The Bible tells us very little about what God’s redeemed people are doing in heaven, awaiting the day when Christ returns to earth and makes all things new, but it does make clear that, while we await our resurrected bodies, we are conscious and we communicate, including praising God. One could imagine a fascinating conversation between, Eve, the mother of all living, and Mary, the blessed mother of our Redeemer — but instead of speculating, we can look at what God records about Eve in Genesis 3:8–4:2, and about Mary in our text, Luke 1:46–49, for Mary’s hymn looks back, not just to Hannah’s song, but also to the longing of Eve.
Look at Eve’s loss and longing. Eve’s loss affects you. We do not know how much knowledge of our failures and sins we will have in glory, so don’t put words in the mouth of Eve, were she to talk with Mary. But we do know from Scripture that God created Eve, like Adam, in his own image and likeness, emphasized in Genesis 1, “male and female.” God placed mankind in the Garden of Eden, best understood as an earthly replica of the glorious heavens that God created in the beginning, where he dwells with his angels. After creating for six days, God entered his rest on the seventh — with the goal of mankind entering that rest. And, as God said that it was not good for man to be alone, he formed Eve from Adam’s side or wall. She was a helper, not a lowly servant, but Adam’s companion. Frequently God is described as the helper of his people. Here he gives Adam the gift of Eve, not just to do the dishes, but to aid him in his task of entering God’s rest. Genesis 3:8ff records how Satan, in the form of a speaking serpent, questioned God’s goodness, and led Eve to eat the forbidden fruit and to give to Adam, who was there with her. It was Adam, not Eve, who was the representative, the federal head as theologians put it, who represented all mankind (except for One!), and when Adam sinned, we all sinned in him and fell with him. Eve failed as the helper, and the couple become conscious of shame, make pathetic fig leaf coverings, and hide from God. They are expelled from the Garden. Regardless of whether or not Eve has memory of this in heaven, whether or not she could talk about it with Mary or others, she certainly went through deep regret and sorrow as she reflected on her failure. And, before we point the fingers at her and her husband, we need to recognize that we would not have done better.
Understand Eve’s deep longing. As tragic as the fall is, as painful as the consequences are, God does not leave us to perish in our sin and misery. The provision of animal skins not only is better clothing, but even at this early point in redemptive history is telling us that the death of a substitute is needed. He pronounces his curse on the serpent, dealing not just with the reptile, but with the rebellious, fallen angel who had taken over the animal. In that curse, God promises the Redeemer, the offspring of the woman will one day crush the serpent’s head, while enduring his heel being struck. In the darkness of the fall, there is a glimmer of light. Adam’s curse involves the painful toil that now characterizes his work. Beyond that, it confronts him with what seems like the futility of death, Genesis 3:17. The curse on Eve involves the pain of childbirth — her offspring will defeat Satan, but it is not easy!.God adds that her desire will be for “the man.” Many of our translations take this as referring to her husband, but the term is much more often used generally, meaning a man. I believe that God telling Eve something much more important than something like, “there is now going to be conflict in your marriage.” Eve’s desire is not primarily for Adam, but for the man that God had promised would come from her. You see that in the reason she has for naming Cain, Genesis 4:1, “with the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” That naming is an act of faith, though the arrival of the man she longed for would not happen for many centuries. It has been suggested that throughout the Old Testament, many Jewish mothers must have wondered and even prayed that their child would be this Promised One. That longing goes all the way back to the one whom Adam described, after the Fall, as the mother of all living.
“We can understand the words of the Lord toward the woman by remembering how the woman of Revelation 12 also brought forth children in the pain of persecution. This is the enmity between the offspring of the serpent and the offspring of the woman played out…. When we come to Genesis 3:16 everything said so far must be kept in mind; we must read it in light of the history of special revelation which focuses on Christ and his church. The last part of the verse in particular has been interpreted in various ways, many of them problematic and unhelpful because they assume there is conflict between Adam and Eve and miss the redemptive focus between Eve and Christ. The text says, ‘Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.’ The word translated here as ‘husband’ (ish, אִישׁ) is translated as ‘man’ the majority of the time. In light of the context, it would be better translated as ‘man,’ not referring to Adam her husband, but to the Messianic Champion who was just promised in Genesis 3:15.”
