THE MAGNIFICAT
By Frank G. Tunstall, D. Min.
When the angel Gabriel made the announcement to Mary that she would conceive a child with God as His Father, she sought more information, giving him a lesson in Biology 101: “How will this be since I am a virgin?” Gabriel responded with his own lesson in Theology 101: “Nothing is impossible with God!” (Luke 1:34-38). To her credit, Mary was the kind of young girl who saw opportunities, not merely problems.
Ah! to lay our impossibilities before the Lord and release them.
An angel told Joseph, who was engaged to marry Mary, not to be afraid to take her as his wife, because her pregnancy was of God.
We can only begin to imagine the awesome spiritual power required to conceive a child without a natural father. But God is the Creator of DNA; He could do it perfectly – and the Holy Spirit did. As you ponder the Magnificat, let yourself consider the sovereign dominion of the Spirit that was required to make the incarnation happen.
Mary’s senior adult relative, Elizabeth, lived in the hill country of Judea, 80+ miles to the south. She and Zacharias “were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:6). The angel Gabriel visited Zacharias in the temple while he was offering incense and told him his wife would conceive Messiah’s forerunner. Gabriel said John would go to the people of Israel in the spirit and power of Elijah, “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17; Matthew 3:3).
Gabriel also told Mary that Elizabeth was in her sixth month carrying Messiah’s forerunner. If Mary needed any confirmation of what Gabriel said to her, making a trip to visit Elizabeth was a fool-proof way to verify the angelic prophecy. Mary could have also wanted to share with Elizabeth what was happening in their wombs. In addition, she might have longed to get away from the wagging tongues of Nazareth who were so very sure her baby was illegitimate.
Mary at perhaps sixteen-years-old was already full of the Old Testament Scriptures. She must have grown up with God-fearing parents who started teaching her to memorize the Bible from the time she first began to talk. Nazareth was on a trade route, and she surely had her chances to run after the young men on the caravans. The arrival of a caravan, in fact, was about the biggest event that took place in sleepy Nazareth. But Mary did not want that life. It is hard for us to imagine parents in today’s world permitting their three-month pregnant daughter to make an 80-mile walk and perhaps more – unless they thought it best to get Mary out of town.
Elizabeth was in her sixth month carrying her baby, who would be named John. Mary, a sixteen-year-old teenager, made the long trip south to visit Elizabeth. Luke did not record if anyone traveled with her; in fact, he gave no detail at all about this teenager’s journey. To make this trip, if she averaged twelve miles a day in a caravan, it was at least a full week on the road (Luke 1:39). We need no convincing that the Holy Spirit protected her. Ein Karem, the traditional birthplace of John the Baptist, was about four miles west of Jerusalem.
When Mary walked into the home of her senior adult relative, Elizabeth immediately was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to prophesy. John (the Baptist), a six-month baby in Elizabeth’s womb, in that same moment leaped in Elizabeth’s womb for joy (Luke 1:36, 41). John was filled with the Holy Spirit from His mother’s womb (Luke 1:15).
Mary’s command of Scripture is revealed best in the song she sang in Elizabeth’s home. It is identified by the name, The Magnificat; the term in Latin means to glorify or magnify. The name comes from the first line of the hymn.
I have long believed the Holy Spirit does not drop verses into our hearts that we have never read or heard. If the Spirit did that, few people would ever read the Bible. The Magnificat demonstrates both Mary’s knowledge and the ability of the Holy Spirit to take that familiarity and inspire a hymn that has lived for 2,000 years. Luke is the Gospel writer who recorded it (Luke 1:46-55). Six Old Testament books and fourteen citations are blended together to give us the ten verses in the Magnificat! Wow. Without question Mary was a highly intelligent, Holy Spirit anointed young lady with a strong will that was prepared to tackle the impossible with the perseverance to win.
The verses are highlighted that are associated with the song that belongs to the ages – and it came from a 16-year-old.
THE MAGNIFACAT
46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord [Psalm 34:2-3]
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, [Habakkuk 3:18]
48 for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. [Psalm 138:6)
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me — Holy is His name [Psalm 71:19; 111:9]
50 His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. [Exodus 20:6;
Psalm 103:17]
51 He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; [Psalm 98:1; Exodus 18:11]
He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. [Isaiah 40.10]
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones [Daniel 4:17]
but has lifted up the humble. (Psalm 147:6)
53 He has filled the hungry with good things [Psalm 107:9]
but has sent the rich away empty. [Psalm 49:16-17]
54 He has helped His servant Israel, [Exodus 15:1-6)
remembering to be merciful [Psalm 98:3]
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as He said to our fathers." [Genesis 17:7]
Mary made the trip back home in the sixth month of her pregnancy. Then, in her ninth-month, she made a second trip south, this time to Bethlehem. Joseph was with her on this one, and she was “great with child” (Luke 2:5). The journey was about the same in miles; Bethlehem is about five miles south of Jerusalem. Mary delivered Baby Jesus on that trip in a Bethlehem cave that was a cattle stable. Angels danced on the clouds to celebrate the moment and humble shepherds left their sheep to go find the newly-born Infant.
Yes, Jesus has always had room for the humble in heart.
Mary’s love for Scripture should inspire us all to be avid students of the Bible, and to teach our children and grandchildren to love the Scriptures too.
