Section 3: The Light Dawns
During the time of King Herod, Zechariah the priest and his wife Elizabeth were “righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord” (Luke 1:6). They obeyed God. They demonstrated their faith through service. Yet, they struggled with infertility. They prayed for years for a child.
They understood unfulfilled longing. And God’s people understood unfulfilled longing as well. They had been waiting for God’s promise of a Redeemer.
Then, in God’s providence, Zechariah was chosen to serve in the temple, and the angel Gabriel brings him amazing news that his years of waiting would be met with a son. This child’s life had been ordained by God hundreds of years earlier to fulfill another longing.
Malachi prophesied the birth of this child, John the Baptist, calling him the messenger who would clear the way for another Messenger. John the Baptist’s birth was a divinely orchestrated foil, used by God to reignite remembrance and longing in the hearts of God’s people for the day of the Messiah’s coming.
Advent is a time of remembering that God keeps His promises, and that His promises are not dependent on the righteousness of His people but on the righteousness of His Son. His promises are not dependent on the obedience and faithfulness of the priests, but on the obedience and faithfulness of Christ.
The longings of Zechariah and Elizabeth for a son were not unmet. And Israel’s longing would be fulfilled in Jesus, the Son of righteousness who would rise with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2). The joy and delight that Zechariah and Elizabeth experienced in the birth of their son would be shared by many because of his miraculous birth, but there would be greater rejoicing over the miraculous birth of the One who was coming, of whom John came to testify.
May this Advent season remind us that although God does not give us every earthly longing or desire, we can draw encouragement knowing that our most pressing longings have been satisfied in Christ.
Angie I’ve heard stories in my family of my older sister asking one Christmas where the candles were for the cake. When they asked what she meant she said it was Jesus birthday. Apparently they got candles and put them on the cake and sang “happy birthday” to Jesus. This is one of my favorite stories to hear from my aunt.
WOWO! Amazing study! We should be so grateful, that both Jesus and John were born into the world to guide us towards heaven
I hope that all of you have been doing great! I’m excited because I went to mass yesterday and the priest there told me that He’ll work with me on conversion… so I’ll be on my way!
As Christmas fast approaches I hope that we all remember to thank God for everything we have… and to carry that same attitude into 2022. Let us be like John’s parents.. obeying the commandments fully, without question.
John would have probably been 1 to 1 1/2 years old when Herod issued the decree “to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report or the star’s first appearance.” (Matthew 2:16) So what Kristie has said is correct because we need to look at the full scripture.
“May this Advent season remind us that although God does not give us every earthly longing or desire, we can draw encouragement knowing that our most pressing longings have been satisfied in Christ.” This last sentence Kristie wrote really says it all I believe. We can and should “draw encouragement” from the knowledge that God and Christ will take care of our absolute necessities. But we need to realize what is a real necessity and what is a desire or something we can do with out. I know for me sometimes that is a hard thing to do. I have learned to turn it over to God and I know He WILL provide.
Sisters please pray for nice weather tomorrow here in the Lawrence, KS area because my son and future d-i-l are getting married and the ceremony is to be held outside. It will be a glorious day no matter what but it would be nice if the weather is nice.
Be blessed and spread the joyous news of Christ’s birth, sisters.
Praying for you, Tracie. How heavy your load this Christmas… how thankful I am that you feel Jesus bearing you up in this time. May you experience His grace today through so many little things.
I really have no words today. Tanner has been gone 5 weeks already. I have had a handful of hard days. I know that Christmas will be hard. Tanner had become so sick that a part of me feels relief that he is with God. Sometimes I feel guilty for that. That my grief isn’t heavy enough. Isn’t it silly that I’m worrying about how others perceive my grieving. It has to be totally from the grace of God that I’m feeling as I do. I have an acceptance that it was his time to be with God. That the struggle had become too big. There wasn’t much fight left in him. I was so afraid of the day that Tanner would be gone from this life. I was afraid I would totally lose my mind from grief. But God has held me close at this time. He has given me peace. Even though I’m crying as I type this. Thank you beautiful ladies for praying with me through this time of my life.
That is a great idea! Thank you for sharing!
I am definitely praying for you and your children. I’m thankful that you are a believer and I pray that you trust Christ during this difficult season. Remember that you are loved!