According to the Promise
|
Key Verse: “Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” Selected Scripture: |
WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL poetic expression of love and devotion shown here by this statement made by Mary. It further shows that Mary was full of faith and the joy of the Lord, happy to be an instrument in carrying out his wonderful plan.
We recall from the account that the chiefest messenger remaining in the courts of the Heavenly Father, the angel Gabriel, visited her. He would come to tell her, “Blessed art thou among women.” (Luke 1:28) The fact that the Lord honored Mary above all other women in that she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus according to the flesh, would prove her nobility of character and her purity of heart.
The name Jesus, which is the Greek form for Joshua, signifies savior, or liberator, for “he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:21) The entire work of our Lord Jesus is summed up in the meaning of the name Jesus. Our Lord was announced as Savior as a babe; but it was only after he had fully completed his sacrifice at Calvary that he had the full right to the title, and became owner, or Lord, of the human race.
That Jesus would be able to be the savior of the race was indicated in the proclamation to Mary. “Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, … and shall be called the Son of the Highest.” (Luke 1:31,32) This expression reveals to us that Jesus was begotten not by Joseph, but by the Holy Spirit; therefore, the life principle by which Jesus was conceived came directly from the Heavenly Father. (Heb. 1:5) The promise was then fulfilled in the words, “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) He was born perfect—free from the Adamic curse of sin and death. He knew no sin, while all other men are sinners by nature. (II Cor. 5:21; Rom. 5:18) Because of this, Jesus could die on the cross as a perfect man, fulfilling God’s desire that through him, “shall all families of the earth be blessed.”—Gen. 12:3
These “families” refer to the world of mankind under the new administration of the Millennial Kingdom. At that time, the kingdoms of this world will have passed away and the earth will have become the kingdom of our Lord. Mankind will be given an opportunity to return to harmony with God, and obedience will be rewarded with everlasting life. The people shall say, “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, … for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”—Isa. 2:3; Rev. 11:15
All of God’s work is perfect, so we see that through the giving of his Son as the Savior of mankind from sin and death, Jesus would make it possible for all to have the opportunity to live at peace on a restored, perfect earth forever. This will be the culmination of the promise made to Abraham, “Then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.” (Gal. 3:9) All will then praise him, and say, “Blessing and glory … be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.”—Rev. 7:12