Day 20- How Can This Be
Mary’s response to the Angel of the Lord was similar to Zacharias’s response in regard to Elizabeth’s pregnancy for John. He said, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And Mary said, “How can this be, since I don’t know a man?”
In other words, she was wondering how this conception could happen, since she was a virgin. And Zacharias was wondering how their conception could happen since he and Elizabeth were both old in age, and past their child bearing years.
Now there are many ideas surrounding these two stories and there similar responses from Zacharias and Mary. Many believe that Zacharias asked in doubt and disbelief, while Mary asked in awe and reverence. However, they both asked a question and they both gave a reason for their individual scenarios not being able to happen.
Regardless of what you believe or don’t believe, their responses were similar in this regard—they both asked a question and both of their questions included the reasons why they had asked the question in the first place. Zacharias said, we are old and Mary said, I’ve never been with a man! These are the reasons that they couldn’t see it happening—Elizabeth was old and Mary was a virgin.
Nevertheless, the angel of the Lord goes on tell Mary how the miraculous conception would happen. Gabriel tells Mary that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and the power of the Highest would overshadow her, and what would be conceived in her would be called the Son of God.
Jesus would be the son of man and He would also be the Son of God. He would be one-hundred percent man, but He would also be one-hundred percent God. He would be born in and through the flesh, but He would also be born from and of the Spirit.
Gabriel goes on to tell Mary about her relative Elizabeth’s pregnancy. He says that she has conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren to be pregnant. Gabriel was letting Mary know that Elizabeth was pregnant in her old age, but he was also building her faith in regard to her miraculous conception. And the very next verse says, “For with God nothing will be impossible.”
He was saying that Elizabeth was old and called “barren”, but now she has been pregnant for six months. And although Luke didn’t write it down quite like this—I believe that Gabriel was saying, “If God can God can awaken the womb of an aged woman, then the Holy Spirit can give you, Mary, a miraculous and divine conception.”
It was all God, and it was His providential promises that were aligning these two conceptions to take place now, at the same time. One was a divine intervention by the hand of God for Elizabeth, and one was a miraculous conception from the Holy Spirit coming upon Mary, and the power of the Almighty overshadowing her. And now, John and Jesus would be born in the same proximity of time to reveal God to us.
Take Away: Mary couldn’t see in the natural world, what God was doing in the supernatural realm. Both Zacharias and Mary couldn’t comprehend what was going to happen supernaturally, so they spoke about what was obvious. Isn’t it amazing how we speak the obvious when we don’t know what else to say. Zacharias and Mary both spoke the obvious. Zacharias said, “We are old and beyond child bearing years.” Mary said, “I have never been with a man.”
We speak what we know to be true, and they did too. However, God wants us to simply believe Him—so that He can do the impossible! What must we believe? That God is, and that with Him all things are possible! Mary said, “Let it be to me according to Your Word.” And the angel departed from her. Even so, Mary’s surrendering obedience unwrapped untold possibilities for generations to come.
