Sunday, November 29
As we begin the Christmas season, we must review the Old Testament prophecies that foretold the coming of the Savior. In Matthew 1:22-23, the gospel writer said, “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying , Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
Matthew was quoting a specific prophecy from Isaiah that was declared more than 700 years earlier. In Isaiah 7:14, God spoke through His prophet and said: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
Mary did conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit, and she did bear a Son whom she named Immanuel. This one event should assure us that whatever God has said He will do, as the Great “I AM”, He has the power to do, even if that means a virgin girl would need to conceive and give birth to a Son.
Prophecy is not the “foretelling” of the future, but the “forth-telling” of what God has already ordained to be.
As we light the prophecy candle, may we allow the flame to enlighten our understanding of God’s Word regarding the prophecies that have already been fulfilled and warm our hearts regarding the prophecies yet to be fulfilled, including the imminent return of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
- Read Psalm 80:1-7
- Read Isaiah 40:1-11
- Read Revelation 7:9-17
Like God’s people before the first coming of Christ, we now look ahead to the time when Christ, our Lamb and our Shepherd, will finish His work of redemption, and God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
A Prayer of Hope
“Dear God, as we light this candle, we hope for your coming as our Good Shepherd. Please gather us in your arms, feed us with spiritual food, wipe away every tear from our eyes, and let Your face shine, that we may be saved. Come, our Shepherd! Amen.”