In the New Testament, Christians are told that they have all been blessed with particular spiritual gifts by God. These gifts include the ability to teach, to lead, to be compassionate, to minister, and to be wise. While Christian denominations disagree about whether or not some of these gifts are still granted to followers of Christ -- speaking in tongues, for example -- most of us could name people we believe have been granted gifts like compassion or leadership.
But prophecy, listed as another gift of God in Romans 12:6 and 1 Corinthians 12:10, is probably not given much thought by contemporary Christians. Fortune cookies or magazine horoscopes may be as close as we get to anything resembling prophetic wisdom. But such things are just pale shadows of the powerful prophecies we find in this week's lectionary readings.
The prophetic book of Malachi, likely written in the 5th century BCE, offers us a glimpse of God's coming messenger:
"See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight -- indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts." (Malachi 3:1)
But Malachi warns that the coming of this messenger -- who can be interpreted as Christ -- will not be an easy one. "Who can endure the day of his coming," asks the prophet, "And who can stand when he appears?" (Malachi 3:2).
Indeed, explains Malachi, this messenger is coming for the purpose of redemption: "For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness" (Malachi 3:2-3).
This emphasis on purity is echoed in Philippians, as Paul urges the Philippian church to stay strong and continue to share the gospel. Paul's opening words to the congregation are beautiful and tender; "I thank my God every time I remember you," he writes, expressing his gratitude that the men and women there "hold [him] in [their] heart" (Philippians 1:3, 7).
Having praised their good works, he adds, "And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God" (Philippians 1:9-11).
With this single sentence, Paul redirects the Philippians' attention to the prophesied second coming of Christ, urges them towards righteousness, and reminds them that the proper response to the life of Christ is love and an effort to grow in wisdom.
Finally, our two readings from Luke give us two additional prophecies about Jesus. John the Baptist, referencing Isaiah, proclaims, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight...All flesh shall see the salvation of God" (Luke 3:4, 6).
And Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, becomes filled with the Holy Spirit, and announces,
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel...He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets of old...And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins" (Luke 1:68-69, 76-77).
Zechariah's impassioned prophecy ends by expounding upon the righteous deeds that will be done by this messiah: "By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1:78-79).
This last line of Zechariah's prophecy, I would argue, is what this week's texts are all pointing towards: the prophesied arrival of Jesus, God and man, who is coming to redeem and purify, liberate and save, and be in loving relationship with every single person.
Christ's coming is not gentle or safe -- it upturns the status quo. His arrival means that the weak need no longer fear the strong, the oppressed remain bound, or sinners feel crushed by their sins. The prophecies we read about him in this week's texts underscore his radical love and righteousness.
Prophecy is not often discussed in many of our churches, but this week's powerful passages are an excellent reminder that the Bible is filled with life-giving and earth-shaking prophecies about the Messiah -- and perhaps a call for us to stop and listen for the messages that God may be giving us today.
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