1 Advent – Monday

Adam and Eve had been brought into death by the devil, concealed in the serpent. They had fallen into sin and spiritual death. Their bodies became subject to temporal death; and they were now also worthy of eternal death in hell. That resulting corruption and condemnation has been passed on to all of their descendants. Shortly after God had created them in perfection, the first man and woman had become sinful. Satan had triumphed over mankind. Then came the Lord; and in the hearing of Adam and Eve (and for their benefit), He said to the devil: “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her Seed.” So the devil’s victory was not final and absolute. There was to be another battle, another strife, between him and his hosts on the one hand, and a special Seed of the woman on the other. Furthermore, God declared: “It [the woman’s Seed] shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.” The outcome of this battle and strife was to be that the Seed of the woman, a Man born of woman (not the offspring of a man and a woman), should, in bloody, mortal combat, completely overcome the devil and rescue mankind from his power, from sin, death, and damnation. That Seed of the woman would be the Son of God Himself, who would become a man, being born of a virgin, and accomplish all these things. – This is the first Advent message, the very first message concerning the coming of the Savior. Herewith Adam and Eve and many of their offspring comforted themselves, until other prophecies were added. You Christians, look to Bethlehem and to Golgotha and into the empty grave, and there see how the Son of God, the Seed of the woman, fulfilled that prophecy. And believing in Him, let your souls be comforted.

PRAYER. – Lord Jesus Christ, Thou eternal Son of God, I give thanks to Thee that Thou didst become true man, and by Thy bitter suffering and death hast redeemed me and all mankind from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil. Grant me, I beseech Thee, that in true faith, I may at all times find true comfort in Thee, and remain steadfast in such faith against all the temptations of the Prince of this World, who, nevertheless, is judged already, until by a blessed death Thou wilt lead me into eternal life. Amen.

Theme: The Promise of His Coming

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34

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