Advent

This is the season where we're all getting ready for Christmas. Mixed in with all the Christmas items are "Advent" ones. Especially Advent "calendars."
What exactly is "Advent?"

Looking this up we find that Advent is "the season at the beginning of the Church calendar which leads up to Christmas." Of course "High Church" calendars are a little different than the ones we are used to with the small groups and the youth activities.

Actually advent comes from the Latin word adventus, which has the meaning "coming." So then it refers to the coming of Jesus!

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.

And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;

for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

"This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

The singlular moment in all of the history of the universe is what we celebrate this time of year known as "Advent." This is the first coming of the Lord.

But wait, there's more. For this is indeed the "First" Advent.
There is also a "Second Advent."
What could be so spectacular that it could be considered a "Second?"

Remember the words of the angel to the disciples on the Mount of Olives after the Ascension of Christ?

And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.
They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."

The Old Testament prophets did not make the distinction between the two comings. This can be seen in Scriptures such as Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7 and Zechariah 14:4. Since these prophecies seem to speak of two individuals, Jewish scholars thought there would be both a suffering Messiah and a conquering Messiah. What they couldn't understand is that the same Messiah would fulfill both roles. Jesus fulfilled the role of the suffering Servant (Isaiah chapter 53) in His first coming. He will fulfill the role of Israel’s Deliverer and King in His Second Coming.

The Second Coming is foretold in Revelation 19:11-16

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’”

Maranatha!