The final candle in our Advent wreath is the white candle in the middle. We light this one on Christmas Eve (or Christmas Day) to symbolize the birth of Jesus Christ. His purity and perfection.
I have learned so much through this study of the Advent candles. Things that tradition has taught us that are not necessarily correct. I am overwhelmed at the Almighty’s precision. When you look at all the pieces that had to come together, only God could have orchestrated the birth of our Saviour.
Approximately 700 years earlier, Micah prophesized the birth of the Messiah in the town of Bethlehem.
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Micah 5:2
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.
Over a period of 700+ years, God brought together all the pieces that brought two young people together in Bethlehem at the precise moment of Jesus’ birth in a shepherd’s cave – truly the Lamb of God!
And a side note, just because Jesus was born in a cave (a stable) doesn’t mean that his parents were poor. They were not. There is nothing in the scriptures to indicate this; tradition has led us to believe this. Poverty is part of the curse (see Deuteronomy 28). God would never have allowed His only Son to be born into poverty. Jesus came to redeem us from the curse, not be a part of it.
In addition, the three wise men were not there when Jesus was born. I know this messes with our pageants and vignettes. However, when they did come calling, they came to seek the Child, not the baby. In Luke 2, we read about the birth of Jesus and the announcement to the shepherds by the angels and heavenly hosts that they would find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying in a manager. No mention of the Magi. Matthew 2 talks about the Magi and indicates that Jesus is a child by the time they come calling. They didn’t come to visit King Herod, they came to find King of Kings, Jesus Christ.
An interesting note about swaddling clothes: the temple shepherds would be present at the birth of lambs. Once born, the lambs would be wrapped in swaddling clothes to prevent them from hurting themselves and causing blemishes. After all, the shepherds were responsible for the sacrificial lambs. They had to be perfect, without blemish. There is no coincidence that Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes – He was the ultimate sacrificial Lamb, perfect, without blemish.
Oh Lord, I stand in awe of You. My mind cannot comprehend the love You have for us that You carefully orchestrated this perfect plan to redeem us from eternal separation from You. I am reminded of the Psalmist’s praise in Psalm 8 – “what is man, that you are mindful of him?”.
1 Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!You have set your glory
in the heavens.
2 Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?5 You have made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
you put everything under their feet:
7 all flocks and herds,
and the animals of the wild,
8 the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.9 Lord, our Lord,
Psalm 8 (NIV)
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Voyage through Life 