Advent Readings

Throughout this past year, each month I have spent time reading God's Word on a particular topic. January I spent time in the Word reading on true and false worship. February I read from the Scriptures on the topic of love. March I read through the Bible for 30 days on the topic of money. April I wanted to learn more about what encouragement was, so I read on that theme in Scripture. In the month of May, I wanted to see what all of the Bible says about true saving faith, so I devoured God's very words on this important spiritual trait. In June, I read on discipleship. Then in July, while enjoying some much needed rest, I read through 31 Psalms of David. In August, thinking about the fall ahead and the life of ministry, I read deeper on the theme of generosity and the generous heart of God. In September I read from the Bible around the action of prayer and learned more what communication with God looks like. In the month of October, I wanted to think deeper about sin, so I read from Genesis 3 through Revelation 21 on the topic of sin. In November, in response to the election of our next President, I let the Bible speak to me on citizenship and my responsibility to those governing authorities God has placed over me. And now I have come to December, where I am reading through an advent reading program.

Today, I read through reading 20 of my advent reading calendar. What amazed me about this particular advent reading calendar is that it only spends 5 days reading from advent in the New Testament. The first 20 days of this reading plan had me reading in the Old Testament. I knew this would be the case. I understood that advent means, waiting or anticipating or even getting reading for a coming. So that means most of the advent that takes place in the Bible is from the Old Testament. Almost all of the promises and prophecy's about the coming Messiah are in the Old Testament. So I knew that most of this month I would be reading through the first section of the Bible. But even as I have read through all of the promises, it still shocked me at times how much the Bible is a book of advent. Even now, we are in advent, as we await the coming of the King in all of His glory.

Here are many of the passages I have read so far this month and the promises that they bring us about the advent season and the coming of the Messiah.

-Genesis 3:8-15- The promised snake crusher
-Deuteronomy 18:15-19- The promised perfect prophet that will change hearts
-Isaiah 7:10-16- The promise of the virgin
-Isaiah 9:2-7- The promised light
-Isaiah 11:1-10- The promised root of Jesse
-Isaiah 35:1-10- The promised path of ransom
-Isaiah 40:1-11- The promised Shepherd
-Isaiah 42:1-4- The promised bruised reed
-Isaiah 61:1-11- The promised entry of the Lord's Favor
-Isaiah 64:1-9- The promised God, coming to earth
-Jeremiah 23:5-6, 33:14-16- The promised righteous branch of David
-Micah 5:2-5- The promise of the birth place
-Zephaniah 3:14-20- The promise of brought restoration
-Malachi 3:1-4, 4:5-6- The promised Refiner

God sure makes a ton of promises. And God never ever forget or fails in keeping His promises, especially the promise to save His sheep.