THE MEANING OF ADVENT

 Advent is a season observed in many Christian churches today. The word ‘Advent’ came from the Latin word ‘adventus’ meaning ‘coming.’ The word ‘Adventus’ is also the translation of the Greek word ‘parousia,’ used in reference to the ‘Second Coming of Christ.’

Advent marks the beginning of the liturgical year for many Christian churches. It starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25, which is the Sunday starting from November 27 and ends on Christmas Day.

Advent is a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Birth of Jesus. For Christians, Advent is a reminder both of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting of Christians for Christ's return.

ADVENT WREATH: Many churches celebrate Advent with ‘Advent Wreaths.’ Although it is not quite known when the first Advent wreath was created, there are several stories as to its origin.  Whatever the stories are, however, by the middle Ages, Christians adapted this tradition placing a new and Biblical meaning to the old custom.

Today, Advent wreathes are used as part of the Christians’ spiritual preparation for Christmas to remember Christ.  In the Christians’ tradition the Advent wreath points to Jesus, the Light of the world (John 3:17-21). The circled evergreen wreath reminds believers that God our Father grants new and everlasting life in Jesus. The four candles in an Advent wreath emphasize the four weeks of penitence and preparation during the Advent season, as we eagerly await the coming of the Light of the world to bring new life and hope to the world.

In ancient times a garland wreath was placed on victors as a symbol of victory, for victories in conquests. Today, the Advent wreath reminds some Christians of ‘the crown of thorns’ that was placed on Jesus’ head, while others are reminded of ‘the crown of life’ that Jesus has won for us. 

 There are many interpretations of the Advent candles. In some traditions the candles stand for Hope, Love, Joy and Peace. Also, there are different interpretations in the use of colors of Advent candles (blue, purple, pink or rose, and white).   

Traditionally, the candles are lit in the following order: purple, purple, pink, purple, and white.

1^ST CANDLE (purple):  The Candle of HOPE or PROPHECY Candle. We have hope that God is faithful and will keep the promises God made to us. The prophet Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope." (Romans 15:12).

2^ND CANDLE (purple): The Candle of PREPARATION, which means to ‘get ready’. God kept God’s promise of a Savior who would be born in Bethlehem. It is also called the BETHLEHEM candle. The prophet Isaiah says, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” (Luke 3:4-6).  

3^RD CANDLE (pink or rose): The Candle of JOY or SHEPHERD Candle. The angels sang a message of JOY!  Luke tells us, “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.   In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see -- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:  to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger."  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." (Luke 2:7-15).

4^TH CANDLE (purple): The Candle of LOVE or the ANGEL candle.                                                   The angels announced the good news of a Savior. God loved us so much that God sent his only begotten Son to earth to save us. John tells us, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17).

5^TH CNDLE (white):  THE CHRIST CANDLE. 

The white candle reminds us that Jesus is the spotless Lamb of God, sent to take away our sins. His birth was for his death, and his death was for our birth. John tells us, “The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29).

Let us pray: 

O Emmanuel,  Jesus Christ,

desire of every nation,

 Savior of all peoples,

come and dwell among us. Amen.

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Resources: Living Hope   

A covenant that cannot be broken

God established a covenant with Noah and his family and told them to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. God was still in charge of the human household. The only difference was that Noah was the earthly father of the household. God did not bless only Noah, but also Ham, Shem and Japheth his children, and their children. Whom God has blessed no one can curse!

Once there was a guy named Balak who sent a false prophet named Balaam to curse the house of Jacob-Israel. They were on their way from Egypt to Canaan and camped in the plains of Moab. Balak became afraid of these people because of their huge number. Does that sound familiar? Balak told Balaam, “How can I curse whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced? (Numbers 23:8). How many false prophets have you heard down through the years prophesied lies instead of truth over Ham, Shem and Japheth for their own selfish motives ?

Like Adam and Eve’s household, there were rules in Noah’s household given by God (Genesis 9). In Adam and Eve’s household at the first sign of disobedience God nipped it in the bud by expelling them from the house. They had to go out and work and take care of themselves. The freedom to rule and rain over daddy's house was over! God the Father was up on the disciplinary action!

In Noah’s household, he needed to be a better father. He needed to be an example to his children. Instead he was a drunk – an alcoholic, who abused his grand-child with unsavory words and caused two brothers to gang up on their other brother.  The boys’ father was so drunk that he lost his clothes while sleeping in his tent. Ham walked in on him. Apparently, the boy was so frightened he went and told his other two brothers,  Shem and Japheth who went and covered him up! Apparently, Noah woke up, found out the kids saw him naked, drunk, and had to cover him-up. Can you imagine how irritated he must have been since seeing a father's nakedness was a taboo in those days? Is it a taboo today? Selah. Shem and Japheth were so afraid they had to make themselves look good by telling the drunken father that it was Ham who first found him naked and told them. They ganged up on their brother after that with the help of their father no doubt! This was the case of a drunken father who decided to take his anger out on an innocent grandchild, Ham's son named Canaan. But God had already blessed the boy. His name was there to prove that, Canaan! He was named after the land he possessed - the land that every generation craved after and is fighting to own still to this day. Canaan had already possessed the land of Canaan.

Isn’t that same kind of trouble we find in our world today? There are so many parents and grandparents who curse-out their children and grandchildren every day. Proverbs 18:21, tells us “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Well apparently, Noah did eat the fruit of his tongue when it comes to his childrens. Shem and Japheth learned to hate their brother Ham, to save themselves from daddy's wrath. The dysfunction in that family continues throughout history and until today through the generations.

