Many years ago, due to my son’s allergies, we transitioned from having a live cut Christmas tree to our first artificial tree. At first, I was very skeptical that I would enjoy celebrating the holiday with a “fake tree” as the center point of my decorations. However, my mindset quickly changed as I took my pre-lit tree out of the box
and within minutes, had a beautifully illuminated tree! No strings of lights to untangle and test for missing bulbs or dead fuses.
Fast forward several years…the once magically illuminated tree is much less magical.
As time went by, with each new year that I set the tree up, I would discover fewer and fewer lights were actually working. Over time, there grew to be large areas of darkness interspersed with light. Last year, I gave up on the pre-lit lights and cut them all away. Now, we simply have a lightless artificial tree. The tree is still useful but no longer shines as it was designed to do.
From the very beginning pages of Scripture, we see God bringing light into a dark and void world.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the
darkness. Genesis 1:1-4
From that point forward, Scripture points us to see the contrast of light and dark. Usually, we see light where goodness, righteousness, and truth reside and darkness is where sin, evil, and deception hide. God always appears in light.
Sometimes the references to light are more literal as in the fire pot passing through Abraham’s sacrifice (Gen 15:17), to the burning bush (Exo 3), the pillar of fire that lit up the night sky for the journey through the desert (Exo 13), to God Himself that will magnificently illuminate the new Earth for eternity (Rev 21:23). However, it is good to remember that light and dark are often used metaphorically to speak of the spiritual condition of our hearts.
In the book of Isaiah, the prophet calls out to the people. In the 8th chapter, Isaiah describes how the people have turned to mediums and mystics to get insights into life. He reminds them that they should be consulting God and not the dead. In the end, he tells them where their actions will lead.
Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness. Isaiah 8:22
But immediately, He follows this up with a great promise,
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
Isaiah’s book flips back and forth between prophecies of God’s judgment and God’s restoration. God, speaking through Isaiah, doesn’t sugar coat the wickedness of the world or the level of punishment that will be forthcoming on those who choose to walk away from God. Yet, if you read all of the pages of Isaiah, you will see time and time again God standing with arms open wide, offering them His covenantal mercy, grace, and love (Isa 55).
Israel was chosen by God not based on their righteousness, strength, or ability but on God’s mercy alone. God’s magnificence was one display for all the world to see. Because of God, this small ragtag group of people escaped slavery in Egypt and went on to defeat much stronger nations in order to enter the Promised Land of God. God overwhelmingly poured His favor upon them. God chose them and favored them so that they would be a witness and a shining light to display the goodness of God to all the other nations.
Similar to my pre-lit tree, the Israelites shined brightly, for a time. They enjoyed the benefits of God and walked in obedience. But as time went on, many of the Israelites began to walk out of the light and into the darkness. They no longer wanted to live as God’s representatives to the nations because they no longer wanted to obey God themselves. The same old lie of the serpent came into the hearts of the Israelites: God’s rules are arbitrary and only serve him and not you. God’s people believed the lie and followed in the dark paths of the nations around them.
Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites, because the Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: “There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. There is only cursing, lying and
murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed…my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:1,2,6a)
God sent many prophets in those days to urge the people to repent and turn back to God. But they were not willing to listen to God, so God quit talking. For 400 years, there was mostly silence from God, and it seemed like darkness had won.
Whereas I cut away all the lights from my Christmas tree, God did not fully give up on Israel and cast them aside. For God always has a faithful remnant. God had made a covenant with Abraham and there were those among the Israelites that never forgot the prophecies and the promises of God.
Through all the dark days, they held onto the hope that God would rescue them. They were the watchers, patiently waiting and looking for the promised Prophet that was foretold all the way back in days after the Exodus (Deut 18:18). For they trusted God’s Word and believed that as Isaiah predicted, one day the suffering servant would come and bring salvation to His people.
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel…(Num 24:17)
In the fullness of time, those hopeful watchers like Anna and Simeon began to see their hopes realized.
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2: 29-32)
The promised light of the Messiah had come in a little baby named Jesus.
Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:78-79)
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
At Christmastime, we stop and remember the Babe that came to Earth. We light up our homes inside and out to commemorate the illumination that His birth brought to us. Manger scenes are placed on our mantles and coffee tables to provide witness and reminders of the great miracle of His birth.
But when the holiday comes to an end and we pack up the decorations, do we also pack away Jesus into the boxes? Do we keep Jesus in our hearts only as the Baby, swaddled in the manger? His birth, although a very important part of His earthly story, is only the opening chapter. Sometimes the brilliance of a story can only be fully seen as the plot line reaches the denouement. His death and resurrection. His purpose in coming was to die in order for those who believe to be reconciled to God.
The Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the Great Shepherd and the True Vine are some of the many ways Jesus described Himself as He walked with His disciples (John 6,8,10,15). Jesus calls us to believe in Him and to abide with Him every moment of our lives. He wants to be our source of power so that we can shine
light into the darkness.
I pray that this season of Christmas will act as a impetus to each of us, like the wise men of the story, will not only see the the light of the Risen Star, but will seek the light with all that we are. In doing so, He will transform our hearts and we will be able to shine brightly so that the dark world will see our light and glorify God. (Matt 5:16)
“This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there’s not a trace of darkness in him.” 1 John 1:5 MSG
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