Merry Christmas, everyone!
4th/Last Sunday in Advent
In the Advent season, we have delved into the Old Testament prophecies, into the role of John the Baptist, into to Mary the new Eve, and now we delve into the person of Jesus Christ.
Our first reading is from 2 Samuel. Some biblical background…
In the chronological order of biblical books, after the Pentateuch comes Joshua, the period of Judges, then 1&2 Samuel, then 1&2 Kings.
1 Samuel is mostly about the first king, King Saul, and 2 Samuel is mostly about King David.
The setting for today’s reading is that after David became king, he won many battles, he routed the feared Philistines, he re-captured Zion, and brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. He was now settled in. One senses he is feeling pretty good about himself when he proposes to his prophet, Nathan, that he build a house for God.
2 Samuel 7:1-5,8-14a,16
When King David was settled in his palace, and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwells in a tent!” Nathan answered the king, “Go, do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you.”
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said: “Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in? It was I who took you from the pasture and from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and I have cut off all your enemies before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel that they may dwell in their in their own place, and be disturbed no more. Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old, since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also declares to you that he will establish a house for you.’”
Q: Any thoughts so far? Is God making a point?
A: (1) God is reminding David that He is the reason for everything David has and has accomplished. (2) God is making a prophecy.
“’And when your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up from your offspring after you, and I will establish his kingdom. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. He shall build a house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.’”
Q: What are the key parts of this prophecy?
A: There are four parts of the prophecy:
I will make for you a great name
I will raise up an offspring from you
I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me
I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever
Q: What is relevant about this reading to Advent?
A: God made a “Covenant” with David, a “Davidic Promise” that establishes David’s family as the united, eternal monarchy. Yet, when the kingdom divided after Solomon and then failed against Assyria and Babylon, the Jews wondered what happened. Then, through the prophets God sent, they began to realize it was their fault, not God’s; for God does not lie. Henceforth, the Davidic Promise became a part of the messianic prophecies.
Context of the Gospel
The reading before this is about how the elderly Elizabeth becomes pregnant with John the Baptist. Hence, the reference to the sixth month would be six months since Elizabeth became pregnant.
Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you!”
But she was greatly troubled at the saying and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold your kinswoman, Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing is impossible.”
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.
One can’t help but wonder how staggering this information must have been for Mary. I think Gabriel was aware of how overwhelmed she was, and that he answered as tenderly as he could.
Q: Who was of the house of David?
A: Both Mary and Joseph. Joseph was from the line of David through Solomon. Mary’s father was from the line of David through David’s son, Nathan. Mary’s mother was kin to Elizabeth, who was from the line of Aaron, the priestly Levite line. So Jesus has the priestly line as well.
Q: When Luke stated that Joseph was of the house of David and the virgin’s name was Mary, he was dropping a bombshell for the Jews. What bombshell was that?
A: The biggest news was mentioning the house of David. That line had basically gone silent for 500 years, since the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians.
Q: What was the significance of Mary being a virgin?
A: By stating the “virgin’s name was Mary,” he answers another prophecy.
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
Btw, Isaiah’s prophecy was already surprising news when he stated it back in 720 BC because the house of David had already spiritually degenerated by then. This prophecy meant that David’s line would be filled by someone who was pure, not degenerate, but still in the royal line of David.
Finally, he would be called Immanuel, which is not a name but a title or designation meaning, “God with us.” Indeed, God delivered on this since He himself became a human to be “God with us.” And, as Jesus said just before ascending, “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” (Mt 28:20)
Q: What Davidic prophecies did Gabriel answer?
A: Gabriel's proclamation to Mary:
The child will be great
God will give him the throne of David
He will be called the Son of the Most High
Of his kingdom there will be no end
Compare to the Davidic Promise:
I will make for you a great name
I will raise up an offspring from you
I will be a father to him and he a son to me
I will establish throne of his kingdom forever
2nd Reading: A Letter from Paul to the Romans
Romans 16:25-27
Now to him who can strengthen you according to my gospel and preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith, to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory forever and ever! Amen.
Q: What is the mystery that was kept a secret for long ages?
A: God’s plan of salvation, which had been so long in the making, and would culminate in the arrival of Jesus Christ, who would die for our forgiveness and make faith the doorway back to Paradise. (faith the verb, see v26: "to bring about the obedience of faith..")
Maranatha!
Ron
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