From the dawn of time

Daily Devotional for Advent 2023

Opening comments

In Advent we get ready, Advent is about a double preparation. We are getting ready for Christmas – Jesus’ arrival as a baby in a manger in Bethlehem. Preparation for this arrival fills us with the wonder and even awe of a baby, of the angels, of the shepherds, of the Magi’s gifts. And it has become a warm celebration.

Advent is about another preparation. The Jesus who was born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger, will return one day as the ruler of all things. He will bring justice and righteous to the earth. There is an edge to this second coming, setting things right will mean Jesus will judge the peoples of the earth.

These two themes appear to be very different – but we hear both themes in Mary’s song of joy (Luke 1:46-56) that she will be the mother of the Messiah. Thrilled beyond belief that she has been chosen for this high and holy task, she is very aware that this child she will give birth to will bring about the overthrow of the powerful and the humbling of the proud.

Advent comes with a double preparation. Yes, we are getting ready for a party, but getting ready for the party involves examining our lives to see if we are ready to be among the guests at the party. Are our lives ready for the arrival of the baby in the manger and for the arrival of the great king who will judge all things?

The King of kings and Lord of lords is on his way, will we be ready to welcome the king?

These Advent readings bounce between these two themes, for they are both properly the call of Advent. The first two weeks or readings are from the Old Testament, the first week from a variety of books, the second week entirely from Isaiah. The third week brings us to the New Testament account of the arrival of Jesus as a baby in the manger, who is the ruler of all things.

Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023              Genesis 3:8, 13-15

From the dawn of time

8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden…. 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this that you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent tricked me, and I ate.’ 14 The Lord God said to the serpent,

‘Because you have done this,
    cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures;
upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat
    all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and hers;
he will strike your head,
    and you will strike his heel.’

Our journey into Advent starts back in the beginning, the very beginning. The first humans disobeyed God by eating of the tree they had been told not to eat from, in their guilt they hid from God (vs. 8). Relationship with God had been broken. And the blame game began, until the serpent (that is, Satan in serpent form), was named as the one who had started the lies.

The damage had been done, the relationship between God and humans was broken, the relationship between human beings was broken, the relationship between humanity and the creation was broken – everything was broken. How was the world to be set right again?

Verse 15 gives us the first hints of God’s plan to bring about the restoration of the world – humanity, the creation, everything. A descendant of the woman will strike at the head of Satan, crushing Satan’s power and hold in the world; but not before Satan will have caused the offspring of the woman grievous harm by striking his heel.

The church has understood this to be a foreshadowing of Satan and the forces of evil killing Jesus, a descendent of the woman, but that Jesus would be raised to life again and destroying the power of sin and death and hell. Jesus, fully human, through his death and resurrection would bring about the redemption of the world. This vision is expressed in Colossians 1:20, “Through him [Jesus] God was pleased to reconcile all things to himself, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his [Jesus’] cross.”    

Back in the dawn of human history, God was already working towards the redemption and reconciliation of all things.

PRAYER:

We rejoice, O Lord, that your Son Jesus Christ has come and has crushed the powers of evil and death and destruction. As we begin our Advent journey, with humble joy we give thanks to you for bringing about the reconciliation of all things through Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.