Without God every person is in darkness. That is what the Bible teaches, and this darkness began in humanity’s earliest days. Paul said in Ephesians 2 that the Gentiles were without hope and without God in the world. The context of that passage was God’s good news going from the Jews to the Gentiles. The Jews had the light of God because God had long ago chosen Abraham and done his great work through Abraham’s descendants.
Abraham was shown a great light. Eventually the nation of Israel was shown a great light. Finally, the Gentiles were shown a great light. That light was what God did through the child that was born. God said it would happen as Isaiah recorded. We have that prophecy made more complete. Continue reading to see this Christmas prophecy which God gave us through Isaiah more than 2 millennia ago.
2 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. 3 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. 4 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. 5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 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. (Isaiah 9:2-6–ESV)
Who was in the dark?
Isaiah said the people of Israel were in the dark. By the time of Jesus’ birth it had been 400 years since any prophet came to Israel. Many generations had come and many gone without the voice of God coming to bless them. No one alive when those angels came could recall any fresh word from God. They had the words of the prophets and maybe some inkling of what a prophet would be like, but no grandparent could tell a story of hearing a man from God tell any new thing. Idolatry had died out with the return from Babylon, but it seemed that prophecy too had gone dark.
The people still lived, married, and died. They still worked and had skills like the carpentry which Jesus would be taught passed from father to son, mother to daughter. The place they lived, though, was darker than they could know.
The sun came up
Isaiah spoke of a light coming; a light shining. The people who were dwelling in darkness saw a great light. Isaiah does not say that they looked for the light or lived so well that the light came. The prophet wrote that the people existed in a dark place, and experienced the world lighting up around them. Illumination came. God did it. They needed a light and a light came. For some it would be a light of help. Others would know the light as a light of revelation. The nation would grow interested as the shepherds talked, as Anna and Simeon prophesied, as the boy Jesus engaged the Pharisees, as John the Baptist came and then Jesus the Messiah arrived.
The world says that man finds God when he looks for them. God says that man is in darkness until he shines his light. That light is the life of men.
God brought joy
In verse 3 we see further developed that God brought joy. The light came and with that coming was the option for joy. The good news would spread to all the nations. News of release from bondage would spread far and wide and the energy from celebrating life and light would be hearty, true and full. Isaiah uses an analogy of a conquered enemy. The victor takes the spoils of war. Victors have needs and those are supplied after the battle is won. After victory opportunity is given.
Don’t get lost in the details
During Christmas the bustle of the moment takes on pressing proportions threatening to diminish the true freedom that was given. Christians must be careful not to spread gloom and doom, but this passage does start off with humanity’s condition: darkness. That is where the majority of humanity lives and God sent his son that they might be freed from that. Do we recognize the darkness in the souls of those around us? Do we recognize the darkness in our own souls?
So many people’s lives are encumbered by darkness. That is where people walk. People dwell in areas that are far away from what God would have. All lives without God are dark. Some may be in happy moments doing dark things. The end of this, though, will be terrible.
If you like to read novels about these things go pick up a copy of The Mark of the Lion trilogy by Francine Rivers. Pay attention to the life of Julia and see how her selfish style wreaks nothing short of havoc upon her and those around her. Julia and her cohorts live in darkness and it is very heavy. The foil for Julia is Hadassah who has seen and lives the great light. She, too, has a great impact on those around her. She doubts that her life is of any value, but her obedience and faithfulness to God writes massive changes in the lives of those who are near her and on some who are far from her.
People in our world are no less caught in darkness. The only way out is following Jesus. Let me put that down again: the only way out is following Jesus. How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to God’s word. That is what David wrote. Lives lived after the pattern God gave will triumph. The world will deride, but give it a few faithful years and what will be seen will be excellence for one and trouble for the other.
Do you have God’s joy?
Just like God brought the light let God bring the joy. God’s joy is not given as the world gives. His joy is abiding and energizing. It does not diminish with time, but grows. Growth in joy comes from where it rests: God himself. To us a child was born and a son given. He is a counselor, and God. Jesus is a perfect father forever and the prince of peace. He is the embodiment of these adjectives1. From him they are derived in all their fullness. If we do not have God’s joy then perhaps we are not focused well enough upon the character of Jesus. To live as Jesus did is to know God and from that is all that is needed for life and godliness.
In our era the phrase What Would Jesus Do has become a catch phrase that is turned upon its head. Now there are jokes that turn on this phrase that has entered the popular culture. WWJD has become an acronym that almost mocks. Maybe Satan has gotten it turned that way to keep people in darkness. Joy and light come from a life lived the way Jesus would. Satan is anti-Jesus and anti-human. He would not have our joy increased.
One more thing needs developed from considering WWJD. It is that we realize the connection to God that was behind the actions of Jesus. Jesus while he walked on earth remained plugged in to God the Father. He spent time alone with God praying and learning God’s will for his life. Then he obeyed that will. A life lived in the style of Christ will be better than a life lived outside of that style, BUT we must not figure that it is all about styles. It is entirely about relationship and that one of submission. What Jesus really did was go to his Father and learn what his Father would have him do and THEN go out and do it, live it, be it. THERE the result was a life in God’s joy.
Verse 4 has some great things
Yoke of burden broken
A yoke is the thing that goes around a beast of burden. Oxen pull a cart with a yoke. The world puts burdens on us. Religion puts burdens on us. Those are burdens of do this and do that. The world tells us that to be successful with spiritual matters we must pay our dues to the church, or maybe buy off God. At Christmas the world tells us to go and do Black Friday. Commercials on TV show us children who are made happy by the right gift. The right gift came a couple thousand years ago, and by taking that gift into our lives we are freed. The bondage of the world is broken. Jesus did say, “Take my yoke upon you,” but he also said, “my burden is light.”
Do you want joy? Then seek God first and let him take the yoke of this world off of your shoulders.
Oppression taken away
Israel could not flourish when oppressed by Midian. Think of Gideon threshing grain to make bread. Where was he doing it? In a winepress. He was hiding and threshing grain. The presence of Midian chased him into ineffective places. God used Gideon to free Israel. They could go live in freedom. God through Gideon removed the oppression.
There are many things in this world that will oppress us, but God does not oppress. The world and even churches and mentors may have taught in a style and put constraints around you paint God in a way that is oppressive. Is that the view of God impressed upon your soul? That oppression needs taken away. Seek God, pray, read your Bible, and wait upon the Lord. God himself will take that rod of oppression off of you. Then you can have joy: God’s joy.
Seek the light
Jesus told Nicodemus that people do not come into the light because their deeds are evil. Isaiah said that the people living in darkness saw a great light. There is a choice that each person needs to make. When the light rises upon you and exposes your evils deeds pray that God will forgive you and then go into the light. There is life and joy and peace. There is the true aura of Christmas.