Sabbath Sanctuary God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 19

Day 19 Luke Chapter 19

“The whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, shouting: ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’” {vv.37-38 NASB}.

For the third chapter succinctly in Luke’s wonderous gospel, we see again people crying out to God. The ten lepers, blind Bartimaeus, both crying out in anguish for mercy. Now the crying rings of anguish have turned into praise the miracles they have seen; a stark contrast from the nine who went their own way. One wonders if they were in the crowd that day.

Rejoice Zion! The prophecy is fulfilled in their very presence:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey” {Zech. 9:9}.

Advent is a season in which we look for the crèche, the babe in the manger, rightly so. But I think that when we read about Christ’s triumphal entry, we tend to lose the seriousness of what this particular day means. This entry into Jerusalem is definitely revered at Palm Sunday, but do we understand the full meaning of this day; what we are seeing?

We have become accustomed to the idea of divine love and of God’s coming at Christmas that we no longer feel the shiver of fear that God’s coming should arouse in us. We are indifferent to the message, taking only the pleasant and agreeable out of it and forgetting the serious aspect that the God of the world draws near to the people of our little earth and lays claim to us. {Dietrch Bonhoeffer, The Coming of Jesus in our Midst}.

Reflect and prayerfully seek God about what His coming truly means for this world. He is the Light in darkness that was foretold from ages past. He is the blessed King who comes in the name of the Lord bringing Peace for those who are enduring this chaotic world—this weary world rejoices…the promised King is here. Yes, He was a babe in a manger which is what we are celebrating in this hushed season of Advent—don’t let go of that holy hush. Let us only remember that He is our King and is coming again.

 

 

 

 

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