Dec 8
Ornament: Varicolored tunic
The story of Joseph
Joseph was the son of Jacob and Rachel, and was the favorite of Jacob’s twelve sons. Jacob had given Joseph a special long ornamented tunic such that a king may wear. Joseph’s other brothers hated him because their father loved him so much.
Jospeh had dreams that predicted that he would have authority over his family. These dreams upset Joseph’s brothers. So one day they sold Joseph as a slave to a passing caravan of merchants. The merchants sold him to the pharaoh, king of Egypt. At first he did well, but then he got thrown into prison on false charges. While in prison, Joseph discovered his ability to interpret dreams. The pharaoh was having strange dreams and summoned Joseph for help. Joseph told the pharaoh that his dreams meant that a period of great abundance would be followed by a time of terrible famine. The pharaoh was delighted with the explanation and put Joseph in charge of the management of his kingdom. Joseph prepared Egypt for the famine.
In Caanan, Jacob’s family suffered greatly from the famine and set out for Egypt in search of food. Joseph’s brother’s traveled there to buy grain. They did not recognize Joseph at first and bowed down to him when he entered the room. Joseph’s dreams had come true, he governed all the land of Egypt and now had power over his family.
Joseph eventually reconciled with his brothers and the pharaoh invited Joseph's family to move to the best land in Egypt, where they could live off the fat of the land. God’s promise had been fulfilled. God’s people found a temporary home in Egypt.
Dec 9
Ornament: Baby in basket
The story of Moses
Moses was born to Hebrew parents during a time when the Hebrew people were enslaved by the pharaoh, the Egyptian king. In order to save their son from being killed by the pharaoh’s order to kill all male Hebrew infants, his birth mother placed him in a papyrus basket and set him floating downstream on the Nile river. He was discovered by the Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son and was named Moses.
Moses was raised in two worlds. The Pharaoh's daughter allowed him to spend his early childhood among the Hebrews then in his early teens, he was taken to the Egyptian court and given a fine education. Moses knew he was Hebrew. He didn’t like to see Egyptians abusing the Hebrew slaves and one time murdered an overbearing Egyptian. He fled the country and settled in the land of Midian. While tending a flock of sheep, God appeared to him. God spoke to him from a burning bush that never was consumed. God said to Moses that he was the God of Abraham and Jacob and that he had come to set the Hebrew slaves free.
As with Jacob and Abraham, God had a plan for Moses. God chose Moses to lead the Hebrew people out of slavery. Moses accepts God's call and obeys. Moses returned to Egypt to convince the pharaoh to free the Hebrew slaves. The pharaoh was stubborn and did not believe that God would help the Hebrews. God placed ten plagues on Egyptians before the pharaoh would change his mind and release the Hebrew slaves.
After the tenth plague, The Death of the Firstborn, known as Passover, the pharaoh recognized God’s power and allowed Moses and the Hebrews to leave Egypt. They began their Exodus—a departure to freedom and the Promised Land. The most miraculous event of the Exodus was when God told Moses to stand before the sea and raise his staff. As he did, the water parted and Moses and his people crossed the sea on dry land. The Egyptian army followed but were destroyed when the walls of water came crushing down on them.
The Israelites’ journey led them to the wilderness of Sinai. God called Moses to the top of the Mount Sinai to give him the Ten Commandments, the laws of God’s covenant.
Dec 10
Ornament: Lamp and temple
The story of Samuel
Hannah prayed for a child. She promised God that if he blessed her with a son, she would dedicate the child to him. Hannah did have a son and she called him Samuel. Samuel grew up at the shrine of Shiloh under the priest, Eli. The Lord called to Samuel when he was sleeping in the temple where the ark of God was. But Samuel thought it was Eli. Eli realized it was God and told Samuel if you are called again, reply “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” The Lord manifest himself to Samuel through his word, and Samuel spoke to all Israel. Samuel became God’s prophet. A prophet is someone who speaks on behalf of God, defends the truth, and works for justice.
Israel’s enemy, the Philistines, took advantage of them. They took their land and captured the ark of the covenant. During this time Samuel was called to gradually take over the leadership of Israel. He brought the ark back to a proper resting place. And Samuel offered sacrifice to God, praying for Israel’s victory over the Philistines.
Samuel was told by God to anoint Saul as the first king of Israel. Overtime, Saul failed to live up to God's expectations. As a result of Saul’s actions, he no longer ruled with God’s blessing. Therefore, God would choose a new king.
Samuel followed God’s instruction in choosing Israel’s second king. God sent Samuel to Bethlehem for a feast with Jesse and his family. Jesse had seven sons attending the feast but none of these were acceptable to God. Jesse’s eighth and youngest son, David, was tending the sheep and was summoned to the feast. God chose David to replace Saul as Israel’s king at which time
Samuel anointed him with oil.