Aaron P. Mize, “The Church’s Desire toward Christ Her Sin Offering in Genesis 3:16,” Ordained Servant Online, April, 2024
With Mary, rejoice in God, your Savior. The Mighty One has done great things for you. It took nine months of enforced silence before Zechariah could sing, but notice the prompt joy of the women in the narrative. Elizabeth tells Mary that her son in her womb leaped for joy, Luke 1:44. And Mary responds with a song of joy, Luke 1:46ff. Notice especially how Mary’s joy is intertwined with her recognition of the holiness of God. God had done great things for Mary, vv.48,49. He had taken a humble girl from Nazareth, and had called her to be the mother of the Savior. Here is the reflection of Hannah’s hymn. Hannah rejoices in her answer to prayer for a child, not just because it eased the pain of childlessness, but because in the Old Testament the hope of salvation was so closely tied with inheriting the promised land and having descendants to live there. Yet Mary’s hymn has a different tone than Hannah’s song. Hannah’s has a note of triumph that you can understand only against the background of the bitter disappointment of childlessness and the pain of being despised and provoked for it by Peninah, Elkanah’s other wife. Mary’s song is equally triumphant, but without the note of personal vindication that Hannah included. Both women received a son in order to return him as the Lord’s servant. As challenging as Hannah’s act of gratitude was (mothers, you can try to put yourself in her sandals), Mary’s surrendering her Son back to the Lord involved far more. God has done great things for you. He is a God of mercy, and he is faithful to his covenant (his promises extend from generation to generation). The holy God has come, in the person of his Son, to have communion with his people. God’s faithfulness in providing the promised salvation was being fulfilled. The wonder of the birth narratives prepare for the public ministry of Christ, his suffering, death, and resurrection. God has come down into our world to bring deliverance for us sinners! He lifts up the humble and the poor. Salvation is a gracious gift to undeserving sinners. Mary calls God her Savior. She trusts in her Son!
“The witness of the birth narratives to the person of Christ is remarkable for the manner in which various strands of the Biblical revelation converge within it to bring before the reader a most illuminating and even overwhelming portrayal of the divine Messiah…. His coming is also viewed as being nothing less than the long-awaited coming of the Lord himself (i. 17, 76; cf. i. 43, ii. 11), so that He who is the Lord’s Anointed (Christos Kyriou) is in truth the Lord Himself (Christos Kyrios).”
Ned B. Stonehouse, The Witness of Luke to Christ, p. 50
With Mary, glorify the Lord! Luke, and the Holy Spirit who inspired his Gospel, challenge you to faith, faith not in Mary, but in the Child that Mary was carrying, the Child from whom Eve had longed. The pattern of event followed by descriptive revelation continues. The words of Elizabeth and Mary challenge you to a response. Trust the Savior. Mary did believe in her Son her Savior. Theophilus is being challenged to trust. God calls you to respond in the same way, to trust in his greatest redemptive work, the coming of his Son in the flesh. What Eve longed for, what Mary and Elizabeth could see dimly brought them great joy. How much more can you rejoice, for you see more clearly how great your God is! You know, far, far better than Eve did during her life, better than Elizabeth ever did, and better than Mary understood at this point, what wonder was involved in the Child Mary was carrying!
As you consider what God has done, sing with Mary, holy is his name! As a creature, call God holy. Mary’s language looks to the Old Testament, Isaiah 57:15. God is transcendent, above all human weakness. Secondarily is the idea of freedom from sin. As a forgiven sinner, call God holy. Angels reflect God’s holiness. That is why men react with fear! Mary has overcome that fear as she trusts in her God. Your terror of a holy God, and of the consequences of sin, is removed as you trust her Son, Jesus Christ. Marvel that you now live in the presence of a holy God!
God has done something almost too big to comprehend, something that Eve could only grasp the edges of. With Mary sing, “Holy is his name.” Say it with reverential fear. Say it with awe. Say it with praise. Say it with joy, “Holy is his name.”