THE WORLD BEGAN IN DARKNESS, BUT GOD SENT HIS SON, JESUS THE MESSIAH, TO SHOW THE WORLD THE LIGHT OF LIFE.
Old Testament
“IN THE BEGINNING, GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. THE EARTH WAS WITHOUT FORM AND VOID, AND DARKNESS WAS OVER THE FACE OF THE DEEP. AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD WAS HOVERING OVER THE FACE OF THE WATERS.
AND GOD SAID, “LET THERE BE LIGHT,” AND THERE WAS LIGHT. AND GOD SAW THAT THE LIGHT WAS GOOD. AND GOD SEPARATED THE LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS.” GENESIS 1:1-3
New Testament
“IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. HE WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD. ALL THINGS WERE MADE THROUGH HIM, AND WITHOUT HIM WAS NOT ANY THING MADE THAT WAS MADE. IN HIM WAS LIFE, AND THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN. THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE DARKNESS HAS NOT OVERCOME IT.” JOHN 1:1-5
Old Testament
“THE PEOPLE WALKING IN DARKNESS
HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT;
ON THOSE LIVING IN THE LAND OF DEEP DARKNESS
A LIGHT HAS DAWNED.” ISAIAH 9:2
New Testament
“THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI,
THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES—
THE PEOPLE DWELLING IN DARKNESS
HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT,
AND FOR THOSE DWELLING IN THE REGION AND SHADOW OF DEATH,
ON THEM A LIGHT HAS DAWNED.” MATTHEW 4:15-16
Old Testament
O HOUSE OF JACOB,
COME, LET US WALK
IN THE LIGHT OF THE LORD.
New Testament
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
Thoughts
As we celebrate this Christmas season, may we never forget that the world Jesus came from knew no darkness. His home with His Father was only light. Yet He willingly stepped into our world, our darkness, so that we could know true light.
It isn’t the sun or the moon or the stars that give us light. They are mere reflections, mere creations set in the heavens to ease the chaos darkness brings us. But they are not the light. They only reflect the Light.
The true Light came into the world on a dark and probably not so silent night, born to a poor couple with a sketchy reputation, swaddled in wool or linen cloths, and placed in a animal’s stone feeding trough.
And the Light He left behind in heaven, the Light of His glory shown on a quiet hillside where shepherds watched over the temple’s sacrificial lambs. And the angels proclaimed that the true Light had come.
The magi from the East saw the Light from afar, and though it probably took them two years to find Him, when they did, the Light of the glory of the star told them they’d come to the right place.
The King had been born. King of the Jews. King of the World. King of all Kings. Lord of all Lords.
And they worshiped.
Do we worship the One who is the Way, the Truth, the Life…the Light of Life? The Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End? He was there when the earth was formed, and He will be there when the earth’s time runs out. The kingdoms of this world are temporary. But His Kingdom is eternal.
Isaiah said it best:
FOR TO US A CHILD IS BORN,
TO US A SON IS GIVEN;
AND THE GOVERNMENT SHALL BE UPON HIS SHOULDER,
AND HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED
WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD,
EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE.
OF THE INCREASE OF HIS GOVERNMENT AND OF PEACE
THERE WILL BE NO END,
ON THE THRONE OF DAVID AND OVER HIS KINGDOM,
TO ESTABLISH IT AND TO UPHOLD IT
WITH JUSTICE AND WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS
FROM THIS TIME FORTH AND FOREVERMORE.
THE ZEAL OF THE LORD OF HOSTS WILL DO THIS.
And Luke agreed:
“FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOR, WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD.”
“HE WILL BE GREAT AND WILL BE CALLED THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH. AND THE LORD GOD WILL GIVE TO HIM THE THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID, AND HE WILL REIGN OVER THE HOUSE OF JACOB FOREVER, AND OF HIS KINGDOM THERE WILL BE NO END.”
May this be the year each one of us truly sees Jesus, the Light who came to shine in our darkness.
The One who made all things and will one day take His seat upon a the throne of David, and His kingdom will never end.
Remember what He has done for us.
See how the prophesies came to pass over hundreds of years between their prediction and fulfillment.
Trust the One who is the Light of Life and who holds the world in His hands.
Merry Christmas!
#christmas2018 #thelightoftheworld #jesus #messiah