Dec 11
Ornament: crimson robe and shepherd’s staff
The story of Jesse
Jesse was from Bethlehem and had eight sons. It was his youngest son, David, that was chosen by God to be Israel’s second king, the great King David of the Old Testament. Jesse is often looked upon as the first person in the genealogy of Jesus. Jesse’s father is Obed and his grandparents were Ruth and Boaz.
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In the passage there’s the imagery of a blossoming bud from the stump of Jesse, King David’s father, foretells Jesus’ coming and the miraculous things to follow.
Dec 12
Ornament: slingshot, 6-pointed star
The story of David
David was from Bethlehem and was the eighth and youngest son of Jesse. He was in the field tending the sheep when he was summoned to attend a feast. He was a good looking youth with beautiful eyes. The Lord said: “There—anoint him, for this is the one!” The prophet Samuel anointed with oil, and from that day on, the spirit of the Lord rushed upon David.
David’s older brothers were in the Israelite army. The Israelite army was trying to fight the Philistine army but were afraid of their leader, Goliath. Goliath was a giant sized man that challenged the Israelites to come and fight him. But no one accepted Goliath’s challenge. Until one day when young David entered the camp bringing supplies to his brothers. Goliath shouted insults to him. David reported to King Saul and assured him that he’s prepared to fight Goliath. He had often killed a lion or bear when protecting his father’s sheep.
David answered Goliath’s challenge. He told Goliath that he came in the name of the God of Israel. David took a smooth stone, put it in his slingshot, and hurled the stone at Goliath. The stone hit Goliath in the forehead and knocked him down. Then David was able to kill Goliath with the giant’s own sword.
David continued to be successful against the Philistines, more than any other of Saul’s officers. King Saul was jealous of David’s success and plotted to kill him. David continued to listen to the Lord and attack the Philistines in other locations. When Saul and his men came looking for him, David got word of it and escaped into the wilderness. A time came when David had the opportunity to kill Saul in a cave, David took pity on him and didn’t kill him. Saul wept and admitted to David that he treated him badly. Saul realized that the Lord was with David and After Saul’s death, David was declared king of Israel by all the people.
As soon as David became king, he began to plan his attack against the Philistines, the Israelites’ main enemy. He forced them out and even captured large parts of the Philistine’s territory for Israel. God was with David and under David’s guidance Israel was transformed from a group of weak and disunited tribes into a strong kingdom. Jerusalem became the religious and political capital of all Israel, it was named the City of David.
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One day, David sinned against God by taking the wife of another man and then arranging for the husband to be killed in battle. The prophet Nathan pointed out to David the gravity of his sin, David repented. God forgave him but the damage had been done and David’s reign was never the same.
Dec 13
Ornament: scales of justice, baby, sword
The story of Solomon
​Solomon was the son of King David and Bathsheba. He took the throne after his father died. Shortly after being anointed king, Solomon had a dream in which God instructed him to ask for anything he wanted. Solomon asked for "a listening heart to judge your people and to distinguish between good and evil". God granted his request; and because he did not ask for riches and glory, God gave Solomon these as well. Soon after God granted Solomon wisdom, it was tested.
Two women, each recently having had a child came to Solomon. One of the babies had died, and both women claimed to be the mother of the baby that was alive. One woman accused the other of switching the babies, and both women began to argue. Solomon ordered the that the baby be cut in two and one half given to each woman. When only one of the women pleaded with Solomon not to kill the child, he saw that she was clearly the mother. All Israel was amazed by Solomon’s ability to determine the truth in this case.
While his father, David, was remembered chiefly as a mighty warrior, Solomon was a diplomat. Solomon’s reign was was a time of peace. Solomon did not wage any wars. Rather, he made treaties, or agreements, with other kings and queens. These alliances kept Israel safe from attack and gave the country new business opportunities. During Solomon’s time as king, Israel was richer than it had ever been before. For the first time in Israel’s history, some of the common people—not just the powerful—began to enjoy a life of plenty.
To show his love for God and his desire to be faithful to the covenant, Solomon decided to build a great stone Temple in Jerusalem. This Temple symbolized God’s permanent presence among his Chosen People in the promised land. Thus, the building of the Temple in Jerusalem was Solomon’s greatest achievement.
Overtime, Solomon made choices that hurt his friendship with God, and his heart was slowly turned away from God and the covenant. He began following false gods. He burdened the people with heavy taxes and work. Because of this, God told Solomon that he would take the kingdom away from him and give it to someone else.
After Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam became the next king and made the people’s burdens even heavier. Some tribes refused to accept Rehoboam as king, so they followed a man named Jeroboam. The words of the Lord to Solomon were fulfilled and Solomon’s empire was divided into two separate kingdoms, Israel in the north and Judah in the south.
Dec 14
Ornament: hammer, saw, chisel, angle
The story of Joseph, stepfather of Jesus
Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins
