When Light Shattered the Silence
“With all of these moments, we see God coming to His people, dispelling the darkness and the silence with the birth of His Son—now in flesh appearing. All of history pointed here—God bending what we thought was possible.”
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.” (Isaiah 9:2 CSB)
I can’t sleep in complete silence. It’s deafening, although that may sound odd. Some of you know what I mean, though! Silence has its own sound. It’s piercing. So I have slept with a sound machine and a box fan for as long as I can remember. If I travel, I use an app on my phone to play similar sounds. Without it, I would lie awake all night. And when we lose power during storms, sleep eludes me.
A lot of us don’t do well with silence—and not just for sleep reasons. Silence makes us uncomfortable. So to avoid it, a lot of us play music or a tv show in the background of our lives. There is something about sound that brings comfort. Maybe it’s the human voice that makes us feel connected and less alone.
We’ve looked at how God’s people continually stray away from Him in the Old Testament. Through the prophets, God speaks to His children, begging them to return to Him. But they continue to wander. During this time, God’s glory manifested itself on the top of the Ark of the Covenant—the Mercy Seat—constructed by Moses. His presence traveled with the Israelites. It hovered between the cherubim on the top of the box. But Ezekiel later prophesied that if Israel didn’t return to God, God would remove His presence from His people. Jeremiah also warns that one day the ark of the covenant would be totally forgotten. He also says another one would never be made (see Jer. 3:16). And the prophet, Malachi, further explains that God will no longer speak through prophetic voice. His prophecy is the last recorded Word until the birth of the Messiah.
So what does this mean? Deafening silence. Absence.
For roughly four hundred years, God remained silent. He didn’t speak to His people through signs and wonders or through prophets. Think about that: generations of people lived and died during this period of silence. The people lived in great darkness. I can only imagine the questions they asked and the longing they felt.
Until Light shattered the silence.
Because unto us a Savior was born—the Light of the world. And here’s how the flicker of hope appeared.
The first flame arrives with an angel appearing to Zechariah, announcing a son who will serve as a light leading people back to God (see Lk. 1:5-25). And we know God fulfills this promise with the birth of John the Baptist who prepares the way for Jesus.
Next, the flame of hope shines brighter with the angel, Gabriel, visiting Mary. She’ll have a son who will be called the Son of God. And she’ll name Him Jesus. An angel also visits her fiancé, Joseph, with news that Mary will have a son who will save the world from our sins.
Lastly, on the night of Jesus’s birth, the shepherds in the field witness an angel engulfed in great light from heaven announcing the best news: the Savior is born—God’s presence returning in human flesh on earth.
Is it any wonder they rush to meet this child, the promised One?
With all of these moments, we see God coming to His people, dispelling the darkness and the silence with the birth of His Son—now in flesh appearing. All of history pointed here—God bending what we thought was possible.
It’s amazing how one single candle can cast out darkness. On a stormy night without power, a single candle can illuminate a room and usher in comfort. Read the words of Jesus: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12 CSB). Is it any wonder He calls Himself the Light? He shatters darkness. He lights our way to redemption.
Our Light has come. We’ll never again walk in darkness. The Light of the world now resides within us. Let’s behold Him.