How does Luke 1:7 connect with other biblical stories of barren women? Luke 1:7—A Familiar Opening Note “But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were well along in years.” (Luke 1:7) Luke introduces Elizabeth with the same tension-filled statement the Old Testament often uses to signal that God is about to act in a remarkable way. Old Testament Echoes of Barrenness and Breakthrough • Sarah (Genesis 11:30; 18:11–14; 21:1–3) • Rebekah (Genesis 25:21) • Rachel (Genesis 29:31; 30:22–24) • Manoah’s wife, mother of Samson (Judges 13:2–3, 24) • Hannah (1 Samuel 1:2, 5–20) • The Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:14–17) Shared Patterns Across the Stories • Human impossibility highlighted: each couple is “barren” or “well along in years.” • Divine initiative: God either appears directly, sends an angel, or responds to prayer. • A promised child arrives with a specific calling: – Isaac, seed of covenant (Genesis 21:12) – Jacob and Esau, carriers of the Abrahamic promise (Genesis 25:23) – Joseph, preserver of Israel (Genesis 50:20) – Samson, deliverer from the Philistines (Judges 13:5) – Samuel, judge and prophet (1 Samuel 3:19–20) – Shunammite’s son, testimony of prophetic power (2 Kings 4:17) – John the Baptist, forerunner of Christ (Luke 1:16–17) Why God Uses Barrenness • Shows His sovereignty over life (Psalm 113:9) • Magnifies grace—nothing owed, everything given (Romans 4:17–21) • Deepens faith through waiting (Isaiah 40:31) • Heralds a new phase in salvation history; each child marks a turning point Unique Aspects of Elizabeth’s Story • Both parents are “blameless” (Luke 1:6), rebutting any idea that barrenness equals divine displeasure. • Her son’s role is climactic: preparing the way for the Lord (Luke 1:15–17; Isaiah 40:3). • The setting is priestly, linking John with temple imagery and covenant continuity (Luke 1:5, 9). Theological Threads Woven Together • Creation power revisited—God who formed Adam from dust now opens closed wombs (Genesis 2:7). • Covenant progression—each miraculous birth sustains or advances the promise culminating in Christ (Galatians 3:16). • Reversal motif—God lifts the lowly and shames the proud (1 Samuel 2:1–10; Luke 1:52–53). Encouragement Drawn From the Pattern • God is never hindered by human limitation. • Long seasons of waiting are often preludes to greater purposes. • Every fulfilled promise in Scripture assures believers that “He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23). |
    |