Advent Daybook, 17: O Adonai (LORD & Ruler of Israel)
An Advent daybook for these 24 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?
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Look: Simeon with Infant Jesus, Petr Brandl
O Adonai: O Lord and ruler of the house of Israel, who didst appear to Moses in a burning bush, and didst give him the law on Sinai: Come and deliver us with an outstretched arm.
Read this post for an overview of praying the O Antiphons the week leading up to Christmas.
Listen: “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus” from Silent Night, Red Mountain Church (lyrics)
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“I remember thy name in the night, O Lord, and keep thy law.”
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”And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins. ...
But there the Lord in majesty will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams, where no galley with oars can go, nor stately ship can pass. For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our ruler, the Lord is our king; he will save us.”
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”And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Lo, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you for ever.’
Then Moses told the words of the people to the Lord. ...
On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God; and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. And Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and the smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder....
And God spoke all these words, saying,
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
“You shall have no other gods before me.
“You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.”
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”They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet:
‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will govern my people Israel.’”
Pray in song the third verse of O Come, O Come Emmanuel:
“O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times once gave the law,
in cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.”
Do:
Confess
Read the commandments again slowly. Then talk to a trusted friend about any ways you’ve sinned against God and others. Receive the forgiveness of our Savior Jesus.
“For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our ruler, the Lord is our king; he will save us." (Is. 33:22)
Advent has historically been considered a "little Lent", a season of time set aside to consider the places our lives have become disconnected from God and others. Today’s Old Testament reading gives us the law handed to Moses for God’s people. In the New Testament, James, the brother of Jesus, encourages us to "confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed." As we get ready to enter into the full-fledged celebration of Christmas, set aside some time to check in with a trusted friend who can listen and offer the words of assurance that John, the friend of Jesus, reminds us: "when we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Thanks be to God for this gracious, life-giving invitation!
Listen to O Adonai Advent antiphon and sonnet by Malcolm Guite by clicking through to his website, or pressing the play button below.
(See all Advent Daybook posts from 2017 here.)