At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1:39-45
“John, we have been told, would be filled with the Holy Spirit even before birth and anticipate the coming of the Lord (1:15-17). Here is the purpose of the prenatal experience of the Spirit, embodied in his joyful leaping: Even from the womb he prophesies, implicitly transferring the designation of “Lord” to Mary’s unborn baby, recognizing in this baby the eschatological coming of God. The association of “joy,” already related to the advent of divine redemption in 1:14, with “leaping” encourages this reading of John’s act. The Spirit that fills him prompts his recognition and certifies for us the trustworthiness of his prophetic action concerning Jesus.”
Joel Green in Luke (NICNT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997) 95.
As we focus on joy this week, take a moment to consider the implications of Advent. “The eschatological coming of God” came after hundreds of years of waiting, and the way was prepared by a joyful prophet named John.
John’s mission was to call people to prepare for His coming. Such as task would require faith and the filling of the Holy Spirit. He performed it with joyful leaping. A generous response for us today would be to go and do likewise with God’s help.
Father in Heaven, fill us with faith and the Holy Spirit to exhort people to prepare their hearts and lives to make room for You: our Lord Jesus Christ. Empower us to do this with joyfulness as many want nothing to do with You. Amen.