There is no more beautiful contrast in nature than the transition from the lonely and threatening dark of a cold night to the warmth, comfort, and hope of dawn. The Old Testament was, in many ways, like a very long night. God’s promises were like seeds of hope planted in the hopelessness of human experience. And after all the failures, the defeats, and the countless times that “Israel again did evil in the eyes of the Lord,” there followed four centuries of silence—no prophets, no angelic visits, nothing. And yet, God births hope in the darkest of nights.
In Luke 1, we meet Zechariah—an elderly priest on duty in the temple. When he emerged, he was dying to say three things to the waiting crowd. First, God had heard his prayer from years before—he was going to be a Dad! Second, he had it on angelic authority that his boy would be special. And most importantly, third, the Lord himself was coming soon.
He had so much to say but could not speak a word because he doubted the angelic messenger. So, the godly but doubting Zechariah endured an enforced nine-month “quiet time.” He poured over the scroll of Malachi and the ancient promises of God. His miracle boy finally arrived, was named John as instructed, and finally, Zechariah could speak again. He could not wait to praise the God who births hope in the darkest of times!
Zechariah’s long-prepared prophesy poured out praise to God. God had visited his people and sent his rescuer to deliver his people from the hand of their enemy. God did this because he is a God who makes promises and keeps them. Zechariah had waited decades for an answer to prayer. Still, Israel had waited millennia for fulfilled promises from the God who remembers his holy covenant and keeps his oath.
As we celebrate another Christmas season and remember how hope dawned back then, let us recognize that God is still working out his plans and birthing hope in the dark nights we experience even today. Whether our darkness comes from relational breakdown, grief, loneliness, health challenges, the guilt of sins committed, the shame of sins experienced, global trends or deep personal struggle, we must know that our God is a God of hope.
And so, we need to hear from Zechariah with his faith renewed. God wants to deliver us so that we look not at the cause of our fear, but at the God we can serve in holiness. God wants to deliver us so we can learn more about the wonders of his forgiveness. God wants to deliver us so that we can live not in the shadow of death but in the way of peace. And God wants to deliver us so we can live in the light of his mercy instead of sitting in darkness. Christmas is a reminder that in our darkest nights, the sunrise has visited us from on high.
(See Luke 1:5-25; 57-80)
Other recommended resources by Peter: Pleased to Dwell: A Biblical Introduction to the Incarnation (Christian Focus, 2014)
