In Advent, we wait in the dark for the One who lights up the world.
***
‘God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.’ (1 John 1:5)
‘What fellowship has light with darkness?’ (2 Cor. 6:14)
‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.’ (Gen. 1:1-3)
‘Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.’ (Ps. 119:105)
‘And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.’ (Exodus 13:21)
‘Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp, that a light may be kept burning regularly.’ (Lev. 24:2)
‘But when I hoped for good, evil came, and when I waited for light, darkness came.’ (Job 30:26)
‘There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”’ (Ps. 4:6)
‘For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.’ (Ps. 56:13)
‘If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.’ (John 11:9-10)
‘The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.’ (John 12:35)
‘The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.’ (Isa. 9:2)
‘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…. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.’ (John 1:4-5, 9)
‘The poor man and the oppressor meet together; the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.’ (Prov. 29:13)
‘“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.’ (Isa. 58:6-10)
‘And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”’ (Luke 4:16-19)
‘And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.’ (John 3:19-21)
‘“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”’ (Luke 2:29-32)
‘For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.’ (2 Cor. 12:46)
‘And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.’ (Matt. 17:2)
‘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)
‘At one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.’ (Eph. 5:8)
‘You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.’ (Matt. 5:14)
‘The darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.’ (1 John 2:8)
‘Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light, as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him. Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?’ (Amos 5:18-20)
‘But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.’ (2 Pet. 3:10)
‘Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.’ (1 John 2:9)
‘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.’ (1 John 1:7)
‘Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.’ (Isaiah 60:20)
‘And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.’ (Rev. 21:22-25)
‘They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.’ (Rev. 22:4-5)
‘Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.’ (Isa. 60:1)
