Darkness has fled. The Light has come.
This is the fourth of a four-part Advent series entitled After Darkness, Light. Read the first part here.
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.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world (John 1:1-9).
At the moment of creation God first spoke the words: Let there be light. In the beginning God desired to illuminate our hearts with the knowledge of himself. This he accomplished by making us from the dust, in his own image. Through the giving of light man was able to perceive creation and behold the glory of the God who made all things. Rays of the Sun fell on Edenic flowers and leaves which rustled as God moved through the Garden in the cool of the day. Even at night the light shone down on the earth by the reflection of the moon or the radiance of the stars. In the beginning there was nothing but light.
But as man and woman were cast from the Garden under the curse of sin something new came into the world: darkness. Out of Eden confusion and chaos followed in its wake. The crafty serpent adumbrated what was to come in his question to the woman, “Did God really say?” Rather than obey the words of God—words of light—man and woman turned back upon themselves and sought for answers within their own minds, now darkened by distance from Him. In their questioning they mistook wrong for right and right for wrong. This descent into darkness shortly resulted in the undoing of life itself in the death of Able. Light and life were replaced by darkness and death.
It was never God’s intention to leave mankind in darkness. He who gave light to the world at its creation would come to bring light for its recreation. Over and upon the ages God worked through prophets and priests and kings to bring about the fullness of time. The virgin would conceive and bear a son. Those who walked in darkness would see a great light. At long last a star shone brightly over Bethlehem and not even the darkness of Herod could snuff it out. During Jesus’s life imposter prophets, priests, and kings would oppose him unto death, but even in that diabolical act the light of the world was glorified so that the thoughts from many hearts were revealed.
The darkness never stood a chance. All it could do was conceal for a little while the fullness of God that was to be revealed. The darkness brought confusion and tempted us to call the goodness of God into question. Then, in one small moment, Light and Life took on flesh and dwelt among us. The Light has come. The darkness has fled. Life is here for us.
Rev. Will Stockdale is Ministry to State's Director of D.C. ministry.