Elizabeth was the mother of John the Baptist and a relative of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Her name means "God's promise" or "God is my oath," and her life is a beautiful picture of a God who keeps His promises, even after a very long wait.
A Faithful Couple
Elizabeth was married to a priest named Zechariah, and she came from a priestly family too:
"When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron." (Luke 1:5)
They loved God and lived to please Him:
"Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God's eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord's commandments and regulations." (Luke 1:6)
A Long Wait
Even so, there was something they had prayed about for years:
"They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old." (Luke 1:7)
Then one day, while Zechariah was serving in the Temple, the angel Gabriel appeared with amazing news. Elizabeth would have a son, and they were to name him John (Luke 1:13). Gabriel said:
"You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord." (Luke 1:14–15)
Soon afterward, Elizabeth was expecting a baby. She said:
"How kind the Lord is!" (Luke 1:25)
A Visit from Mary
A few months later, the same angel visited Elizabeth's young relative Mary to tell her she would be the mother of Jesus. Mary hurried to see Elizabeth, and something wonderful happened the moment she arrived:
"At the sound of Mary's greeting, Elizabeth's child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit." (Luke 1:41)
Before Jesus was even born, Elizabeth knew who He was:
"Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?" (Luke 1:43)
She also encouraged Mary, who was facing something big and new:
"You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said." (Luke 1:45)
"His Name Is John!"
When Elizabeth's baby was born, her neighbors and relatives celebrated with her. Eight days later, everyone expected the baby to be named Zechariah, after his father. But Elizabeth remembered what God had said:
"But Elizabeth said, 'No! His name is John!'" (Luke 1:60)
Zechariah agreed by writing the same words on a tablet (Luke 1:63).
The Mother of a Prophet
Elizabeth's son grew up to do exactly what God had promised. Zechariah prayed over the baby:
"And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord." (Luke 1:76)
John would come "with the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17), fulfilling a promise God had made through the prophet Malachi hundreds of years earlier (Malachi 3:1). You can read more about him in Who Was John the Baptist?
Questions to Talk About Together
- Elizabeth and Zechariah waited a long time for God to answer their prayer. What is something you've had to wait for?
- Elizabeth encouraged Mary when she visited. Who is someone you could encourage this week?
- Elizabeth said, "How kind the Lord is!" What is one way God has been kind to you?
Elizabeth's story is one of more than 45 character profiles in The Discovery Bible. Each one gives kids the key facts about a person's life and the verses to look up, so they can read the full account in the NLT on their own.