The Sixth Hope, The Hope for Light

O come, O Bright and Morning Star,

and bring us comfort from afar!

Dispel the shadows of the night

and turn our darkness into light.

The winds often blow in Nebraska after a snowfall. The clouds move quickly overhead even in the dark. Suddenly, the clouds break, and the light of a full moon breaks through, chasing the darkness away as it dances on the freshly fallen snow. In the Midwestern United States, December boasts about 15 hours of darkness on the winter solstice. Darkness exists because of the absence of light. When light is present, even the darkest darkness is defeated. We prepare for Advent and celebrate the coming of the true light of the world (John 8:12) during the darkest time of the year. Stanza six of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel becomes our anthem cry: "Dispel the shadows of the night and turn our darkness into light."

Jesus comes to us as the "bright morning star." A morning star is a star that outshines all the others, bright enough to outshine all others. and Jesus is the One who is called "bright." Satan was a morning star. Jesus, as God in human flesh, the Lord of the universe, fully God and fully man is the holiest and mightiest "light" in all the universe. Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness that the darkness cannot overcome (John 1:4). Jesus alone is our hope for light and the one who overcome our darkness and fears.

Why did God send the Bright Morning Star as a baby born in a cold, damp, dark stable? The consensus is that in complete darkness, the human eye can recognize the light of a candle from over 1.5 miles away. In darkness, the appearance of light is more clearly seen and understood. In our cold and damp personal darkness—our pain, our fear, our depression, our hopelessness we hope for a rescue; we hope for light. We long for God to break through from heaven, be the mightiest, brightest light, and bring us real life. "In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:4-5, CSB).

God has planned that the coming of the Messiah, the Savior, the coming prophet-priest-king, would fulfill our hope for light. Moses first spoke of the coming of the Bright Morningstar, "I see him, but not now; I perceive him, but not near. A star will come from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel" (Numbers 24:17, CSB). Peter affirms the arrival of the one who was not near, but now has come. "We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts" (2 Peter 1:19).

Human rebellion—human sin—cast all of creation into the darkness of separation from God. Wars, disasters, crises, famine, disease, the murdered, the homeless, the refugee, the used, the abused, the forgotten, and the cast aside remind us that where human rebellion—human sin—reigns, we find a crossroads between those clinging to the darkness and others who are desperate for rescue, who hope for light. "The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name" (John 1:9-12, CSB).

As our preparation for Advent ends and we celebrate the fulfillment of hope in Jesus, we still look forward to the hope of light filled-full. The story is written, God gives us a glance into the future that is certain. The darkness will not win. In Jesus our victory is secure. A time is coming, it's not right now, but we can see it; the time is near when "Night will be no more; people will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light, and they will reign forever and ever" (Revelation 22:5).

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness. You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before you as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils. For you have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as you did on the day of Midian. For every trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this" (Isaiah 9:2-7, CSB).

Refrain:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to you, O Israel.