elizabeth was a descendent of Aaron, and Mary was from the lineage of David; both by way of their father's ancestry*. They are believed to be cousins, whether distant or near is uncertain, but they were definitely family. They share a bond in the flesh.
Mary enters the home of Zechariah and greets Elizabeth. We don't know what she said but we can be sure she embraced and probably kissed her wondering what she would think of all that had happened. Young Mary and elderly Elizabeth now share a bond in the spirit that manifests itself in the physical. Verse 41 says, "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit," evidence of what the angel told Zechariah in verse 15b, "he (John) will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth." Remember this is pre-Pentecost (Acts 2); before the spirit of God began taking up residence in believers.
Think about that. Even while in the womb, the power of Jesus produced an affect on a believing heart. Surely by her sixth month Elizabeth had felt baby John move inside her many times. Not like this! The word "leaped" here means to skip**. This was no ordinary movement. The babe inside of Elizabeth recognized the presence of Jehovah and He supernaturally stirred them both! She was filled with the Holy Spirit and couldn't keep quiet! She cried with a loud voice, "Blessed (favored of God) are you among women, and blessed (favored of God) is the child you will bear!" You know God is reproducing His Spirit in you when you are genuinely happy for someone else who has received something from the Lord that appears even greater than what you've received without being envious.
How did Elizabeth know Mary was carrying the Messiah? "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes...He will tell you what is yet to come." (John 16:13) Elizabeth calls Mary "the mother of my Lord" (vs 43) and she is humbled by the honor of her visit. The elderly wife of a priest should surely be much more highly esteemed than a teenage peasant girl, right? But, Elizabeth says, "why am I so favored...that you should come to me?" She honors and encourages Mary humbly confirming what the angel said to her.
The Spirit of God is displayed as we encourage and bless one another, a concept woven throughout the pages of scripture. Proverbs 3:27 says, "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act." If only we knew what blessing God would pour out on us if we would.
Elizabeth concludes, "Blessed (happy, to be envied) is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
Words spoken from experience...
*Matthew Henry's Commentary
**Greek Strong's 4640
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