The first nonparent to recognize Jesus as Messiah was a fetus
Queston: Who was the first person besides Jesus’ parents, Joseph and Mary, to recognize Jesus as Messiah?
Answer: John the Baptist, when he was a fetus and Jesus was but an embryo.
The Gospel of Luke tells of a fasincating incident that occurred when John the Baptist was a 6-month-old fetus.
John’s Aunt Mary came to visit John’s expectant mother Elizabeth, her cousin. Mary was newly pregnant with Jesus. Luke 1:41 says when Mary greeted Elizabeth, John kicked. Elizabeth told Mary, “The instant I heard your voice, my baby moved in me for joy!”
Elizabeth prophesied, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child that you will have. I feel blessed that the mother of my Lord is visiting me.”
To read my archived Embryonic Jesus Story, go to WorldNetDaily.com.
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
That is indeed a very good scripture, which strongly suggests that the unborn child is capable of such advanced human traits as spiritual discernment.
Of course, one who sought to find fault with that argument could point out that the mere fact that Elizabeth interpreted the movements of John in her womb in such a manner did not, in itself, prove anything. Elizabeth could have been mistaken. She could have been projecting her own views on her unborn child. She was, after all, a fallible human being.
However, in light of the spiritual discernment exhibited by Elizabeth herself during those moments, it seems unlikely that she would have misinterpreted the significance of the movement of her unborn child in her womb. It does seem clear that her words were inspired directly by the Holy Spirit.
As in the case of other arguments which appeal primarily to the scriptures, and to the assumption that they are valid and true, I doubt that any of this is likely to be very effective in persuading non-Christians, regarding the humanity of the unborn child. Such people seldom care what the Bible has to say, because they do not regard it as authoritative. But your argument ought to be seriously considered by the numerous people who claim to be both Christian and “pro-choice”.