Mary’s story - Chapter 13 Home Again

NOTE: THESE CHAPTERS ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN A MUCH IMPROVED, EXPANDED BOOK, "A SWORD SHALL PIERCE YOUR SOUL" from FriesenPress

Mary had enjoyed and been blessed by the visit with her aunt in Judea. However, she was glad to be home in Nazareth again with Joseph and his parents. She realized how it had barely begun to sink in to her before she had taken off for Judea that now she was actually a married woman, living with her husband in the home of his parents. She was learning how she fit into the family and how she could work together with her new mother-in-law. Of course, it was wonderful to see Joseph after work every day and to be able to send him off again in the morning with a lovingly prepared lunch for the day.

She had barely been home too though when she had gone to visit her parents and tell them all about the trip. They were pleased for their kinfolk in Judea, although they too felt sorry for what had happened to Zechariah.

However, what still awed them was the story Mary repeated about how Elizabeth’s pregnancy had come about and what the angel who had spoken to Zechariah had told him about the future of their own son. They had heard some of this from the messenger they had sent to Judea earlier but to hear it from their own daughter, with more conviction and detail continued to deepen their puzzlement at what was occurring. Hearing all this news from Judea anew only added to their increasing concern. Sometimes they were even fearful about what was going on with their families. 

Mary told them again, but in more detail, how angel had told Zechariah that he was to name his son John (Luke 1:13). This sounded strange as it was not the name of anyone in the family.The angel had also told Zechariahthat “joy and gladness” would come to them, and “many would rejoice at his birth, for he was going to be great in the sight of the Lord (Luke 1:14-15).” Zechariah had been told that John “must never drink wine or strong drink, and that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth! (Luke 1:15)” Then there was the message about what would become of this son. Evidently, the best way they could understand it, was that he would become something of a prophet. He was going to “turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God (Luke 1:16).” And he was to go as “a forerunner before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him (Luke 1:17).” They had heard some of this before but the full import of it had not really begun to sink in as it began to now on hearing things again. 

This was most astounding! All faithful Jews knew that prophet Elijah was to return and prepare the way for the Messiah. This sounded just like what the prophet Malachi had said years before: “Look, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lordarrives. He will encourage fathers and their children to return to me. (Malachi 4:5-6a)” Was this saying that John was the resurrected Elijah? Mind you, the words were “in the spirit of,” not that he was Elijah. 

There was particularly the phrase, “A forerunner before the Lord (Luke 1:17).” That certainly sounded like Messianic predictions they were familiar with. Did it really mean? Could it really be true? That this child in Mary’s womb was the Messiah? The only qualification they could think of was that they were descendants of David. But beyond that, they could not imagine how they could be part of something so magnificent.

As these developments continued to occupy their minds, Joachim and Jacob’s conversations frequently turned to what all of this meant for Israel and especially for their families. Naomi and Anna had their thoughts and questions too. This should be something to rejoice about, a story too great to hold back. However, there were also too many reasons to keep quiet. There was the concern about the young couple, although they were now married, so that was less of an issue. However, the greater concern was what might come their way from their neighbours, their leaders, if they really learned that these two families believed that from them would come the Messiah. Who would believe it? And that was not even considering what the court of that murderous Herod, let alone the cruel Romans, would do with those who told such stories. Sometimes their hearts were heavy with the seeming responsibility of all this.

Joseph and Mary mostly just listened, trying to take it all in, wondering what it all meant. They heard their parents’ concerns and knew of their vailidity.  Yet, they both felt strangely at peace and often shared with each other how they felt this way. This mutual sense of the story they found themselves in only strengthened their belief that they were becoming an important part of God’s incomprehensible plans for his people.