The people waited outside the temple and were surprised that Zacharias stayed for so long. When Zacharias came out of the temple he could not speak and made signs to them and they perceived that he had seen a vision. When his days of ministration were accomplished he went home.
After retuning home Elisabeth conceived and hid for five months, saying 'Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.' In the sixth month God sent the angel Gabriel to a city of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14
The angel went to Mary and said,'Hail, thou that are highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.' When Mary saw the angel she was troubled at his saying and cast in her mind what manner of greeting this should be. Then the angel said to her, 'Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord shall give into him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and in his kingdom there shall be no end.'
Mary said to the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?'
The angel answered and said to her,'The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.'
Mary replied to the angel, Gabriel, 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it into me according to thy word.' And Gabriel left.
Soon after the angel visited Mary, she left and went into the hill country to Juda and visited her cousin Elisabeth. Luke 1:21-39
Written by Lisa Clewis 7-2-15
