The Nativity

And so we come to the birth the last month has been building toward. Circumstance decreed that it occurred in Bethlehem, the city of David in fulfillment of prophesy. Just as David was anointed while out tending his Father's sheep the announcement is made by angels bursting with joy at the event to poor shepherds out tending their flocks by night.

Isa 9:2  The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

This child is born in the meanest of circumstances.

Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

The birth as described in Luke is in stark contrast to the magisterial language of Isaiah. Nevertheless the undelying message is loud and clear, this is the Messiah:

Luk 2:11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Now as then we must not be deceived into thinking that the realm of God is an earthly Kingdom for paradoxically the omnipotent God makes himself manifest as a helpless infant and symbolically his domain is immediately shown to be the poor and under-privileged not the rich and powerful.

Isaiah speaks of freedom from bondage to the Assyrian enslavement of Israel's leaders at his time of writing and an end to warfare and the joy that will bring. What Jesus birth betokened was freedom from bondage to the law and the guilt of sin through its forgiveness. Eternal life in the Kingdom of God to all believers making death irrelevant.

Advent 4

In the context of the Christmas Story time is immutable. Today our Gospel marks the Annunciation which logic decrees would have happened in March. In a few days we celebrate a birth that occurred 2000 years ago but in our hearts and minds is imminent before us. The aspect of God's Nature this child represents has been present in his creation eternally outside time and space.

And what of Mary his mother. Certainly she and Joseph were very special parents but should Mary be accorded any special significance other than as the vessel  that provided the means of the incarnation--the word becoming flesh. Since Biblical writers lived in an extremely chauvinistic time women are rarely mentioned and Mary appears by name in only 3 of the Gospels and never in the Epistles.

Luk 1:32  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Luk 1:33  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

The reign of King David was Israel's Golden Age, a time when Israel gained ascendancy and peace and prosperity prevailed. David's was an earthly Kingdom and the verses above echo the OT Lesson in which King David is promised that his Kingdom shall have no end. But whereas David's was an earthly Kingdom his son's was a spiritual one. Just as God declares through Nathan that he needs no physical dwelling place so too the kingdom over which the son reigns dwells in the hearts of men.

Psalm 89 reinforces God's relationship with his servant David and by proxy his caring relationship with all mankind.

Advent 3 2014

Advent 3

1Th 5:16  Rejoice always;
1Th 5:17  pray without ceasing;
1Th 5:18  in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward.
1Th 5:19  Quench not the Spirit;
1Th 5:20  despise not prophesyings;
1Th 5:21  prove all things; hold fast that which is good;
1Th 5:22  abstain from every form of evil.
1Th 5:23  And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Isa 61:2  He has sent me to proclaim That the time has come When the LORD will save his people And defeat their enemies. He has sent me to comfort all who mourn,
Isa 61:3  To give to those who mourn in Zion Joy and gladness instead of grief, A song of praise instead of sorrow. They will be like trees That the LORD himself has planted. They will all do what is right, And God will be praised for what he has done.

John, who in our Gospel is sent to proclaim the word made flesh who dwells among us was born no more than six months before his cousin Jesus.

Mary and Joseph had nine months to plan for this 'blessed event' and yet Mary went into labour on the road to Bethlehem a town already over-crowded with their fellow travelers.

We have but 25 days to ready ourselves to relive this event once more.

Psalm 126 describes the rapture experienced by people returned from captivity. It could just as well describe the joy experienced by parents at the birth of their first child. We experience a similar joy at the birth of our freedom from the guilt of sin and death and the epiphany of the Kingdom of God.

How should we prepare ourselves for the birth of love. Is there a better formula than that provided in our Epistle for today.

Isaiah is seen as prophesying this birth but whereas he saw an earthly messiah, the messiah of the new covenant rules in a spiritual realm that is eternal and independent of time and place. He made glad the heart of Moses and Isaiah and he is about to be born anew in our hearts and minds.