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hristmas—that outrageous season of tinsel, gift-wrapping, parties, cheesy movies and far too much chocolate; a time where the normal rules of life don’t seem to apply! Families gather, children lose themselves in the excitement, and we grieve those who are no longer here to celebrate with us. For Christians, it is more than just fun and togetherness. Our minds go to a young couple—a virgin and a carpenter—and a stable in Bethlehem where the young bride has just given birth to the Saviour of the World. We rejoice with the angels who declare “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests” (LUKE 2:14). But the real story of Christmas begins long before Bethlehem. In fact, it begins at the very beginning of time. The story of the birth of our Saviour begins the moment we first needed to be saved . . . way back in the opening pages of God’s Word. Almost as soon as the serpent tempted our first parents to sin, God made a promise:
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. GENESIS 3:15 From that moment, the coming of a Saviour became the central storyline in human history; and the overriding theme of God’s Word. When God chose Abraham to be the father of His nation, He promised that through him “all nations on earth will be blessed” (GENESIS 22:18). How would they be blessed? By the birth and atoning death of Jesus; Abraham’s distant descendant. And so begins a long series of snapshots of the coming Saviour. In the story of Isaac, we catch a glimpse of a substitute; one who will be sacrificed on behalf of another. At Passover, we see that an innocent lamb makes a way of deliverance for God’s enslaved people. In Aaron’s priesthood, we find that humanity needs a mediator; a go-between to stand in the gap between us and God. Through Moses, God promised a coming Prophet who would speak and act on behalf of God. When we get to the Bible’s history books, we meet Joshua; the humble but valiant man who led God’s people into the Promised Land. He conquers
enemies and grants a permanent inheritance to every household in Israel; another foreshadowing of Jesus. He is followed by a series of judges; deliverers who save the people from oppression again and again. The highpoint of the Old Testament is undoubtedly the reign of King David. And once again, there is a promise of a coming King—One who will reign forever in perfect justice and equity; the Son of David. Entering the wisdom books, we meet Job, the ultimate man of faith who never doubted God’s good character despite his indescribable suffering. He made a profound statement about Jesus thousands of years before that first Christmas:
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes— I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! JOB 19:25-27 The Psalms are full of references to Jesus’ coming: the King, the Shepherd, the Son of God, the Saviour. He is the Wisdom in Proverbs and the embodiment of true love in the Song of Solomon. The Prophetic books are bursting with references to the coming Messiah; but perhaps the richest ones are found in Isaiah:
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned . . . For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. ISAIAH 9:2, 6-7
The people walking in darkness finally see the dawning of Light! We all know the world can be a dark place. But on that first Christmas, Jesus appeared as the Light of the World! It was the dawn of a new day; a day of salvation from darkness, emptiness and sin. Heaven gave a Son—the very Son of God—so that we could be saved. The Child that was born is the Messiah, the eternal King, the Prince of Peace! Wherever He goes, He brings light. The opening pages of the New Testament retell the story that we’ve come to know so well; so well, in fact, that it is easy to miss the magnitude of the miracle! Jesus is not a man who became God; that is impossible. He is God who became man! The very God of creation born into the deep darkness of our world. This year, the events of this world have made it feel more bleak and hopeless than ever. But light shines brightest in the dark. When things are at their very worst, that’s when the hope that Jesus brings has the most powerful impact. As we take our journey to the heart of Christmas, we are going to meet some of the familiar characters in the story. Seeing the events through each of their eyes will help us to see the wonder and beauty of Christmas from their perspective. Our hope is that the light He brings will shine brighter and brighter in our own lives; so that others will see it and know that He really is the Saviour of the world.