by Johan du Preez
(Roodepoort, South Africa)
When I was requested to light the second candle, meaning Peace, I realised that I know very little regarding the meaning of the advent wreath. I researched it and I want to share some points on it with you, reminding us of the meaning .
The symbolism of the Advent wreath is actually strikingly beautiful.
The wreath is made of various evergreens, signifying continuous life.
Even these evergreens have a traditional meaning:
The laurel signifies victory over persecution and suffering;
Pine, holly, and yew, immortality;
and cedar, strength and healing.
Holly also has a special Christian symbolism: The prickly leaves remind us of the crown of thorns, and one English legend tells of how the cross was made of holly.
The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, symbolizes the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul, and the everlasting life found in Christ.
Any pine cones, nuts, or seedpods used to decorate the wreath also symbolize life and resurrection. All together, the wreath of evergreens depicts the immortality of our soul and the new, everlasting life promised to us through Christ, the eternal Word of the Father, who entered our world becoming true man and who was victorious over sin and death through His own passion, death, and resurrection.
The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent. A tradition is that each week represents one thousand years, to sum to the 4,000 years from Adam and Eve until the Birth of the Saviour. Four candles are white and one is rose or purple.
The purple candle in the middle symbolizes Jesus, the centre of all.
The progressive lighting of the candles symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of His second coming to judge the living and the dead.
The light again signifies Christ, the Light of the world.
Since Advent is a time to stir-up our faith in the Lord, the wreath and its prayers provide us a way to augment this special preparation for Christmas. Moreover, this good tradition helps us to remain vigilant in our homes and not lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas.
Prayer:
Thank you lord Jesus that we can be reminded of all these beautiful things in our lives. As we now read your Word, we ask that You would remind us, that it is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. We pray that the words spoken and the thought in our hearts would be acceptable to You.
Amen
Read Isaiah 11:1-10
When we think of God's love, we might not always think of the words of the prophets. But when we read this picture of the peaceable kingdom, we are amazed by God's love that allows a child to lead.
But lets look a bit deeper into this passage…. A bit of background around the text:
One of the last things the kingdom of Judah saw before being taken captive was the sight of their king being blinded and put into chains. The mention of the "stump of Jesse" is the reminder of a decimated family that holds the royal line.
The promise that a sprout shall spring from it — which of itself is miraculous — is a prophecy about the continuation of the royal line. Thus, the royal line of David is like a royal tree that has been cut down; but just as new branches sprout from a stump, so a new king will arise from David’s descendants.
The new situation that this beginning will bring about is nothing less than Peace. Peace is described in this prophecy as the harmony that exists between all. The whole point of the prophecy is that with the restoration of the rightful king’s line, which was broken during the Fall of Judah in the 6th c, peace will also be restored.
The connection between king and peace is ancient. God gives peace through his chosen king, David.
The Messiah will be the bringer of the peace — the Shalom — that He alone can give.
The peace as only the Lion and the lamb can bring
Master watercolor artist Will Bullas who, in his words, “makes fine art fun,” portrays Isaiah 11 as the lion and the lamb sitting at a bar together drinking martinis in his painting titled, “Peaceable Kingdom with Two Olives.”
It’s Absurd I know, ……..but is it really?...
No. I’m not suggesting that the lion and the lamb will go out for a drink, but this has a much more profound message..
Who are the people in our world who need the message of God's love?
Who needs to hear: For God so loved the world?
How can people today receive the message of God's love?
How
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