Day 1: The Introduction
The Prophecy of Isaiah 9
Read Isaiah 9:1-7
This might be a familiar passage, especially at this time of year. We hear it from Charlie Brown and we read it in our Christmas cards, but do we actually know what it means? This year, leading up to Christmas, we want to slow down our readings of this passage and take in all that this has to tell us.
This passage here is often referred to as a Messianic Prophecy and was written about 700 years before Jesus was introduced to humanity in Bethlehem. A Messianic Prophecy is a foretelling of something about the promised redeemer that Yahweh told His people that He would send to save them. There are many different types of prophecies and things that the Messiah would do that would show us that it was Him! Well, this is a prophecy as well.
Chapter 8 began to foretell of a future invasion of the northern Kingdom of Israel by Assyria that would come true in some fifteen years. But the focus is not impending doom, but hope. There will be hard and gloomy seasons for the people of God. We see that as evidence in the verbiage used here in verse 2 that they have “walked in darkness” and “dwelt in deep darkness”.
But. There is increased joy. A light has shone. There is rejoicing before the LORD. There is hope that has come to them after great destruction. The reason for this joy and light breaking through is because the LORD had come and broken the tools of oppression and violence that the Assyrians would use to enslave them. This victory for the LORD will be quick and easy and lead to His enemies utterly consumed.
And the cherry on top of a Kingdom that is finally at peace is a King. We see in verses 6-7 Isaiah go on to describe what the King is like in terms of character as well as what His reign and politics are like. He is a king that rules with justice and righteousness. His is a kingdom that is established on peace and a reign with no end in sight.
This promised King is both given by Isaiah to lead Israel out of the Assyrian invasion, but it was also a promise that the LORD was giving for the future. A promised King who would come to a people who lived in the destruction of their sins and would break the power that it had over them. He would bring quick judgment and leave it utterly consumed with no means to regain control. And from that, His kingdom and reign would never end.
This King would be established in peace and righteousness because that is who He is in His very nature.
A Messiah. A Savior. A King is coming. Hope is coming.
Reflection: In this season as we prepare for the coming hope that was the introduction of Jesus to humanity, remember the reason He had to come. We were once in deep darkness, overtaken by captivity of sin and death. But hope is coming!
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for coming and not leaving us like we were. Thank you for entering our darkness… now remind us to lift our eyes to see the hope that is found in you alone.