Faith at the Temple
Second Sunday of Advent Reading
by Paul Johnson & Rob Shelton
Our first Sunday of advent focused upon the hope that was given in the garden after the fall. Despite the bad news of humanity's rebellion against God, He was already at work to transform it into good news through the hope provided in His Son. Our scene shifts this week from the garden to the temple in Jerusalem.
You see, to fulfill his plan, God chose a particular people--Israel--to work through and He chose to have a special relationship with His people. He told them He would dwell among them, and it is at the temple where His people saw Heaven meet earth. His people could commune with Him through a mediator, the high priest, who would offer a sacrifice for the sins of the chosen, yet fallen, people of God.
God dwelt among His people in this way and they approached Him in faith. In faith, Israel could take God at His word that His presence was real, and they could look forward to a day when His presence would be revealed to them in a new way. This faith led them in anticipation of the coming Messiah, who would come to save them.
Christmas is the time of year marking the coming of God among us, the time when, through Christ, we become His temple. We are the chosen people of God with whom He communes and it is in us that He now dwells. It is the same faith that led Israel in anticipation of the first advent that causes us to look forward from the manger to the time when God will complete in us, through Christ's second advent, the redemption hoped for so long ago in the garden.
by Paul Johnson & Rob Shelton
Our first Sunday of advent focused upon the hope that was given in the garden after the fall. Despite the bad news of humanity's rebellion against God, He was already at work to transform it into good news through the hope provided in His Son. Our scene shifts this week from the garden to the temple in Jerusalem.
You see, to fulfill his plan, God chose a particular people--Israel--to work through and He chose to have a special relationship with His people. He told them He would dwell among them, and it is at the temple where His people saw Heaven meet earth. His people could commune with Him through a mediator, the high priest, who would offer a sacrifice for the sins of the chosen, yet fallen, people of God.
God dwelt among His people in this way and they approached Him in faith. In faith, Israel could take God at His word that His presence was real, and they could look forward to a day when His presence would be revealed to them in a new way. This faith led them in anticipation of the coming Messiah, who would come to save them.
Christmas is the time of year marking the coming of God among us, the time when, through Christ, we become His temple. We are the chosen people of God with whom He communes and it is in us that He now dwells. It is the same faith that led Israel in anticipation of the first advent that causes us to look forward from the manger to the time when God will complete in us, through Christ's second advent, the redemption hoped for so long ago in the garden.
posted by DrewDog at 9:18 AM
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