Advent, Advent,
a little light burns. First one, then two, then three, then four, then the Christ Child is at the door. Or the Roman emperor, as the term adventus Divi was originally used to announce the arrival of the divine ruler. During the Christmas season, the birth of the King of the Jews in Bethlehem is commemorated in the foreground. The Gospels give a detailed account of the Incarnation of the Son of God. However, Mark and Luke write at the beginning about another person who was to be great before the Lord. The Messiah said no one was greater who was born of a woman. Imagine this great person as a small baby in the mother’s womb. At a special kind of encounter, the tiny one starts jumping in the belly. Two pregnant women are meeting. They are relatives, probably cousins. Their names are very common:
And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried aloud and said (to Mary): “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb! And how is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For behold, when I heard the voice of thy salutation, the child leapt for joy in my womb. Yes, blessed is she who has believed, for what the Lord has said to her will be fulfilled!”
What is impossible with men is possible with God. A deeply believing married couple, whose desire to have children was denied for decades, had a child at an advanced age as a remarkable sign for the people of Israel. The father Zechariah prayed in the temple in Jerusalem. His task as a priest included offering sacrifices. The roster sent him to the Most Holy Place on a high holiday. There the archangel Gabriel met him with an incredible promise. Zacharias was overcome with fear. God silenced his voice because of all his doubts. But his son would be a guiding prophet for the Jews with the name Jochanan (Hebrew יוחנן = God is gracious):
And he will bring you joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great before the Lord. He will not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb. And many of the children of Israel will he convert to the Lord their God. And he will go before him in the Spirit and in the power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to prepare a ready people for the Lord.
John the Baptist is one of the most misunderstood biblical figures of our time. Yet his unpopular proclamation of repentance and conversion is as relevant today as it was then. The preacher/Kohelet wrote that there was nothing new under the sun, everything that was would be the same again. Nowadays religious and political leaders do not raise their voices to warn the people either. Everything is in perfect order. The good news brings increasing prosperity. Everyone can fulfil their dreams in our society. God’s message is grace and love. There is no call to change the mind so as not to get lost. Instead, people are lying the gospel would be full of tolerance. If God does not tolerate something, it is our sins that separate us from him. All people have sinned and do not attain God’s glory. To accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour and follow him is the way to forgiveness. His blood washes us clean from all sin. But what power does the cross have in our lives if we continue to remain in sin?
John was an uncompromising preacher who would be sued today for insulting or sedition. He did not mince his words and accused his listeners:
You viper breed, who has instructed you to escape the wrath of God? So now bring forth fruit worthy of repentance.
Then his countrymen repented at the Jordan and were baptised by him. He did not have to perform miracles like Elijah or Jesus, so that hurrying tax collectors and soldiers trusted him and changed their lives. They did not give up their profession, but behaved more honestly. To prepare the way, the message of the coming judgement of God was enough. The coming Advent is the second coming of the Lord of all Lords. The King of all Kings is not only a peaceful Lamb, but a mighty Lion from the tribe of Judah.
In our Advent season it is customary in the romantic candlelight to worship a half-naked child carved from wood in the manger under the Christmas tree. Enchanting putti with a tiny willy became modern in paintings or as a sculpture in the baroque period. High altars with the little baby Jesus in the hand of the great Mother of God do not make me get down on my knees, but drive me up the wall. Instructions in the Word of God not to make an graven image or any likeness are ignored. More discomfort is caused by flashes of inspiration about the unexpected appearance of the Son of God sitting at the right hand of the Father. Recited in the confession of faith, he will come from there to judge the living and the dead. The adventus Domini (Latin for arrival of the Lord) is meant to commemorate this impending event. A meaning that is quickly forgotten. The annual celebration in memory of the birth, combined with beautiful gifts, gives more joy worldwide. The mood can get out of hand if research is conducted into the origins and historical models for Christmas. Indeed, pagans used to celebrate the sun’s birthday on 25 December and ignited lights in its honour. Hard-working Bible students can find birthday celebrations with symbolic settings in the Book of Books. In Genesis 40:20 Pharaoh celebrates his birthday and brings two servants out of prison. They eagerly await their return to the royal court. Indeed, at the banquet the cupbearer was allowed to pass the cup of wine again. However, the head of the bakers was hanged according to his dream interpreted by Joseph. It can be assumed that he was guilty of a poisonous attack on Pharaoh.
In the New Testament, Herod Antipas makes a devastating judgement on his birthday, which is recorded in history books as the reason for a lost war. Because kings can get away with anything and do not have to put up with anything, the rebellious moral preacher was unceremoniously eliminated. Animalistic is when the stud stallion mounts the full-grown foal next to the magnificent mare. The horny buck had nothing against a three-way deal with mother and daughter. So much for the shocking interpretation of the oath to give away up to half his kingdom. And this to a beguiling dancer who attained dubious fame as Salome. The other half may not have been reserved for himself, but for his brother’s adulterous wife. In any case, the enticed away wife did not oppose to a physical union with her daughter. Certainly, the unscrupulous Herodias had an irrepressible hatred for John the Baptist, who doubted the legitimacy of her marriage. She was desperate to have his head served on a dinner tray. It was a great birthday and a hard to digest feast, with a very bad memory for the great and the supreme and the nobles of Galilee.
The first martyr in the NT was considered a prophet by large parts of the population, even though the Pharisees and teachers of the law did not let themselves be baptised by him. When asked about the authority of Jesus, none of the high priests dared to answer his counter-question:
Was John’s baptism from heaven or from men?
