Celebrating His Arrival

In Luke 1:46-56 we have Mary’s song of praise recorded for us. Mary begins to celebrate and sing when she thinks of all the angel had revealed to her and after her time with her cousin Elisabeth. It seems that everything that had been building in her heart after the announcement just poured out in this song of praise.

She begins this song by saying, “My soul magnifies the Lord...”

Her Soul Magnified the Lord (v. 46)

The word that she uses here for magnify has the root word “mega” in it. It is a verb that means:

“to cause something to be held in greater esteem (with oneself or others); conceived of as physically enlarging it.”

Her soul (her life, her spirit) wanted to magnify the Lord. As a result of beginning to comprehend all that God was doing in her and for her, and for humanity, she wanted to lift up the name of the Lord and help others understand how awesome and great the Lord God truly is!

Trent Butler comments:

The Lord had looked down on Mary with loving care. He saw the low economic and social state in which she lived. Such a state would be short-lived. God had placed her in a state of blessing. Because of her son, humiliation would disappear. From now on throughout all history people would recognize who she was and the state of blessing she occupied. She did nothing to earn or deserve this. The almighty God had caused it with his mighty acts. So praise him. Call him holy. See him as the transcendent God so uniquely pure and separated from sinful humans. (Trent Butler)

Far too often we have a far too small view of God. We need to let the Scriptures about WHO God is and WHAT God has done marinate in our soul and really dwell on Him and His goodness.

We need to ask for a greater comprehension of His power, of His glory, of His sovereignty, of His holiness, of His righteousness, of His perfection…and this all comes from knowing Him better and knowing His Word personally and intimately.

The second thing we discover about Mary is that...

Her Spirit Rejoiced in God Her Savior (v. 47)

The word “rejoice” literally means to “be overjoyed, glad, or extremely joyful. A logical question to ask is “What or Who makes her this way?” Her extreme joy is coming from ONE source! It is coming from “God her Savior.”

As she comprehends what has happened to her she has come to realize that she is going to give birth to not only the Savior of the world, but she is going to give birth to HER SAVIOR!

Leon Morris says this about the phrase, “God my Savior...”

God my Saviour shows that Mary recognized her need—she was a sinner like other people. (Leon Morris)

Mary understood that she was going to give birth to the One who would not only rescue His people from their sins, but she was going to give birth to the One who would rescue her from her sins!

That truth made her feel OVERJOYED! She was literally running over with joy. Her joy was so great she burst forth into this song!

Unfortunately too often in life, we look for the source of our joy in many of the wrong places and we are sorely disappointed. Mary’s source of joy was not in her circumstances, her health, what her friends and family would think of this news, but rather her source of joy was in God her Savior!

Circumstances will change, often for the worse. Our health will eventually deteriorate in this life. Some friends come and go and sometimes even our own family will forsake us.

However, dear friend, we have a Savior! We have Someone who came to earth 2,000 years ago and laid down His life for us and for our sins so we could be reconciled to the Father and have life and have it more abundantly!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below! Praise Him above ye Heavenly Host!

Philippians 4:4 ESV

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Her Mind Focused on His Goodness (vv. 48-56)

In this section, Mary focuses upon the goodness of God. The “goodness” of God is like an infinitely multifaceted precious jewel or stone that one can look upon. Leon Morris notes:

She dwells on three things, his power, his holiness and his mercy. She sees herself as insignificant, but that does not matter, for ‘the Mighty One’ (Rieu) is at work. But God is not to be thought of only in terms of power. He is holy. The name in antiquity was used with a fuller meaning than with us: it stood for the whole person. So this verse means not simply that God’s name is a holy name and must be used reverently; it means that God is a holy God. Further, he is merciful. In every generation his mercy (mercy occurs five times in this chapter) is certain for those who reverence him (so, rather than fear him in our sense of the term). (Leon Morris)

A few other things that Mary focuses on that I noticed are as follows:

His Magnificent Power (vv. 49a, 51-53)

She refers to God as “he who is mighty.” The word mighty means one who is “powerful, strong, competent and authoritative.” Unlike “mighty men” who so often use their might to take advantage of others and treat the lowly with cruelty, God used His might to “scatter the proud” and to bring the cruel mighty men “down from their thrones” and to “exalt those of humble estate” (vv. 52-53).

He has used His might to “fill the hungry with good things.”

Leon Morris notes

This section of the song tells of a complete reversal of human values. It is not the proud or the mighty or the rich who have the last word. Indeed, through his Messiah, God is about to overthrow all these...In the ancient world it was accepted that the rich would be well cared for. Poor people must expect to be hungry. But Mary sings of a God who is not bound by what people do. He turns human attitudes and orders of society upside down.… (Leon Morris)

Not only does Mary exalt Him and His magnificent power, but she also praises His holy name!

His Holy Name (v. 49b)

She understands that God and His name are sacred. She doesn’t take God or His name lightly or for granted. She understands that not only is God Himself sacred, but even His very name is sacred.

His name is holy. It is set apart from every other name. There is power and glory and honor and praise in His name and due to His name! In this proclamation, she recognizes and magnifies His glorious name!

His Great Mercy (v. 50)

She also speaks/sings of His mercy. This is a reference to God’s compassion that causes Him to withhold His righteous judgment. She says that He shows this compassion upon those who “fear” Him. Those who have a healthy respect for who God is, His name, and His power are those who experience the merciful compassion of a holy God.

His Good Promises (v. 55)

The last thing that really stands out to me is Mary’s reflection upon the promises God made and kept. She contemplates the prophecies and promises God had made to her forefathers.

She thinks about the promise God made to Abraham…that through His seed all the nations of the world would be blessed. The Faithlife Study Bible reminds us:

In fulfillment of Yahweh’s proclamation to Abraham, Mary’s son was to be a channel of blessing and salvation to the nation of Israel (Gen 12:1–3; 17:1–27). (Faithlife Study Bible)

How Are You Using Your Life to Magnify the Lord?

John Piper says:

There are two kinds of magnifying: microscope magnifying and telescope magnifying. The one makes a small thing look bigger than it is. The other makes a big thing begin to look as big as it really is.

When David says, “I will magnify God with thanksgiving,” he does not mean, “I will make a small God look bigger than he is.” He means, “I will make a big God begin to look as big as he really is.”

We are not called to be microscopes. We are called to be telescopes. Christians are not called to be con-men who magnify their product out of all proportion to reality, when they know the competitor’s product is far superior. There is nothing and nobody superior to God. And so the calling of those who love God is to make his greatness begin to look as great as it really is...

The whole duty of the Christian can be summed up in this: feel, think, and act in a way that will make God look as great as he really is. Be a telescope for the world of the infinite starry wealth of the glory of God.

Are You Reflecting on Where You Might Be Without a Savior?

Where would you be today if God had not intervened in the world 2,000 years ago? Where would you be spending eternity if you died in your sins? You and I would spend eternity in the “Lake of Fire.” We would forever be separated from God. We would forever be without hope! We would not know forgiveness! We would not know peace with God or the peace of God.

Mary understood that she needed a Savior and she also understood that God was going to give her the undeserving honor of being the mother to that Savior. The mother to HER Savior!

Is Your Mind Focused on His Goodness?

If God never did another thing for us, He’s already done more than we deserve. He is good, and He demonstrates His goodness to us day after day and time after time.

Lamentations 3:22–23 ESV

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.