Looking to the Northern Lights as a picture of Christ’s First and Second Advent.

As a photographer, I’ve always wanted to photograph the Northern Lights, and by God’s grace, over the last several years I’ve had a few opportunities to see the Aurora Borealis firsthand.  But, even with my limited exposure to the atmospheric phenomena, one thing is clear – not all sightings are equal. Not even close.  Most recently, the Northern Lights made a rare appearance in our country’s southern skies, and it made me think of how the varying Aurora experiences I’ve had are a sort of allegory of Christ’s First and Second Advents.  As you enjoy the photos and reflection below, I pray it enriches your enjoyment of Christ’s First Advent this Christmas season, and heightens your anticipation for his Second Advent as the new year dawns! 

Subtle and Sublime

When the solar weather forecast predicted a significant Aurora event back in late October, I grabbed my cameras, a couple of tripods, and set out to a nearby spot overlooking the St Johns River and the iconic Dames Point Bridge. Perhaps in part caused by the unseasonably cold night, I was the only one at this location for the nearly two-hour show. As I snapped away, I captured the magenta glow and the pink sprites that danced from east to west along a wide swath of the Northern sky. It was breathtaking.    

Yet I was one of only a handful of people in our entire area who captured the rare display.  This photo spot is alongside a busy road. During those couple of hours, car after car, numbering in the hundreds, went zooming by, but none of them as much as slowed down to take in this epic atmospheric event. The vast majority of people – even those out and about during the light show, entirely missed it.  But why?  

It’s quite simple really.  They couldn’t see it.  To the naked eye it was all but invisible.  Even at the Aurora’s brightest intensity, which lasted only about fifteen minutes, all you could make out was an incredibly faint glow that was entirely unremarkable.  But through the camera’s lens, as you can see, it was an entirely different story. 

Troubled…ish

So too was Christ’s first coming.  For the vast majority of Judea – and for that matter, the whole world – the coming of the King of the Universe to dwell with His creation was a non-event.  And while the star that heralded Christ’s first advent got people talking, it seems that even among the Bible scholars of the day, there just wasn’t much persistent interest.

“1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:

6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

Matthew 2:1-6, NASB1995

Consider the account of Matthew.  There a strange star is in the sky, perhaps for a significant amount of time.  A group of foreign religious dignitaries show up in Jerusalem, and they’re inexplicably looking for a child born as the King of the Jews.  It’s the talk of the town – so much so that Herod hears about it and summons Israel’s own religious scholars and leaders to discern what all this means.  The passage describes the people of Jerusalem as “troubled” by the news.  This word, “troubled”, in the Greek, gives a vivid word picture of roiling water.  At least for a moment, this news was a big deal.

So too was the Aurora in Florida. Though there were precious few photos from the previous night’s display, it was the talk of social media the next morning. My photos were shared and reshared more than any other post our business has made this year. It was on the news, friends were talking about it – and many had hopes of seeing it again that night. When we headed out for church the following evening, even before the sun had set, I saw photographers setting up in the same spot I had been standing in the night before. But alas, the Aurora didn’t return to the South for that second night and within just a few days, talk of the Northern Lights would prove as illusive as the Aurora themselves. 

“7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.”

Matthew 2:7-12, NASB1995

I tend to think of short attention spans as a Twenty-First Century phenomena. And while there’s concrete evidence that our attention spans have drastically decreased in the past two decades, the account in Matthew 2 seems to prove that this isn’t merely a modern reality.  As we read on, we see that the Magi continue their pilgrimage to Bethlehem, just 5.6 miles away from Herod’s palace.  It’s a mere two hour walk; an easy day trip. You would think that being the talk of the town, many would have accompanied these strange regal visitors as they set out for Bethlehem, but the Scriptures are silent on this matter.  Though an argument from silence, Matthew was quick elsewhere in his account to highlight the crowds that followed Jesus, yet no crowds are mentioned here, at least suggesting that Jerusalem did not go out to Bethlehem en masse. 

