A Season Of Anticipation:
A Long Tradition of Expectation
The inseparable association between the annual arrival of Christmas and the innate anticipation it provokes during the holiday season predates our modern recognition of this festive and hallowed day on our calendar. It’s something that began prior the birth of Jesus and has been formalized and commemorated each year for centuries among faithful followers of Christ. The concept of looking forward to the arrival of a Savior, that is the long-awaited Messiah or Christ, is seen all throughout the Old Testament, but is especially highlighted in the accounts of specific individuals typically associated with the story of Christ’s birth and infancy as seen in the Gospels. Included among these individuals we find Zacharias and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, the “wise men from the east,” a man named Simeon, and a prophetess named Anna.
When looking at the first couple on this list, Zacharias and Elizabeth were the parents of John the Baptist who were told by the angel Gabriel that their son would not only cause many in Israel to turn back to God, but that he would go before “Him,” that is Jesus, as a forerunner in the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare the people for the Lord (Lk. 1:17). You can imagine not only their excitement and anticipation for the birth of their son, but more importantly, the ministry he would accomplish to prepare the Jewish people for the coming of Christ.
Similarly, Mary and Joseph, the mother and adoptive father of Jesus, also eagerly awaited the fulfillment of God’s promises prophesied to them through the nativity of Jesus Christ Himself (Mt. 1:20-25, Lk. 1:28-35). Can you grasp what they must have felt being given the tremendous honor, responsibility, and weight of the job God was bestowing upon them as the parents and caregivers of His only Son?
Also included in this time anticipating the arrival of the Jewish King were the wise men or “magi” from the East. This group, most likely comprised of scholars familiar with the writings of the prophet Daniel who served as head of the wise men in the kingdoms of Babylon and Persia (Da. 4:9, 6:3), understood and discerned the signs heralding the birth of Israel’s King, and traveled hundreds of miles just to worship Him (Mt. 2:1-11).
Let’s not forget Simeon who also anticipated gazing upon “the Consolation of Israel” before he died as revealed to him by the Holy Spirit (Lk. 2:25-35). Nor should we overlook Anna, the elderly prophetess who served God night and day at the temple, who rejoiced when the infant Jesus was presented there by His parents, and immediately began proclaiming to those “who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Lk. 2:36-38).
Clearly, the longing, excitement, and expectancy that accompanies the joyous celebration of Jesus’ birth has a long and distinguished history with which we are privileged to continue in our present generation. Christmastime is a season for Christians to reflect on the meaning and significance of all that is encompassed in Jesus’ first coming as part of God’s plan to overcome sin, redeem humanity, and commence the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. As part of a long-held tradition of contemplation and expectancy, it is common for believers to focus on specific themes throughout the Christmas season coinciding with the historical account of Jesus’ birth. Such themes typically include hope, peace, joy, and love.
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