During the Christmas season, society in general experiences a “time-out” of sorts – a quiet assurance of hope amidst the rumbling of various societal ills and personal difficulties. It is incredible that the birth of Jesus could provide an atmosphere of rest even to a majority of people that reject Him as their Savior. Today we will consider how the birth of a baby born during a very dark period of Israel’s history, over 700 years before the birth of Christ, sets the stage for the wonder and awe of the birth of Jesus that we celebrate today. Merry Christmas!