In the Christian Science Bible Lesson December 17, 2012 Issue

Watching for Christ's appearing

For the Lesson titled "Christ Jesus" from December 17 - 23, 2012

Ann Edwards—Toronto, Ontario, Canada

As we prepare for upcoming Christmas celebrations, let’s not get so busy that we forget to be spiritually receptive to the messenger bringing the good news at the heart of Christmas. In the first verse of the Responsive Reading of this week’s Bible Lesson, titled “Christ Jesus,” Isaiah, like a good watchman, joyously declares, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” (52:7).

In her textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy asks the thought-provoking question, “Is the wise man of to-day believed, when he beholds the light which heralds Christ’s eternal dawn and describes its effulgence?” (p. 95, citation 2).

This Lesson presents a number of biblical characters who were good watchmen. Isaiah, for example, prophesied the coming of the Messiah when everyone else around him could see only imminent disaster. King Ahaz was so convinced that Judah would be invaded that he saw no point in trusting God for deliverance. Isaiah told him, “The Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14, Responsive Reading). While Isaiah foresaw that Judah, as a result of faithlessness, would indeed be invaded by Assyria, he could also see that Immanuel (a Hebrew word meaning “God is with us”), or the Christ, would be right there with them and would ultimately deliver them from their enemies.

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