“And the light shineth in darkness; and darkness comprehended it not.” John 1:5 KJV
This verse is part of the description John gave us in his explanation of the marvelous mystery of Jesus Christ.
Let’s back this train up and check out the proceeding verses.
John 1:1-5 NKJV: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
What exactly is that comprehension?
I always love to add a precise meaning, because every single word in the Bible is intentional and the choice of the usage of that particular word is often key in understanding what God would have us to glean from that scripture.
So even though we do often know the meaning of a word, it’s helpful to also check the other possibilities.
One meaning of comprehend is this: “To take in the meaning, nature, or importance of, or to grasp” that is according to our internet dictionary.
The light that shined so gloriously and the darkness did not even notice its arrival, much less that it was there.
You know, I can’t possibly do a Christmas post without the Shepherd story, I have many a Christmas post and I appreciate your tolerance of my Christmas “reruns”, to me, it’s like decorations, we only see them for a very short season, once a year and if someone new is seeing them for the first time, well, that justifies the rerun:).
Let’s get to the most glorious announcement ever to be heard by human ear, as an angel from heaven itself proclaimed the arrival of The King
as the arrival of a King must be proclaimed, even if the King choses his arrival to be as a newborn baby boy in a stable lowly and sure.
Oh, I love this story! I could literally stand and quote verbatim with as much joy and excitement in my own soul as the first time I ever read it.
Luke 2:1-20: ” And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David.)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room from them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord appeared shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
And all that heard it wondered at those things told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying, and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”
Oh, can you imagine! The shepherds ran, they went as fast as they could possibly go, to see the wonder of heaven touching earth, as proclaimed by angelic voices praising the eternal King and his glorious, glorious light that shone down, that glorious light that shone about the angel, that magnificent star that would later lead the wise men.
Jesus in his radiant light and He is that light, as He himself said.
John 8;12: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
Our world is so incredibly dark, as God sent Jesus into this world and his wonderous birth was unknown to those of high estate that night and was proclaimed to those whom God himself had chosen to be the messengers of the greatest news in human history.
Shepherds, shepherds, who were doing their jobs, being diligent, caring for those flocks, watching over them at night.
Those he chose, obedient, and diligent, and faithful as they went forth proclaiming the good news of the miraculous birth.
As in our time today, that wonderous, glorious news was and is sent to all, but now rejected by so many, as their darkened hearts cannot even comprehend the truth of the Gospel.
The wickedness of our present world would shame Sodom, we have gone beyond all rhyme or reason, we have entered into the realm of lunacy with our laws and actions, rejecting the Saviour, rejecting the light, fulfilling this verse.
John 3:19: ” And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.”
But as those shepherds had that good news to proclaim, we today also still have some awesome news to be shared.
That light has not dimmed, that light has not lost one lumen, and that light shall never be extinguished, it is not man-made, nor will the actions of men ever have bearing upon its brilliancy.
We know that those who do not desire the light, those wish to destroy it, as they have longed to destroy Israel, and hate and persecute those who love the light, and shine themselves, as the lights Jesus left them to be on this earth, we know that they do not comprehend the eternal weight of that hatred and rejection, but we must also rejoice in the truth that their hatred and rejection will never prevent that glorious revelation of the true magnificent of his light yet to be shone,
As the wise men came from the east to behold the King, we have this proclamation concerning the day in which all will behold Him, in His glory,
Matthew 24:27: “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
That glorious light will burn brighter than ever and that light will destroy once and for all the oppressive darkness.
2 Thessalonians 2:8: “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.”
Revelation 21:23: “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”
Now that is some good news and that is simply glorious, as it shall be!
Blessings to you and yours, have a blessed holiday season and may that glorious light shine upon you!
Φλογιζω NBJ 2022/ Rev N. Brown Johnson
Φλογιζω SOUL FOCUS 