Luke - Elizabeth barren
Luke - Elizabeth barren
Elizabeth had been barren [1], unable to conceive. By the word of the Lord, she became pregnant [2].
This account is not simply an interesting tidbit about things that happened around the birth of Jesus. It is an outline note, so that the one delivering the document would preach from the Old Testament concerning the fulfillment of the hidden prophecy.
Elizabeth declared that the Lord has taken away her reproach. [3] Applying 'remez' we find the prophecy of Isaiah:
- Isa 4:1 ¶ And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.
The seven desolate women prior to Isaiah are prophecies of the bride of Christ who was desolate until Christ, but made fruitful by the word of God. Paul tells us that when he speaks of marriage, he is not speaking of marriage but of Christ and the church. [4] He is sharing this hermeneutic hint that all the women of the Old Testament represent the church in the mystery of Christ.
Seven barren women
Sarai, Abram's wife, was barren [5] and bore Isaac by the word of the Lord. [6][7]
Rebekah, Issacs wife, was barren and conceived by the Lord [8]
Rachel, Jacobs wife, was barren [9] and God took away her reproach with Joseph. [10]
Monah's wife was barren [11], but conceived at he word of the Lord and bore Samson. [12]
Hannah, Elkanah's wife, was barren [13], but conceived at the word of the Lord. [14]
Michal and Uriah's wife were both barren. They are each wrapped up in in the Prostitute-Virgin prophecy of the church and because of this, the two women represent one. Michal remained desolate [15] [16] While Bathsheba is with David before her reproach is removed; before the son of the adultery died, she is called 'wife of Uriah'. When David comforts her, she is called 'his wife Bathsheba' and she conceives Solomon.
The Shunammite Woman was barren [17] and she conceived by the word of the Lord [18]. She was made desolate a second time by the death of the son [19] but he was resurrected in a foretelling of the cross. The world was desolate without Christ,and was made desolate a second time by the cross.
The number seven represents completeness or wholeness or totality. All the prophecies of the barren women wrap up into the prophecy hidden in Elizabeth. They point to the birth of Christ in the desolate world.
References
- ↑ <bible>Lu 1:7</bible>
- ↑ <bible>Lu 1:13</bible>
- ↑ <bible>Lu 1:25</bible>
- ↑ <bible>Eph 5:32</bible>
- ↑ <bible>Ge 16:1</bible>
- ↑ <bible>Ge 17:19</bible>
- ↑ <bible>Ge 21:3</bible>
- ↑ <bible>Gen 25:21</bible>
- ↑ <bible>Ge 30:1</bible>
- ↑ <bible>Ge 30:22-24</bible>
- ↑ <bible>Jud 13:1</bible>
- ↑ <bible>Jud 13:3</bible>
- ↑ <bible>1Sa 1:1-2</bible>
- ↑ <bible>1Sa 1:17</bible>
- ↑ <bible>2Sa 6:23 </bible>
- ↑ We see similar patterns of two being treated as one in prophecy with Cain and Abel, Isaac and the ram, Rachel and Leah, etc.
- ↑ <bible>2Ki 4:14</bible>
- ↑ <bible>2Ki 416-17</bible>
- ↑ <bible>2Ki 4:32</bible>
