Beginning with the creation of the world, in God's view, morning follows evening. How different this is than the manner in which the world looks at night and day. The night is the world's time to rejoice and revel in wickedness. They love the darkness and hate the light, lest it expose their evil deeds (John 3:18-21). The world's sorrow comes in the morning, when they must face the consequences of a night full of sin. As morning always follows night, so in the world, sorrow always follows sin. But for the Christian, the rising of the sun is a reminder of the mercies and covenant faithfulness of God (Lam 3:22-23, Ps 143:8). We are told that His going forth is as certain as the dawn (Hos 6:3).
Jesus' words to His sorrowful disciples in John 16:16-22 speak of a time coming where they would rejoice. There is a three-fold manner in which this was fulfilled in His death and resurrection, in the coming of the Spirit, and in His final return on the last day which will usher in everlasting joy.
For those who are in Christ, daylight always follows night, light follows darkness, laughter follows weeping, dancing follows mourning, reaping follows sowing, joy follows sorrow, resurrection follows death, Pentecost follows Passover, and morning follows evening. |
