The Song Of The Prophets – The Advent Sunday Of Hope
Reflection on “The Song of the Prophets” – The Songs of Advent
Friends, Advent is here—a season that holds a unique and sacred beauty. Every year, this time fills me with a sense of awe and wonder. There’s something about the glow of lights piercing long nights, the traditions that warm our hearts, and the anticipation that reminds us we are part of a story much bigger than ourselves. This is a season of waiting and preparing, of remembering and hoping.
Today, we started our Advent journey with “The Song of the Prophets.” These ancient voices were filled with longing as they looked forward to the arrival of a Messiah, a Saviour who would break into the darkness and bring hope to the world. Their words, spoken centuries before Jesus’ birth, echo through time and still stir our hearts.
Light in the Darkness
One of the most profound images in Scripture comes from Isaiah, who declares:
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2).
Darkness is a powerful metaphor. We’ve all been there in some way—stumbling, unsure, longing for rescue. Isaiah’s words remind us that God’s light doesn’t just stay distant; it dawns on us right where we are. The arrival of Jesus in Bethlehem, the child born to us, brought that light into the darkest corners of our world.
But Isaiah doesn’t stop there. He goes on to describe this child with titles that seem almost too glorious for words:
“And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
Can you imagine what those names meant to people who had suffered under oppression, violence, and uncertainty? To hear that a ruler was coming who would embody perfect peace and justice, whose reign would never end—that was their great hope.
A Promise Fulfilled
That hope found its fulfillment in a small, unassuming place: Bethlehem. The prophet Micah sang of this, saying:
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2).
This wasn’t just any king. This was one whose reign had been promised since the beginning of time. And yet, he wasn’t born in a palace but in a stable. He didn’t come with armies but with angels announcing his birth to shepherds.
That’s the beauty of God’s plan, isn’t it? He takes what seems small, overlooked, and ordinary and uses it to accomplish the extraordinary. The hopes and fears of all the years truly were met in Bethlehem that night.
Living Between the Promise and Fulfillment
Advent isn’t just about looking back at what God has done; it’s also about looking forward to what He has yet to do. The child born in Bethlehem is our Saviour, but He is also our coming King.
We live in the tension of the “already and not yet.” Jesus has come to inaugurate His kingdom, but we still wait for its fullness. We long for the day when He will return, when every tear will be wiped away, when peace will cover the earth as waters cover the sea.
The prophets sang of this day, and their song still calls to us. It’s a reminder that our hope is not wishful thinking but a confident expectation rooted in God’s faithfulness.
Isaiah puts it beautifully:
“Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this” (Isaiah 9:7).
This is the promise we cling to during Advent. We celebrate what has been fulfilled in Jesus’ first coming and eagerly anticipate what will be completed in His return.
A Call to Hope
So what does this mean for us today? It means that no matter how dark things may seem, the light has come, and the darkness cannot overcome it. It means that the Prince of Peace is still at work in our lives and in our world, even when we can’t always see it.
The songs of the prophets remind us to hold onto hope. Just as their words came to life in Bethlehem, the promises of God will come to life again when Jesus returns.
This Advent, may we embrace the tension of waiting with joy and expectancy. May we let the light of Christ fill the dark places in our hearts and overflow to a world that still needs hope. And may we live as people who sing the songs of Advent—not just with our voices but with our lives.
A Thought to Reflect On
The prophets longed for what we now know—that God is with us, Immanuel. How might we live differently today if we fully believed that hope was born in Bethlehem and will one day come again in glory?
Friends, this is the good news of Advent:
Jesus came.
Jesus is coming again.
May this hope burn bright in our hearts as we wait with wonder for the King. Let’s sing the songs of Advent—the songs of light in the darkness, the songs of hope fulfilled and hope yet to come.