39-40 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43-44 Why am I so honoured, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” Luke 1:39-45 New Living Translation.

Today's reading was short, but very sweet. The angel who told Mary she would be the one through whom Jesus was going to be born, also told Mary that her relative Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant. Mary hurried off to visit her and, on her arrival, Elizabeth said the lovely things we read in verses 42-45. How did Elizabeth know that Mary had been so specially favoured by God? (vs 41).

This is very much about the subject of prophecy. The same Luke who wrote this gospel also wrote Acts where he gives some examples of prophecy. In Acts 1:15-16, when the disciples were wondering what to do about replacing Judas, Peter says: “Brothers, the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David.” Then, on the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the crowd: “God says 'In the last days I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants,men and women alike, and they will prophesy.'” (Acts 2:17-18)

Many years later this same Peter said to Christians he was writing to: “Above all, you must realise that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.” 2 Peter 1: 20-21

What is the common thread in all those verses? That's right, it's the Holy Spirit. Prophecy is when the Holy Spirit teaches people things about God and God's plans which we would otherwise not have known. Sometimes it's about the future; sometimes He just helps us to better understand God's word in the present. So the verse in 2 Peter is a big reason why Christians believe the Bible is God's word (not mere man's) and is rightly called HOLY. It's the record of what the Holy Spirit revealed to prophets and apostles.

A question to end with. Why did Elizabeth say Mary was blessed. (vs 45)

There is blessing for us too when, like Mary, we believe all that God has said by the Holy Spirit.