By Frank G. Tunstall, D. Min.
When the angel Gabriel made the announcement to Mary that she would conceive a child with God as His Father, she sought more information, giving him a lesson in Biology 101: “How will this be since I am a virgin?” Gabriel responded with his own lesson in Theology 101: “Nothing is impossible with God!” (Luke 1:34-38). To her credit, Mary was the kind of young girl who saw opportunities, not merely problems.
Ah! to lay our impossibilities before the Lord and release them.
An angel told Joseph, who was engaged to marry Mary, not to be afraid to take her as his wife, because her pregnancy was of God.
We can only begin to imagine the awesome spiritual power required to conceive a child without a natural father. But God is the Creator of DNA; He could do it perfectly – and the Holy Spirit did. As you ponder the Magnificat, let yourself consider the sovereign dominion of the Spirit that was required to make the incarnation happen.
Mary’s senior adult relative, Elizabeth, lived in the hill country of Judea, 80+ miles to the south. She and Zacharias “were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:6). The angel Gabriel visited Zacharias in the temple while he was offering incense and told him his wife would conceive Messiah’s forerunner. Gabriel said John would go to the people of Israel in the spirit and power of Elijah, “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17; Matthew 3:3).
Gabriel also told Mary that Elizabeth was in her sixth month carrying Messiah’s forerunner. If Mary needed any confirmation of what Gabriel said to her, making a trip to visit Elizabeth was a fool-proof way to verify the angelic prophecy. Mary could have also wanted to share with Elizabeth what was happening in their wombs. In addition, she might have longed to get away from the wagging tongues of Nazareth who were so very sure her baby was illegitimate.
Mary at perhaps sixteen-years-old was already full of the Old Testament Scriptures. She must have grown up with God-fearing parents who started teaching her to memorize the Bible from the time she first began to talk. Nazareth was on a trade route, and she surely had her chances to run after the young men on the caravans. The arrival of a caravan, in fact, was about the biggest event that took place in sleepy Nazareth. But Mary did not want that life. It is hard for us to imagine parents in today’s world permitting their three-month pregnant daughter to make an 80-mile walk and perhaps more – unless they thought it best to get Mary out of town.
Elizabeth was in her sixth month carrying her baby, who would be named John. Mary, a sixteen-year-old teenager, made the long trip south to visit Elizabeth. Luke did not record if anyone traveled with her; in fact, he gave no detail at all about this teenager’s journey. To make this trip, if she averaged twelve miles a day in a caravan, it was at least a full week on the road (Luke 1:39). We need no convincing that the Holy Spirit protected her. Ein Karem, the traditional birthplace of John the Baptist, was about four miles west of Jerusalem.
When Mary walked into the home of her senior adult relative, Elizabeth immediately was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to prophesy. John (the Baptist), a six-month baby in Elizabeth’s womb, in that same moment leaped in Elizabeth’s womb for joy (Luke 1:36, 41). John was filled with the Holy Spirit from His mother’s womb (Luke 1:15).
Mary’s command of Scripture is revealed best in the song she sang in Elizabeth’s home. It is identified by the name, The Magnificat; the term in Latin means to glorify or magnify. The name comes from the first line of the hymn.
I have long believed the Holy Spirit does not drop verses into our hearts that we have never read or heard. If the Spirit did that, few people would ever read the Bible. The Magnificat demonstrates both Mary’s knowledge and the ability of the Holy Spirit to take that familiarity and inspire a hymn that has lived for 2,000 years. Luke is the Gospel writer who recorded it (Luke 1:46-55). Six Old Testament books and fourteen citations are blended together to give us the ten verses in the Magnificat! Wow. Without question Mary was a highly intelligent, Holy Spirit anointed young lady with a strong will that was prepared to tackle the impossible with the perseverance to win.
The verses are highlighted that are associated with the song that belongs to the ages – and it came from a 16-year-old.
THE MAGNIFACAT
46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord [Psalm 34:2-3]
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, [Habakkuk 3:18]
48 for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. [Psalm 138:6)
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me — Holy is His name [Psalm 71:19; 111:9]
50 His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. [Exodus 20:6;
Psalm 103:17]
51 He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; [Psalm 98:1; Exodus 18:11]
He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. [Isaiah 40.10]
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones [Daniel 4:17]
but has lifted up the humble. (Psalm 147:6)
53 He has filled the hungry with good things [Psalm 107:9]
but has sent the rich away empty. [Psalm 49:16-17]
54 He has helped His servant Israel, [Exodus 15:1-6)
remembering to be merciful [Psalm 98:3]
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as He said to our fathers." [Genesis 17:7]
Mary made the trip back home in the sixth month of her pregnancy. Then, in her ninth-month, she made a second trip south, this time to Bethlehem. Joseph was with her on this one, and she was “great with child” (Luke 2:5). The journey was about the same in miles; Bethlehem is about five miles south of Jerusalem. Mary delivered Baby Jesus on that trip in a Bethlehem cave that was a cattle stable. Angels danced on the clouds to celebrate the moment and humble shepherds left their sheep to go find the newly-born Infant.
Yes, Jesus has always had room for the humble in heart.
Mary’s love for Scripture should inspire us all to be avid students of the Bible, and to teach our children and grandchildren to love the Scriptures too.