Looking at the 2nd Sunday of Advent Dec 7/14

2nd Sunday of Advent  Dec 
7/14

In last week’s Nov 29^th article we explored the first Sunday of Advent’s (Nov. 30/14) The Prophecy Candle or Candle of Hope in the traditional Advent wreath. This purple candle (or in some cases, blue candles are used in place of the traditional purple candles) represents the prophecies on the subject of the long-awaited Messiah and the hope-filled Scriptures that predicted His coming to earth—Immanuel: God with us.

Tomorrow we celebrate the 2nd week of Advent. This week’s Advent season is also purple, and it is referred to as “The Bethlehem Candle” or “The Candle of Preparation”. The chosen colour of this second candle in the Advent wreath, and its designation as The Bethlehem Candle, represent and remind us that Jesus, the baby boy born and placed into a manger, —a makeshift crib—was a King. Also known as The Candle of Preparation, the 2nd week of Advent focuses on the preparations that were essential to the night that Jesus, the Messiah, was born, as well as the preparations we make to celebrate His birth.

Preparations are fundamental elements of our daily lives (e.g., working to earn a paycheck so that we may provide for our families, running our households, ensuring that our children get a good education, and so forth). Special occasions require even more preparations to ensure that significant events in our lives are celebrated in a meaningful way (e.g., weddings, the birth of our child(ren) and their christenings/baptisms or graduations, and so forth). In biblical times, preparations for weddings were a year-long event. Of course, that tradition has been upheld in contemporary societies, too, with invitations often being mailed one year before the wedding date. A location for the ceremony needs to be booked, a florist selected, a caterer hired, wedding fashions to be determined, wedding colours chosen, a guest list created, invitations ordered…the list goes on and on. When we are making these preparations, we want everything to be perfect. Attention to detail is imperative, and the expectations can sometimes trigger an almost obsessive quality to our focus.

God also focuses on details. He orchestrated the lives of many individuals and events so that the prophecies would be fulfilled on that momentous night in Bethlehem. For example, Caesar Augusta’s demand for a census to be taken obligated Joseph and Mary to travel to Joseph’s home town of Bethlehem to register. So far, so good, right? But Mary was nearing the end of her pregnancy, the journey was a long one, and when they arrived in Bethlehem, all the inns were filled to capacity. Did God neglect or overlook some of the necessary preparations?  No! All these elements were taken into account when He planned His beloved Son’s entrance into the world—and prophecies, spoken 735 years before Jesus’ birth, were fulfilled (see Micah 5:2-5), demonstrating that they were accurate and true.

Furthermore, when we sing the Christmas carol, “O Little Town of Bethlehem“, we may not realize that Bethlehem is indeed a small town that is located just outside of Jerusalem. Those waiting for the Messiah probably expected Him to be born in Jerusalem, a significant location, versus in an insignificant town. Surely the Messiah, expected to be a world-changer, would come from Jerusalem, the holiest city. However, God is not conformed to our limited understanding and incorrect suppositions. He does, “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…” (Ephesians 3:20, NIV).  So God chose to upset the conclusions of those who considered themselves wise and intelligent (see 1 Corinthians 1:19 and Isaiah 29:14). The promised Messiah arrived, but He did not triumphantly claim the throne. Instead, He was relegated to a manger for His bed (a manger, is a long wooden trough where animals feed).

Besides the prophets (e.g., Isaiah and Malachi), there was another key person that figured into preparing the way for Christ. His name was John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, and his mission was to prepare the people by challenging them to be baptized and to change their ungodly lifestyles and behaviours. In the first chapter of the Gospel of John, verses 19-34, while John was teaching the Jewish people about Jesus, he was confronted by religious leaders, who demanded to know John’s identity. John responded by stating that he was not the Christ (he was not the awaited Messiah), and he was not the prophet Elijah (brought back to life). He then stated his identity and his God-given purpose by quoting the prophet Isaiah, ““I am the voice of one calling out in the ·desert [wilderness]: ‘Make ·the road straight [a clear path] for the Lord,” (Isaiah 40:3, Expanded Bible). So John the Baptist fulfilled or completed the prophecy regarding Jesus’ forerunner—the one who would attract people and immediately point them toward Jesus.

 Challenge: What are we doing to prepare our hearts and homes for the celebration of Jesus birth? Are we caught up in the preparations of decorating, food to be cooked or baked, and fellowship but forgetting to focus on celebrating the meaning of the Christmas season? There is nothing wrong with getting together with family and friends; in fact, spending time with loved ones strengthens us emotionally and physically. Let’s make it a time for connecting and growing spiritually, too.

Suggested Daily Scripture Readings: In keeping with the focus on the Bethlehem Candle, or the Candle of Preparation these are some of the Scriptures that remind us of the preparations that were made for Jesus’ birth, and they can help us prepare our hearts and minds for the celebration of His birth this Christmas season.

Sunday, December 7/14 The Prophets (Isaiah and Malachi) Prediction of Jesus’ Forerunner Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1

Monday, December 8/14 John the Baptist’s Birth is Foretold Luke 1: 5-25

Tuesday, December 9/14 John the Baptist Fulfills Isaiah’s Prophecy Mark 1: 1-3; John 1:23

Wednesday, December 10/14  The Angel Gabriel Prophesied John the Baptist’s Birth Luke 1: 5-25

Thursday, December 11/14 The Angel Prophesied Jesus’ Birth Luke 1:26-38

Friday, December 12/14 John the Baptist Prepares the Way for Jesus Matthew 3:1-12 

Saturday, December 13/14 We Need to be Prepared to Defend the Hope that Christ has Given Us.  1 Peter 3:15

Elizabeth Hayduk

Former SA Officer

Canada & Bermuda Territory