Elizabeth

For the List of the "Women of the Bible", click Blog Archive, 2008 December

15 Questions & Answers
Scripture Reference: Lk 1:5-80
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#1. Who were Elizabeth and Zechariah?

#1. Luk 1:1-5: During the reign of Herod king of Judea, there lived a priest named Zechariah who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and he had a wife named Elizabeth, who was a descendant(lineage) of Aaron. She and her husband Zacharia "were both righteous before God" (Luke 1:5, 13). They were the parents of John the Baptist, Messiah's forerunner (Luke 1:5).
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#2. True or False. Both of them were old and childless.

#2. True. Luk 1:7 They did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both very old.
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#3. Why the people of Israel waited hundreds of years for Messiah?

#3. Messiah would do away with all the sacrifices and priesthood. He would provide a direct bridge to God himself and his sacrifice would provide redemption for all time.
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#4. According to Bible why we have to be a friend and support to a woman who is struggling with infertility?

#4. Israelites saw children are a blessing from the Lord, recognizing his power to open or close a woman's womb. Women who couldn't bear children were considered subfemale, unable to fulfill their divine purpose on earth. When a woman was unable to fulfill this duty her emotional pain was tremendous. In addition to this, infertility brought also the reproach of a woman's husband, the disapproval of woman's family, and the rejection of the society. The productive women's fertility mocked the infertility of the barren woman every time she went to the market, well or a community social event.
Many women(eg: Sarah, Rachel, Hannah) in the Bible were barren. Elizabeth said she was disgraced among her people. 1 Tim 2:15 says, Women will be saved through child bearing and the pain that became incidental to childbirth through the Fall(Gen 3:16). Under these circumstances they deserve our friendship and support all the way.
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#5. When and where Zachariah did meet the angel Gabriel and what was the message?

#5. Lk 1:8-17 Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13But 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 give him the name John.

He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15for 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 from birth. 16Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
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#6. Whenever an heavenly being(angel) appear, why the human being get frightened?

#6. We are not told exactly what angels look like or how they appear. Matt 28:3 says
"His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow". Mary and Zachariah were cowered in fear when the angel Gabriel appeared- not an uncommon reaction. Certainly it is obvious from the reactions of those who saw them that the angels are supernatural beings and therefore frightening. There are 291 references to angels in Scripture.
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#7. What kind of incense Zachariah was burning in the temple and what was its purpose?

#7. The incense Zachariah burned in the temple was made according to a special recipe(Exod 30:34-38) of spices and salt that had been ground to a powder. This holy incense could be used only in the temple in worship, never for ordinary, everyday purposes. Zachariah was chosen by lot-which was God's way of making the choice- to burn incense in the temple. Each morning and evening he took fire from the altar of burnt offering and placed it on the golden altar of incense that stood before the curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. He then poured the dusty incense from a golden urn onto the fire. The worshippers stood outside and prayed. The smoke and aroma of the incense symbolized their prayers rising up to God. The fragrance also served to fumigate air, tainted with the odor of the blood of animals killed for the sacrifices.
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#8. Why the prophet Jeremiah often condemned the Israelites for burning incense?

#8. Jeremiah 6:20 What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me." God made it clear that the mere burning of incense didn't please him. It was only a symbol. He was looking for hearts that were turned toward him with faithfulness and trust.
Isn't that application obvious for us today as well?
In all our forms of worship-our hymns and praise songs, our liturgies and readings- what is important to God is our hearts, turned toward him in faithfulness and trust.
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#9. What punishment happened when Zachariah questioned the angel?

#9. Lk 1:18-20 Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
19The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."
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#10. How long Elizabeth had to wait to plant a child in her shriveled up, old-woman's womb?

#10. Luk 1:24 After some time his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and for five months she kept herself in seclusion.
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#11. Who convinced the secret pregnancy of Elizabeth to her relative Mary?

#11. Gabriel
Luk 1:36 “And look, your relative Elizabeth has also become pregnant with a son in her old age – although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month!
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#12. What happened to Elizabeth when Pregnant Mary visited Elizabeth?

#12. Mary's visit to Elisabeth is described in Lk 1:39-63.
Mary travelled 60 miles south from Nazareth to Judea to visit her relative.
Luk 1:40 Mary entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
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#13. Give 3 promises in the Scripture related to Mary's Savior?

#13. a)Malachi 4:2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.

b)John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

c)1 Tim 1:15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
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#14. Mary would have been in the first trimester of her pregnancy and Elizabeth in her third. What does the medical science say about the young baby's week by week growth in their wombs?

#14. God is the Creator of every child in the womb. To restore our appreciation for the miracle of human life, it is worth to look into the fetal development of the young baby.

Normally pregnancy is based on a 40-week schedule(=280 days) from the 1st day of LMP}. ie. 38 weeks(=266 days) from conception, Give or take a few weeks.

1st trimester of pregnancy: 1 - 12 weeks
2nd trimester of pregnancy: 13 - 27 weeks
3rd trimester of pregnancy: 28 - 42 weeks

Embryo, is upto the first two months of gestation, After the end of the second month the young is called, fetus. After the completion of 42 weeks induction of labor will be considered. 1st week of the pregnancy begins on the first day of the LMP(last menstrual period) for the calculation of gestational period. Mary or Elizabeth didn't have to go through pitocin or breaking the water(amniotomy) induction. Both of them didn't have to worry about epidural, cesarean or doula birthing. They must have had natural birthing.

Pregnancy Calendar:
Jesus:
4 weeks - his nervous system being developed.
5 weeks - most of his organ systems had begun to form.
6 weeks - his facial features forming.
7 weeks - his heart began beating.
8 weeks - all his major body structures, organs, blood were developing.
10 weeks - tiny teeth were forming in his gums.
11 weeks - genitalia beginning to develop, organs fully developed.
12 weeks - his basic structure of brain was formed and the circulatory system will begin functioning.

John:
24 weeks - Baby is almost completely formed.
6th month (26 weeks) - He could grasp his hands, kick, do somersaults. Baby can hear you and those around you. Although we assume that the uterus is a quiet place, the baby has been surrounded by noise for a long time. Things like your heartbeat, digestion, and other body functions are heard by the baby as well as external noises. Now you may feel the baby jump at a sudden noise.
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#15. What does the Psalm 139: 13-17 beautifully praise our Creator?

#15. For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me
were written in your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!