The Whole Advent Calendar December 2022

[I have often attempted some sort of Advent Calendar in December.
Last year it was just on each day-number, others have attempted the
background to the birth in the manger. This year I've attempted verse
again on the numbers of the days, but drawing out some significance from
the Bible history, all in brief limerick form. Limerick form was not used to indicate humour, but as a form to make a catchy brief point] I've now combined the 25 individual days, and of course lost a few comments.

(1st) One alone
From ever, One God. He was holy.
Created a world for his glory,
and people to man it
for Him who began it
– He cares for them – we’re in the story.

(2nd) The Before and After Two
This God has recorded, revealed
the truths and instructions we need:
Part 1: taught one nation,
Part 2: showed salvation
for  all who his  gospel believed.
[Old Testament, New Testament – 2 parts of the Bible]

(3rd) Mysterious Three
Supreme supernatural Being,
our finite minds cannot be seeing
how He can be Father,
Son, Spirit together –
three Persons, one God – oh, revere Him!

(4th) Four Together
We’ve four clear accounts of  His coming –
His kindness and what He was doing,
historical Person
to bring us instruction
fulfilling His great rescue mission.
[the gospel (good news) accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the Bible]

(5th) Five little loaves
A lad has five loaves and two fishes
but Jesus gives thanks and God blesses.
The crowd are well fed,
with fishes and bread:
twelve baskets are left full of pieces.
[John 6:5-15]

(6th) Six busy days
For six days, God spoke: vegetation,
sun, stars to give light, ordered motion,
the creatures of ocean
and land, and then Adam
and Eve to enjoy this creation.

(7th) One in Seven
One day every week to remember
and worship and rest, time to ponder
His labour God ceased,
and we are released
restrengthened by worship and wonder.

(8th) Eight Safe
When violence and wickedness grew
on earth, seen by God, and He knew
a flood He would send
to bring all to end:
restart with eight only, so few.
[Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth and their wives] (2 Peter 2:5 in the Bible)

(9th) … until the Ninth hour
They called it the sixth, that’s mid-day –
from then ’til the ninth darkness lay
as Christ bought redemption
by this crucifixion —
and now we have nothing to pay!
(Luke 23: 44)

(10th) A Round Ten
Ten laws that sum up all morality,
the Maker’s instructions for purity
He knows what is best
but knows how we’ve messed:
‘Lord, re-make us ’til fit for eternity.’
cf. Exodus chapter 20

(11th) Eleventh chapter of book of Hebrews –
roll-call of faith:
By faith they were guided in living,
God’s wisdom and guidance believing,
through troubles, then death,
obeyed while on earth,
and soon their reward were receiving.
about the 11th chapter of the book 'Hebrews' in the New Testament, written particularly to the new Jewish Christians.

(12th) Foundation of Twelve
He chose twelve to be his disciples,
and twelve were sent out as apostles,
though Judas was gone,
soon Paul was reborn
– sent out with God’s grace to the gentiles.

(13th) 13 letters
There are thirteen letters by Paul
to churches and pastors – they’re full
of faith explanations,
and kind applications,
his humble concern for them all.
[ie Paul's letters in the Bible to the churches at Rome, Corinth
(2), Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, Thessalonica (2), 2 letters to
Timothy and one each to Titus and Philemon]

(14th) First month, day fourteen
King Pharaoh had hardened his heart,
he wouldn’t let Israel depart,
he wanted slave labour,
but God would deliver –
that day marked the Exodus start.

(15th) Fifteen years extension
The King who was godly, was dying.
He prayed, as in illness was lying
Was told he’d recover,
live fifteen years longer:
the shadow moved back, sign surprising!
2 Kings 20:1-11, Isaiah 38:1-8

(16th) Precious Sixteen
A verse that is startling – God loved us,
sent Jesus, His Son, who was precious
that whoever believes,
will not perish, receives
life eternal – how amazingly gracious!
[John 3:16 : For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.]

(17th) Seventeen books of history in OT
We’ve seventeen books of the history
before Jesus came here from glory:
the sins are not hidden
but everyone bidden,
‘Repent, trust the Christ’s coming victory.’

(18th) Eighteen books of prophecy in the Bible
The books of the prophets instruct
and also foretell God’s perfect
great plan of redemption
by Christ’s incarnation
and the great triumph final predict:

Hear the last one (Revelation) foretell
the struggle of evil to quell
God’s grace very often.
But God’s plan has completion
when the devil is thrown into hell.

(19th) 19th Book of the Bible: Psalms/Songs
The Psalms are well-known and whatever
our struggles in life they will ever
give voice to our fears
our songs, and our tears
our praise, trust and praying wherever.

(20th) Sold for twenty
They hated their brother and sold him,
receiving these shekels, deceiving
their father, but see
what God brought to be –
they were saved by their brother providing!
Joseph and his brothers, Genesis 37:28, and on …

(21st)Twenty-one letters*
Another eight letters recorded
if Hebrews, (unknown author)’s included:
there’s James, and two from
Peter, then John
has three, so with Jude’s they’re concluded.
*as well as the 13 by Paul, see Day 13

(22nd)Twenty-two history books in whole Bible
If we add on the gospels and Acts
we have clear accounts of the facts
with care there recorded
so we are afforded
a view as the good news impacts.
(cf Day 17)

(23rd) The Lord is my Shepherd …
The best known part of the scriptures,
the song that pictorially captures
the Shepherd’s great care
who’ll protect everywhere
and leads us to undeserved raptures.
(Psalm 23)

(24th) Twenty-four
There were twelve tribes of Israel, the nation;
twelve apostles of Jesus – foundation,
both groups were to teach
so that all men could reach
and enter God’s great congregation.

25, half of 50
The nation were taught of a jubilee
to celebrate, debtors would then be free,
like when Jesus makes new
this world good all through;
but He first had to come here to be

a Saviour to teach us, for he
would die for us on Calvary,
so born as a human
to purchase our pardon:
now prepare for that full jubilee!

[Jubilee: 50th year,
Can 25 represent Jesus’ first coming, as a baby, and 50 his second, soon coming as King of all?]