The Reason for the Season
Hope of the World...
Isaiah 9:1-7
To Us a Child Is Born
1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as men rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian's defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior's boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.
This is an amazing passage from the Bible that speaks of the fulfilment of God's promised "Messiah" (For the benefit of some, Bible Hebrew word that means "Saviour"). Many things shared by Isaiah in this passage, we know have come to pass because Jesus has already come and died on the cross and rose again. How amazing to know that these have all come true. If you don't believe me, do some research on history. The life, and death of Jesus is not just some story tucked away in the library or some fable of some mythical character but He is as much a part of mankind's history as Einstein, Mother Theresa or any great person was. And Jesus came because He loves you and me.
Anyway, back to Isaiah 9. This prophetic encouragement from Isaiah about the future could not have come at a better time. Israel was in a state of despair when Isaiah wrote this passage...the people were in a state of distress as they await the attack of the Assyrian army that was sure to totally destroy them! It was a situation, if we were in it, that one would not be able to see the hope of the future because of the impending doom that you and your entire family was going to be slaughtered by this mighty army.
And in the midst of this dark time, Isaiah writes about a future hope...a hope that would have been difficult to imagine in such a time unless you believe in God...and unless you trust in the faithful nature of God that He will fulfil His promise in our lives. I wonder if Isaiah thought twice about uttering these words. But as a prophet you do not question God but just convey every message that God hands you to pass to the people, and that was what Isaiah did. If it had not already happened and come to pass, we would have said it was impossible.
And sure enough, the Assyrian army was miraculously turned around and Judah was spared when most of Israel was destroyed by this vicious army. And Isaiah's word of encouragement would take a good 1000 years before it would come to pass. And so they waited and waited and waited...
0 A.D...
67His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come and has redeemed his people.
69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
70(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
72to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
73the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace."
Here is John's father, proclaiming something that is very similar to Isaiah 9:1-7, because he had put 2 and 2 together, and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (ie Spirit of God), Zechariah knew that God's promise was being fulfilled right before his eyes (Zechariah is Jesus' uncle)...And thus his joy as he praised God! It's almost as if Zechariah was jumping with joy as he said this. Can you imagine it?
Today, we know that this Hope is found in Jesus, who is The Reason for the Season. What Season? The Season of Christmas of course! The origin of Christmas was not about gifts and Christmas trees, but about the birth of a Child who was every bit God and every bit man. Don't ask me how. Go figure. God cannot be understood with human intellect. You can only believe, by faith.
Isaiah's prophecy fulfilled:
v1: Jesus was from Galilee
v6: the government will be upon His shoulders - Jesus was greatly persecuted by authorities although He did not do anything wrong
v7: "he will reign on David's throne" - God promised that there will always be a king on David's throne. Jesus is of the line of David. And after Jesus, there need not be any other King because Jesus now sits on this throne forever. He is the Everlasting King.
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Quoting Pastor Ian..."Jesus is the only hope and security that will last through all the dramas of our life. Our hope in Jesus doesn't last just in this lifetime but will last eternally...
Christmas is the fulfilment of God's promise."
Do you know the Reason for the Season?
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