Advent Devotions 2021

“A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Isaiah 3:40

By Dr. Jihan Twemeh Nazzal

Director of Administration at Bethlehem Bible College

At this time every year, believers in Jesus Christ await the Advent…the time of Christmas; this great historical theological event is awaited with longing, faith, and eagerness. How could we not anticipate it? It is a special time that conveys to us and to all of humanity a message of salvation, joy, pleasure, hope, and peace. In this year, and in light of these exceptional and difficult circumstances that the whole world is experiencing due to the Coronavirus pandemic, a question looms on the horizon: “In the midst of a state of fear, turmoil, instability, and loss of security, can we still wait for this great event with the same longing and with the same eagerness?! “

“A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Isaiah 3:40

This is the gospel… it proceeded from there – from Isaiah the prophet in whom the Holy Spirit worked – announcing the coming of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Under these harsh conditions, Advent comes to assure us that Christ is the gospel of hope, faith, and love. He is our hope when we are disappointed and our refuge when we are lonely. He is the safety anchor that calms the ship of our lives, which is now sailing in the midst of a raging sea while being tossed by strong waves.

In the midst of the distress that grips our hearts, in the midst of darkness, we must make a way for our God, and out of the darkness, the light of Christ will shine to give our hearts a peace that surpasses our mind, a peace that is not like any other kind of peace. It is the light of Christ that awakens within us the flame of hope in our hearts, which have been filled with despair for so long.

So long ago, divine revelation came, it came in the form of a prophecy, and then it became a reality.

Long ago, the sound of tidings came with the incarnation of the Word, with the birth of a Savior who would save us from our human weakness.

A screaming voice foretells the explosion of life, the transformation of the thorns of our souls into a fertile land full of love. The Holy Advent is coming this year to call us to consolidate our faith and deepen our confidence in our Lord, God, and Savior, so we eagerly await Him. We wait for Him with hearts full of hope, we wait for Him with a fluttering spirit soaring in the sky of joy, so our reception will be worthy of the King of Kings, the Great God, and the Prince of Peace.

But, how do we prepare the way for the Lord? How do we receive the King of Kings and seat Him on the throne of our hearts?

Here, we must pause for a moment at the word of the prophet Isaiah, which is the same word that John the Baptist repeated; ‘A voice crying out in the wilderness…” Yes, in the wilderness – there we will meet with God. We meet Him when we work to find a wilderness in our lives, a quiet place far away from the hustle and bustle of our lives that are full of worries, problems, and challenges. We are in the wilderness when we take a retreat with God, only with Him. Let us hear the screaming voice of God, the voice of God that calls us to prepare the way for Him with true joy, acceptance, tolerance, love, empathy, contentment, kindness, humility, generosity, giving, and hope. Let us keep walking with our lamps lit, waiting for the coming of the Savior, waiting for Him with hearts filled with confidence in the birth of the Light for the people walking in darkness, confidence in the birth of the Comforter and the Strengthener. Yes indeed, this is how we prepare the way for the Lord, by being spiritually prepared, by living out pure unconditional love, and by forgiving all who have offended us.

Let us raise our prayers to our Almighty God to send the Savior for whose coming to our hearts long, the King of Kings who sits on the throne of our hearts, so that it may blossom with faith, hope and love, and renew the face of the earth.

Zachariah and Mary’s Good News

Luke 1: 5-38

By Riham Khair, fourth-year student in the Biblical Studies Program

Let us reflect together on the response of both Zachariah, the priest, and the Virgin Mary to the message and promise of the Lord through the angel, and how we can apply such a response in the course of our faith in the Lord Jesus.

If we check the background of the text in the Gospel of Luke, we will see that it mentioned that the two messages of good news that both Zachariah, the priest, and the Virgin Mary received happened during the days of Herod the King. This indicates the political situation that existed at that time, which was not an easy situation as Herod was a domineering and corrupt king. Spiritually, there was a divine silence for 400 years; no visions, dreams, or prophets had carried God’s message to the people since the days of the prophet Malachi. In the midst of these difficult circumstances, according to the biblical text, two righteous people appeared, namely, Zachariah and Mary, and the angel of the Lord appeared to them with the gospel, that is, the good news.

