Afraid of the Dark

As a child, I was terribly afraid of the dark. We had nightlights all over the house—in my bedroom, the hallway, the bathroom, and even the kitchen. If there was a dark place in the house, I didn’t want to be there. In fact, I can remember running on my tiptoes from my bedroom to the bathroom to avoid the shadows. The darkness was scary for me, but I had no idea how dark it could really get.

One time I spent the night at a friend’s house, and I got a glimpse of actual darkness. Instead of nightlights everywhere, his room was pitch dark. The living room was faintly lit with some moonlight and the reflection of streetlights in the distance. Yet, for my childlike mind, it was darkness that I could feel. And it was terrifying.

Pervasive Darkness

Throughout the Bible, we encounter deep darkness. In the opening pages of Scripture, darkness is over the face of the deep (Gen. 1:2). Though we don’t see the word “darkness” in Genesis 3, death and deep darkness entered the world when Adam and Eve chose to follow the serpent’s suggestion and eat the forbidden fruit. Sin entered the world, and death soon followed. The shadow of death loomed over humanity and all creation.

As we move throughout the storyline of the Bible, we see darkness engulf Pharaoh and the Egyptians when God brought his judgment against that evil nation (Ex.10:21-22). In the Psalms, we learn that “Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High” (Ps.107:10-11). Throughout the prophets, we read that the LORD’s judgment and wrath will be days of gloom and great darkness (Isa. 8:22; Lam. 3:2; Ezek. 32:8; Joel 2:2; Amos 5:20; Nah. 1:8; Zeph. 1:15).

By the time we get to the New Testament, we are exhausted by the continual effects of sin. Sin itself darkens the soul. The judgment of sin promises to bring us into deep darkness. Worse yet, we see this darkness creep into our lives and our stories—not just in the past, either. Presently, we see darkness pressing in upon our own lives and the lives of those we love. It’s in the news, movies, music, and even our own hearts. 

Light in the Darkness

Over the years, I’ve come to really love the Gospel of John, and one of its most prevalent themes is the battle between darkness and light. In the opening sentences, we read these powerful words:

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5).

We can’t miss it. Christ entered a dark world. Not the inner-city darkness that fills a room with faint beams of streetlights and occasional headlights flashing as vehicles pass. Not the darkness of a room littered with tech devices and their tiny but bright LED lights. No, we are talking about a cloudy, moonless night in the middle of nowhere. No streetlights. No moonlight. No stars. No cars. Just darkness. Darkness that you can feel. 

Jesus entered the darkness caused by centuries of sin. He came as the life-giving light who would light up the world. He wasn’t a flashlight shining in a dark field. He didn’t come as a floodlight bringing attention to anyone nearby. He wasn’t a streetlight on the corner illuminating enough of the road for you to find your way around. He came like the beaming sun, with its ruby and salmon-colored streaks illuminating the entire night sky with glorious light.

What Sort of Light?

Jesus is the radiance of God’s great glory. If you’ve ever seen a bright light in the night sky, you’ll see beams of light spreading in every direction. That’s radiance! Jesus radiated the glory of God throughout his whole earthly ministry. In one sense, he had no majesty and beauty (Isa. 53:2), and yet his divine power couldn’t be hidden. For those who had eyes to see, the glory of God that made Moses beam with brightness was among them! His teaching, his miracles, his discipleship, his suffering and passion, and his resurrection all radiated the glory of the eternal Son of God.

Jesus has life in himself. In The Incarnation in the Gospels, Richard Phillips writes, “All life is in Christ, including physical or biological life, but John is especially referring to spiritual life. The expression he often uses is eternal life” (150). In other words, Jesus gives life to all living creatures in the biological sense, but his incarnation centered on bringing spiritual life. He came to bring eternal life that we experience now and forever. When the Light came into the world, he brought life to all who would trust in him.

Jesus has never been overcome by those who didn’t comprehend him or his mission. Jesus entered this dark world, and the darkness tried to grasp him but couldn’t. In a metaphorical sense, this world couldn’t comprehend who he was or what he came to do. In a physical sense, the world couldn’t stop him. They could abuse him, mistreat him, falsely accuse him, and even kill him. But he wouldn’t stay in the grave for very long. In the words of Christian rapper Shai Linne, “He must have been hot or slippery because death couldn’t hold Him.” The strongest death grip couldn’t overcome the Light of the world.

Advent is All About Light

We celebrate Advent because we are excited about the arrival of Light. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). We all walk in darkness without Christ. We live in a dark world, and we need Christ to shine his light to reveal the truth of our sinfulness and God’s grace. We also have darkness in us, and we need the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). We need the Spirit to illuminate our souls and give us knowledge of the Savior.

For those of us who have seen the Light, Advent is a time of sober remembrance. We are reminded of the darkness that once resided in us. We lived in the valley of the shadow of death without even realizing it. But the goodness and lovingkindness of God showed up! As a candle can fully light a dark room, so the light of Christ can illuminate our hearts with a vision of God that transforms our lives.

But the Light we celebrate at Advent is far brighter than a mere candle. The Light we know is so bright, we will one day need no sun because the glory of God will light up all eternity forever. What a glorious Light we will see! What joyous days we will live when all darkness is eradicated from the entire universe!

There are many people still blinded by the god of this world, and Advent is a time for them to have their eyes opened. As Jesus opened blind eyes during his earthly ministry, he’s still in the business of giving sight to the blind. He does it through his Word and by the power of his Holy Spirit. Through the witness of his people, our friends, family, and neighbors can see the Light of Christ shine. As you see the Light of Christ, let your light shine. In Christ, you are the light of the world (Matt. 5:14-16). Let your light shine so people can see the Light of the world.