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Towards the beginning of December, did you sing the hymn "Come thou long expected Jesus"?
Here's a part of the hymn:
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth thou art;
Dear desire of every nation.
Joy of every longing heart.
(Charles Wesley)
Hope of all the earth? Dear desire of every nation?
This echoes a phrase used by the prophet Haggai. In the King James translation of the Bible we read:
"I will shake all nations,
and the desire of all nations shall come:
and I will fill this house with glory,
saith the LORD of hosts."
Haggai 2:7
In past centuries Christians interpreted this passage as referring to Jesus. They saw the 'desire of all nations that would come' as a prophecy about the Messiah.
Whether or not this is what Haggai meant, there is some truth in Jesus being the hope of all the earth and the desire of every nation. Even if not everyone believes in him or hopes in him, he is still the main hope for our future. Whether or not we realise it, Jesus is the only one who can fulfil our deepest desires. This is true of us as individuals and it's true of us as a global community.
Throughout the Bible, the Messiah is seen as a king who would bring peace and unity and prosperity. Isn't that what our world most needs?
Jesus unites people and groups. He welcomed Gentiles (non Jews) to be part of God's family that previously only Jews could belong to. In our own times he is also bringing Christians of different traditions together. As we read in the letter to the Ephesians,
"He himself is our peace,
who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier,
the dividing wall of hostility..
His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity..."
(Ephesians 2:14,15)
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What countries have you read or heard about in the new recently? What nations are you aware of that are having difficulties with each other?
Are you aware of any areas of the world where there is tension or persecution between different religions?
What is your attitude to Christians of other traditions and what is your relationship with them?
Where do you most see a need for Jesus to bring healing and peace and unity in our world? Can you imagine a time when we all live alongside each other at peace under Jesus' reign?
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Advent antiphon for 22nd Dec:
O King of the nations, and their desire,
the cornerstone making both one:
Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.