Advent Week 1
by Becky Davey
Advent—the very word brings a smile to my face, causing feelings of anticipation to float around in my head. Why this anticipation, this stirring of excitement? Who or what is coming? After all, advent simply means “coming or appearance.”
The plan for this Advent began long ago—before the earth was in existence. God made plans, He created the universe with millions and millions of stars and their planets. In one part of the universe He placed one planet with its sun, moon and stars. He called it earth and put seas, rivers, plants, birds and animals in it. Then He did something different; He created a man [Adam] and woman [Eve], made in His own image, to live there, tend the garden, eat the produce and fellowship with Him daily. An idyllic existence.
One day, a Tempter came; Eve listened to the Tempter, disobeyed God and so broke her fellowship with Him. Adam joined her in her disobedience and he, too, no longer had fellowship with God. How sad. How terrible. But! God had made plans before creation. One of those plans that would cover all time, was a plan for fellowship to be restored. God would send a Special Someone to make a way for fellowship with God to be restored.
God gave many promises as He prepared people for the Advent of this Special Someone. Each promise, or prophecy, gave more and more information about this Special Someone, so people could recognize Him when He came. As the years passed, the promises gave a reminder, and also a built-in mounting sense of suspense and anticipation of this special Advent. When would it happen? Who would it be?
Each year, as Advent begins, I like to go back and re-read those promises. It adds to my sense of wonder and anticipation—God really wants our fellowship. He promised the way; He sent that Special Someone and fulfilled the promises—Who is that Special Someone? Has He come? If so, when? Are there any promises still to be fulfilled regarding Him? How does the Advent season as we experience it today relate to God’s promised Advent? Come; read the promises with me. We’ll start with just one today and go on to more next week.
The first promise may seem obscure but its meaning becomes clear as we read further promises. This was part of the judgement against the Tempter (snake/serpent) and God’s part in it.
Genesis 3:15: I [God] will put enmity between you [the tempter/serpent] and the woman[Eve], and between your offspring and her offspring [singular: the Special Someone/ snake crusher]; he shall bruise your head [fatal injury], and you will bruise his heel [non-fatal injury].
God began giving more information about this Special Someone: some different names, qualities and actions—but still not a “when.” We’ll begin looking at them next week.
Photo credit: Photo by Rodolfo Marques on Unsplash