The night was holy because the baby was holy.
Holy
It’s one of those church words. Most of us have learned that it means “separate or set apart.” There are other definitions, “sinless purity, blameless, faultless, unblemished, perfect.”
While all these definitions are true, none of these words are enough. None of these words individually hold the awe and reverence and worship due to the Holy Savior that came as an infant and made the night holy.
Just for a second, let’s leave the holy night on Earth and take a gander at the holy dwelling place that the holy Savior left to come down to Earth.
There are a couple places in the Word that give us a dim glimpse of the holiness in the throne room of Heaven. (Why don’t you whip out your Bible and give Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4-5 a read. I’ll wait right here)
I say “dim glimpse” because Isaiah and John both see something so supernatural, so holy, so awe inspiring that they fall on their faces in full knowledge of their unholiness and later, after their experiences in Heaven, they try to use earthly words to describe a non-earthly, supernatural place.
In Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4-5, they use phrases that describe God as One who looked like jasper and carnelian stone. He was seated on the throne which looked like an emerald with a rainbow surrounding it and had a sea of glass similar to crystal in front of it.
They describe Jesus like a slaughtered lamb with seven horns and seven eyes who was standing between the throne and four living creatures and the elders.
Let’s chat about those four living creatures and the elders for a hot second. The living creatures sound like something straight out of a modern-day sci-fi movie. One looked like a lion, another like a calf, anther like a man and another like a flying eagle. They had six wings with which they covered their faces and their feet. Their bodies and their six wings were covered in eyes. There were 24 elders were constantly falling down and throwing their crowns in worship at the feet of the One on the throne and the Lamb. They worshipped (and still do) in reverence and holy fear and proclaimed….
“Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts; His glory fills the whole earth” Isaiah 6:3
“Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty who was, who is and who is coming” Rev 4:8
“Blessing and honor and glory and dominion to the One seated on the throne and to the Lamb, forever and ever! Amen! Rev 5:13
The Holy One in His Holy Dwelling place…..worshipped for all Eternity in awe and wonder
So it begs the question,
Why would Jesus leave this place where He is eternally worshipped in His awesome Holiness?
Well, the Christmas carol, “O Holy Night” helps us….
Holy Jesus left the Holy Heaven to come to the unholy Earth because we “long lay in sin and error pining”
He left His Holy dwelling place and came here because ever since Adam and Eve listened to the Enemy twisting and misquoting the words of God….ever since they made (and we continue to make) the choice to try and be like God, we have all been stuck in sin and error.
God made a way for us to become unstuck.
And when the Holy Savior came as an infant on a night made holy by Him, He brought “a thrill of hope to the weary world”
Are you weary?
I’m not talking about the “holiday season weary”. The “there is too much to do in life and mama needs a nap” weary.
I’m talking about the soul weariness that comes from trying to be everything to everyone
I’m talking about the soul weariness that comes from striving. Striving to be “perfect”. Striving to look right, act right, live right, be right.
I’m talking about the soul weariness from the addiction we can’t beat, the obsession we can’t stop worshiping.
I’m talking about the soul weariness from, out of our own pride and power, trying to understand and fix a fallen world that refuses to stop living in a sinful state.
I’m talking about the soul weariness that comes from the reality that we really are weak and fallen even when we spend countless hours, time and energy trying to fool ourselves into believing otherwise.
Our world is weary because so many of us, including those of us who call Jesus our Lord, have missed the holiness of the night, the holiness of the Savior and the hope that He brings us here and now on this Earth.
This Christmas carol reminds us-
“He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger”
“Chains shall He break….and in His name, all oppression shall cease”
“He appears and the soul feels it’s worth”
Because Jesus came to Earth, we can experience “the thrill of hope to the weary world”
So what is our response to this Holy Savior who came and made this night holy?
Again, the carol helps us.
“Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices”
“Let all within us Praise His Holy name”
“Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever”
The night was holy because the baby was holy
“His power and glory, may we evermore proclaim!”
A Beautiful Mess 