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Something Better is Coming | Advent Devotional Day 2

Advent 2025 DevotionalCore | Peace
December 1, 2025
Written by: Angie Rataj


Title: Something Better is Coming

Scripture:

This is what Isaiah, Amoz’s son, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In the days to come
    the mountain of the Lord’s house
    will be the highest of the mountains.
    It will be lifted above the hills;
        peoples will stream to it.
Many nations will go and say,
“Come, let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain,
    to the house of Jacob’s God
        so that he may teach us his ways
        and we may walk in God’s paths.”
Instruction will come from Zion;
    the Lord’s word from Jerusalem.
(Isaiah 2:1-3) 

My Reflection

Scholars estimate this scripture was written about 700 years before a baby was born in a manger and named Jesus. And here we are, on the 1st day of December, approximately 2,025 years after that baby was born. We read this ancient text in an effort to know our creator more and prepare our hearts in the Advent season. Let’s ask, “What can we learn from Isaiah, potentially the most famous prophet, when he is concerned with Jerusalem (the capital city of Judah) and the whole kingdom of Judah?” Really, what in the world does this have to do with me and Christmas?  
 
I think we have to go back a little farther in the text to figure out something. Chapter 1 ruthlessly lays out sins that don’t seem so ancient, but Chapter 2 comes in to let us know that new days are coming. Let’s have Chapter 2 be our hope for what is promised after we lived through a Chapter 1 mess. We’ve neared the end of this moment in our calendars and maybe it seems like we’ve had more mess than we’d like. We want more for our next year and we are setting aside time today to prepare and be more centered and more focused on the God of the universe. 

Our desire for change is not new; longing “Lord, hear our prayer” is deep within us and has been for generation upon generation. We are promised, in Isaiah’s words, the Lord’s mountain will be the highest. It will be lifted up and people will stream to it. Many nations will want to go to this mountain to be taught by God and learn to walk in God’s paths of peace. A time will come when people seek the Lord’s teaching and then we will walk and not grow faint.  People will no longer oppress the poor and delight in bribes. Orphans will be defended and widows cared for because many nations will learn God’s ways and walk in God’s paths. Chapter 2 is coming and we will keep seeking this mountain during the Advent season.

My Prayer:

God of Jacob, thank you for the ancient words of Isaiah that promise a new time of peace. Let us seek places to learn your ways and walk in your paths. Lord, hear our prayer.

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