The Season of Advent is upon us: a time of waiting, preparation, and hope for the followers of Christ. It comes from the Latin word adventus, meaning “arrival” or “coming.”
The promise of the coming of Christ is recorded as far back as Genesis. After Adam and Eve’s sin in the garden, God pronounced judgment, but within that judgment He also spoke hope: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.” (Genesis 3:15.) This verse looks forward to a future descendant of the woman who would defeat the power of sin and Satan. Though the serpent would wound Him, evil would ultimately be crushed.
In Isaiah 7:13–14, we find King Ahaz trembling in fear as enemies threatened his throne, unwilling to trust God’s promise of deliverance. Yet into his unbelief, God gave a sign far greater than Ahaz could have imagined: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” While this prophecy carried an immediate reassurance for Judah, its ultimate fulfillment points to the birth of Christ, the true Immanuel: God with us.
In Luke 2:10-11, angels appeared to shepherds in the stillness of the night. Into an ordinary field, among ordinary people, came the announcement that history had been waiting for: “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you.” The birth of Jesus was not just a distant promise anymore; it was a present reality.
Advent not only calls us to remember Christ’s first coming in the humility of a manger, but also to look ahead to His second coming in power and glory.
The baby once wrapped in swaddling clothes will not return as a helpless child, but as the victorious King who comes to reclaim His children. Scripture reminds us that “the Son of Man will come on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30), and that those who belong to Him will be gathered into His eternal presence.
The contrast is striking: first, a quiet entrance into the world to bring salvation, and one day, a triumphant return to bring all things under His reign.
Advent teaches us to live in this holy tension: to celebrate the gentleness of Christ’s first coming while preparing our hearts for the majesty of His return. This time of year is an invitation to pause, reflect, and ready ourselves for the Savior who has come and who will come again.
This Christmas season, as we light candles, sing carols, and enter the rhythm of Advent, may we let these practices draw us deeper into wonder and hope. And may this season lead us not only to rejoice in the gift of Christ’s birth, but also to meditate on the promise of His return, living each day with watchful hearts and steadfast faith.