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Advent Blog - Entries written by Dale R. South

ThuThursdayDecDecember17th2009 Day 17 - God of Great Reversals

Posted Thursday, December 17 2009 @ 7 AM byDale R. South Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

Luke 1:46-55

46And Mary said "My soul glorifies the Lord 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."

Though it isn't obvious to us, these verse are a hymn of praise that Mary sings in worship. She has just visited with her cousin Elizabeth whose family also received a visit from the angel Gabriel who had announced an unexpected birth in their household as well. Elizabeth, who had been barren, was to soon give birth to a son who would become known as John the Baptist. Elizabeth affirms Mary's obedience saying: “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” Mary responds with her hymn, marveling at how she has been blessed by the great things God, the Mighty One, has done for her. Mary's song remarkable foreshadows the unexpected tenor of Jesus' life and ministry – humility and vulnerability one would not expect from the long-awaited Messiah King. She sees God as bringing about great reversals – He has brought down rulers but lifted up the humble … filled the hungry and sent the rich away empty." It's as if Jesus is singing more verses to her song when He says, “the last shall be first and the first shall be last … if you want to be the greatest, you must be the least of these … the Son of Man did not come to heal the healthy but the sick.” Let's sing along with Mary and Jesus of the Great One who lifts up the weak.

WedWednesdayDecDecember16th2009 DAY 16 - Disfavor without Fear

Posted Wednesday, December 16 2009 @ 6 AM byDale R. South Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

Luke 1:26-33

26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.28The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

Considering her circumstances under which the angel Gabriel tells Mary, the teenage virgin, not to be afraid, it would seem that she had plenty of reason to fear. For one, this was an angelic visit and angels tended to frighten people when they manifested themselves throughout the Bible. The message Gabriel brought was a scary message – Mary was about to become pregnant even though she was unmarried and had never had sexual relations with anyone. She was going to carry the Messiah in her womb and give birth to the King who would rule forever. What was unspoken and perhaps not clear to young Mary was that people would look at here with suspicion and even disdain for her apparent immorality. Her life was about to become very complicated. The reason the angel said not to be afraid though is very important: “because you have found favor with God.” Though Mary might end up out of favor with her husband-to-be, out of favor with her parents, out of favor with people in her village, she had none the less found favor with God Himself. Finding favor with God can allow us to face the disfavor of others without fear.

TueTuesdayDecDecember8th2009 Day 8 - Peace in the New Jerusalem

Posted Tuesday, December 08 2009 @ 3 AM byDale R. South Tagged Advent Blog Psalm 122, New Jerusalem 0 comments Add comment

Psalm 122

1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD." 2 Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem. 3 Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. 4 That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel. 5 There the thrones for judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you be secure. 7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels." 8 For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you." 9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.

These nine verses form the entire Psalm 122 that was actually a Song of Ascents. Jerusalem was and is a city situated on a hill. When the Jewish people would go to the city to celebrate the pilgrim feasts such as Passover and Pentecost, they would sing songs as the city came into sight and they began their climb to arrive.

We still await the day when the New Jerusalem is established – Revelation 21:2 “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” In that day, King Jesus will be the Judge as well as the One who wipes away every tear. The city will be secure. There will be peace and prosperity. The name of the Lord will be praised. Come New Jerusalem. Come Lord Jesus.

MonMondayDecDecember7th2009 Day 7 - Streaming to the House of the Lord

Posted Monday, December 07 2009 @ 3 PM byDale R. South Tagged Advent Blog Isaiah 2, House of the Lord 0 comments Add comment

Isaiah 2:2-5

In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. 3 Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. 5 Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Patrick did a nice job of presenting the concept of the “Already but Not Yet” in Day 4's entry. This is another great illustration of the prophecy being already fulfilled at one level though not yet completely fulfilled. Isaiah 2 was written over 500 years before the birth of Christ and we see fulfillment of the already - “He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” After the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, we saw many nations coming not only to Jerusalem but to Christ on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Yet with the situation in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Sudan and so many other war-torn parts of the world, we still see a large “not yet” that we long for even though we cannot see it on the horizon.

What we want to be sure not to miss is our own possible role in God bringing these words to completion. Though the temple in Jerusalem has been destroyed, we as members of the Body of Christ are the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6). Born-again believers all over the world now constitute the House of the Lord. Check out Ephesians 2:11-20. We have the calling and privilege of showing how God in Christ is able to reconcile people who ordinarily wouldn't get along. We have the opportunity to teach His ways and walk in His paths. How I long to see peoples from all nations streaming to the House of the Lord. It will be worth the wait.

TueTuesdayDecDecember1st2009 Day 2 - God's Unconditional Promises

Posted Tuesday, December 01 2009 @ 2 AM byDale R. South Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

DAY 2: Jeremiah 33:17-18

17 For this is what the LORD says: 'David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, 18 nor will the priests, who are Levites, ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.'

These verses are written at a time when Israel is facing impending judgment for unfaithfulness to God. God is clarifying that He will keep His earlier promises though at the moment it looks like He is ready to renege on His previous commitments. We see here that God's great promises are not conditional, but cemented in His grace and mercy. The fulfillment of David's descendent sitting on the throne is ultimately satisfied in Jesus the Messiah King – the Lion of Judah.

The Virgin Mary received this confirmation when the angel Gabriel visited her saying: “Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the 'Son of the Most High.' The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

What grateful relief to know that the great promises of God fulfilled in Jesus are not conditioned or our obedience and faithfulness. That's all the more reason to praise this glorious King.

MonMondayNovNovember30th2009 Day 1 - The Lord Our Righteousness

Posted Monday, November 30 2009 @ 9 AM byDale R. South Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

DAY 1: Jeremiah 33:14-16 (New International Version)

14 'The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.15 In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.'

This prophetic text is set in the context of a divided kingdom – the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah. At the time, Zedekiah,whose name means “the Lord is my righteousness” was king of Judah. However, Zedekiah was not living up to his name. Part of Jeremiah's call is to declare God's judgment against evil kings like Zedekiah. More than merely denouncing evil, God reiterates His promise to bring forth a righteous king from King David's line. “Branch” is a Messianic title. Unlike the current kings, this Messiah King will do what is just and right. He will reunite the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah; the promise is for both of them. At that time, God's people themselves will receive the name “The Lord is Our Righteousness.”

Even hundreds of years before the birth of the Christ child, God made it clear that our righteousness is found in Him and not in our own efforts. Thanks be to God for this gift of His love.

Advent Blogby We hope this series of readings and comments will help you prepare your mind and heart this advent season.