Human history, since the fall, has been shrouded in the darkness of human sin, and all that causes hopelessness and despair is a result of the same. So let us be reminded that our God is light, and that his eternal plan is the accomplishment of redemption to the glorification of the name of Christ as we are ushered into the culmination of all things and bathed in the glorious light of his presence forevermore. God’s plans and purposes have not changed, and they cannot be thwarted. Christmas is a reminder of God’s omnipotent power in accomplishing his purposes in his own way and in his own time. 

As December gives way to January and the nights become longer, a new year looms. The specter of war, economic stagnation, and a new political cycle portend hardship and difficulty disconsonant with the supposed season of joy. Words of joy and cheer are uttered from hearts filled with “Bah humbug.” As God’s people gather to celebrate the glorious incarnation of our sovereign Lord, we are looking for joy, peace, hope, and more. We are looking for light in the midst of personal and civic darkness, and we need the reminder that the darkness has not and will not overcome the light. Creation begins with light (Gen. 1:3), and light is an essential ingredient in the history of the cosmos. In fact, all of human history can be explained through the lens of light and darkness, and in the midst of our very real darkness, what we need is a fresh glimpse of the light. Lean in and see.

In the beginning, God spoke the heavens and the earth into existence. At the center of God’s creative masterpiece, he fashioned human beings—male and female—in his image and likeness. God planted them in a glorious garden sanctuary where they were to extend the dominion of God over the whole earth (Gen. 1:28). Perfect peace—the rest of God—pervaded the glorious visage as Adam and Eve had everything they could ever want or need (Gen. 2:8). All that was required was obedience to the good commands of God (Gen. 2:15–17).

In spite of God’s gracious provision, temptation came upon Eve through the lips of a serpent, and Adam and Eve rejected God’s authority, God’s goodness, and God’s loving fellowship (Gen. 3:1–7). The penalty for such transgression was death, and God passed judgment on the man and woman and cursed the serpent (Gen. 3:14–19). Darkness came upon the world as humanity plunged into slavery to sin and death. Work became toil, and the excitement of birth and new life was tinged with pain and suffering. To this very day, all of our hardships are connected to the fall of our forefather Adam as humanity continues in his footsteps, walking as inheritors and participants in his rebellion—extending the dominion of darkness rather than the dominion of God (Rom. 5:18).

From the midst of this sin-cursed gloom, a glorious note of promise rang out, reverberating through the chorus of human history. The serpent’s temptation would not be the final word, for God promised that through the seed of the woman a redeemer would come. God would provide a man to crush the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). The light would shine out of the darkness, and the darkness would never overcome it (John 1:5).

As human history rolled on, the curse rolled on and darkness pervaded. Humanity gave way to barbarism (Gen. 6:11), which brought God’s judgment through the waters of the flood. Seeking to usurp God’s throne, humanity was cast into lingual chaos (Gen. 11:1–9).

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