Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high – Luke 1:78
In the musical “Annie,” the orphan girl sings, “The sun’ll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there’ll be sun.” Sunrises are so dependable that it is difficult to imagine what the world would be like if the one scheduled for tomorrow didn’t happen. The first dawn was established by God in creation when He separated the light from the darkness (Genesis 1:3-5), although it was not until the fourth day that God created the sun, moon, and stars. From that time to this, atmospheric scientists can predict sunrises and sunsets with extreme accuracy, down to nanoseconds. The precise tilt of planet Earth, its rotational speed, and its consistent orbit around the Sun, all keep sunrises occurring each day, with exceptions for the polar regions.
Greater than that first dawn in creation was to be the dawning of God’s eternal Sunrise, Jesus. The temple priest Zechariah, husband of Elizabeth and father of John the Baptist, prophesied it in today’s verse. Continuing from today’s passage, Zechariah said this Sunrise “will visit us from on high, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide their feet into the way of peace.”
Today, Christians look forward to the Great Day of the Lord when Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, shall arise (Malachi 4:2). Jesus, who is today the Light of the World (John 8:12), shall one day be the only source of light forever (Revelation 21:23).
Earth’s solar star, the Sun, makes life on this planet possible. Similarly, without Jesus, spiritual life does not exist. The 19th Century pastor and evangelist, John Charles Ryle, wrote, “The world needs light, and is naturally in a dark condition. It is so in a moral and spiritual point of view.” He adds that the majority of people “neither see nor understand the value of their souls, or the true nature of God, nor the reality of a world to come.” Biblical expositor Bruce Barton reminds you that “Jesus is not merely a light or another light, he is the one and only true Light. As the Light, Jesus illumines the truth, gives people spiritual understanding, and reveals to us God himself and what he has done for us.”
The Son is out! His light is the life of men (John 1:4). You are either walking in His light or you are walking in darkness. Those are the only two options. 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). Make sure you have received the Light of Life before the next natural sunset takes place.
Today’s Verse: Luke 1:78
because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: 1 John 1:5-9
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