“16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she refused to be comforted, Because they were no more.“

Matthew 2:16-18, NASB1995

It would seem then that just two parties in Jerusalem – both Gentiles in the eyes of the Jews – acted on their curiosity – only the wise men and Herod.  But, as we see, their interests could not have been further apart. The Magi came to worship, but Herod’s heart was set on destruction.  Yet, by God’s grace and good purposes, Jesus was spared, though many would suffer thanks to Herod’s murderous attempt at self-preservation.  And so, for the next 30 years, Jesus would live in relative anonymity. By the time Jesus began His earthly ministry, I imagine there were few in Jerusalem who recalled, let alone connected the dots, between that strange star in the sky all those years ago and this new itinerant rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth.   

Take-Your-Breath-Away Glory

“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.”

Psalm 19:1, NASB1995

On a cold September night in 2022, Bryn and I stood alongside a picturesque waterfall with our eyes transfixed on luminous green-gold ribbons of undulating light streaming across the night’s sky.  We were in Iceland – enjoying a Covid-delayed adventure for our 20th wedding anniversary.  It was the second night of our trip, and we chose to end the day at one of Iceland’s most iconic scenes along the rugged northern coast of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.  With the striated Kirkjufell mountain in the background and Kirkjufell falls in the foreground, we set up in hopes that we might get a glimpse of the Northern Lights.  The forecast wasn’t looking good, but as day turned to night and the last light faded away on the horizon, we began to see the faintest hint of bands of light appearing on our photos.  

At first, we weren’t sure what, if anything, we were seeing, but soon, there would be no mistaking it. For a solid two hours, the Northern Lights danced above our heads and all around us, in vibrant streams of neon-green glory.  Though the temperature had dropped to below freezing, it was the heavenly display that took our breath away.  It was unlike anything we had ever seen – an undeserved gift of God’s grace that beckoned us to worship. 

There was no missing this display.  Though the moon was almost full that night, its brightness was gloriously overshadowed by the Aurora display and the other-earthly green glow it cast on the rugged terrain that surrounded us.  As the display bloomed above us, droves of people came to witness and photograph the Northern Lights.  Tourists from all around the world – from China and Europe and the United States were all gathered together, beholding God’s creative glory on display.

Awe, Glory and Abject Terror

“29 “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

Matthew 24:29-31, NASB1995

So too, when Christ returns, there will be no mistaking His coming. The Scriptures paint a vivid and frankly terrifying picture of Christ’s return. For those who do not know Christ, His return will be doubly terrifying as their conscience convicts them of their pride and rebellion as they come face to face with the realities of God and His just judgment. No matter how staunch of an atheist or how devoutly religious, if Jesus is not the Lord of their life, the truth about God which they have suppressed all their lives (Romans 1:18f) will be inescapable and full of terror. Revelation 6:12-17 shares more vivid detail of this great day of the Lord.  Even the great men of the world, with all their illusions of power and might, will be reduced to cowering in caves and vainly wishing for death to save them from righteous wrath of the Lord.      

But in the account of Matthew, we see something beautiful as well – the Lord’s angels gathering up His elect from the whole earth – from every tribe, tongue, nation and people, as we read in Revelation 5:9.  How glorious that day will be for God’s people!  Yet, until that day comes, and especially now, in this Christmas season, with its family gatherings and work parties, holiday shopping and school performances, we will encounter those who do not yet know the Lord – those who, apart from God’s saving grace, will be among those who will stand condemned at God’s great day of judgment.  

“12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

Romans 10:12-15, NASB1995

And what of the nations?  According to The Joshua Project, 4,767 people groups representing 1.99 billion souls, have less than 1 believer per 1,000 people.  Most of these people – a quarter of the world’s population – left unreached, will live and die having never heard of the Savior of the World.  As Christians, we are all called to be ministers of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18f), appointed and equipped for the privilege of proclaiming the excellencies of Christ to a world lost in darkness (1 Peter 2:9).  So, whether we are reaching across the table or across the world, might the Lord’s certain-sure return be ever on our minds, both as a promise of the glory to come, and as an urgent goad to the work of Gospel proclamation near and far!

May the Lord be pleased to give us great joy and fervent mission this Christmas season as we rejoice in His first coming, joyfully anticipate His return, and seek by God’s grace and good pleasure to bring as many people into the Kingdom with us as possible. 

Want to see more? please feel free to pay a visit to our full Jacksonville Aurora gallery Here and our full Iceland Aurora Gallery Here.