Advent I Waiting....in Silence
For the full story see Luke 1:5-25; 57-80
The Advent season is here and with it comes the anticipation of celebrating Jesus' birth. Often in the busyness of preparing, we feel that Christmas is coming too fast. My hope for you this year is that through Advent, you will experience (even briefly) time to contemplate the signficance of that first Christmas and that what you discover will permeate even the most hectic days.
Where do we start? The silence of God.
The Old Testament ends with a promise from the Lord to send "the prophet Elijah" before "that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes" (Malachi 4:5). It is over 400 years before John the Baptist would cry out, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 3:2). Although they had the promise of a Deliverer, the Scriptures weren't added to in that time period and so Israel had to wait in the silence of God. How hard it must have been!
It is striking that Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, also waited in silence for the birth of the promised prophet. His silence was the consequence of his own lack of faith ("And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time." Luke 1:20) God had spoken through the angel Gabriel but it was too unbelievable for Zechariah.
It is only when the babe is born and named that his "tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God." (Luke 1:64) Full of the Holy Spirit, he prophesies about the salvation that is to come and his son's role in it (Luke 1:67-79). The waiting is complete. The silence is over. The Word of the Lord can be heard again and soon the very Word of God will be taking up residence on earth (John 1:14). Salvation is at hand!
The story of Zechariah is an encouragement to me. It isn't surprising to me that Zechariah doubted for he and Elizabeth were "well along in years" (Luke 1:18). He wanted certainty after all the years of disappointed hopes. But now, hope of all hopes! Not only are his prayers for a child being answered, the child will be "a prophet of the Most High" (Luke 1:76). An answer to all of Israel's prayers! It is the wonderous working of our gracious God that at this crucial time in salvation history, He chooses a man who isn't ready to receive what he has been waiting for all his life. How great is our God and what hope there is...for all of us!
The Advent season is here and with it comes the anticipation of celebrating Jesus' birth. Often in the busyness of preparing, we feel that Christmas is coming too fast. My hope for you this year is that through Advent, you will experience (even briefly) time to contemplate the signficance of that first Christmas and that what you discover will permeate even the most hectic days.
Where do we start? The silence of God.
The Old Testament ends with a promise from the Lord to send "the prophet Elijah" before "that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes" (Malachi 4:5). It is over 400 years before John the Baptist would cry out, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 3:2). Although they had the promise of a Deliverer, the Scriptures weren't added to in that time period and so Israel had to wait in the silence of God. How hard it must have been!
It is striking that Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, also waited in silence for the birth of the promised prophet. His silence was the consequence of his own lack of faith ("And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time." Luke 1:20) God had spoken through the angel Gabriel but it was too unbelievable for Zechariah.
It is only when the babe is born and named that his "tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God." (Luke 1:64) Full of the Holy Spirit, he prophesies about the salvation that is to come and his son's role in it (Luke 1:67-79). The waiting is complete. The silence is over. The Word of the Lord can be heard again and soon the very Word of God will be taking up residence on earth (John 1:14). Salvation is at hand!
The story of Zechariah is an encouragement to me. It isn't surprising to me that Zechariah doubted for he and Elizabeth were "well along in years" (Luke 1:18). He wanted certainty after all the years of disappointed hopes. But now, hope of all hopes! Not only are his prayers for a child being answered, the child will be "a prophet of the Most High" (Luke 1:76). An answer to all of Israel's prayers! It is the wonderous working of our gracious God that at this crucial time in salvation history, He chooses a man who isn't ready to receive what he has been waiting for all his life. How great is our God and what hope there is...for all of us!
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