Advent

There’s no doubt that your house is already decorated for Christmas. It seems every year it gets harder and harder to wait until after Thanksgiving to get out the Christmas tree and turn on Christmas music. One piece of Christmas décor that many set out is an advent calendar, a specific calendar that counts down to Christmas. Advent means the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event and, of course, the person whose arrival we are celebrating is Jesus Christ. These Christmas preparations and decorations have to happen before the actual day—you can’t open presents under the tree if you didn’t first put up the tree. In God’s perfect plan, there were a few things that had to happen before the advent of Christ in the manager as well.

“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 40:3)

“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.” (Malachi 3:1a)

“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives.” (Malachi 4:5)

Prophecies written over four hundred years before John the Baptist and Jesus’ births stated that God would send Elijah to prepare the way for the Messiah. There is plenty of Scriptural evidence for the claim that John the Baptist was Elijah: 

“‘Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?’ John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: ‘I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, Make straight the way for the Lord!’” (John 1:22-23)

John very clearly identified himself as the one spoken about in Isaiah 40:3, the one sent to prepare the way for the Messiah. The final word on John’s identity belongs to Jesus. 

“‘I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it. For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time. And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!’” (Matthew 11:11-15)  

So we can be sure that when we read about Gabriel appearing to Zechariah to tell him his wife will have son, that this is in preparation for the Messiah to come.

“But the angel said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.’” (Luke 1:13-17)

Gabriel tells Zechariah that the child would “be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah” and that “he will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord” as was prophesied. It would seem that God gave His people 400 years without a prophet, so when Elijah came again to prepare the way for the Messiah, they wouldn’t miss it. 

“Then his disciples asked him, ‘Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?’
Jesus replied, ‘Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn’t recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer.’ Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist.” (Matthew 17:10-13)

We can miss things so easily. Jesus had already told the disciples that John was Elijah and yet “he wasn’t recognized.” As we prepare for the Christmas season with decorations, shopping, and parties, in all the hustle and bustle as we get ready for Christmas Day, let’s make sure we don’t miss the reason for the season.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed