Description
Most Christmas books focus on the light and joy of the season. Anticipating the Advent, however, portrays the dark side of Christmas because only then will the Light shine the brightest. On the night when the host of heaven sang “Glory to God in the highest,” they were arrayed to do battle with the evil forces who wanted to kill the promised child. This seed of Eve was coming to crush the enemy’s head (Gen 3:15) and destroy the Devil’s power (Heb 2:14). Old Simeon would tell the young mother Mary that, because her son would be the Messiah, a sword would pierce through her soul (Luke 2:35). In so many ways it was a “Not So Silent Night.”
Foreword by Michael Rydelnik
Growing up in an observant Jewish home, my family did not really deal with Christmas that much. Our encounters were predominantly seeing the lights strung on our neighbors’ homes and across the boulevard in our neighborhood. My Hebrew School teachers explained that Christmas was derived from pagan roots, but the Christmas songs I heard playing in the mall and on the radio didn’t seem to fit. There was O Little Town of Bethlehem, about a village in Israel, the hometown of David Ha-Melech, the Jewish King David. I heard the refrain from The First Noel, “Born is the King of Israel.” One song seemed to anticipate King Messiah who would “ransom captive Israel.” This was all so intriguing to me, that I watched the original airing of A Charlie Brown Christmas, hearing the Lukan Christmas story for the first time from the lips of Linus. In fact, those were the very first words I’d ever heard from the New Testament. And I was hooked—more and more I wanted to know about this festival that could transform Ebenezer Scrooge from miser to benefactor. It could even create good will among Gentile storekeepers and neighbors that were usually grouchy with each other and with us, the Jewish people in the neighborhood.
Then, as a freshman in high school, as part of a story that is too long and complicated to be mentioned here, I began to study the messianic passages of the Hebrew Bible. Before too long, by spring, I became a follower of Jesus. In a sense, I realized that the star that led the magi and shone over the manger in Bethlehem was actually a star of David! Celebrating the birth of the Jewish Messiah Jesus was truly the most Jewish of festivals. The following December, I determined to celebrate Messiahmas in a way that reflected my Jewish identity. I began to study the messianic passages about Messiah’s birth. Most importantly, I wanted to understand the biblical and theological aspects revealed in Scripture regarding the birth of the divine Son of God. To be blunt, I did not have one resource that could help me with all that, though I longed for one.
Now so many years later, my friend Will Varner has produced the book I looked for so long ago. This book, Anticipating the Advent, gives us just what we need, with a deep and biblical perspective. Will has provided expositions of the messianic passages about Messiah’s advent, illuminated the historical setting and described the world to which Messiah came, and clarified the biblical and theological implications of God breaking into human history through the birth of the Messiah Yeshua. Along the way, Will also provides spiritual insights to renew our appreciation of the story of the birth of the King.
Anticipating the Advent will enable us to recapture our love for celebrating the birth of Messiah by rooting it firmly in the soil of Scripture, not in the world of Dickens. It will refresh and renew us by helping us to come and adore Him, the King of Israel and the world, in a deeper and more meaningful way. So, sit back, dig in, and learn from this master teacher the biblical truths surrounding the birth of Jesus the Messiah.
Michael Rydelnik
Professor of Jewish Studies and Bible, Moody Bible Institute; Host and Teacher, Open Line with Dr. Michael Rydelnik, Moody Radio
Endorsements
“Messianic anticipation begins in the first book of the Bible, builds in the rest of the Old Testament and becomes a reality in the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. In this illuminating book, Dr. William Varner shows us that the details surrounding the birth of our Lord were rooted in the Messianic hope of the Old Testament. This is both powerful and spiritually enriching.” —John MacArthur, Pastor, Grace Community Church
“From the first chapter (Holy Heartburn) to the last (Will the Real Messiah Please Stand Up?), Will Varner’s book will grip your mind and stir your heart as you read about Jesus, God’s Messiah for His people. Each chapter is filled with Scriptural truth and amazing spiritual insight into texts we have been reading our whole lives. Fair warning – if you start the book, you won’t be able to put it down until you have turned the final page! And when you are finished, you will long even more for Messiah to come again!” —Sam Horn, President, The Master’s University and Seminary
“You will be fully satisfied as you digest Dr. Varner’s work that employs the unique blend of Jewish historical and cultural backgrounds, careful Scriptural exegesis, and thoughtful insights coming from years of immersive study that weaves together the unfolding prophetic message of the advent of Jesus the Messiah.” —Steve Pettit, President, Bob Jones University
“The issue addressed by Will Varner in this book relates to the credibility of Jesus’ stunning claims concerning Himself. Throughout His ministry, Jesus claimed to be the Messiah and to be God come in the flesh (Mt 16:16; Jn 11:27; Mt 26:63; Jn 20:30-31). A great number of remarkable predictive prophecies recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures were fulfilled in the life and ministry of Jesus – foretellings which could not have been lucky guesses or after the fact impostures. The Bereans, when told by Paul of the remarkable claims and accomplishments of the Nazarene, “searched the Scriptures to see if these things were so” (Ac 17:11) and thus believed. You will be delighted to walk with Dr. Varner through some of those Old Testament Messianic anticipations which God used to impact the truth-seeking Bereans so long ago.” —Douglas Bookman, Shepherds Theological Seminary
Table of Contents
Foreword by Michael Rydelnik
Preface
Chapter 1 – A Holy Heartburn
Chapter 2 – A Woman’s Seed
Chapter 3 – A Lion or a Lamb
Chapter 4 – A Star and a Scepter
Chapter 5 – A House of Bread
Chapter 6 – A King before the KING
Chapter 7 – A Not so Silent Night
Chapter 8 – A Christmas for Old People
Chapter 9 – A Great Herod?
Chapter 10 – A Mythology of the Magi
Chapter 11 – A Messiah for the Rest of Us
Chapter 12 – A Son of God
Chapter 13 – Epilogue: Will the Real Messiah Please Stand Up?
Further Reading on the Messiah
About the Author
William Varner teaches Bible exposition and Greek exegesis at The Master’s University. He has led more than fifty trips throughout Israel and has written more than a dozen books, some for laymen and some for scholars, including Passionate about the Passion Week: A Fresh Look at Jesus’ Last Days (Fontes, 2020) and James: A Commentary on the Greek Text (Fontes, 2017).
Bulk Orders
Get 30% off bulk orders of at least 5 books or more. Email todd@fontespress.com.
Reviews and Interviews
Lisa LaGeorge gives a brief overview of the value of the book.
Anthony Cummings interviews Varner about his book and also about his testimony and journey into how he became involved in Messianic studied and ministry.
