MARY REICHARD, HOST: Today is Friday, December 14th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from member-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Mary Reichard.
NICK EICHER, HOST: And I’m Nick Eicher. Each week of Advent we’re ending our Friday programs with music. These recordings come from Bible school, seminary, and Christian university choirs across the country.
REICHARD: Today, a brief meditation, and a hymn of celebration. Here’s Paul Butler.
PAUL BUTLER, REPORTER: Genesis 3 is one of the darkest chapters in the Bible. Sin enters God’s perfect world, and with it, death and separation. The blessing-giver now curses His creation.
But even in this darkest hour, there’s a glimmer of hope in the promise of salvation through the seed of the woman.
As God later makes covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, his redemptive plan slowly emerges, but the promised seed is still far off. Over and over again, the people rebel, and are eventually sent into exile—salvation seems farther away than ever.
But God’s prophets declare a new covenant is coming, one unlike any that preceded it. Death itself will die, and those now separated from God will be called His children. Even the Gentiles will be grafted in. At long last, Eve’s offspring, the promised Messiah, will come with salvation.
Our advent selection to end today’s program is a hymn from Isaac Watts. Here’s the New Saint Andrews Choir with: “Salvation! O The Joyful Sound!” recorded in 2012 and conducted by Dr. David Erb.
MUSIC: Salvation! O The Joyful Sound!
