Readings

• Morning
  • Isaiah 14:3–15:9
  • Mark 3:13-15
  • Psalms 19–21
• Evening
  • Isaiah 16–17
  • Revelation 10
  • Psalms 19–21

Reflection

PSALM 19 OPENS WITH this notice: “The heavens reveal the glory of God (Ps 19.1). He even reveals his “invisible qualities” and “divine nature” through creation (Rom 1.18-21). But for ultimate revelation, mankind needed to behold one who could say this: If you’ve seen and known me, you’ve known and seen the Father (John 14.7). It’s that revelation that the Incarnation initiated and carries forward to ultimate fulfillment.

So he came as a baby, grew into a young lad in Egypt and Galilee, grew into a young carpenter, and matured as an itinerate teacher whose itinerary lead from teaching sessions in the fields and homes of Galilee to confrontation on the temple mount in Jerusalem and crucifixion outside Jerusalem. The looking-forward-to (“Advent”) that we do now is to that determined itinerary that led from God’s self-revealing heavens to travail on earth—but then resurrection ascension into those heavens. And the self-revealing God of heaven and earth has promised one more step in that itinerary, a return for saints. That will effect the final renewal of all things, dwelling with us in the new heavens and new earth.

Prayer

Even so, come Lord Jesus.