Advent: Promise and Fulfillment (I) [Awakening Faith]
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:22 – 23)
God established a time for his promises and a time for their fulfillment. The time for promises was in the time of the prophets, until John the Baptist; from John until the end is the time of fulfillment.
God, who is faithful, put himself in our debt, not by receiving anything from us, but by promising so much. But a promise from his mouth was not sufficient for him; he chose to commit himself in writing as well, as if making a contract of his promises. He produced an account of the promises and their fulfillment, so that we could read and see how he delivers on his promises. And so the time of the prophets was, as we have often said, the foretelling of the promises.
He promised eternal salvation, everlasting happiness with the angels, an immortal inheritance, endless glory, the joyful vision of his face, his holy dwelling in heaven, and no more fear of dying after the resurrection. This is his final promise, the goal of all our striving.
When we reach it, we shall ask for nothing more. But regarding how we are to arrive at our final goal, he has also revealed, by promise and prophecy.
--Augustine
Awakening Faith: Daily Devotionals from the Early Church
Awakening Faith: Daily Devotionals from the Early Churchby James Stuart Bell and Patrick J. Kelly
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