What were they waiting for? (Exile & Advent)

What were the people of God in exile waiting for? The kingdoms of Israel and Judah had suffered internal wars and been carried off under the yoke of a foreign power due to their sin. While in exile the faithful among God's people had many trials. The book of Daniel tells of a great deal of struggles for the faithful. Including Daniel interpreting the dreams of a captive emperor, Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego surviving the fiery furnace, Daniel surviving the lion's den, and a great many visions of the Day of the Lord. The books of Esther, Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra and Nehemiah all begin to look forward towards the restoration of God's people. 

The people of exile were waiting for the Lord to move. In Esther there is a great danger when the murder of God's people becomes legal. In Daniel there are multiple threats to those who fear the Lord. In Ezra and Nehemiah there is opposition to the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls and temple. The prophets continually look forward to the day when the Lord would himself change his people. The people were waiting for the day when the nations would be made low, and the people of God exalted. 

When the prophet Habakkuk prophesied there is something familiar. Habakkuk prophesied about the upcoming exile of God's people and the rise of Babylon. 

The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,

    and you will not hear?

Or cry to you “Violence!”

    and you will not save?

3 Why do you make me see iniquity,

    and why do you idly look at wrong?

Destruction and violence are before me;

    strife and contention arise.

4 So the law is paralyzed,

    and justice never goes forth.

For the wicked surround the righteous;

    so justice goes forth perverted. (Habakkuk 1:1-4)

Habakkuk looked and saw destruction. This caused grief and sadness which you can read in almost every verse of chapter 1. This destruction was the result of the people who looked to become one with the world, rather than welcome the God who had sought Israel, provided for Israel, and redeemed Israel. The kings who ruled over Israel during their exile (Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Darius) were foreign kings. They were not of the line of David, they were not the promised chosen recipients of God's eternal blessings. And so the people of God in exile waited. 

God had promised to Abraham a nation of descendants, and a bountiful land (Genesis 17). God had promised to David an everlasting throne (1 Chronicles 17). Yet the people in exile were no longer in their land, and had no one of their lineage ruling them. Even after a return to Israel, something was missing. Many foreign soldiers would march through the promised land during the time after the exile. The people were still waiting for the everlasting King who would sit on the everlasting throne. The people were still waiting for the peace and prosperity that was promised to accompany that great kingdom (2 Samuel 7). This is why the words of Matthew break upon a waiting people with more force than a thunderstorm over the sea. 

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1)

The promised one who would reign forever, whose throne would have no end, who would usher in an era of blessing for his people, was HERE. This Jesus whom Matthew writes about was the son of David, the son of Abraham. He was the fulfillment of the promises of old. This who we sing about, who we sing to, who dwells among us by his Holy Spirit, this Jesus is who they were waiting for.