As we reflect on Christ’s birth, the first thing that usually comes to mind is salvation. Had Christ not stepped into creation and taken on human flesh, then we could not join God’s family. If this truth is at the center of our Christmas celebrations, that’s a good thing.
Yet Christ’s incarnation reminds us of more than our own salvation. It also highlights the fundamental goodness of creation. As Genesis 1 reminds us (no fewer than seven times, mind you), God declared that creation is good (v. 4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31, ESV).
More significantly, it also teaches us that God’s not done with creation. In fact, the incarnation was part of his plan to redeem all of creation for his own glory.
God’s Glory Declared in Creation
In Psalm 19, David highlights one of the ongoing purposes of creation. He writes, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (v. 1, ESV).
The second verse of Henry van Dyke’s 1907 poem, “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee,” picks up on David’s theme:
All Your works with joy surround You,
Earth and heav’n reflect Your rays,
Stars and angels sing around You,
Center of unbroken praise;
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain
Praising You eternally!
When we’re belting this song out in the midst of congregational worship (or in our cars during the commute home) we may miss some of the theological significance of the song because we’re focused on the Christmas vibe. But once you see it, you can’t miss it.
Despite the effects of sin, creation still glorifies God today. We’ve all had moments of awe while experiencing something great and wonderful in creation: standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon, seeing a sunset, or watching a heron take flight. If you’ve ever seen a kitten play, the sheer joy of that moment is a testament to the continued goodness of this world (cf. Ps. 104:26, ESV).
Creation’s Hope in Christ
And yet, it’s impossible for us to be unaware of perpetual problems. We’re inundated with bad news from around the world. Concerns about the environment, violence in distant nations, and political turmoil in our own nation are pumped into our minds from every side. It’s easy to lose our sense of hope and question if there’s anything good in creation.
However, the incarnation is a sign of hope as well as creation’s ongoing praise of God, as “earth and heav’n reflect [God’s] rays.” Despite the effects of sin, creation is right now singing with “unbroken praise” as a result of God’s goodness.
There is tension here. Thorns and thistles infect creation due to human sin (Gen. 3:18, ESV). And yet the heavens declare the glory of God. How can we hold onto joy in the midst of this tension? It all goes back to hope.
As Paul writes, “The creation waits with eager longing” (Rom. 8:19, ESV). One day “creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption” (Rom. 8:21, ESV). This is creation’s hope.
Creation’s hope is directly tied to Christ’s incarnation and our salvation. In fact, creation is waiting for “the revealing of the sons of God” (Rom. 8:19, ESV). In other words, creation is longing for the end of history when we—the redeemed humans—are set free from the effects of sin and glorified in God’s presence.
And Christ’s first advent, which we celebrate at Christmas, is the beginning of that work of redemption. It’s a work that points our attention forward to the future restoration of all creation.
Joy at Creation’s Renewal
Christians recognize that Christmas is a season of hope. We know that Christ’s birth led to the cross and resurrection, which is the heart of the gospel (1 Cor. 15:1–4, ESV). And yet the story doesn’t end there. At the end of the Gospel of Luke we see Christ’s ascension to heaven. That tells us there’s more to come.
The end of the gospel story is the restoration of creation depicted in Revelation 21 and 22 (ESV). In the new heavens and new earth every tear is gone, “death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore” (Rev. 21:4, ESV). The effects of sin are wiped away, and “no longer will there be anything accursed” (Rev. 22:3, ESV). That is the culmination of Christ’s work, of which the incarnation is only a part.
As we celebrate Christmas, perhaps by singing “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” with our friends and families, we should look beyond the toys and tinsel to the baby in the manger. And as we ponder the wonder of Christ’s incarnation, we should remember that miracle set in motion the restoration of all things.
And as we experience joy at the promise of the future, we should, like creation itself, praise God (though the effects of sin still surround us). For we have joy in Christ not because everything’s perfect now, but because one day it all will be made right. That hope is at the heart of Christmas.
