This is the 3rd Sunday in Advent. My prayer from the first Sunday is that through Biblical scholarship, archeological findings and studying the Word of God through the Bible in more detail, we would understand God’s plan in choosing Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, angels and the wise men. And understanding that plan would cause you to trust in God through Christ’s birth, deepening your relationship with God and causing the scriptures to be more relevant in your life! So as you take out your study guides, expect that God will stir you at least once this week to study God’s Word through the Holy Bible. Friends, take joy in stealing moments from the world to spend with God.
And so we continue on the road to Bethlehem. We began Advent looking at Mary, recognizing that she was from the insignificant town of Nazareth; hearing from Gabriel that she would conceive a son as a virgin without a husband. Her response: I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said. Last week we looked at Joseph. He was an ordinary man. You could sum up his worth in his toolbox; he had to decide whether to trust the Lord. All the while not one word of his was recorded in the scriptures. Still, by far, Joseph was the most important male figure in all of history, parenting the Son of God.
Today, we turn back to Mary’s account in Luke. We should never doubt that Mary and Joseph were afraid! Even knowing that God was with them, human fear is inevitable. Mary is with child. The law was clear in Deuteronomy 22:20-21: If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the young woman’s virginity can be found, she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done an outrageous thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father’s house. You must purge the evil from among you. Why wouldn’t this stir fear! Who would believe conceived by the Holy Spirit? Right! Who would have believed her? Only one that I can think of: Elizabeth! The angel said Elizabeth was with child. She would understand! Luke tells us that Mary made haste to see her. Made haste, that seems to me to translate, “get out of town fast before anyone finds out! Plus she could clear her head; she could talk to Elizabeth! She would not chastise, judge or condemn her. After all look at her miracle to have a child after menopause! She needed to save her own life and the life of her baby. So she made haste! Did she even tell her parents? Likely. Did she tell them why, likely not? So Mary was off. She went with haste to see her relative.
Through archaeological digs and through tradition, Ein Karem was discovered and shows that this was the village where Elizabeth and Zechariah lived. Where are we talking about? From Bethlehem, Ein Karem was just a two-hour walk. From Nazareth, 9 days walk over 3 different mountain ranges. Mary would not have done this walk on her own. It would have been too dangerous. Caravans of people traveled to Jerusalem often so she traveled with them. To give you perspective, a person traveling could drive from LA to New York and back in 9 days. Think of it, for 9 days Mary traveled likely saying little. I can’t imagine the thoughts and emotions Mary had each day of her journey? Was she crazy? Did this thing really happen? What of Joseph? What would he think? Could she really stay faithful? Elizabeth, her relative, would have to understand. Fear is what drove Mary to Ein Karem.
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