The night was quiet, as the Earth held its breath in anticipation of the dawn. A baby’s cries interrupted the stillness, and heaven could no longer could contain the praise due to the Savior of the world, who was now laying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Shepherds were the first to hear the glorious, good news, as heaven’s armies burst forth in chorus:

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests!

Thirty-three years later, as another Sabbath came to a close, numbness began to take over those who loved their Messiah most. The image of their Lord beaten, bloody, pierced, dead was too much to take. And, now he lay buried in the ground. Jesus had cried out, “It is finished” as he hung on the cross, and as they gathered together, that’s how it felt, like everything they had loved and believed was finished and done and buried.

The darkness of the night lay heavy upon the earth, and the rocks which held the tomb in place begged to break the silence. The first rays of sunlight began to break across the horizon, and an earthquake ripped open the dawn of the third day as the stone was rolled away from the tomb’s entrance.

All of heaven held its breath as the Son came forth in victory, defeating Hell and the grave. The song the heavenly hosts sang upon the Christ’s arrival on Earth was realized as the Prince of Peace conquered sin and its full punishment, proving His complete authority in heaven and on earth.

He is Risen!

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests!