Challenges with identifying what God is doing

Luke 1 gives us some great insights into how God works and His habit of subverting our expectations.

Revelation and Inspiration

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
— Luke 1:1-4 NKJV

Luke’s introduction indicates that he did not simply sit at a table and suddenly his eyes rolled back and he began to write having no conscious thought of what he was doing. Instead Luke describes the process more like historical research. I do not believe this diminishes Luke's inspiration, but rather, it helps us better understand how God works. God does not simply cancel out our personality, but He uses us and our gifts, abilities, and skills. God chose Luke and used Luke, but Luke had to do his research and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit he was able to write the masterpiece we have today, the books of Luke and Acts. Interestingly Luke wrote the most words of any single author of the New Testament. Though Paul wrote more books, Luke’s two books are longer than all of Paul’s writings combined.

Zacharias and Elizabeth

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
— Luke 1:5-7 NKJV

Luke then introduces us to Zacharias and Elizabeth. Zecharias was a priest, Elizabeth is a descendant of Aaron and both of them are righteous before God, they live in obedience to God, and no one can accuse them of doing anything wrong. Here we have a couple that as far as everyone is concerned is blameless. They are righteous before God, so their right behavior is not just for show, like so many Pharisees of the time. This does not mean that they were sinless. They still need a Savior, but they are not living a life of rebellion. Interestingly this is a longer and more detailed introduction than Mary gets.

Luke 1:7 would surprise us. We tend to expect those who are faithful to God to live lives of ease, always promptly receiving everything they ask from God. Yet this amazing couple has been waiting a lifetime to have a child, and they have not. Luke 1:25 reveals that Elizabeth felt reproached most of her life. I understand this to mean that people talked about her behind her back and perhaps made unkind comments.

Among Oriental peoples childlessness has ever been looked upon as a great affliction. Often the Jews considered it to be divine punishment for sin (see on Lev. 20:20).

[…]That is, the misfortune of being childless presumably, according to the Jews, the greatest misfortune that could come to a woman (Gen. 30:1; 1 Sam. 1:5–8; see on Luke 1:7). Barrenness was commonly thought to be a visitation of God (see Gen. 16:2; 30:1, 2; 1 Sam. 1:5, 6), and prayer was in such circumstances made for His favor (see Gen. 25:21; 1 Sam. 1:10–12), that He would “remember” those thus afflicted. When conception occurred following prayers such as these it was said that God “remembered” them (see Gen. 30:22; 1 Sam. 1:19). Throughout the Scriptures children are thought of as being a blessing bestowed by God (see Gen. 33:5; 48:4; Ex. 23:26; Joshua 24:3; Ps. 113:9; 127:3; 128:3). In contrast, among heathen nations children were commonly exposed or offered as burnt offerings to their gods.
— Francis D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5 (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1980), 672, 278

Imagine Elizabeth going through life not only carrying the burden and sadness of not being able to have children and also having to deal with social challenges. It is likely that she was excluded and looked down upon by her peers. Imagine living a righteous life but being treated as less than, as morally inferior, and rejected by God? Imagine people gossiping behind your back wondering what kinds of secret sins you must be committing for God to curse you with barrenness.

Elizabeth did not have to deal with this for a few days, weeks, or months, but her entire life. She knew that she was faithful to God, God knew that, but apparently everyone else had their doubts. Elizabeth lived most of her life carrying that burden, perhaps wondering why God refused to give her a child. I wonder if she felt forgotten, rejected, not good enough, inferior, less than…

Yet, throughout the years, Elizabeth and her husband Zacharias remained faithful to God.

While people were praying…

8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
— Luke 1:8-17 NKJV

Isn’t it amazing how often special things happen during prayer? After 400 years of silence, God shows up to raise up a prophet who will prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah.

Are you sure?

18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”

19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”
— Luke 1:18-20 NKJV

God has been silent for so long, and Zacharias is so old that he is not sure God can still answer his prayer and bless him and Elizabeth with a son. Gabriel reminds Zacharias of God’s power by making him mute until everything the angel says takes place.

Meet Mary

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
— Luke 1:26-34 NKJV

We are not told anything about Mary’s character/behavior, as opposed to Zacharias and Elizabeth who are described as righteous before God and blameless. All we know about Mary is that she is a virgin and she is betrothed.

With God nothing is impossible.

35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
— Luke 1:35-38 NKJV

Nothing is impossible for God, and Mary believes and submits to God’s will.

Mary becomes pregnant

I imagine life got very awkward for Mary. Imagine with me what it would be like for a young lady to become pregnant before she is married and for her to insist that she is pregnant with the Messiah and that she is still a virgin. What percentage of her family and friends believed and rejoiced with her? Sure out of all the women who ever lived on earth God chose Mary to be the mother of the Messiah. Yeah, right, who would believe that?

