LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
Living Stones Series: First Published in All Around Old Bridge Publication – December 2020, Pastor Lloyd Pulley
In the darkest times in Jewish history, the clearest and most amazing promises of the coming Hope and Messiah were given.
Just after the fall into sin in the Garden of Eden, Eve, the mother of all, was given the Promise that her Seed would defeat the serpent, Satan (Genesis 3).
When enslaved in Egypt and on the eve of great uncertainty, Israel was given the promise of the Passover lamb’s blood sprinkled on doorposts as a sign of deliverance from the angel of death (Exodus 12).
When the prophet Balaam was hired by a brutal enemy to curse Israel, God intervened to guide His promise of a coming Star from Jacob who will rise and rescue Israel forever (Numbers 24).
At a time when the entire nation was corrupt with sin and oppression and the very foundation of the nation was crumbling, the precious Cornerstone was promised to come (Isaiah 28:15-16).
When the religious leaders of Israel were on the brink of judgment, a promise came: "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness…" (Jeremiah 23:5)
When many Jews were threatened in Persia with extinction by the evil man, Haman, God raised up Mordechai and Esther to expose his plot and rescue the Jewish people worldwide, including the coming Messiah (Esther).
And when pagan leaders threatened to defile the Jewish Temple, jeopardizing once again the very existence of the Jewish nation, God performed the miracle of the oil lighting the Temple for 8 days, now remembered in the Festival of Lights (Hanukkah).
We see in the Bible, the greatest prophets of Israel, Elijah and Elisha, were given to the people as a voice during the greatest times of evil. It is always darkest before the dawn!
But yet another dark time loomed. Rome had crushed the sovereignty of the nation of Israel at a time when there was great anticipation of the Messiah’s coming. Then a star appeared and wise men of the east came searching for Him who was born King of the Jews, and they were directed to Bethlehem, for according to the prophet Micah it was there He would be born.
Traditionally Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus in December, although there is a strong hint in the gospels that Jesus was most likely born in the fall, around the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). The Bible actually indicates His birth was six months after John the Baptist, meaning Jesus then was most likely to have been conceived in Mary’s womb in December, and perhaps right on the Festival of Lights (Hanukkah). Light did come into the world that still shines against the darkness of our days.
Jesus fulfilled all that was anticipated of the Messiah. He is the Seed of the Woman born of a virgin. He is the Lamb of God that died for the sin of the world. He is that Star from Jacob. He is that precious Cornerstone of the Temple. He is the Branch of Righteousness.
But there is still one more thing. Jesus said He was going to return and fulfill the remaining Messianic prophesies and set up His Kingdom. It is what we pray regularly for, "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name, the kingdom come, thy will be done…"
Before this glorious Light shines in His new kingdom, as in every other time, it will get darker before the dawn. Evil will have its run! The Bible predicts a fierce leader will arise (Daniel 8), deceive many (1 Thessalonians 5), and establish a dark reign powered by technology to control all commerce (Revelation 13).
Many now wonder if we are approaching this era. Everything seems to be in place…except America. America stands in the way of the globalist dreams of the World Economic Forum and the elite billionaires of the world. Christianity appears to be in the way as well, because though we will be subject to Caesar, we must obey God first and will never bow to Caesar.
Perhaps America’s time for judgment is near. But God is merciful and there are many praying for His mercy. We know God hears those cries, so fear not!
Perhaps the time is coming soon in which the church, the salt of the earth and light of the world, will be removed and brought home to heaven. We know when that happens there will be no more restraining the rebellious evil of people who want to replace God. All hell will then break loose as the Great Tribulation will ensue (Revelation). Even so Lord come quickly!
As believers we know this world is not our ultimate destination. Even so we try to leave this world a better place for the next generation. And so in the meantime, let’s do our best to spread God’s terms of peace to a rebellious world: Jesus died and paid the debt of sin we all have so that those who believe in Him would not face the punishment of sin, which is eternal death. Call on His name, the long anticipated One, Jesus.