I’m writing this during the first week of Advent and the theme is Hope! In many Christian homes around the world, a candle is lit on each of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, symbolizing the light and salvation Jesus brought to our world that was in darkness. The other weeks of Advent are: Love, Joy, and Peace. I remember our family doing this meaningful tradition many years ago. At dinner on Sundays, my parents would light the candle for that week (and any weeks prior). This preparation of our hearts led up to the fifth white candle that was lit on Christmas, representing Christ Himself. Then all five would brightly shine together in a crescendo of light!
I decided to do this tradition again myself this year. Each day of this week, as I read my devotions, I’ve been lighting a “hope candle” to add warmth and atmosphere to my space as I think about the deeper meaning of this season. I learned that this first candle is also called the prophecy candle.
By going through the prophecies about the coming Messiah written in the Bible, you and I can find that Christmas actually began thousands of years before Jesus was born. It was first mentioned in the book of Genesis, about 6000 years before His birth! I stopped to think about how I can’t even predict how the rest of this day will go, yet the Scriptures from the Old to the New Testament predicted with 100% accuracy that there would be One Son of God who would fulfill every prophecy. And He did. Here are references to look up and read 44 of them for yourself (there are more!):*
• The Messiah would be born of a woman: Genesis 3:15
• The woman would be a virgin: Isaiah 7:14
• This would occur to fulfill God’s prophecy: Matthew 1:12-23, Luke 1:26-31
• He would be born in Bethlehem: Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1, Luke 2:4-6
• He would come from the line of Abraham: Genesis 12:3 and 22:18, Matthew 1:1, Romans 9:5
• And from the line of his son Isaac: Genesis 17:19 and 21:12, Luke 3:34
• Then the line of Jacob: Numbers 24:17, Matthew 1:2
• Then the line of Judah: Genesis 49:10, Luke 3:33, Hebrews 7:14
• He would sit on the throne of King David: 2 Samuel 7:12-13, Isaiah 9:7, Luke 1:32-33, Romans 1:3
• His throne would be anointed and eternal: Psalm 45:6-7, Daniel 2:44, Luke 1:33, Hebrews 1:8-12
• He would be called Immanuel (God With Us): Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23
• He would spend a season in Egypt: Hosea 11:1, Matthew 2:14-15
• A massacre of children would occur at his birthplace: Jeremiah 31:15, Matthew 2:16-18
• A messenger would prepare the way for Him: Isaiah 40:3-5, Luke 3:3-6
• The messenger would be in the spirit of Elijah: Malachi 4:5-6, Luke 1:5-25, Matthew 11:13-14
• He would be declared the Son of God: Psalm 2:7, Luke 1:31-32, Matthew 3:16-17
• He would be called King: Psalm 2:6, Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 2:2
*(With thanks to Danny Saavedra from Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale, who gathered these verses together in a study you can read on the YouVersion app called “God with Us: The Story of Christmas”)
Where did these incredible prophecies come from? In 2 Peter 1:20-21 (NIV), it says:
“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Bible prophecy, then, originates from God. He gave the facts and truth ahead of time, beginning thousands of years before the events occurred. That way we can know with confidence that these statements, like pieces of a puzzle, fit perfectly together into One: Jesus Christ. Not by accident, but by God’s design and plan – given in advance.
So do hope and prophecy work together? By seeing how God has fulfilled His promises accurately to the smallest detail in the past, we can be assured that He’ll continue to build our trust.
He’s already demonstrated His faithfulness, backed by His character, and reinforced by many, many prophecies coming true. Putting our hope in Him is safe.
The story of Jesus didn’t end 2000 years ago, the Bible also has facts and truth given in advance about how He will return again!
RESET HIGHER: It’s easy to look at our world and lose hope. Or, we can seek true hope that comes from God, the only One who holds our future. The One who gives us life. The One who sent His only Son, Jesus, to bring Heaven to earth. He is the bridge of forgiveness for our sins by paying our debt in full so we can receive the gift of eternal life if we pray and give our hearts to Him and receive it.
This Christmas, let’s celebrate hope! And Love, Joy and Peace! Light a candle with me, open your heart, and listen to what God is saying to you personally. Pray. Go to church. Open your Bible and read the verses in this post and find Him. He will give hope to you.
Great message. I do place my hope in Jesus!