Advent 22 Why we Celebrate Christmas wk 2

Last week we unpacked the teaching of Paul from Galatians 4 on the purpose of the coming of Jesus as Messiah, "when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law". However the prophet Isaiah foretold the return of the spirit of Elijah to "Preoare the way for the Lord". That ancient prophesy was fulfilled with the birth of John the Baptist, as foretold to Zechariah by Gabriel. John was the one chosen to preach and baptize in the wilderness of Judea, to prepare Israel for the coming of Immanuel.