When Zachariah was a priest, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple, and this was not a coincidence. God had a plan for Zachariah the priest that on this day he would enter the temple to receive the good news. Zachariah’s reaction stemmed from human nature, as when he saw the angel, he was afraid, but the angel reassured him with these words: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.” God heard Zechariah’s request as it is written, “The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). However, Zechariah said to the angel of the Lord standing before him, “How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.” The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.” Zachariah’s response to this good news showed us that he was in a state of frustration because he was old and would not be able to have a son after this age. The angel told him that he would be silent until the time of birth came, “because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” Disappointment overcame Zachariah, so much so that he could not believe the words of the Lord. This is what happens with us when we are in a state of frustration while waiting for the Lord to move in our lives. When the time comes, it is as if we are saying to the Lord, “You are too late,” and we close the door before Him! This is why the state of our hearts before God during the time of waiting and praying are very important. We have to adjust our hearts to harmonize with God’s heart, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8).

As for the Virgin Mary, she responded to the angel in a different way. We are not here comparing the two images to say that one is better than the other; on the contrary, each image represents our spiritual state through the different seasons of our lives and God loves us in all our situations. When the angel appeared to Mary, she was engaged to Joseph and had found favor in the eyes of the Lord. For this reason, He chose her so that the Savior would come from her. “The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you, blessed are you among women.” Mary responded obediently to what the angel of the Lord told her, submitting to the will of the Lord, whatever it was. God was already aware of her heart, and her response indicated this state of her heart. “Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” We note here that both Zachariah and Mary started with the same question “How can this be?” We often think that things will turn out as we see fit. But Mary understood that God was responsible for the manner in which He would fulfill this promise. “Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

I want to encourage you, my dear friend, to examine the state of your heart. Are you ready to receive the promise in the Lord’s time, or are you frustrated and weak? I liken it to the case of a farmer who plows his land and prepares it to receive rain in time. The word of the Lord in Isaiah encourages us, “but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

God Remembered and Had Compassion

Luke 1:67-80

By Rev. Azar Ajaj, President of Nazareth Evangelical College

Sometimes we say, as a poet once said, “The most ridiculous thing we carry is names.” However, this does not apply to our text. If we want to summarize the text only through names, we can say that Luke’s message to us is Zechariah and John; two names that mean “God remembered” and “God had compassion,” respectively. Luke chose to present to us the story of Christmas intertwined and interconnected with another miraculous story, the story of the birth of John the Baptist. John was the man who “prepared the way” and prepared many to hear the kingdom message. The people were in a desperate and miserable state at that time. The religious, political, and social darkness increased the anticipation for God’s intervention and the appearance of the Savior.

Zacharias’s praise was an answer to the question of his relatives and friends “What then will this child become?” Traditionally, these praises are called Benedict, which means, “blessed,” the word with which Zacharias begins his praise.

Praise be to God for:

God visited His people. He made a great visit for His people. And when John the Apostle describes this visit, he says that God (the Word) Himself visited our land, in the person of the Son, Jesus Christ (John 1:14), He set up His tent among us, and dwelt among us. He did not neglect the world and did not leave it to evil. Rather, He was greatly involved in human history to prepare for that visit. In the past, God sent His messengers to the world, but now He was personally visiting the world.

The purpose of this visitation was to redeem His people. Salvation is a major theme in the Bible, in which God seeks to redeem human beings who have fallen into the trap of slavery and captivity. This has been the hope since the fall, that man would return and restore fellowship with God, and walk with Him. We must note here that the people were not only in spiritual and moral bondage, but also political servitude. For God’s people in the old days, moral and spiritual weakness was linked to slavery, and salvation does not only mean liberation from the yoke of the authority of other peoples, but also means returning to God with all one’s heart, word, and deed. This is what filled Zacharias thoughts.

This is what God promised the parents, a promise of blessing and mercy. This redemption restores fellowship with God, and removes fear from our hearts, so that we are filled with His peace and joy. This is indeed the summary of the good news, for God has mercy on us and saved us to worship Him. And worship is, as someone said: “It is to offer God our praise, thanksgiving, and worship with fear and reverence, to rejoice for all His attributes and rejoice in every action, especially for sending His Son to die for our sins. And sincere worship is always characterized by a repentant heart and submission and obedience to the truth that God reveals to the worshiper.”

If we want to present the message of Christmas in these days to our people, perhaps the praise of Zechariah provides us with a road map:

• Visit: be close to people, hear their cries, and know their challenges.
• Have mercy: make room for the Holy Spirit to realize the need and pain, and direct your heart to be part of the solution, healing and comfort.
• Offer salvation: share with them the message of hope through the person of Christ.
• Worship God: for true worship stems from your deep love for God and for your neighbor.

