We have an idea what Jesus looked like because the Shroud of Turin allows 3 D images. Jesus has even been forensically studied to see Jesus as a teen and as a child. No one has applied this to maternal images. Mary is always beloved as the Mother of God. Italy had a blockbuster television series in 2012 about Mary.
Do we know Mary? Does the Bible identify Mary? Do we really know when God planned to have Jesus arrive as our sole and soul Salvation?
Genesis tells us as Father God said, "Let there be Light." Jesus Christ Light of the World was Created. Father God delighted daily in Jesus and Jesus delighted in the master workmanship of all Creation, laughing with His Joy. Father God, said in Genesis, He would place the Holy Spirit over the waters. This meant everywhere because the water of the earth was very different in Creation. At this point, the Holy Spirit is still above and not within. God wants His People to be saved and the plan is made for the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, therefore we are purchased for an exceedingly high price of God's Son.
Mary is part of the plan, she is announced in Isaiah 7 to King Ahaz, grandson to the long lived King Uzziah. This is 700 years before Mary and Jesus are born.
Isaiah 7
When the house of David was told, “Syria is in league with Ephraim,” the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.
And the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field. And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah. Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, “Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” thus says the Lord God:
“‘It shall not stand,
and it shall not come to pass.
For the head of Syria is Damascus,
and the head of Damascus is Rezin.
And within sixty-five years
Ephraim will be shattered from being a people.
And the head of Ephraim is Samaria,
and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah.
If you are not firm in faith,
you will not be firm at all.’”
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”
But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.”
And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father's house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!”
In that day the Lord will whistle for the fly that is at the end of the streams of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. And they will all come and settle in the steep ravines, and in the clefts of the rocks, and on all the thornbushes, and on all the pastures.
In that day the Lord will shave with a razor that is hired beyond the River—with the king of Assyria—the head and the hair of the feet, and it will sweep away the beard also.
In that day a man will keep alive a young cow and two sheep, and because of the abundance of milk that they give, he will eat curds, for everyone who is left in the land will eat curds and honey.
In that day every place where there used to be a thousand vines, worth a thousand shekels of silver, will become briers and thorns. With bow and arrows a man will come there, for all the land will be briers and thorns. And as for all the hills that used to be hoed with a hoe, you will not come there for fear of briers and thorns, but they will become a place where cattle are let loose and where sheep tread.
This is astonishingly to the point of the era of Jesus Christ. Apparently, God has an idea, being Creator of All Things, Alpha and Omega, Ancient of Days about His Plan. Life is pleasant, work is part of life, they will cultivate the land. Curds indicate diligent householder work. Razor hair cuts. We see trade is incredibly abundant for products that keep like honey and wine. And trouble is coming as part of this abundance.
Mary is introduced as a virgin, a moral woman, a moral mother, a hard working woman in her household. Luke begins with the Song of Mary on these thoughts.
What other words tell us of Mary?
In probability of family, Mary knew of Elizabeth and Zechariah and the visit of the angel with a son on the way. She knew of Zechariah being mute. And Gabriel arrives. One who stands in the presence of God. Mary was surrounded by events so much larger than herself. An undertaking of the Holy Spirit. Extreme Magnitude of God.
God has placed words for us to hold on to - to know Mary and understand this woman of Nazareth.
We can know Mary.
~ She was greatly troubled
~ Tried to discern
~ “Do not be afraid, Mary"
~ For nothing will be impossible with God.”And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
My soul magnifies the Lord.
This sounds like it's a positive. What if she had said God is so in my thoughts, I believe His Good News. He is indwelling and the Joy bursts from my Soul. Ok, one is concise and God understands, but the other explains, not an explosion, but an intensely, brilliant clarity.
This is good for us to know. Jesus tells us about the seeds parable - not the loss of salvation, but stages of the journey. At this point, Mary is clear on the Truth of the Good News. She is prepared.
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
Mary has Joy. She really does. And the peace that passes understanding. Mary is a perfect display of a human being coming in contact with what is far, far beyond mortal mankind. She is not a bad person, we are fully aware and we find she is going to progress and leave this joy. She has all kinds of emotions - why? To live. To grow. To make choices. To have conversations with God. For us to see mankind progresses and has questions and God does not leave His Love for us as we figure life out. Mary displays the seed parables because she is human and very, very loved by God. He allows life to wash over her and some questioning. Alleluia for Mary. And Alleluia for God.
~He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
This applies to Israel, the nation, being His Child, Mary and to us. God will remember His mercy when we feel afraid, alone, upset, flummoxed. God is here. God's nature is Steadfast.
~ wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
No unwed mother, no mother of any child, wants her child in a barn. This had to really strike to the core of the promises meeting the reality of God's Plan. Hurt.
