He Hath Scattered the Proud

Advent Day #7 He hath shewed strength with his arm;he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.He hath put down the mighty from their seats,and exalted them of low degree.He hath filled the hungry with good things;and the rich he hath sent empty away. Luke 1:51-53             Luke’s well-researched account of the …

The LORD—κύριος

Advent Day #6 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38             The name of the Lord is used fifteen times in just the first chapter of Luke. It is the Greek translation of the transliterated word YHWH, …

The God of the Impossible

Advent Day #5 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:36-37             Mary's conversation with the Angel Gabriel would have recalled the account of another barren woman …

The Name of Jesus

Advent Day #4 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21             Jesus was a relatively common name in first-century Judea. Jesus was the Greek version of the Old Testament name, Jehoshua, or Joshua, as it was shortened …

The Virgin’s Son

Advent Day #3 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 1:23             Isaiah, a prophet of God hundreds of years before the first Christmas, promised an ungodly king of Judah that a virgin would …

The Long-Awaited One

Photo by Doralin Tunas on Pexels.com Advent Day 1 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. Matthew 1:17             The anticipation of the long-awaited Messiah had ebbed …