In conclusion, I pray that God may shine upon us, who are sitting in darkness, danger, fear, and hopelessness. And with His shining light, may He guide us and fill our lives with knowledge, joy, and peace.

Reflections on the Christmas Story: The Town of Bethlehem, the Shepherds, and the Magi

By Haytham Dieck

Tour Guide Program Coordinator

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world… And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up

from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because

he belonged to the house and line of David.” Luke 2:1-4

 Living in Bethlehem in the first century must have felt like living in Nazareth – a small village or hamlet whose population would be less than 1000. Houses were modest in appearance, with two floors on the ground floor for daily work activities – kitchen, cooking, and an open courtyard for taking care of animals. In contrast, the upper floor served as family living quarters and included a guest room for relatives. Most houses would be constructed over a cave or in front of a grotto as these provide excellent shelter and protection for animals, especially in the cold days. Houses built in the old town of Bethlehem now are no different than houses of the first century.

“…And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them.” Luke 2:7

When building, people made sure that houses were built close together for protection. Together, they formed neighborhood units called hosh, and each hosh would belong to a particular family. As a result, alleys are widespread around houses. Imagine children playing or men working in the paths of Bethlehem. However, because of the birth of Jesus, unique visitors would come to this town. The first visitors were the Shepherds, as mentioned in the Book of Luke, while the second visitors were the Magi, recorded in the Book of Matthew.

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them,

and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good

news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has

been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find

a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:8-12

The Shepherds, the first visitors, were the poorest people in the Jewish society, those with lower status. Yet, as part of God’s plan, they are given the honor to be the first visitors of the Baby Jesus, the King of Israel. Shepherds lived in the field of Boaz, the place that recalled the story of Ruth and Boaz in the dark times of the period of Judges. (This Ruth, the Moabite, was the great grandmother of David from whose line the Messiah would come.) The shepherds’ favorite season was spring; that was the time of the year when they felt happiest. Finally, after months of putting their animals inside the caves, fearful of losing them due to cold winter – imagine, after all these months! Now, in the Spring season, the shepherds were free to release their sheep outside in nature. Now they could celebrate, go out to the fields, enjoy the fresh air, allow their animals to eat fresh grass. It was indeed a moment of celebration in which they would be even more astonished by the extraordinary appearance of angels announcing the good news that the Messiah was finally born in Bethlehem.

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising

God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to

those on whom his favor rests.’

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another,

“Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has

told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby,

lying in the manger.” Luke 2:13-16

The second visitors were expert Astrologers, or Magi, who could read the universal changes in the planets, the movement of the stars, and how to know if a future event was going to happen. Having this job title, they were close to kings and even at this particular time (in the 5th Century BC) were the principal advisors of the kings. Starting from the East (most probably of Arab origin), they took the whole incense route from Dhofar in Oman to reach Judea in the 1st Century. They had the know-how to offer the three precious gifts of frankincense, myrrh, and gold. Each of the three gifts speaks about the nature of Jesus. He is the King of all Kings, thus, we have gold. He is the Mediator and the High Priest between the human world and God Almighty, hence, the frankincense. And He is the one who will sacrifice Himself for us; His body will be anointed with myrrh, representing death and what Jesus did – He conquered death by His resurrection. (In Greek IC XC/NIKA: Jesus Christ Conquer.)

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea… Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and

asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star 

when it rose and have come to worship him.’ …When they saw the star, they were

overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary,

and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and

presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Matt 2:1-2, 10-11

Visiting the child meant that their visit came after almost a year from the Shepherds’ visit. Indeed, it wouldn’t be in the same place of His birth but rather to the nearby house. Hence, tradition reflects the Milk Grotto as the place they visited and the starting point of the Holy Family’s departure to Egypt.

The story of His birth is a story that reveals for us the ministry of Jesus. Does it give us an early clue as to who Jesus came for? Yes, indeed! By studying each visitor, it is evident that each represents a different ethnic and social class and different cultural and religious background. The Shepherds were local Jews living in the land of Judah, while the Magi were non-Jews and most probably were Nabateans. In other words, Jesus came for everyone, all social classes, all different ethnic backgrounds, rich or poor, Jews or Gentiles.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10