LiTERATiRK.-Xiwm.in Smyth's Cfirhtian Ftlii.-s^ rontains a
subject I 'I of the
latter worl;
'ThuTea.'!
Jiilv I'Jiil. If. ;i1n. II. .M. Luckock'si(/6(u)-i/(i/JI/umayi;(Wa4), ami (1. 1). \Vatkiii,-i' lluly Matrimony (\Sib).
J. R. Willis. ADYENT."Tn its primary application tlie term is used to denote the first visible coming of Jesus into the world. His coming again at an after jieriod is distinguished as the Second, or the Final, Coming (see CoJllxi; An
The
Parousia).
'' one of the ecclesias- - the Festival of the n of the Church, the
.1 iipiiearanco of their
Church aervices ia renewed, and Un i . . ;. i. ; ,,i . ^ .ir begins.
Dealing here specially with the pniuary his- torical application, the first coming of Jesus po^ sesses a unique significance as markinj; the; entraucfe into the world of a moral force altogether unparalleled, a momentous turning-point in the religious progress of mankind. As the Son of God (Mt 10"-, Jn 3'^- "), revealing and representing Gotl ill His own person (Jn 5** 14'-"), whose mission it was I,, re.lcfju men from sin (Mt 18", Lk 4« 17-''), Ji'^ii^ \\.i> tn i.i(>\r lliiiisrir in the truest sense the Mi's>i:ili \vh.,i]i I ho Jewish people had long been expeetiui;,— ' a Jiaviuur, who is Christ the Lord' (Liv 2").
1. Theforeshadoimng Promise. — The expectation entertained by the Jews had its roots in a promise Ml hull 1 111 th n I nil s| litiiitnre and d itmg li I I il I \ 1 1 I I uiial dclnci ukl
111 ] I I ) I ih( hum m latc —
111 I I I I IN 1 1 jit( ncc pii
c II Lh III j| 1(1 thillhi sei d iil I he woni in should bruise his hi id (t.n !'■') 1 his buglitei outlook foi fallen liiiiiiinit\ was eonlirmed liy the assui
and the nation's fortunes became embarrassed, the splendours of David's time, glorified by the halo Avliich memory and distance cast around them, were projected into the future, forming a picture full ot allurement and charm. It fired the imagi- nation of the prophets amid the troubles of the later monarchy.
The promise, as thus transformed, was that of a king, or line of kings, sprung from David's house, who, endowed with transcendent gifts, and acting by special authority as the Anointed of the Lord, should reign in righteousness, introduce an era of Divine salvation for Israel, and draw all other nations round them in loyalty to Jehovah's law (Is 2- 1 1^" 27", Mic 41-'). this was the blossoming out of the Messianic idea.
During the period of the Exile, with the fall of the monarchy and the collapse of the expectations liased upon it, the figure of the victorious and righteous king was thrown into the background ; yet the prospect of a future glorious manifestation of Divine mercy, rescuing the people from their iniquities and miseries, kept its hold on suscep- tible minds (Is 55^ CU'''). It was in this period that the distinctively s]iivilual ehaiacter of the coming deliverance emei-ri I iulo piominence. As deline- ated in Ezekiel mhI IIh' S. r.mil Isaiah, it was to consist in an iiiw.inl nj^eiui.ition, wrought by penitence and the iinjiartation of a new spirit and a new heart (Is 65«-', Ezk ll"'-='" 36=5-»). In those prophecies of the Exile, Jehovah Himself is set forth as the true and ever-living King of Israel ; and collective Israel, the nation regarded poetic- ally as an individual, is conceived as the Anointed Servant of Jehovah, who, amid manifold afflic- tions, is to bear witness for Jehovah, and be the medium of accomplishing His saving purpose for mankind. On the return from the Exile the hope of salvation through a Davidic kingship revived, as is evident fnnii (lu; piuplietic utterances of Haggai(2==-'-")an.l Z,, li.n i,,ln:i» G'=) ; but in Mala- chi'sday it bad a-:iiii .ri-,i|i|i.:ned.
WitlithelSIaeealM ail si iiiu.i^le against Antiochus Epiphanes(l!.c. ItiV Ki.'i) the Messianic idea entered on a fresh eourso of development. In the Book of Daniel, whieli dates inesuiiialily from that time, we liuil suiieriiatuial eleiiieiits more freely intro- diueil. The writer in vision beholds an ancient of days, seated on his throne to judge the great world- kiii.uiloiiis and their rulers. Before him ^ with the eluuds of heavei>.,-''or.e of man,' and to him is giv'"ii evir- lasting dominion and a kiiiLsikim which jaiall lot be destroyed (7'^- "). This doiiiiiiioii is pa.sk,eil o-er to 'the saints of the Most Hi^h,' to be theJi.s for ever and ever (7'^"). There is thus a picturo of the Messianic future in which the triumph and the dis-
t^\
lie of the godlv over the nations tnipUishing ft if ^\e look in Ml
fuitli
ton
mil
co\enintwith (elio\ ill i II 1 l' '
20-24) It «asnot, howi \ II 1 |
reign, with its ieKi},nitioM | ill
the name of Ithovah, li 1 1 1 I 1 I I tl
idea of the tliioti itic kiiu hqi liil lien iln-jK implanted 111 the national tonsciousness, that thi (onitiition of the blessing to be looked foi took deliuitc sliipe llicn, as succL>)si\e luleis. failed
ADVENT
33
(ITasf), and bring to an end all unn, 1 I 1 )
In those Apocalyptic wiitm.,'! pot iil n to
the spiritual content of tlie Mtbbiani I lui^
the supernatural elements tli(_\ s I tliiow
best of the prophets haF ir iiillj bound up