Thursday, December 4, 2025

Advent Readings: Micah 5:2-5

HOPE 🕯


Old Testament
Micah 5:2-5 
5:2 Bethlehem Ephrathah,
you are small among the clans of Judah;
one will come from you
to be ruler over Israel for me.
His origin is from antiquity,
from ancient times.

Therefore, Israel will be abandoned until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of the ruler’s brothers will return
to the people of Israel.

He will stand and shepherd them
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majestic name of the Lord his God.
They will live securely,
for then his greatness will extend
to the ends of the earth.

He will be their peace.
When Assyria invades our land,
when it marches against our fortresses,
we will raise against it seven shepherds,
even eight leaders of men.

CSB

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

Advent Readings: 2 Samuel 7:11-16 and Hebrews 1:1-5

HOPE ðŸ•¯

Old Testament 
2 Samuel 7:11 
[The Lord speaking to Nathan concerning prophecy for King David:]  
“‘The Lord declares to you: The Lord himself will make a house for you. 12 When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and blows from mortals. 15 But my faithful love will never leave him as it did when I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and kingdom will endure before me forever, and your throne will be established forever.’”


New Testament
Hebrews 1:1-5
The Nature of the Son
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe[Lit ages] through him. The Son is the radiance[Or reflection] of God’s glory and the exact expression[Or representation, or copy, or reproduction] of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins,[Other mss read for our sins by himself] he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.

The Son Superior to Angels
For to which of the angels did he ever say,

You are my Son;
today I have become your Father,[Ps 2:7]

or again,

I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son?[2Sm 7:14; 1Ch 17:13]


CSB