Christmas Times: The Ultimate Light Show Began…Suddenly!

Here’s a Christmas thought. “I opened two gifts this morning. They were my eyes.”

 

Here’s a question. What good is sight without light? Sight requires light. The same is true with insight. Insight requires the light of revelation. A definition of revelation is when something that was or is hidden in darkness comes into the light. It’s a ‘reveal-a-tion.’ It could be physical, mental, or spiritual.

 

Last week, I talked about how prophesies from God’s prophets given 750 years before the birth of Christ were fulfilled in the birth of Christ. Information given 750 years earlier became the revelation. Knowledge became understanding. The Word of God became the God of the Word now in flesh appearing. Truth hidden by time and darkness became truth revealed by the light. The future became the present. Kronos became Kairos. Suddenly, light appeared, unsealing and revealing the Christmas Present presently, with the presence of the Way, The Truth, and The Life.

 

I like the concept of ‘suddenly.’ Mary was busy planning for her marriage...and suddenly. Mary was found to be with child and Joseph was contemplating what to do...and suddenly. The shepherds were tending their flocks on a hillside...and suddenly. Three wise men far away from the east were star gazing...and suddenly. Elizabeth was childless, advanced in age...and suddenly. Elizabeth’s husband Zacharias was ministering in the temple...and suddenly. Simeon, the righteous and devout man was looking for the consolation of Israel his whole life...and suddenly.

 

Anna, the 84-year-old prophetess who never left the temple, praying day and night her whole life for the redemption of Jerusalem...and suddenly. The Jewish nation cried day and night, “Bring back the glory!” because the glory of the Lord left the temple for 400 years...and suddenly.

Suddenly what? Suddenly, what was concealed in time and darkness, was revealed in the light. The Christ-coming was God, in the fullness of time, opening eyes to see Christ prophesy suddenly be fulfilled. The future became the present. Their two eyes would see it.

 

The long, dark night was suddenly invaded by a festival of light. The Magi followed a star from the East, stunningly bright, so obvious you couldn’t ignore it. The star led them on a lengthy journey straight to the Christ Child.

 

The shepherds enjoyed a celestial light show with a great speaker. “An angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been for you a Savior, who is the Christ the Lord.'” Christ means Messiah, the prophesied Anointed One, sent by God for salvation for all people.

 

What happened next? “And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.'” The shepherds’ response to this festival of lights was, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” Truth revealed in light opened the way to the Light of the World who stepped out of darkness and time, into the light and present.

 

I’m aware this historical account of the birth of Jesus may be out of the box for some of you. Don’t be closed-minded like the cat owner saying to his cat inside his house, “Never, ever, think outside of the box.” Just because Christ appeared two thousand years ago doesn’t mean He didn’t appear. It doesn’t mean the historical account is inaccurate or myth.

 

The same way He appeared in those suddenly incidents the first Christmas, He will suddenly appear again. “Suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye, we will be transformed, for our mortal, perishable, bodies must put on immortal…and we shall be like Him.” I Corinthians 15:52. God fulfilled his promises then. God will fulfill his future promises too. God is incredibly credible.

    

Ed Delph    December 18, 2017   CCC