Was there a rule in Noah’s house which said stay out of daddy’s tent for fear of what the boys might see, especially since their father was a drunk? If there was one, and Ham disobeyed, Noah could have disciplined Ham by kicking him out of the house to go and make a home for himself and his family. Remember the Garden? Adam and Eve broke the house rule and they were expelled. After all, Ham was a grown man! But a drunkard often abuse with words, and God knows what else! And the abuse was directed not only towards Ham I would imagine, but directly towards Ham's son Canaan. Why was that? Do you suppose that Ham was the first son and the blessing of the land was given to Ham's first son Canaan? That might have been the case. Noah would attempt to revoke the promise to Ham and his family. But God's blessings cannot be revoked.  

Noah cannot undo God’s covenant with Ham, Shem and Japheth and their childrens. God blessed them and their generation! And God’s blessing is permanent. The only thing that can be broken is relationship with God through disobedience. Broken relationship with God was and is a problem throughout God’s creation of humanity.

Until today we still see fights for land all over the world and in every nations. Some nations are still acting out past history about Noah's life taken from the Old Testament or the Torah to no avail, forgetting that we have a clear and New Testament which was given to all of Noah's children i.e. you and I. 

THE SEQUEL of the dysfunctional family: 

In the Adam and Eve household both Adam and Eve found out Daddy’s big secret. They found out the truth about ‘the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’

In the case of the Noah’s house hold, Ham, Shem and Japheth discovered the taboo in the family– the forbidden sight of a father’s nakedness. You may ponder the word ‘nakedness’ and what it may have entailed. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none good or righteous, no not one.

God’s discipline versus Noah’s discipline.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, God chose a certain time of the day to confront them. Genesis 3:8 says, ‘they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.’  One can actually imagine a cool day in the evening. God called up the two. Perhaps with a gentle but profound voice he called, "Adam. Eve." Where are you? They were afraid! The secret was out! And they could not bear to face up to their mistakes so they hid themselves from their Daddy. When they finally answered daddy, they told him that they were naked. Daddy reasoned with them. ‘Who told you that you are naked? Daddy asked them. ‘Did you break the rule of the house children? Adam and Eve began the blame game story.

Isn't it the same way today? The fight goes on except this time the fight is no longer about the drunkard Noah and his generation (all humanity), but it is about one of Noah's generation in particular, Abraham. Nations fighting one another to be Abraham's generation. Some nations have even felt that if they are Abraham's generation then they are superior to all the other Abraham's generation. What a redundant travesty. 
Many Christians have helped to promote the Old Testament Scriptures or Torah to belong to a single nation, misrepresenting the Word of God, the Scriptures, which is written for all nations. The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testament were never written to or for any one nation but for all nations. All humanity descended from not only the drunkard Noah, but also from Noah's descendant 'faithful' Abraham. All the people of the earth are blessed through Noah's descendant, Abraham. You are not blessed through your religion, or because you are religious, or because you follow the laws of the Old Testament/Torah or because you do the rituals of the Old Testament/Torah. All the people of the earth are blessed through Abraham because of his faithfulness to God.  If you are not experiencing the blessings of God, check to see if your relationship with God, your heavenly Father is broken.The blessing of God to all the nations of the world is set in stone and cannot be revoked!

Paul the Apostle said this to the Galatians (Gal. 3:15-22, 29):

". . .Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case.  ¹⁶ The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," {16 Gen. 12:7; 13:15; 24:7} meaning one person, who is Christ.  ¹⁷ What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.  ¹⁸ For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.  ¹⁹ What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator.  ²⁰ A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.  ²¹ Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.  ²² But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

(Verse 29) If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

 God’s discipline:

Notice that God did not curse-out Adam and Eve, his children. God cursed-out the serpent that deceived Adam and Eve, and put enmity between the serpent and Eve. God also curse the ground. Was this a way for them to learn discipline through the process of labor? Ponder this.

God’s disciplines Eve and Adam:

God disciplined Eve by allowing her to experience the pain of childbirth, once again learning through labor. God also gave her desire for her husband and caused her husband to rule over her – sort of like how he ruled over the animals and plants I imagine.  You may pause to give God thanks for sending Jesus to reconcile not only woman but the whole creation unto himself. Selah.

God disciplined Adam by cursing the ground – making it hard for him to plant and reap a harvest from the ground. Adam had to deal with pulling the thorns and thistles which sprang up in his field. He had to work up some hard sweat in order to feed his family. Finally, with the premature knowledge of good and evil both had acquired, Daddy could not trust them to live at home and care for it any longer. Their hands had become dangerously touchy. Great knowledge was in the minds of two immature children. They could not be trusted with their new knowledge. Daddy had to kick them out of the house –garden. They had to make a new home and fend for themselves. God was still with them though. Much of the same things happened in our world today, over and over again as humanity experienced broken relationship with God the Father and also with their earthly father. Remember the story of the prodigal son? Come home all you who are weary and find rest in God through Jesus. His yoke is easy and His burden light.

There is Grace for healing:

Noah was too inebriated to extend Godly grace to a frightened Ham and his brothers Shem and Japheth. Instead, he extended cheap Grace – division and partiality. On the other hand, Shem and Japheth tried to remedy a situation which still ended badly. After listening to their frightened brother, they went to fix the situation. It seemed to have been too late to fix the situation for one brother with his daddy. This no doubt brought a permanent rift among brothers, which extended through the generations.

Today, cheap Grace prevents most people from extending true Grace, mercy and love to one another.

God is our gracious and perfect example of a tough- loving father. Who extends Grace to humanity through Jesus Christ. Just as God extended grace to Adam and Eve by lovingly covering their nakedness, God also extends grace to humanity today by covering our sin through the blood of the cross. Oh what marvelous Grace! Grace that pardons and cleanses us.