It's interesting to see how God used light to reveal Jesus when He was born--by a star.
The wise men who came from somewhere in the east had an understanding that this unusual Star meant that the King of the Jews had been born (Matthew 2:1-11). In obedience to that revelation (prepared hearts!), they kept at their quest to find this baby King until that same star actually led them to the very spot. I love how God uses the symbolism of darkness and light here--stars don't shine during the day. It was in the darkness that the wise men found Jesus.
Centuries before, a prophet named Balaam had actually called the coming Messiah a Star:
"I see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not near;
A Star shall come out of Jacob;
A Scepter shall rise out Israel...
Out of Jacob One shall have dominion."
(Numbers 24:17, 19)
And the apostle Peter, writing years after Jesus' resurrection, uses the same symbolism to call us to the Light of Christ:
"And so we have the prophetic word confirmed,
which you do well to heed
as a light that shines in a dark place,
until the day dawns and the
morning star rises in your hearts..."
(II Peter 1:19)
You know, I had never thought about the fact that Jesus was the light that came into the darkness right from his birth! When you mentioned that stars don't shine in the night time, I was thinking, "Yes, she's right!" :)
ReplyDeleteThis was a good reflection that I enjoyed reading.