The shepherds arrive to tell of - we heard this - No. The Shepherds arrive to tell of Heavenly Host. Angelic Visitation never recorded before.
~ Shepherds made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
~ Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
Mary gives us an idea she is saying, "HOLD ON TO WHAT GOD TELLS YOU AND MAKE THIS SOMETHING YOU CAN GO BACK TO AND RELY UPON. HOLD ON TO WHAT GOD TELLS YOU."
Mary does something very positive about now. Mary is sitting beside Jesus, who is worshiped by the Magi. She proves she is far more able than King Herod and does not claim her authority, nor take away any worship from Her Son. Mary is content to be Jesus' Mother. Her lack of demand for worship continues as Joseph dreams and directs their safety upon his decision to move them to Egypt.
Mary shows up with Joseph to show God, indeed, Jesus is a first born male and Holy to the Lord. Word gets around. This started in the Temple with Zechariah and they are cousins.
Mary is pushed by forces too great for her. Way above her. Gabriel of God. God Himself. Even her parents. Joseph and then from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. The first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Mary is being swept along.
People of the Holy Spirit nourished and encouraged her. Simeon. And Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
~ and a sword will pierce through your own soul also, so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
~ and a sword will pierce through your own soul also, so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Yes. We have to examine this. The Word is Living and Active. Hearts revealed. Mary has revealed her life to be very, very involved with events to change Heaven and earth. God is displaying her heart. She has shown us what it is to be a person of faith. She is going to try with God as things look grim. Mary has a lot of questions. And God Himself is going to make sure she is cared for all the days of her life. Jesus' last thoughts are for His Mother.
Mary is revealing what is like to be human before God.
~ when his parents saw Him, they were astonished.
~ His mother said to him, “Son, why...
~ And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.
~ And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
Mary is indeed sure of What God Himself is Doing!!!
Luke 2:52
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
Twice in the "GOSPELS", Jesus is referred to as being Joseph's son and blends in perfectly with all the other children of Mary and Joseph. You betcha Jesus is helping blend this rock Nazareth scandal back together. You betcha.
This is a pattern of God's! He points the direction and makes a path and fully expects like a Parent sending a child off to college that we are equipped to go the distance. And just as Jesus went to see Mary after He was an adult for the Wedding in Cana - God as Father expects to welcome us to the 12 open Gates of Heaven - Running to Greet us.
~ When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
~ 12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.
Mary is calm and confident of God.
Mary has no clue what God is doing and she is not happy.
Mary charges in to rescue her son.
Matthew 12
46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.a 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 4 9And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Kindly, Jesus did not say, "Get behind me Satan." We are very clear Jesus understands His Mother is trying to rescue him. And Jesus is saying we keep the perspective Mary is fully human:
Blessed are the breasts that nourished you."
"More Blessed is the one doing the Will of God."
Jesus owned a garment we are all aware of His seamless Chiton, a coat. Seamless, made carefully with a stitch called circular knitting. Rare.
We can be sure Jesus was worthy of this goodness. And see that God has not left Mary out. Her children all come to understand the Light of the World has arrived and stayed with the Word of God. The events bring all of this full circle. Love.
Mary has done well. Her children know Jesus. Jesus waited for His Brothers. They have come fully with Jesus. Acts 1 and 2. Ephesians 3:20 ~ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us. Jesus has brought to mankind the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to all who believe in Jesus.<
Mary will spend her days with Love. Jesus has made sure.
And one Sunday afternoon John, the Beloved Disciple, will fall to his face because the Lord Jesus is giving John the glory to see the Kingdom of God. Jesus has paid John a very Heavenly visit. One we can be sure - Blesses God. And we say Amen.
Abba, You are our Father,
We invite Jesus to dwell within us and pray with us,
Our soul magnifies the Lord,
and our spirit rejoices in God our Savior,
for he has looked on the humble and the needs of all of mankind for salvation.
For behold, from now on all generations will call Mary blessed;
for You who are mighty have done great things for Mary, and for all who believe in Jesus Christ.
and holy is the Name of Jesus.
And Your mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
Your have shown strength with Your arm;
You have scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
You have brought down the mighty from their thrones
You have filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich you have sent away empty.
You have helped Your Beloved Israel,
in remembrance of Your mercy,
as You spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
You are the Most Magnificent God! Our Salvation is from Your Good Will.
We give You our cares. You comfort us dwelling within us. We ask this for our Loved Ones.
For the people, You have given us. For the Nation. Our employment. Our Churches. Our Schools.
We ask for all Your Protection, Love and Guidance.
In You we will Believe. Jesus is Lord. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment