Jesus’ birth fulfilled the prophecies and promises of a Messiah who would come. Understanding its significance requires reading and reflection. This Advent reading plan will help you to better understand and appreciate these events and help you prepare for Christmas.
Day 1—The Seed of the Woman
“And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
Day 2—The Son of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
“I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:3)
Day 3—The Sceptre, Shiloh
“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” (Genesis 49:10 NASB)
Day 4—A Star
“I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel.” (Numbers 24:17)
Day 5—A Spokesman for God
“I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell the people everything I command him.” (Deuteronomy 18:18)
Day 6—The Son of God
“The king proclaims the LORD’s decree: ‘The LORD said to me, “You are my son. Today I have become your Father.”’” (Psalm 2:7)
Day 7—The Son of David
“Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.” (2 Samuel 7:16)
Day 8—The Sovereign Lord
“You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority.” (Psalm 8:6)
Day 9—Separated for our Sin
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?” (Psalm 22:1)
Day 10—Scorned by Men
“But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all!” (Psalm 22:6)
Day 11—A Stone Rejected
“The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” (Psalm 118:22)
Day 12—A Sign
“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” (Isaiah 7:14)
Day 13—A Stone of Stumbling
“He will keep you safe. But to Israel and Judah he will be a stone that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare.” (Isaiah 8:14)
Day 14—A Son for Us
“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.” (Isaiah 9:6)
Day 15—The Sovereign King
“The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
Day 16—A Shepherd
“He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.” (Isaiah 40:11)
Day 17—The Servant of the Lord
“Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations.” (Isaiah 42:1)
Day 18—Set Apart
“I, the LORD, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations. You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.” (Isaiah 42:6-7)
Day 19—The Sorrowful One
“He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.” (Isaiah 53:3-4)
Day 20—The Sacrifice for Us
“But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
Day 21—Spirit-Empowered
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.” (Isaiah 61:1)
Day 22—Stable-Born
“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.” (Micah 5:2)
Day 23—The Sun of Righteousness
“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.” (Malachi 4:2)
Day 24—The Son of the Most High
“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” (Luke 1:31-33)
Day 25—The Saviour of All
“But the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all the people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!’” (Luke 2:10-11)
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