Angelic Preparations

The arrival of the Son of God 2,000 years ago was a huge undertaking. It was literally an invasion from outer space involving holy angels and the Holy Spirit. God selected two couples for this mission. Zacharias and Elizabeth would produce a baby who would be the forerunner to the Messiah.

They were old and past child bearing age, but when they came together as husband and wife, Gabriel promised Elizabeth would bear a son, who would prepare the way for Jesus in the spirit of Elijah. Mary was just a teenager. She had been betrothed to Joseph since a child, but the marriage had never been consummated. Even though she was a virgin, Gabriel said she would bear a son whose body would be inhabited by the Son of God.

Joseph had been thinking of divorcing Mary but he did not want her arrested and executed for adultery. He was convinced by an angel that the Holy Spirit had impregnated his wife and claimed the child as his own. This is a fascinating story of the supernatural beginning of Jesus’ life on earth as a man and the role that Zacharias, Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary played in the redemption plan.