A Two Books Christmas Meditation on The Rising Sun and The Risen Son

While I am far from a morning person, as a landscape photographer, I’ve learned to be a student of the dawn – to scout for just the right spot in relation to the sun’s rising, to study the clouds to predict what type of sunrise we might (or might not) enjoy, and to search for just the right subject in the foreground to interact with the first light of the day.  On one equally early morning, while driving our family from Virginia to New Hampshire for Christmas, I began to think about how the dawn mirrors the redemptive arc of the Scriptures, from the pre-dawn prophetic hints of a Messiah to come, to the dawn of the incarnation, to the culmination of all things, where shadow and sin will be forever vanquished from creation.

“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.“

John 1:4-5 NASB 1995

Indeed, this idea of the beauties of creation pointing to glorious spiritual realities is nothing new.  Nearly 300 years ago, in 1725, theologian Jonathan Edwards pointed to this same blessed perspective on creation, writing, “As to the corporeal world, though there are many other sorts of consents, yet the sweetest and most charming beauty of it is its resemblance of spiritual beauties.”  In the hustle and bustle, the stresses, sorrows, joys and pleasures of this Christmas season, might this picture of the dawn as an allegory of the Coming One, be a sweet reminder of the beauty and glory of the Gospel gift of Christ incarnate.

A Hint of Glory

Years ago, on a particularly cold winter morning along the New Hampshire coast, I set out in the early pre-dawn hours to capture a beautiful phenomena called sea smoke – caused when extremely cold air interacts with relatively warm ocean waters, creating wispy tendrils of water vapor that rise from the waves, creating a breathtaking vista.  And there I was, in far less clothing than I should have been in, going in and out of our Ford Freestyle to tend to my cameras, only to retreat back into the car when the stinging cold became unbearable.  Yet, as darkness gave way to the first glimpses of color in the sky, with accents of deep purples and pinks streaking across the deep blue sky, the promise of the sun’s warming presence was almost palpable.  

“The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them. You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness of harvest… For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.“

Isaiah 9:2-3, 6-7 NASB 1995

For thousands of years before Christ came to dwell with His people, in the bitter cold darkness of this pre-incarnate world, saints of old were pointed to One who would come.  Though at first faint and at times fleeting, the growing brush strokes of predawn color pointed to a King to come, Emmanuel, who would rescue His people.  And just like the first hint of light on the horizon marks the certain-sure promise of the dawn, so these growing glimpses of Christ were comfort and solace to the saints of old, a distant but growing glow of the coming King.

The Glorious Dawn

As I was sitting in the car, waiting for the coming dawn, the deep blues, pinks and purples were pushed to the margins as a field of golden orange hues took their place.  Faint and pale at first, the colors soon took on vibrance and depth as the sun approached the horizon.  Soon, the distant fogbank was adorned by an intense white ribbon of light, outlining the cloud formation.  And then, in an instant, the silvery-gold sliver of the sun broke above the line, completely transforming the scene.  With the increased light, the ghostly whisps of sea smoke became more visible and prolific, energized by the sun’s radiant glory.  The entire scene, dense with water vapor, took on an surreal orange hue, beautifully reflected in coastal waters of the Atlantic and though the temperature barely wavered, with the sun came a sense of penetrating warmth. 

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

Luke 2:10-14 NASB 1995

And so Christ came into the world, the crescendo of His coming heralded by angels and marveled at by lowly shepherd and honored wise men alike.  Bursting forth on His creation as the light of the world – the King of the Universe came to us in the form of a humble, utterly dependent baby – our Infant King.  From the beginning it was clear things were forever changed.

Shadowy Fingers of Darkness

Minute by minute, the sun rose over the bucolic scene, the full orb of its glory now above the distant fog.  As night became day, the murky blanket of uniform darkness gave way to the long shadows of morning – the illuminated, shimmering landscape lacerated by clawing fingers of lingering, persistent darkness.  Looking out over the water, Whaleback Light, partially encapsulated by the sea smoke, cast a strong shadow over the water for hundreds of yards, standing as it were, in defiance of the light, resisting the warming rays of the sun.  Indeed, as the sun rose further, and the filtering effects of the horizon were diminished, the warm orange-red light of the sun became a fiery white orb, intense and unrelenting in its brightness.  To see the camera, I had to shield my view – I could no longer look through the viewfinder lest I risk blindness. Nonetheless, minute after minute, the sun rose, the air warmed, and the scene around me came alive with a cacophony of wildlife embracing the sun’s warming touch. 

“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

John 3:19-21 NASB 1995

So, what did men make of this light of Christ’s incarnation?  Just as the rising sun sheds light on the contrast between light and shadow, so too did the arrival of Jesus drew a clear and irrevocable distinction between light and darkness.  We see this clearly in how King Herod responded to the news.  With brutal jealousy and conniving deceit, he would, if able, snuff out the light – and in so doing, slaughtered all of Bethlehem’s boys two and younger in a vain attempt to destroy the incarnate King.  Yet by stark contrast, it pleased God to reveal the beauty of Christ’s advent to stereotypically dirty and unworthy shepherds – heralding good news of great joy. Despite the shepherd’s station, their response was not rivalry but revelry, as they beheld the glory of God incarnate. 

As Christ’s earthly ministry gained momentum – as the light of His Gospel continued to rise, illuminating the terrain and sharpening the shadows – it became clear that the darkness Christ had come to defeat was not primarily something outside, but the dark, shadow-producing heart within.  The people’s greatest enemy was not Rome, it was not their difficult neighbor, but their own impenitent hearts.  As the blinding light of Christ’s purity illuminated this reality, the natural response was to turn away, to face the shadows and seek the concealing comfort and familiarity of the darkness.  

What proved more alarming still, was that the shadows we produce don’t simply flow from hearts that are prone to outward sinning – adultery, murder and the like – but flow from a heart that loves other things more than God – even if those things look outwardly good.  And so the religious leaders of the day, adorned with their good works and holy living found themselves blinded by Christ’s light too, their seemingly good works shown to be the shadow of self-glorifying idolatry masquerading as outward righteousness.  The religious leaders would not tolerate such light, and so they crucified the Lord of Glory, seeking to save their own skin.  Yet it was by Christ’s very skin – His body and blood poured out for us – that would once and for all, through the gift of faith by grace, purchase for God a people freed from the clawing fingers of darkness from within – their heart’s transformed to love, enjoy and treasure the light – with the very light of God, through the indwelling Holy Spirit – radiating out from within us!  Indeed, one day soon, we shall be able to behold this light without filter or averted eyes, in all its transcendent glory, in a land free from all vestiges of darkness or sin forevermore!   

“And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever”.

Revelation 22:5 NASB 1995

Some two thousand years gone by, we too are presented with a choice.  What will we make of this bright morning star (Revelation 22:16)?  When you experience the light of the Gospel – and in its blinding glory see the shadow’s scar of sin that flows from within – what do you do?  Do you retreat to the comfortable embrace of sin’s shadows, fleeing from the light of Christ, or do you turn around and embrace the warming rays of the Son in all his glory, ravished by the rays of His kindness and mercy toward you? 

May this Christmas be marked by the light of Christ – the glory of God incarnate, the Author of Life who came to earth as a lowly infant boy.  May the glorious light of His Gospel be our love, joy, hope and peace as this Advent season comes to an end!