What did Elizabeth mean?
I was reflecting this morning on the prophetic greeting given to Mary when the unborn infant John leapt in his mother's womb. What did Elizabeth believe?
Elizabeth believed that Mary had acted with propriety, kept her virginity and not behaved unseemly.
Elizabeth believed that Mary was an intact virgin who had already conceived a child in a miraculous manner contrasted with the ordinary natural invariable way.
Elizabeth believed that Mary had conceived a child, now confined in her womb, who was quite distinct from any other special Old Testament "miracle" child.
Elizabeth believed that Mary was a uniquely favored mother of the male child Isaiah predicted who, as Immanuel, Son of David, would reign forever.
Elizabeth believed that Mary was the mother of her Messiah and LORD, the God-Man, to whom she would gladly submit, and who would suffer for her guilt.
Elizabeth believed that her embryonic son was the cousin of our Lord, and as His forerunner, joyfully greeted Christ, and would pave His Everlasting Kingdom path.
Was this inspired prophecy more than Elizabeth immediately grasped? Perhaps! Yet, bit by bit, in growing faith, by the time Mary told Luke, the jigsaw is complete.