The Quiet of the Land – Elizabeth

The Quiet of the Land

Elizabeth speaks – Shards from the Pot

We are the Quiet of the Land.

We watch and we wait … in silence and seclusion.

We wait for the Coming of the Mashiach,

the Consolation of Israel,

the Redeemer of His people.

All my life I have been a Quiet One – “Too quiet by half!” “Too quiet for her own good!” As quiet as a mouse. But not timid. No. Thinking. Dwelling. Wondering. Waiting. Watching.

When I married, I spoke the vows but said little else. I spoke to Zechariah. Well, of course I did. A faithful wife does not refuse her beloved. We had plenty to say… to each other…. us two…not always in words.

And we waited for the child to arrive. Year upon year. Hoping. Trusting. Expectant. But no child came.

There was a sadness behind the veil of my husband’s eyes. I believe he blamed himself. Who can say? Certainly, I blamed myself.

In the end, we stopped speaking about it. We never stopped praying about it. But it became obvious that for us a child was not in God’s plans. Not God’s will … for us two.

We had, however, a deeper desire … a desire that grew as the years passed… to see the birth of the one who would fulfil the ancient prophecies: turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and their children’s hearts to their parents. Our favourite texts became the Prophets … the Book of the Twelve … before the LORD had ceased to speak through men.

And so, we waited.

The words of Malachi, the Messenger, best resonated with us. We could see how we had failed the Lord, deserved his displeasure, invited his rebuke. It was the priests who bore the brunt of his disappointment and contempt. We were determined not to be numbered with those who had failed our Lord. We took a vow to serve Him faithfully … to wait for the coming of the Forerunner, the Harbinger of Joy and Salvation, and the Messenger of the Covenant who would come suddenly to His Temple like a Refiner’s Fire to purify the Priesthood and to bring Redemption for His people.

And so, we waited. Year upon year we waited. No child for us…yet if we could but live to see the comingagain of the Prophet Elijah and the Sun of Righteousness rising with healing in his wings…

And then… the lot was cast … Zechariah was called to serve his course in the Temple, the culmination of a lifelong desire to offer incense before the Lord. We said little but I could see the fire in his eyes… one last joy for him and one final satisfaction for me … my husband would serve the Lord in the division of Abijah.

He left for the city. I waited in the hill country. Seven days went by and then another seven as he served with all of the priests at the Festival of Shavuot while I anticipated his return. There would be much to talk about…words and no words…much to say.

But when he returned, he could not speak at all. There was so much to say but no words to speak. It was good that we had learnt to be silent … to say much without words.

Of course, in time, he shared the Angel’s declaration … words written in the sand…words of promise and fulfilment anticipated.

I hardly dared to hope but hope I did. Our God is not to be mocked.

And one day I knew … the child stirred within me … the waiting for the messenger was over. In God’s own time, his own good time, this child would be born. What manner of child he would be, the Angel had said, but only God truly knew.

How we would raise him, only time would tell. Time …we still had time. The Lord has remembered his servant;

the Lord has done this for me;

the Lord has taken away my disgrace.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

We are the Quiet of the Land.

We watch and we wait … in silence and seclusion.

We wait for the Coming of the Mashiach,

the Consolation of Israel,

the Redeemer of His people.