John led an ascetic life in the desert close to the lowest place in the world. Comparable to Essenes in Qumran and unmarried monks who rejected possession and money. Therefore he was independent and did not need any payment. So he fed on locusts and wild honey and did not eat bread and wine. His simple robe was made of camel hair with a leather belt. In films he is often depicted as a crazy screamer with whom one can hardly identify. His simplicity is also not a model for prominent professional preachers who beg money for themselves and expensive buildings and are not called by God. For the outraged religious leaders of the time in the rich, high-altitude Jerusalem, his person offered little or no point of criticism. But why was John so great, to return to the words of Jesus in Luke 7:28?
I tell you that among those who are born of a woman there is none greater than John the Baptist. But the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.
John was so great in the eyes of God because he was the most humble man of his time. Humility is the complete opposite of pride. Pride that is tolerated by narcissistic presidents and self-important superstars. God’s ways, thoughts and standards do not correspond to our spirit of the times. The way up in spiritual maturity leads down. In Philippians chapter 2 you will find the attitude that corresponds to the nature of Jesus Christ.
Do not do anything out of selfishness or futile ambition, but humbly respect the other person more than yourself. Each one look not only at his own, but also at the others.
We are to become like children and receive the kingdom of God like a child to enter into it. In heaven (which is much higher than the low earth) no one will boast about his great name. It is an innumerable gathering of believers from all nations who worship the Lamb, who alone is worthy, before the throne of God.
And he preached and said, “After me comes the one who is stronger than I. I am not worthy to bow down before him and loosen the straps of his sandals.”
The Baptist did not rule the people, but wanted to be a faithful servant, giving way to his heavenly Lord. Unfortunately, few leaders take him as an example. Instead, a doctrine hated by the Lord in Revelation 2 (overemphasis on appointed leaders instead of equality among brothers and sisters) is held on. The seduced Nicolaitans are derived from the literal meaning of niko = to rule and laos = people. In those days, Nicholas did not come with a rod to punish, but brought the gift of licentiousness. I did not plan to finish this article on St. Nicholas Day, 6th December 2020. Fear overcomes me at the thought that today is also the 2nd Advent.
In the Old Testament Jonathan did not want to rule and renounced the royal throne in favour of David. He also gave his best friend his robe, tunic, sword, bow and belt. There are few king’s sons who are so generous and prefer to be number 2 instead of number 1.
Even John’s disciples were not enthusiastic about resigning because suddenly more people flocked to Jesus and his disciples to be baptised.
John answered and said: A man cannot take anything unless it is given to him from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I have said I am not the Christ, but I am sent before him. He who has the Bride is the Bridegroom; but the Bridegroom’s friend who stands by and listens to him rejoices greatly at the Bridegroom’s voice. This my joy is now fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth is of the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
John was not at all arrogant or boastful in his role as the Lord’s forerunner. He recognised that God wants to be strong in our weakness, wants to make less into more. The seed must fall into the earth and die. His ministry was coming to an end. This would serve for the best. Behind lock and key, the doors were still opening for the righteous and holy man. For the troubled king nevertheless liked to hear the Word of God from the mouth of the powerful preacher, though without changing. In captivity, with plenty of time for prayer and intercession, Jochanan received an inspiration which is often interpreted as weakness and doubt. Two of his disciples were sent with the question:
Is it you who should come, or should we wait for someone else?
Speaking for myself and for posterity, I find the question excellent, because it had a specific purpose. Not only the disciples were strengthened in their own faith by Jesus with the words:
Go and tell John again what you hear and see: the blind see and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead rise and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Blessed is he who does not take offense at me.
As they left encouraged, another compliment followed before the people:
Yes, I tell you, he is more than a prophet. It is he of whom it is written, behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee. (Malachi 3:1)
Another ancient prophet speaks of the Baptist with foresight:
It is the voice of a preacher in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight! Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and crooked things shall be made straight, and uneven things shall be made level, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (Isaiah 40, 3-5)
John was anything but haughty. A symbol of the humble who are exalted and the proud who are humbled are the valleys that are exalted and the mountains that are humbled. The serpent that leads to sin goes crooked ways; obstacles bring down. The following remarks on Revelation 16 fit in with this:
Pride is an attitude that God particularly resists. The Ancient of Days will humiliate all that is high in his fury and anger. The kings of the earth, who are seduced by the Antichrist, the beast and false prophet, will gather together in the well known Battle of the End Times against the Lord and His Anointed One on a vast plain. The place is called Armageddon.
Is it not foolish to fight against God when it is clear from the outset that you will lose. Many self-righteous people are reluctant to pray, Lord have mercy on me poor sinner. The sacrifices that please God are a broken spirit, a frightened, shattered heart you, God, will not despise. David recognised his guilt and sin in Psalm 51.
Jesus would not have needed to be baptised by John at all. But the Lord wanted to lead by example for all of us. The Father testified in the voice from heaven:
You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased!
Let us take Jesus and John as our example. They are the most humble people who are in the Gospels. Why is so little preached about John the Baptist? The coming of Jesus is prepared by John. Without repentance we will be lost when the Lord comes again, when the revelation of Jesus Christ is fulfilled.
For a better understanding of Advent and the Apocalypse I would like to give some advice at the end. For once, do not try to squeeze all actions into a time pattern we are familiar with. Forget about all human traditions. Advent could turn out completely differently than you have thought. Read Revelation as a complete work about the great and terrible day of the Lord.
Shall not the day of the LORD Lord (the Advent season) be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it? (Amos 5, 20)
But we await the blessed hope and manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Christmas carols do not play the music when the King returns:
Jonah in the fish 