THE END OF THE LONG SILENT NIGHT

Lk.2:10-12 – And so 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.

There had been four hundred years of utter silence for the people of Israel. In times past the Lord had always raised up prophets to inspire and correct the people of God but for the last four centuries nothing but silence. The silence was suddenly broken on that holy, silent night. A literal army of angels suddenly appeared breaking the long, long silence with the greatest of all proclamations. The fulfillment of all the words of the prophets had come, the Savior, the promised Messiah had been born. That’s the way it seems to be with the Lord, it may feel like a long dark silent night and then His glory breaks on the scene. Christ had come and the silence was over. Here is how Edwin Sandys describes this moment.

“His birth, foretold so long ago by the heavenly prophet [Isaiah], was in fullness of time accomplished, as this day, in Bethlehem, a city of David, according to the testimony of that angel sent from heaven to proclaim the birth of the Son of God at the same time….This is the Child who is born for us, the Son who is given for our cause, the King whose rule is on his shoulders, whose name is Marvelous, the Giver of Counsel, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace; the same Messiah who was foreshadowed in the ceremonies and sacrifices of old, who was prefigured in the law, and is presented in the gospel and has been proved to the world by signs and wonders, by so clear evidence as cannot be either dissembled or denied. Let us therefore embrace this babe with joy, let us kiss the Son, let us, with the angels of heaven, praise the Lord; let us sing their psalm to the honor of his name, “Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace.”

Sometimes it feels like one of those dark, silent nights for all of us. The promises the Lord has made to us may seem like memories of a life long ago. But then, in the fullness of time, the light breaks in through the darkness, His promises begin to be fulfilled as God’s silence is broken. Maybe that’s where America is this Christmas of 2023. For me, the silent dark night has already given way to His light and glory, I believe your silent night is coming to an end as well.