Just like before, God has given us hints and clues about how and when Jesus will return. Just like before, we wait. Sometimes we wait patiently. Sometimes we wait with tears and frustration. This time, Jesus will not come in the middle of the night as a baby. He will not be weak and helpless. He will come back, and He will ride out of the sky on a horse, carrying a sword. He will do battle with Satan and win. While we wait, let us, the people of God, be found ready in the waiting, as we live lives of holiness, godliness and hopeful expectation.

This scene in the Advent narrative whispers of an incredible mercy: God reveals His Son and extends salvation to the nations. Men and women from every people, tribe and tongue will tastes the honey-like sweetness of Jesus’ name upon their lips, confessing Him as Lord and worshipping Him as King. Jesus is worthy. Only He deserves the glory, honor and praise of the nations.

God provided a company of heavenly heralds to proclaim the birth of His one and only Son. It is amazing that God chose shepherds as the first to hear the good news. Not royalty, not the religious leaders of the day, but shepherds who were lowly and insignificant. He invited them into His story and then mobilized them as the very first evangelist. We are like these men, unlikely recipients of an unbelievable reality.

Throughout the Old Testament, the prophets spoke of the promised Savior, telling the people how to recognize His coming and reminding them that God had not forgotten. With hindsight, we see in Jesus the fulfillment of all that the prophets spoke concerning the Messiah. We understand that our Lord has done just what He said He would do in exactly the right way, at exactly the right time. We also see that God is full of compassion. He saw the desperate need of His people. He cared and acted by sending His only Son to save them.

The season of advent is a time of watching and waiting, remembering and rejoicing. The story of advent does not begin in a stable, but in the Garden. After the rebellion and rejection of Adam and Eve, God whispered a promise, a promise of hope, and a promise to come back and defeat sin and death. Throughout the Old Testament God spoke to His people about this promise. In the midst of this promise. God reminded His people not to lose heart as they waited for the Savior.