December 22, 2025
The Thieving
Party Host
On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for
all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged
wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well
refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil
that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up
death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away
tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people
he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord
has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold,
this is our God; we have waited for him, that he
might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for
him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
I S A I A H 2 5 : 6 - 9
Rich food and well-aged wine are wonderful things to receive from God. The heavenly feast on the mountain of the
Lord, which God himself hosts, is certainly a promise worth
clinging to. However, at this house party it’s not just food and
drink we receive. Our God is a giver of endless gifts. He
won’t let us leave the party without bestowing on us the
very best. He has given us his own righteousness, adopted us
as his children, and gifted us eternal life. But God is unlike any
host we know. For before he gives, he takes like a thief who
comes in the night (1 Thess. 5:2).
Why would the Scriptures describe Jesus as a thief? Isaiah
25 gives us the answer. It is because of everything he takes
away. Jesus steals the death we have earned and swallows
it up. Jesus wipes the tears from the faces of all who trust in
him. Jesus takes away the reproach of brothers and sisters.
He doesn’t ask if you would like him to do these things, he just
does them. Before Jesus gives, he takes. Before you are imputed with his righteousness, he is imputed with your sin.
Advent is about the arrival of the great stealer of all sin. In
Christ, God has broken into our world and stolen everything
that seeks to own and destroy us. Jesus is the long-awaited
burglar of God, stealing all sin, shame, and death and bringing
salvation to the world. Jesus is the holy party host who saves,
but make no mistake, he is still a thief. He will not ask permission.
So this Advent, celebrate the arrival of this strange party
host, who gives and takes away (Job 1:21). Let us rejoice and
be glad that we are welcomed into this thief’s home to receive
his gifts.
DEAR JESUS, THANK YOU FOR SENDING JESUS
TO STEAL SIN AND DEATH FROM ME,
AND FOR GIFTING ME SALVATION AND
ETERNAL LIFE. AMEN.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be
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Coming Home for Christmas: Advent in Isaiah © 2025 1517
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