Season Of Preparation And Anticipation
• Advent (Latin “adventus” from Greek “parousia”): “Coming” or “Arrival”
• Four Sundays leading up to Christmas, ending on Christmas Eve
• Earliest mentions were around 380 AD, with traditions continuing to evolve
• December 25th is close to the winter solstice (darkest part of the year)
• In part, the timing of Christmas was established not to mark Jesus’ actual birth, but to celebrate Him as the light of the world (John 8:12)
• Double meaning: first two weeks (Hope + Peace) focused forward on the second coming of Christ, with the second two weeks (Joy + Love) looks back to the miracle of Christ’s first arrival

• Hope (future): Waits with confident expectation on God’s promises
Not weak, gullible, wishful thinking, or a baseless “I hope so” approach
• Faith (present): Acts right now based on trusting His character/Word
“Without works, faith is dead” (James 2:17)
• Hope: being sure of the safety found in the light (God’s promises)
• Faith: is taking steps toward it, even in the darkness (trust in motion)

PROPHETIC WORDS: JESUS’ ARRIVAL
• Genesis 3:15 Seed of the woman would crush the serpent [Matt 1:1–2]
• Genesis 12:3 Descendant of Abraham blesses all nations [Gal 3:16]
• Genesis 17:19 Promise of Messiah through Isaac [Luke 3:34]
• Genesis 22:18 Offspring bless all nations [Matthew 1:1]
• Genesis 28:14 Descendant of Jacob [Luke 3:34]
• Numbers 24:17 Star from Jacob rises [Matthew 2:1–2]
• Genesis 49:10 Tribe of Judah, scepter will not depart [Luke 3:33]
• 2 Samuel 7:12–16 Line of David, eternal kingdom [Luke 1:32–33]
• Isaiah 7:14 Virgin will conceive, Immanuel [Matthew 1:22–23]
• Isaiah 9:1–2 Light to Galilee / Gentiles [Matthew 4:13–16]
• Isaiah 9:6–7 Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace [Luke 2:11]
• Isaiah 11:1–2 Shoot from Jesse (David’s line) [Luke 3:23–32]
• Micah 5:2 Born in Bethlehem [Matthew 2:1]
• Hosea 11:1 Called out of Egypt [Matthew 2:14–15]
• Psalm 72:10–11 Kings bring tribute [Matthew 2:11]
• Isaiah 60:6 Gifts of gold, frankincense, myrrh [Matthew 2:11]
• Jeremiah 31:15 Rachel weeping (Herod’s massacre) [Matthew 2:16–18]
• Malachi 3:1 Messenger prepares the way [Matthew 3:1–3]
• Isaiah 40:3 Voice preparing the way [Luke 3:4–6]
• Zechariah 9:9 Humble king (foreshadowed in infancy) [Matthew 21:5]
• Isaiah 49:6 Servant as light to the nations [Luke 2:32]
• Psalm 2:7 Sonship of the King [Luke 1:32–35]
• Psalm 89:3–4 Davidic covenant promise [Matthew 1:1; Luke 1:32]

• ~4,000 years between Adam/Eve (Genesis 3) and Jesus Christ
• 23 specific prophetic words were given, pointing to a Messiah
• ~76 generations heard, believed, responded, and didn’t see Him

Intertestamental Period [400 years of silence between OT > NT]
• Alexander the Great conquered the known world: Roman roads
• The Old Testament was translated from Hebrew to Greek (Septuagint)
• Greek Socratic method of learning spread (collaborative dialogue + probing questions + critical thinking + challenge assumptions)

• In the Garden of Eden, this tree represented eternal life, wholeness, flourishing, sustained directly by God, and harmony with His order
• Jesus’ return, once and for all, will fulfill and satisfy our hope as He restores what was lost, both physically (Rev 22:1-5) and spiritually

Hope has a name, and it’s Jesus! “Our Hope” (1 Timothy 1:1) + “Blessed Hope” (Titus 2:13) + “Living Hope” (1 Peter 1:3)

• View your current situation through the HOPE-lens of God’s past faithfulness, His endless love for you now, the gift of eternal life you’ve received, and His victorious second coming!
• “All things are being worked together for your good”(Romans 8:28)