Elizabeth: The barren shall conceive

Elizabeth is a popular household name in many homes. Different variants of the name are used by both Christian and non-Christians. The late Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom bore this Biblical name and through her, the name became a household name across the British colonies and territories. Many Christians can associate with the name Elizabeth on a personal level. She was no Queen in the Bible. She wasn’t a beauty pageant contestant like Queen Esther. She was a woman who had a big challenge. The challenge stayed with her for a very long time until her miracle arrived when she least expected it.

This is how the book of Luke presents Elizabeth and her husband: “In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.” (Luke 1:5‭-‬6). It is important to know the date of this story, the occupation of the Zachariah and their family line. Both Zachariah and Elizabeth were considered as righteous in the sight of God. They observed all the commands and decrees of God. They were blameless in keeping up with the commands and decrees. However, they had a challenge: “But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.” (Luke 1:7).

But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. (Luke 1:7)

Childlessness is an agelong challenge. Since the very early years of the world, couples have had to battle with this challenge for a long time. Elizabeth and the husband worshipped God faithfully but they were childless. One day, Zachariah had an encounter angel Gabriel while fulfilling his duties as a priest:
“Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:11‭, ‬13‭-‬17)

Zachariah’s doubtfulness of the words of the angel caused the angel to make him mute until the appointed time. In the meanwhile, after this angelic encounter, Zachariah’s wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favour and taken away my disgrace among the people.” (Luke 1:24‭-‬25). Indeed, God came through for Elizabeth at the time she least expected: Zachariah was an old man and Elizabeth was well along in years (Luke 1:18). The one declared barren became pregnant. Elizabeth’s shame and reproach was taken away. She received favour from God. All who heard about her miracle baby glorified God.

Elizabeth knew that her baby was no ordinary baby. He was on assignment to fulfill God’s purpose. How God chose the least expected woman to become an agent for His purpose is still a miracle. However, we know that Elizabeth and Zachariah positioned themselves at a vantage place. Their righteousness and obedience to the Lord was visible to all.

When we are at the lowest point of our lives, we shouldn’t compromise on our righteousness and obedience to God. The story of Elizabeth teaches us patience in waiting. It teaches us the value of righteousness and the fact that God is always seeking for someone to fulfill His purpose. We cannot compromise on our Godliness because of our situation in life. Zachariah received his prophecy in the house of God. Be intentional not to abandon church and the meeting of the brethren because you are hurting. God still does miracles in the house of God. Tomorrow could be your turn to encounter the angel that has been commissioned to meet your needs.

Samson’s mother: The barren shall born a warrior

One issue that runs through the Old and New Testament is the need for a saviour. From Genesis to Malachi, there was a consistent request from the people to God to save them or deliver them from their enemies or their challenges. The New Testament begins with the birth of the Saviour but those who did not recognize Him still prayed for a saviour. During the time judges ruled in Israel, the people cried for a deliverance. Whenever the people sinned against God, they were left in the hands of their enemies. In Judges 13:1 we are told that “again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, so the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.” Forty years of pain, oppression and torment might have been quite overwhelming. When their cries for deliverance ascended to heaven, a woman was prepared to birth forth their deliverer. God did not choose any woman but one who had a personal challenge. This woman needed help. She was in need of a saviour to fix her own personal needs. She was not perfect but God chose the imperfect person to demonstrate His grace and mercy.

The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. (Judges 13:3) 

The deliverer for the desperate people of God was not chosen from among the Israelites, he had to be born and then grow up to take his role. This is how his birth came about: “A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth. The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.” (Judges 13:2‭-‬5). Manoah’s wife was overwhelmed by this strange information. She informed Manoah and together they both encountered the angel of God. When Manoah realized that they encountered an angel of God, he proclaimed: “We are doomed to die!” he said to his wife. “We have seen God!” But his wife answered, “If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and grain offering from our hands, nor shown us all these things or now told us this.” (Judges 13:22-23). The woman knew that God had a plan. She kept all the regulations given by the angel and she “gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol” (Judges 13:24‭-‬25)

Samson’s mother was the least expected to birth the deliverer. She was barren but God in His sovereignty chose the barren to glorify His name. Samson is a type of Jesus, we see the image of God’s bigger story in Samson’s story. Mary, the mother of Jesus was a virgin and while the people looked forward to a strong and mighty Saviour, Mary delivered a baby who grew up and died to save the whole world. Samson had a different task. He was meant to deliver Israel. He had extraordinary strength through which he single handedly fought and destroyed the enemies of Israel. His Nazirite vow was kept by his parents and fueled by the Spirit of God, Samson did extraordinary things while he was alive. Samson’s mother was influential in fulfilling God’s promise. She made sure that all the regulations of the angel of the Lord were kept. She knew that her obedience to the regulations was important to sustain the child and ultimately prepare the boy for his ministry. 

God chose the barren to birth the deliverer. Manoah’s wife was a woman with challenges but God used her to save Israel. You don’t need to be the perfect vessel for the Master’s use. Your readiness to accept His call is enough. God will use your imperfections to create a beautiful story. Be ready and willing. Your miracle story is on the way. 

Rachel and Leah: God joined the drama

Jacob’s decision to marry two sisters didn’t come without concerns. First, Rachel was the most loved wife and Leah wasn’t loved. Jacob repeated the mistake of his parents: favouritism. Jacob should have been more knowledgeable about the effects of favouritism and the consequences it brings. However, he was in love with Rachel but Leah was just “a mistake of a wife.” Imagine the joy in Rachel’s heart and the bitterness in Leah’s heart. It was a public display of favouritism and God was not pleased at all. If rivalry between two strange women can be sore, rivalry between two sisters who both feel cheated by their father is worse. Romans 2:11 states that, “God does not show favoritism” and James 2:9 also quotes that, “if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.” Therefore, Jacob was not obeying God by favouring Rachel over Leah. Therefore God Himself joined the drama. 

When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. (Genesis 29:31)

Remember, the biggest concerns of Jacob’s family had been childbirth. Sarah and Rebekah faced the issue of childlessness for years. When God stepped into the situation,  this is what happened: “When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless” (Genesis 29:31). God opened the door of childbirth for Leah. She escaped the familiar trend of childlessness but for Rachel, she remained childless. When you are loved by man, they do their best to make you happy, but when you are loved by God, He gives you the best of the land. Rachel had Jacob but was childless, Leah had God and she had it all. In a few years, Leah’s family grew bigger and Rachel remained the same. “Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now. She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon. Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi. She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.” (Genesis 29:32‭-‬35).

Leah’s naming patterns remind me of traditional African communities where names are based on situations. Leah was obsessed with getting her husband’s attention that she missed God’s providence in her life. She kept naming her sons after her emotions. When she finally had the fourth son, Leah changed the naming pattern. She said “This time I will praise the Lord” and the child was named Judah. Indeed God deserved all her praise. While Leah escaped from the generational issue of barreness because God showed her mercy, Rachel lived in bitterness. She became envious of her sister and she kept nagging Jacob for a child. “When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?” (Genesis 30:1‭-‬2). The drama in Jacob’s house was not pleasant and Jacob might have felt the heat of pain and bitterness. He had to live with it. The decision to marry two sisters and  the desire to show favouritism contributed to the heat in his home. 

If Jacob was pressed, imagine Rachel and Leah. The sisters might have been on serious loggerheads and daily, each would have tried to be the best. Rachel was loved but had no children, Leah wasn’t loved but had enough children. What is the next move of this broken family? Will God leave the drama? 
If there is any lesson to learn today, bear in mind that God does not show favoritism (Romans 2:11) and, if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers (James 2:9).