We talk about going through a dark time. You probably know what that feels like. Sometimes it may feel hopeless. When Isaiah was writing, things looked bleak for God’s people, they faced losing everything they had worked for, their homes, their livelihoods. They were facing being taken far from home into a foreign land. They knew what it was to walk in darkness.
Darkness is also used in the Bible to describe being without God’s loving presence, since God is light, being in the darkness suggests being far from Him. But into this gloomy situation, Isaiah promises light (Isaiah 9). Light that will bring great joy, as in harvest time when the crops are safely gathered in (Isaiah 9:3).
God promises that He will lift the burden of the oppressor (Isaiah 9:4), even before the oppressor has come! How gracious of God to give hope to a rebellious people. Yes they will be punished, they will face exile, but it won’t be the end. Just as God defeated the Midianites with a tiny army of 300 men (Judges 6-7 referred to in Isaiah. 9:4), He will again defeat the mighty enemies.
In fact, God will end war! He promises that there will be no more need for war clothing (Isaiah 9:5). How will God do this? The surprise is – He will do it through a child! God’s answer to everything that has so frightened us is a child (Isaiah 9:6).
But this is no ordinary child, He will be called “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6). Here is someone who will understand our experience from the inside, a wonderful counsellor. Here is a promise of Mighty God becoming a child for our sake! Here is a promise of someone who can enforce peace. When we are told that He is “prince of peace” it does not mean that He is peaceful, but rather that has power to bring an end to all His enemies. Here is the man of Psalm 2 who will dash his enemies to pieces.
Here is a promise 700 years before Jesus was born! A promise that someone would be born in David’s line who would be king forever. Someone who would bring light in the darkness.
But the light is not automatic, God tells us that the gift needs to be received – “to us a son is given” (Isaiah 9:6). He is a gift who must be received for us to have light, and to know joy and peace. The sad truth is that we are by nature at war with God, but here is an offer of peace, but it’s an offer that must be received in this lifetime. The apostle John tells us that “to all who did receive Him…He gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12).
You receive Jesus by coming to Him as Saviour and submitting to Him as Lord. When you do that, you have the most tremendous hope for the future, light in the darkness, and a promise of eternal joy.
Light and Momentary Troubles 
Leave a comment