December 24

"Through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." Luke 1:78, 79.

WELL said David, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him; and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" He does this in a thousand ways, and each of us may acknowledge, with Job, "Thou hast granted me life and favor, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit." But what a visit is here. Twice does Zacharias, under different allusions, expressly mention it in his thanksgiving song. "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David." "Through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

Observe the image under which he views the coming of the Saviour: "The dayspring from on high." The springing of the day is produced, and only can be produced, by the rising of the sun. There is only one sun in nature, and there is only one Sun in grace. "And to them that fear my name," said God by the prophet Malachi, "shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings."

See the state in which he finds us: "Sitting in darkness and the shadow of death." Darkness is ignorance. Some ignorance is of little importance, but here we are destroyed for lack of knowledge. The darkness is connected with the shadow of death—a state of terror and danger and nearness to perdition, for the shadow cannot be far from the reality. It is not only vain, but injurious to deny the truth of this representation. Every thing concurs to prove it. And without the admission of it, Christianity must be needless, if not absurd.

But see the benefit he is designed to communicate: "To give light" to them that are in darkness and the shadow of death. Accordingly, his coming has shed a lustre upon every subject interesting to our duty and welfare; so that every individual under the gospel knows far more than all the heathen philosophers united, and also far more than the most illuminated among the Jews. Hence our Saviour turned unto his disciples, and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."

It is therefore called, not only "the true light," but "a great light." It has two properties. It is practiced. It is "to guide our feet." We were "sitting" before—inactive, like persons in the dark, and afraid to move; but when the light comes, we are set in motion. The doctrine of Christ is not a mere speculation. He that receives it feels an influence resembling that of the orb of day, which is vital as well as enlightening. He walks in the Spirit; in the fear of the Lord; in the truth. It is also blessed. It is to guide our feet "into the path of peace." There is something very pleasing in the word peace, as it intends reconciliation; and especially reconciliation with God. And God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. And being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. This peace is essential to every other blessing, and every other blessing is sure to follow it. The word, therefore, is often used for every kind of good and of happiness. It is finely expressed by the apostle, "We who have believed do enter into rest;" and yet more fully by David, "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. For thou art the glory of their strength, and in thy favor our horn shall be exalted."

But what is the source of all this blessedness? "The tender mercy of our God." As we are guilty and condemned creatures, every gift we enjoy must be from mercy. This is true of our daily and outward comforts, and therefore Jacob calls them all "mercies," and acknowledges that he is not worthy of the "least" of them. How true is it, then, that not by works of righteousness which we have done, but by his mercy he saved us. Neither are we to imagine that God was made merciful by the incarnation and sufferings of Christ. It is from injudicious representations of this kind that the enemies of the atonement are furnished with their strongest objection. In the Scripture we are told that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. What he requires he provides. He would not pardon Job's friends but through his intercession. But he prescribed his prayer with sacrifice for the very purpose, and accepted it. Thus we are "justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Let us bless God for this tender mercy. "God is the Lord, which has showed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar." Let us improve the advantages it has afforded us, and walk as children of the light. Let us pray that his way be made known on earth, and his saving health among all nations.