Advent 2025, Day 16

Day 16, December 15, 2025

Theme: 

Joy

Readings: 

Reading: Num 24:2-7 , Numbers 24:15-17 

Gospel: Mt 21:23-27

Reflections:

Today, we see sections of Numbers 23 in which Balaam predicts blessings on Jerusalem and the people of God.  Sit with the imagery.  It is beautiful and verdant. It is a vision that admires Jerusalem as a beautiful collection of homes where the people live. 

Imagine tents and dwellings, filled with your people and the people who love God, spreading out like valleys, like gardens lush and well watered, like aloes, like tall cedars, and water. The vision is one of deep love for God's people spread out like verdant, well-watered, varied plant life.

In verses 15-17 of Numbers 23, Balaam offers a stunning vision of Jesus as a star, which guided travel in the days of Jesus (thus today's song choice, below) and a strong scepter, indicating royalty and power, who simply crushes opposition.  His power is next level! It is not to be trifled with.

Then, we read in Matthew of Jesus' crushing, fiery insight and conviction.  He would not be trapped.  Quite the opposite, he exposed liars, manipulators, and people who live to put burdens on others.  The opposition to Jesus refused to be honest.  They had a deep and troubling fear of man.  They would not stand on God's grace or mystery.  They were married to one interpretation of the Messiah as a military conqueror.  They were going with the flow and reinforcing it.  Jesus not only opposed the flow of daily life, he also redirected the flow in a totally new direction.  

I encourage you to go back to Numbers 23 now, rereading for those images of the beauty and love of God's people and the image of how Jesus would oppose anyone who dares come against the beauty of the community of God.  

Today's three readings are truly beautiful when considered together as a description of love, of Jesus’ power, and of the fulfillment of those prophecies and descriptions.

Song: Beautiful Star of Bethlehem, by Emmylou Harris

Bonus! My Advent 2025 playlist is ready for you to listen to on Apple Music. It's diverse, and it was so much fun to put together as I read through the scriptures and wrote this series. Spend some time looking at the Christmas albums these songs appear on--you will likely find a new fave.

NOTE the songs are on Apple Music, which you can get for a month for free if you are new... I just didn't want an obnoxious YouTube Ad ruining your quiet time :-)

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If you are looking for a nondenominational church in the Denver area, check out denverchurchofchrist.org