The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:2-7)
Consider the promises that God makes through Isaiah.
He promises to the people of Israel that the weapons of their oppressors will be broken. War and violent bloodshed will be no more. An all-powerful king will reign – God himself – with perfect justice and righteousness and there will be no end to the peace on the earth. Note that these promises were made to a people who lived in war, captivity, exile, occupation, slavery, injustice, and political and religious tyranny. Consider the magnitude of hope that rested on these promises.
The scriptures are filled with the cries – often shockingly honest ones – of God’s people for deliverance from their present, dire circumstances. And who could blame those crying out? They lived in the kind of hardship and fear that many of us only read about. But while God repeatedly provided physical deliverance for the nation of Israel from present circumstances, through Isaiah he promises them something greater. He promises them a savior that will bring peace that lasts forever.
Understand that this is not simply peace in a political/military sense. This is the Hebrew concept of shalom, which Author Cornelius Plantinga Jr. describes in this way:
The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Hebrew prophets call shalom. In English we call it peace, but it means far more than just peace of mind or ceasefire between enemies. In the Bible shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight—a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as the creator and savior opens doors and speaks welcome to the creatures in whom he delights. Shalom, in other words, is the way things are supposed to be.
This is what God promises. What greater promise could be made? What greater hope could there be?
As I type this and as you read it, we are a part of the most comfortable nation the world has ever known. But even now, in our moments of deepest honesty and clearest sobriety, we know that things are not the way they’re supposed to be. Since Adam and Eve ate the fruit, hid in shame, and saw sin overtake the earth, we’ve all desperately hoped that it could all be undone. We’ve all been waiting for a savior to come and conquer the forces that we cannot. We’ve all been trying to get back to the garden, but sin keeps sabotaging our plans. We’ve all been crying out, like Israel, that if someone’s in charge of all of this, he needs to do something! He promised! What’s he waiting for?! This longing for shalom is the fire in every human heart.
Fast-forward 700 years from the prophecy of Isaiah. An angel appears to an insignificant young woman living in an obscure corner of Rome’s vast empire. In the most inconspicuous of settings, in relative anonymity and darkness, an angel delivers the news that shakes the foundations of history and treats the wound of every human heart: fulfillment has arrived.
“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:30-33)
A light shines in the darkness! The fulfillment of our most impossible hope takes form. In the most mind-bending, awe-inspiring reality there is, the creator of the universe becomes a fragile fetus in the womb of a scared teenager. Here is the king that will bring the peace we all long for.
“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)
This child is the embodiment of hope fulfilled. He is Jesus, the Christ (messiah, savior) and the Lord (master, king).
In Jesus is permanent victory over sin and death. We who live on this side of the cross know that he has already achieved this through his life, death, and resurrection.
In Jesus is our hope that all things will again be made right. We know that he has promised to return again and make all things new, wiping away every tear.
The cries of all creation and the hopes all of humankind - past, present, and future – converge on this one child and he alone is capable of carrying the burden. The peace that we all long for is found in him and him alone. There is no greater fulfillment than that which is found in Jesus. So we join in a carol to sing:
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room!”
Receive the gift of Jesus with gladness and to him be the glory, our savior, our king, our hope, and our peace.
Merry Christmas.
