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After hearing from the angel Gabriel that her relative was pregnant, Mary went to visit Elizabeth. When she arrived at Elizabeth’s house, here is what the Bible says:

Luke 1:39-45-- 39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord (ESV)."

Author Wayne Grudem says:

"...Elizabeth calls the preborn child in the 6th month of pregnancy a 'baby' (brephos, 'baby, infant'). This is the same Greek word that is used for a child after it is born, as in Luke 2:16, where Jesus is called a 'baby' (brephos) lying in a manger (see also Luke 18:15; 2 Tim. 3:15). Elizabeth also says that the baby 'leaped for joy,' which attributes personal human activity to him. He was able to hear Mary's voice and somehow, even prior to birth, feel joyful about it (Politics According to the Bible)."

In the Old Testament, we also read about a story of twin boys struggling together in the womb before they were born (Genesis 25:22-23). Both Esau and Jacob were referred to as children (ben) while they were still in the womb, indicating they were humans before birth (Gen. 25:22).

My wife is expecting our third child in March, and it’s amazing watching our baby develop. We have fun looking at all the stages of development week by week. Even within the conception process, a cavity is formed, eventually producing a yolk sac that will produce the baby’s red blood cells. Within 6 weeks, the baby’s heart beats twice as fast as the mother’s (Baby Center).

Stephanie is 28 weeks along, and our little guy is kicking away, enough for my wife to say he’s hurting her rib cage (sorry, Honey!). Medical research shows that babies in the womb can even hear and recognize voices (Baby Center). Our son is a real human being.

The other important thing to note about the Christmas story was that to Mary, this was an unplanned pregnancy. This unplanned pregnancy would later change the course of human history, offering peace on earth and good will towards men (Luke 2:14). This baby forming in Mary’s womb would be the gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23), and would be the Person Who would reconcile us back to the Father through His perfect life and death (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

Of course, this pregnancy had been planned from God before it even happened (Gen. 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6), but to Mary, it was unplanned.

Life is a precious gift, and every life matters. Thanks be to God that Jesus came first as an embryo to later be the Rescuer of the souls of men and women ("Wonderful Merciful Savior")!