The Meaning of Advent

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
The Oxford Dictionary defines Advent as “the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.”  Before this year, I had never even considered what the word meant, it has been in my vocabulary for so long relating to the weeks before Christmas, that I never stopped to think about where this word came from.  The Arrival.  That makes it more powerful, doesn’t it? 

Chapter 9 of Isaiah paints such a vivid picture of this arrival.  The arrival of glory into anguish (v1).  The arrival of light into darkness (v2).  The arrival of joy into gloom (v3).  The arrival of freedom into oppression (v4).  The arrival of victory for the defeated (v5).  All of these things are coming to us in the form, in the arrival, of a child; “For to US a child is born, to US a son is given” (Isaiah 9:6, emphasis mine).  Jesus is our personal Lord and Savior.  We can read these verses and know that these promises are for us in Christ. 

Can you imagine what this news would have felt like for the Israelites hearing this?   They have been downcast, oppressed, hungry, lost, living in darkness, depressed, feeling hopeless.  God is sending a savior for them!  The will see an end to their gloom; they will be called the light; they will now be joyful; they will be set free; they will be the victors.  All of this is hinging on the arrival of a child.
And who is this child? 

Wonderful Counselor – Do you know what the word “wonderful” translates to here?  It’s the same word as “marvelous”.  We can stand amazed that a King would serve as our counselor.  Jesus’s arrival provides mediation between us and God the Father (1Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 9:15)).  Jesus provides us with wisdom (Luke 11:31), guidance (John 1:18), he shows us the ways of the Father that we should walk in them (John 8:12).  Jesus comforts us in our sorrow (John 11:19), he stands in defense of us the way a legal counselor would when Satan accuses us before the Father (Romans 8:34).  Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor.

Mighty God – Jesus is God in the flesh (John 1:14).  He is the exact imprint of God and holds the world together by his power (Hebrews 1:3).  He is the creator of all things (Colossians 1:15).
Everlasting Father – Jesus rose from the dead (Luke 24:5-6). He has existed from the beginning of time (John 1:2).  He will exist forever (Revelation 1:8). 

Prince of Peace – When Jesus died on the cross, he ushered in a reign of peace between his faithful and God the Father (Romans 5:1).  Jesus came to the earth and set people free from their bondage to sin by providing them with forgiveness and peace (Luke 8:48).  Ultimately, when Jesus returns for his second arrival (Revelation 22:5).

What are you waiting for this advent?  Is your heart filled with sorrow?  Jesus has come to bring you Joy.  Have you been in a season of darkness, do you feel hopeless and lost?  Jesus came to be your light.  Have you been enslaved to sin, unable to break the cycle that keeps you in it’s grasp?  Jesus came to set you free.  Are you feeling defeated by your long lists of righteous works that you’ll never live up to?  Jesus came to give you victory.  Jesus HAS arrived!  And he IS coming again.