I imagine life became difficult for Mary. Judgmental looks, disapproval, little jokes, being left out, loneliness, doubt, fear, sadness, confusion…

Who would think that playing such an important role in God’s plan of salvation would be so difficult? Elizabeth’s son could not have been born earlier because his mission was directly connected with the mission of the Messiah and the Messiah had to be born at the right time for prophecy to be fulfilled. Everything was going according to God’s plan, each thing happening at the right time. But from Elizabeth and Zacharias’ perspective, it was a lifetime of waiting. Humanity has been waiting since the fall (Genesis 3 someOne is Coming) for the Messiah. Israel has been waiting for hundreds of years. Now it is finally happening, but instead of it being easy and making perfect sense it has been incredibly challenging. Zecharias is mute, Elizabeth is finally pregnant, and now Mary is pregnant but not yet married.

There is one person on earth who is able to minister to Mary in her hour of incredible difficulty. One woman knows what it is like to suffer reproach when she has done nothing wrong. Mary decides to visit Elizabeth.

Blessed are you

39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
— Luke 1:39-45 NKJV

Elizabeth’s unborn child responds to the voice of Mary. Baby John, though not yet born is so full of the Holy Spirit, so connected to God that he responds to the voice of the mother of the Messiah. Elizabeth is also filled with the Holy Spirit and she says what Mary needs to hear “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” If Mary was doubting or feeling down, sad, or lonely, now she is reminded that God indeed is in this. Despite all the challenges and everyone’s opinions, God is directly involved in what is happening.

Challenges in understanding what God is doing

God is saving the world, but to the religious community at the time it looks like sin.

Elizabeth and Zacharias not having a child looked like sin. Others looked at them as cursed by God, and if God was displeased with them it must be because they were sinners. The other priests and their wives and children may not have known what Elizabeth and Zacharias did wrong, but they were sure they must have done something because clearly God had not blessed them with a child. Perhaps in their minds, they believed that Zacharias and Elizabeth could fool everyone except God, surely they must have some terrible secret sin.

Mary was betrothed to Joseph and now was pregnant. Joseph knew that the child was not his. Matthew 1:19 says that Joseph had plans to divorce Mary secretly, but an angel appeared to him in a dream.

But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
— Matthew 1:20-21 NKJV

God was working through two families, more specifically through two women, to bring about the salvation of the entire world. Yet most members of the religious community considered those women to be sinners and outside of God’s favor.

How careful we must be to judge who is in or out of God’s favor. Imagine gossiping about the mother of the Messiah. Imagine if Mary and Elizabeth kept a list and then told their sons to exclude these people from their message of hope and salvation. Imagine someone coming to John the Baptist to be baptized and John saying, “Hey I know you! Weren’t you mean to my mother Elizabeth? Sorry, you’re not allowed to be baptized.”

Imagine Jesus healing people, then someone comes up and Jesus says, “Didn’t you spread rumors about my mother and her pregnancy? Sorry, not only will I now heal you, you will also not receive eternal life.”

Of course, this did not happen. But we should never consider anyone outside of God’s plan. God works in mysterious ways. All we can do is make sure we seek Him daily and be kind and generous to those around us.

Coming Again

I have another post that goes into more detail regarding Jesus’ mission as the Messiah and how His work was divided into two phases. The first phase was for Him to come and die for our sins. But there is a second part where Jesus establishes His eternal reign of peace.

Just like the people in Jesus’ time knew that it was time for the Messiah to be born, we are also aware that it is time for Jesus to come again. In the same way that many of Jesus’ contemporaries missed that He was the Messiah, we are in danger of misunderstanding and misinterpreting the prophecies about His second coming.

We can become so comfortable with our way of doing things that we miss what God is doing. We can become so distracted by power games and human-made rules and traditions that we forget what God says in the Bible.

Practical Application

I don’t know what your year was like. I don’t know what you’re going through right now. Maybe you feel like God is one million miles away. Maybe you feel like you have received a lifetime of “not yet” or just plain “no!” Maybe you feel judged by your faith community. Maybe others consider you less then, or maybe you consider yourself inferior to those around you.

I want to encourage you to look to God and seek His will. Do not give up on God. God loves you and He will do the right thing at the right time. I wish I could tell you it would be easy, Jesus and John the Baptist did amazing work, but neither one of them had easy or long lives. Elizabeth and Mary did not live easy or comfortable lives.

I cannot promise you an easy life. I cannot say that God will give you an easy life. All I can say is that your best possible life is found in alignment with God’s will. Rebellion against God only makes life more difficult. Following God does not guarantee that things will get easier, but rebelling against Him guarantees that life will become more difficult.

Trust in God, He loves you. Trust in His timing, He knows what is best.

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
— Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV