IN OUR STUDIES in the Gospel of Luke we have come to the annunciation of the birth of the Saviour made to the Virgin Mary. In the present study we shall therefore examine this annunciation made to Mary and her outburst of praise at the home of Elizabeth, which is usually called the "Magnificat," which term means magnifying the Lord by means of praising Him.

The personnel of this month's study are: The angel Gabriel, who is one of the seven angels that stand before God (Luke 1:19, Rev. 8:2); the Virgin Mary, who was of the house of David (hence of the regal stock), and who became the mother of our Lord; and Elisabeth, the wife of Zacharias the priest and the mother of John the Baptist.

In the sixth month, after the conception of John the Baptist (vs. 24), the angel Gabriel was dispatched from the presence of God to this earth to bring a message to the Virgin Mary, who was living in Nazareth, a city of Galilee, and who was the virgin that had been betrothed to a man by the name of Joseph, a descendant of the house of David and heir to the throne of Israel.

We are told that Mary was a virgin, an unmarried woman of marriageable age. The mention of her being a virgin instantly brings to our minds the predictions of the Old Testament which foretell the miraculous conception and virgin birth of our Lord, the Messiah of Israel and Saviour of the world. In Genesis 3:15,16 appears the first promise of the coming of the Messiah, who there is spoken of as "the seed of the woman." This is the only place in the Hebrew Scriptures where the progeny is reckoned after the woman. In all other places the offspring is spoken of as being of the male, rather than of the female. This term, the seed of the woman, is so very striking that it immediately arrests the attention of the truth seeker, for it most obviously connotes something unusual and different about the birth of this one of whom the prophecy speaks. A glance at Isaiah 7:14 throws a luminous ray of divine light upon this ancient prophecy:

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." This statement by Isaiah was spoken by him to the house of David, after he had in disgust turned away from impious, hypocritical Ahaz, who spurned the light and truth of God's Word. Thus Isaiah the prophet, looking out into the future, declared that the Lord would give a special sign to the house of David concerning the birth of her glorious King and Saviour, who would be born by miraculous conception and virgin birth -- apart from any human father, and who is to be called Immanuel, God is with us. (For a full discussion of the necessity for the virgin birth of the world's Redeemer, see my volume, MAN--His Creation, Fall, Redemption and Glorification.)

There were those in Israel who believed what the prophet said, and who knew that the time had arrived, according to Daniel's prophecy of the seventy weeks of years (mentioned in Daniel 9:24-27) for the Messiah to be born and to make His appearance upon earth. (Concerning this little group of prophetic students in Israel, see Luke 2:22-39).

When the angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary he greeted her by saying: "Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee" (1:28). Naturally Mary was frightened by this heavenly visitor. At the same time she tried to seek the meaning of his words. Then he allayed her fears by saying: "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God." She had found favor with God in that she had surrendered her life, doubtless from childhood, to the Lord and had lived a consecrated, devoted life, hence she was a chosen vessel through whom the Messiah would make His entrance into the world. The selection of Mary to be the mother of our Lord doubtless is in perfect keeping with the general principle stated in II Chronicles 16:9: "For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him." Her heart was perfect toward the Almighty. She had only one thought in view, which was to glorify God and to be used of Him in any way in which He chose.

"And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (1:31-33).

Mary was told by Gabriel that she should bring forth a son and should call His name Jesus. This name is of Hebrew origin and means Jehovah's salvation. This prediction is practically the same one which the angel announced to Joseph, as recorded in Matthew 1:18-25, but especially in verse 21: "And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins." It is clear that the name Jesus means that He is the one who delivers men from all of their sins--and from all of their enemies, even the greatest one, which is Satan. Our Lord is able to deliver, in that He is able to succor all who come unto God by faith in Him.

Moreover, Mary was told that her son should be called "The Son of the Most High, the second person of the Holy Trinity--this thought is expressed is terms of the baptismal formula (Matt. 28:19,20) -- who is none other than the Eternal Son of God that was scheduled, according to the Old Testament predictions, to enter the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth. His being the Son of Almighty God back in eternity prior to the incarnation, is alluded to in Psalm 2:7:

"I will tell of the decree;
Jehovah said unto me, Thou art my son;
This day have I begotten thee."

Again, in Proverbs reference also is made to God's Eternal Son in the following question: "What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?" (Prov. 30:4).

At the baptismal scene of the Lord Jesus a voice from heaven came forth saying: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:17). The Lord Jesus constantly spoke of Himself as being the Son. As the Son He was in the bosom of the Father from all eternity, that is, in the closest fellowship and association with God the Father. After the incarnation He was still spoken of as the Son. As the God-man He was still the Son of God in a unique and peculiar sense, a sense in which no one else is or can be called the son of God.

Of course we who accept Him as our Lord and Saviour are sons of God by faith in Him. In this manner we are brought into the great family of God and should live accordingly.

