We read in the prophecy of Isaiah that a watcher stands on the wall of Zion.
He is asked, “Watcher, what of the night” And the watcher answers: “The morning cometh, and it is still night!” The Sun of Righteousness is risen, and it is still night. That was the strange phenomenon in Israel, the Sun of righteousness was risen, and the light shone in the darkness, and the darkness had comprehended it not! Yet even while Israel remained in darkness, the light of the Sun of righteousness had penetrated into the land of the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were led by that light to seek the newborn King. They came to Jerusalem inquiring, “where is he that is born king of the Jews?” And Jerusalem answered: We know not! All Jerusalem was in confusion, until the scribes instructed them to go to Bethlehem in Judea, since there the Christ was to be born. But even though they could point out the way to the Gentiles, they themselves remained in their darkness. Why? Because they preferred the darkness rather than the light, since their works were evil.
These Gentiles went on their way and behold, the start that they had seen in the East went before them and stood above the place where the Child was. They rejoiced, therefore, with great joy, and went in to worship before Him. Thereupon they returned to their homes. And they never saw the star again. Yet why not? Because they had beheld the Sun of righteousness. And when they beheld Him, the light of that Sun flooded their souls in true and living faith. For that Sun of righteousness is far greater than that wondrous star that announces His arrival. He is the Son of God Who should come into this world. “For God so loved the world, that He sent His only begotten Son in the world, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
But the world we see round about us is the world of sin. That world we may not love, nor that which is in the world, for the world and its lusts will perish in, fire. But God loves the world which He has known and chosen from eternity. All men do not belong to that world of God’s love and eternal good pleasure. Soon there will be a separation. A separation between faith and unbelief, for he that believeth not is condemned already because he has not believed in the Son of God. But to those who believe He shall appear as the Lord of Glory, to proclaim to His sons and daughters,
Komt, Jehova’s lievelingen,
Jezus’ volk en arbeidsloon;
Komt, Jehova’s gunstelingen,
Werp voor ’t Lam uw eerekroon.
Eeuwig zult Gij Hem aanschouwen
In Zijn glans en op Zijn troon;
En, bevrijd van alle rouwe,
Dragen ’s hemel’s gloriekroon.