Day #8 of the advent season--I like to take the time to read all the prophetic passages that told of Christ's coming as the Messiah:
Gen. 3:14,15, Gen. 22:18, II Sam. 7:12-17, Psalms 89:3,4, Job 19:25, Isa. 7:13,14, Isa. 9:7, Isa. 11:1-9, Isa. 42:1-7, Isa. 52:13-53:12 and that's not all of them!
Something that I did with my Sunday School class that was so enjoyable was to make a Jesse tree. Y...ou can actually use a small Christmas tree or paint a branch white and put it down in a coffee can full of sand. You could cut a tree out and put it on the fridge or the wall--whatever works for you and your kids.
Make a list of all the things you can think of that helped us to look forward to Christ's coming:
Noah and the ark
The forbidden fruit that was part of man's fall and need for redemption
A scarlet ribbon for Rahab
A tent for Abraham
A scroll to represent Isaiah
Wheat for Ruth's redemption
A coat for Joseph
A lamb for David the shepherd king
A whale for Jonah
A ladder for Jacob
A little basket for Moses
A crown for Solomon
The manger for Mary and Joseph
Then make little ornaments for each out of paper, nutshells, felt, ribbon, cotton balls, etc. and hang them on your tree. Make sure you and the children discuss how these people were part of the promise or were told of the promise of the Saviour coming. Each one of them played a part in being in the line of Christ, prophesying of His coming or pointing to our need for Him as our Saviour.
I like to think of how each one of these people saw just a glimpse of what we see as the whole picture. It's a wonderful thing to dwell on this time of the year!