As we lit the second candle on the Advent Wreath last Sunday we remembered the prophets. Those messengers who communicated God’s world and will to his wayward people. They foretold the future, with warnings about events that would happen, but also messages of hope to people living in exile, but they also pointed the finger at bad behaviour and called out injustice and wrongdoing when they saw it. ‘Mend your ways’, you might say.

The Old Testament ends about 400 years before the New when a strange figure dressed in camel hair suddenly appears in the wilderness living on locusts and wild honey. He’s telling people that the kingdom of God is a hand and they really need to do something about it, and someone is coming who will baptize them, not just with water but the Holy Spirit. His message was one of repentance. Urging people to turn from the path they were on and mend their ways.

In the times we live in now, some would argue that we no longer need prophets but looking at the state of the world, it seems as important as ever to speak out against injustice and inhumanity. In a sense, we are all called to live prophetically and strive for God’s kingdom. And perhaps give messages of hope and repentance to those who are currently living in darkness.

– Rev Liz