Advent Devotions December 20

But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.

A prophecy of the leader that will come out of the town of Bethlehem. Much like many of the other royal psalms that speak of the shepherd or king that will come to rule with peace.

This points towards Jesus as we open up this fourth Sunday of Advent and continue to wait in the midst for the birth of the newborn king. The signs and the prophecies continue to point to Jesus as we venture into various verses of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) throughout this Advent Season. It is a season for us to wait. It is also a season for us to prepare. Through these scriptures, Christ is present and alive among them and is evident that he does not come to us in just the New Testament. As Christ can be present among us today in every bit of our lives, he was also present with our ancestors more than 2000 years ago, back to the beginning of time. The Christ that is, was, and will be.

Let us pray.

Eternal God, we give thanks for prophecies point us towards your son, Jesus Christ. We ask that he may continue to guide us today, tomorrow and into the future to come. AMEN.