Every Advent, we hear familiar Scriptures from the prophets: “The virgin will conceive…”, “Unto us a child is born…”, “But you, Bethlehem…”. We are told these prophecies predicted the birth of Jesus long before it happened. But what if the original audiences heard them differently? What if these words had a meaning and fulfillment in their own time?
“From Promise to Presence: Advent Prophecy Revisited” will invite us to step into the world of Israel’s prophets, to hear these texts as their first hearers would have heard them—and then to notice how the Gospel writers, looking back through the lens of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, re-read these same texts with fresh eyes. Far from weakening their power, this deeper understanding shows us how God’s promises keep unfolding in surprising, faithful ways. Together, we’ll discover why prophecy is not about fortune-telling but about God’s ongoing presence and hope for the world.
Week 1 — “What Child is This?”
Isaiah 7:14 — “The virgin will conceive…”
Context: King Ahaz seeking reassurance.
NT: Matthew 1 and the birth of Immanuel.
Micah 5:2 — “But you, Bethlehem…”
Context: Hope for a ruler from David’s line in a time of instability.
NT: Jesus’ birthplace and God’s surprising way of raising up a king.
Discussion: Why might God choose such ordinary or unexpected signs (a child, a village) to embody hope?
Week 2 — “Glory to The Newborn King?”
Isaiah 9:6–7 — “Unto us a child is born…”
Context: A coronation hymn for a Davidic king, titles of divine blessing
NT: Jesus as the Prince of Peace, fulfilling Israel’s deepest hopes.
Jeremiah 23:5–6 — “The Righteous Branch…”
Context: A promise of a faithful ruler after corruption and exile.
NT: Jesus as the true Shepherd-King who brings justice and peace.
Discussion: How do we hold together the longing for a political/earthly king and the deeper fulfillment in Christ?
Week 3 — “Ransom Captive Israel”
Hosea 11:1 — “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Context: Israel’s Exodus story remembered.
NT: Matthew re-applies it to Jesus’ return from Egypt
Discussion: How does seeing Jesus as the embodiment of Israel deepen our sense of Advent hope?
Reframing Prophecy
Naming the tension: These prophecies weren’t originally “predictions” of Jesus in a straightforward sense.
The bigger vision: Prophecy is about God’s faithfulness—God was present then, and God is present now.
Encouragement for Advent:
Scripture is layered and alive—God’s Word meets people in new ways in every generation.
The Gospel writers teach us to read our lives the same way: to look back and say, “Even here, God was with me.”
Advent is about recognizing God’s surprising fulfillment of promises, not just in Bethlehem long ago, but in our world and our lives today.
Closing Question: How does this way of seeing prophecy shape the way you wait for God this Advent?
Rather than leaving with disillusionment (“those weren’t really about Jesus?”), participants will leave with a richer sense of wonder: God’s promises are not thin predictions but deep patterns of faithfulness that take on fuller and fuller meaning across time. The same God who gave hope to Israel and fulfillment in Christ continues to speak hope into our lives.