17. Jesus Enters The Story
After centuries of promise, something breathtaking happens.
Jesus enters the story.
An angel named Gabriel is sent to a young woman named Mary and announces that she will bear the promised Son, the One who will receive “the throne of his father David” and whose kingdom “will have no end” (Lk. 1:26-33).
Mary asks how this can happen.
Gabriel answers:
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Lk. 1:35).
Don't pass over that word overshadow.
When the tabernacle was completed, the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD filled it (Ex. 40:34–35).
When Solomon's temple was dedicated, the glory of the LORD filled the house (1 Kings 8:10-11).
And now the Most High overshadows Mary and within her is the One of whom the Apostle John will later say “...we have seen his glory..." (Jn. 1:14).
The presence of God is coming to dwell among humanity. This is the heart of the story.
The God who dwelt with humanity in Eden, whose glory filled the tabernacle and the temple, is now coming to dwell with his people in a way never seen before.
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us...” (Jn. 1:14)
God is coming to us in Jesus.
And Scripture gives us another astonishing pattern.
Mary travels to the hill country of Judah, enters a house, and Elizabeth cries out:
“Why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk. 1:43)
At the sound of Mary's greeting, the child in Elizabeth's womb leaps for joy (Lk. 1:41, 44).
Centuries earlier, the ark of God's presence traveled into the hill country of Judah, and David cried:
“How can the ark of the LORD come to me?” (2 Sam. 6:9)
David leaped and danced before the LORD, and the ark remained in the house of Obed-edom three months (2 Sam. 6:11, 14-16).
Mary likewise remains with Elizabeth about three months (Lk. 1:56).
The parallels are difficult to ignore once you see them.
But Mary is not the object of the glory.
The glory is the One she carries.
And look at the response surrounding his arrival.
Elizabeth's child leaps for joy.
Shepherds hear heaven erupt as a multitude of the heavenly host praise God, saying:
“Glory to God in the highest!” (Lk. 2:13-14)
They hurry to Jesus and return glorifying and praising God (Lk. 2:20).
Later, men from the east follow the star, fall down before the child, and present their treasures (Matt. 2:1-11).
Simeon takes Jesus into his arms and declares that his eyes have seen God's salvation — “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (Lk. 2:30-32).
Anna sees him and immediately begins giving thanks to God and speaking about him (Lk. 2:38).
Do you see the response surrounding Jesus?
Joy. Worship. Praise. Thanksgiving. Witness.
Scripture's one unified story turns out to be, at its core, about a Person.
Promise after promise had been pointing forward to:
The Son of David.
The everlasting King.
The salvation of Israel.
The light reaching the nations.
And now Simeon is holding him in his arms.
Jesus has entered the story.
And perhaps Elizabeth's unborn child gives us one of the simplest responses to that revelation:
Leap for joy!