"A STILL SMALL VOICE" (I Kings 19:12)
The Son of God comes today, with His compassion for humanity and His eternal love. Although we cannot stand and argue before God, because "He is just when He speaks and blameless when He judges." (Psalm 51:4), yet, in His love for us, He favored us by coming to us. Is this not the request of all humanity represented by the prophets, the saints, and the righteous in the Old Testament? In its lamentation and in its feeling of being expelled, lonely, and led astray, humanity has requested to meet with God face to face. Moses the prophet said, "Show me Your glory," (Exodus 33:18), and Job, the righteous said, "Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come to His seat," (Job 23:3) and he also said, "Look, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him. When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him. When he goes to the right hand, I cannot see Him." (Job 23:8-9).
Is this not the feeling of many these days? The Lord truly came, not in a vision or a dream, but He came, Incarnate, similar to us in all things except sin. The Lord came in the flesh on earth, amid all the people without anyone making the effort to find Him. The good news of His coming filled all the earth, although, "He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets." (Matthew 12:19) and (Isaiah 42:2). The Lord had "a still small voice" (I Kings 19:12) but all the people received His message and met with Him. However, not all human beings accepted His "still small voice!" To the Jews He came with the strong sound of a trumpet, and thunder and lightning and fire on the mountain, "Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth, He showed you the great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire," (Deuteronomy 4:36). But the human being was unable to fulfill the law given to him. The Gentiles received the news through the trumpet of prophecies and scourge, and again the human beings were unable to make the law "
written in their hearts," (Romans 2:15). With all this, Christ came, not to condemn but to save, for "
they shall come to the desire of all nations," (Haggai 1:15).
Although the human being did not justify himself before Him, God listened to the intercession of Abraham, "Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18:25). "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved," (John 3:17).
He came to us, but do we hear His "still small voice" within us? Or do we want to see a sign? The sign was given to us, for the Son of Man was in the heart of the earth for three days according to the prophecies (Matthew 12:40).
Job the righteous asked the Lord to teach him the path to righteousness saying, "Teach me what I do not see. If I have done iniquity, I will do no more," (Job 34:32). The Son of God came to teach and show humanity the path to righteousness that it had not previously known. He showed them the way to righteousness with Himself and with His life and not by words alone.
He is similar to us in all things except sin. So he who is perplexed, or feels lost or lonely or estranged, can now look upon Christ Who "
was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin," (Hebrews 4:15). He can have compassion for our weakness and give us His strength, and grant us from the abundance of His victories for our benefit.
He has condescended to the utmost, He was born in the humblest manner in the most difficult circumstances to carry the weakest being at all time and not leave behind Him any lost sheep but bring them back to the Fatherly bosom.
However painful the trials and difficulties may be today, in spite of the darkness in the world, the lions and the wolves, the One Who was with the three youths in the furnace is born today to be with you. The One who was with Daniel and shut the lions' mouths will also shut the mouths of those who talk of injustice. The Devil, "
who accused him before our God day and night has been cast down," (Revelation 12:10). The One who was with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob and saved them, has come to save us.
He is from the seed of Abraham: "And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed," (Acts 3:25). He is before him, "Most assuredly I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am," (John 8:58). He is, "
the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star," (Revelation 22:16). He is the last Adam who "
became a life giving spirit," (I Corinthians 15:45), raising the first Adam whom He had created.
At the time of the flood, humanity refused to know God, so the water covered the earth and God saved only Noah the righteous and the members of his household. Now, the earth is "
full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea," (Isaiah 11:9), for the Son of God came to save many and the earth is "
full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea," (Habakkuk 2:14).
In the old times, the Angels revealed the glory of God that fills the whole earth when He appeared in the flesh: "And one cried to another and said: 'Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.," (Isaiah 6:3). Today, the Angels confirm that the Newborn is glorified in the highest from eternity, "Glory to God in the highest!" (Luke 2:14).
The Angels sang at the creation of the earth, "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy," (Job 38:7). Now, when God comes to earth to renew the creation, the Angels also sing, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!" (Luke 2:14).
Copyright © 2008 Saint Antony Coptic Orthodox Monastery, California, U.S.A. The above article may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of Saint Antony Coptic Orthodox Monastery, California, U.S.A. |
