Mark 1:3
Jeremiah 23:5
Micah 5:2
Isaiah 9:6

Mark 1: 3, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’”

The easiest characters to miss in the Christmas story are the characters who are not physically there: the prophets. Although they all died centuries before Jesus’ birth, God still uses them to remind us that the story of Christmas is part of a larger story of God’s interaction with humanity. These prophets of old bring to us the basis for hope and the promises that make hope real.

Prophecies are found throughout the Old Testament. One theme that threads its way through many prophecies is the HOPE of a promised Messiah, an “Anointed One” who will redeem God’s people and restore all things. The promises of God through the prophets brought hope to God’s people in Old Testament days, and those promises concerning the Messiah bring increasing clarity of God’s promises to us today. Jeremiah 23:5 says the Messiah will be a descendent of David, and Micah 5:2 announced that he will be born in Bethlehem. The prophets from the Old Testament are still a part of the Christmas Story. From the wilderness, they gave God’s people the hope of a coming Messiah. Isaiah 9:6 says he would be called, “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” These prophecies provide us with confidence and hope that God fulfills every promise he makes.

One of the most important gifts we can give to another person this Christmas season is the gift of hope. We, as servants of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, are to share the good news of hope that we have found in Jesus, the Son of God. Make hope real to someone this Christmas season!

My prayer is that others will find that HOPE is REAL and that it comes from God. He has placed hope in our hearts, and it is ours for the taking and sharing with others. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.