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Why Did God Choose Mary

We can learn many facts about Mary from the message by the angel, and from her response to that message. But we can also understand why God chose Mary by looking at Old Testament prophecies and the history and circumstances surrounding her life at that time.

God wove together every detail—the people, places, and times—to usher in His plan for redemption in Christ. But He still needed a willing vessel, a surrendered servant.

In essence, God chose Mary because she was of the right lineage, she was from Nazareth, she was engaged to a man whose lineage set up a trip to Bethlehem, she was a virgin, and she was a young woman of good character. Fleshing out these insights fosters not only appreciation for Mary, but also God’s preparations for His Son’s mission.

What Were the Angel’s Words Concerning Mary?

Gabriel—one of God’s holy angels who stands in His presence—was entrusted to deliver important messages on God’s behalf. When Gabriel appeared to Mary, she was initially “greatly troubled,” but the angel shared a wonderful surprise.

Gabriel told Mary she would conceive and bear a son (Luke 1:26-33), and the baby’s name would be Jesus, which means “Savior,” from the Hebrew root meaning “the Lord is Salvation.” Gabriel said this child, the Son of God, would reign in an eternal kingdom. He would fulfill the Davidic Covenant.

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Mary asked, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” As a chaste virgin (v. 34), this was a natural question. The angel patiently explained the supernatural conception: the Holy Spirit would come upon her, or work within her, and the power of the Most High would “overshadow” or hover over her.

According to Jewish customs at the time, young girls could enter betrothal as early as age 12. Christian historians suggest Mary was 15-16 years old when Jesus was born. To further help Mary understand the coming miracle, Gabriel shared good news about Mary’s barren relative, Elizabeth. She was carrying a son “in her old age”—in her sixth month of pregnancy (Luke 1:5-25, 36). The angel asked Mary to trust God’s message about her own son, saying, “No word from God will ever fail.”

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