Advent, The Christ Candle & Exodus 13-14: Examples, Part III
Beyond knowing this story well for historical and background purposes, what is the reason for digging into Exodus? Surely this account has no relevance to Gentile Christians in 2021, especially in Advent.
Ah! Wait. As Moses said, Do not fear (just as the angels did), stand firm (not still, but firm), and be quiet to see what God will do.
I refer to I Corinthians 10:1-13.
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”[a] 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ,[b] as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation[c] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[d] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[e] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Paul is writing to Gentiles, but he calls the Israelites "our ancestors." The whole context of this citation is that the Corinthians needed some reality checks on their behavior and obedience to Christ; they were believers but not behavers (corny, sorry). The Israelites were delivered and under covenant but not compliant with that relationship, and they suffered for it.
But I want to focus on verse 11: these things were examples for us on whom the culmination of the ages has come.
That is the Christmas message here. Creches, trees, songs about snowbells, rich food, family traditions--all those are marvelous and to be richly enjoyed (I Timothy 6:17). But it is not where we stay.
The Christmas message is that Jesus has come to restore and recreate the created world. The first advent did not end with the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. It is the first part of that "culmination of the ages" that we get to live in, despite its not seeming so. Between the two advents, we live in the time of already but not yet.
Paul's words "God will not let you be tempted[d] beyond what you can bear" have been misinterpreted to mean we won't face difficulties beyond our present strengths. It means so much more and yet less than that. For another post, perhaps.
This is my Christmas advent message. Joy to the World, the Lord has come; let EARTH RECEIVE HER KING. Watts was not really writing a song as Bethlehem, so when we sing it we should see "the culmination of the ages" that has come and we live in. When you light the white candle, remember that.
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