Episode 162: Advent 2023 (7576)

This is an unusual message. And even the title will be confusing
to some as we are NOT in the year 5784 as many believe. According
to the most ancient Hebrew calendar, we are actually in the year
7576. A change the rabbis made to the Hebrew Bible's chronology
and therefore the Jewish calendar nearly 100 years AFTER Christ.
And they did that for a very specific reason that I explain at
the beginning of this message.

Advent has all but been lost in our day and age. We begin
celebrating Christmas often right after Thanksgiving. By the time
we get to Christmas, everyone is mostly ready to think about the
New Year. Historically, Advent was the season leading up to
Christmas wherein believers reflected upon what it was like
BEFORE Jesus came. Advent songs are somber and reflective.

In this message, I attempt to capture the dire situation humanity
was facing before Christ came to earth. I look at the effects of
sin, of angelic rebellion, and the pollution/corruption they
introduced. Advent was a time when Christians focused on the
problems that Jesus came to address, to solve.

I stopped the recording to cast a personal vision for our church
to REDEEM Advent this year. If you'd like to hear that,
email me at: joel2generation@gmail.com and I'll send it to
you.