The angel Gabriel also said that "... the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; 33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (1:32b,33). Christ, being of the house and lineage of David and being in the regal line, is heir to the throne. It is concerning Him that Nathan the prophet spoke to David as is recorded in II Samuel, chapter 7, and I Chronicles chapter 17. The prophets are unanimous is declaring that a scion of the house of David should arise and should mount the throne, re-establishing the house of David that has been fallen down for centuries. When He thus re-establishes the throne, He will sit upon it as long as the sun, moon, and stars endure. This fact we are shown in Psalm 89:34-37. Paul, in speaking of the reign of Christ, said that He must reign until He puts all enemies under His feet, the last enemy to be put under being death.

In no sense can Christ be said to be seated upon the throne of David today. David's throne was in the city of Jerusalem. When our Lord conquered the forces of death, He ascended to heaven and sat down with His Father in His throne. To those who overcome now by the power of the Spirit of God, Christ gives the promise that they shall sit down with Him in His, Christ's, throne.

Many are the Scriptures which foretell our Lord's reigning in the literal city of Jerusalem when He returns and takes the government of the world over into His own mighty, powerful hands and reigns from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth.

Mary was disturbed and had difficulty in understanding the import of Gabriel's words. She therefore asked, "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" Then the angel informed her how she would become the mother of our Lord: "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God." The Holy Spirit would, according to this promise, beget the Christ Child. Then with that "holy thing... begotten" would unite the second person of the Holy Trinity. Thus the "holy thing" begotten would come to consciousness in the union of the divine nature with it. Then it should be called, according to this promise, "the Son of God." Then the angel informed Mary that her kinswoman, Elisabeth, had already "conceived a son in her old age" and was in the sixth month of her pregnancy.

Gabriel assured Mary that everything would come out exactly as he had spoken, "For no word from God shall be void of power." Whatever God says He will accomplish. He watches over His word to perform it--exactly as it is spoken, without additions or subtractions. With her feelings of fear allayed, and with a clearer conception of what actually was to come to pass with reference to her, Mary bowed in humble submission to the will of God and said: "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."

Mary immediately left her home in Nazareth and went to 'Ain Karim, the village where Zacharias and Elisabeth lived. Upon arrival at her kinswoman's house, "when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb" for joy. From that moment on Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, "and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come unto me? 44 For behold, when the voice of thy salutation came into mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she that believed; for there shall be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord." Thereupon Mary spoke the Magnificat.

This song or hymn of praise and prophecy falls naturally into four sections:
I. Mary's praising the Lord (vss. 46-48); II. Mary's recognition of God's character (vss. 49,50); III. A vision of Messiah's conquest (vss. 51-53); IV. The Almighty's remembering His covenant (vss. 54,55).

Though Mary was a consecrated, devout virgin, she realized her need of a Saviour; for she said, "And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." She, together with all other human beings, needed a Saviour whose blood can cleanse the vilest sinner, and who can save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by Him. By prophetic vision she looked out into the future and saw that all people who really appreciate the mercy and grace of God would pronounce her as the one who received the blessing of the Lord, in that He chose her to be the channel through which the Redeemer of the world should come to earth for the purpose of redeeming mankind.

In verses 49 and 50 Mary is led by the Spirit to magnify the mighty, omnipotent God whose name is high and holy--as Isaiah 57:15 declared. Though He is the omnipotent Sovereign of the universe and is unapproachable in holiness, His mercy is extended unto generations and generations, for He is a God of love who is gracious and kind unto all who seek after Him.

In a vivid and graphic manner Mary describes the conquest of her Son, the Messiah, as He will return to earth and subdue all enemies under His feet. The vision of His conquest and His second coming are portrayed so very vividly before her that she speaks of these conquests as accomplished facts:

"He hath showed strength with his arm;
He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart.
He hath put down princes from their thrones,
And hath exalted them of low degree.
The hungry he hath filled with good things;
And the rich he hath sent empty away" (vss. 51-53).

Mary concludes her hymn of praise by describing the vision which she sees will be fulfilled at the time of Messiah's return in glory. Thus she speaks in the most glowing terms as follows:

"He hath given help to Israel his servant,
That he might remember mercy (As he spake unto our fathers)
Toward Abraham and his seed forever" (vss. 54, 55).

In the Tribulation Israel will be trodden to the earth by the nations of the world. Her condition will be helpless. In such a prostrate situation she will turn her face heavenward, plead for mercy, and ask God to send the Messiah back to deliver her from her terrible plight. One of Israel's prayers for deliverance at that time is seen in Psalm 80. Moreover, at that very time she will make the confession of her national sin and will plead for Messiah's return. This confession is found in Isaiah 53:1-9, which verses must be studied from the standpoint of Israel prostrate before God at the very close of the Tribulation, confessing her sin and pleading for Him to return. That she will acknowledge the national sin and plead for His coming and for His deliverance is foretold in Hosea 5:15,16: "I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face; in their affliction they will geek me earnestly."

When she thus makes this confession, as she certainly will, the Lord Jesus will arise from His place at the right hand of the throne of God, will come to earth, will remember His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and will deliver Israel. He will mount the throne of David and reign for a thousand years. Then the glory of God will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.

Praise God for His faithfulness to His Word and to His people. May we take courage and follow Him implicitly and faithfully in all things, that He may fulfill every promise that is made to us who know Him, and who love Him.