Winter is the darkest time of the year. So many people feel hopeless. More people are depressed and commit suicide during the holidays than any other time of the year. Yet, in the dead of winter, God gave us a holiday, a celebration of light! As we continue the series on light, we will look at Isaiah 9. Isaiah’s message is a message of judgment – God must judge sin. But it is also a message of hope – God has taken that judgment on Himself, sending His son Jesus to die for the sins of the world. The key verse is verse 2, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.” Looking at the first six verses of this chapter, we’ll see that light turns…
Misery into Miracles
The last verse of Isaiah 8 reads, “they will look toward the earth and see only distress, darkness, and the gloom of affliction, and they will be driven into thick darkness.” Chapter 9, which ultimately is a chapter on the judgement of Israel, begins with hope. “Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times… But in the future he will bring honor to the way of the sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to Galilee of the nations” (v. 1). In the middle of a bad chapter, there is a message of hope. You may be going through a bad chapter in your life, but there is hope! Hope is always about joyous expectation. Hope is what you are looking forward to. Hope says my future will be better than my past and where I am going is better than where I have been. Hopelessness reigns in the world today. How do we find light amidst darkness? Notice the reference to Galilee. Jesus performed the majority of his miracles and ministry around the sea of Galilee. Jesus came preaching, teaching, and healing. God can turn your misery into a miracle. On HGTV they have demo day before they can rebuild. Miracles come out of difficulties, challenges, obstacles, impossibilities! Jesus is the light of the world.
Sadness into Singing
Verse 3 talks about joy and rejoicing. When God brings you out of darkness into light you can’t help but praise Him. Praise is not only an instrument of worship, but a weapon of war. God inhabits praise. In Psalm 27, David says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— whom should I dread? When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell. Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident… I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord” (v. 1-3, 6). When God drowned Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea, the children of Israel sang the song of Moses (Ex. 15). Give God the sacrifice of praise! God is turning sadness into singing!
Bondage into Breakthroughs
“For you have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as you did on the day of Midian” (v. 4). Whatever binds you, God breaks. What are you in bondage to? Alcohol, drugs, pornography, lust, other strongholds of sin? Are you wondering if there is any hope? Jesus walked the shores of Galilee and set the captives free. God does not halfway deliver his people. He wants to take you to the Promise Land, the victorious Christian life. The devil will keep coming after you, like Pharaoh after the children of Israel. But God led them through on dry ground and drowned the enemy. When you walk with Him daily, He will deliver you daily. You can be free!
“For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (v. 6). Wonderful, He is awesome. Counselor, He gives us guidance when we are in the dark and don’t know what to do. He is the Mighty God who can speak “peace be still” to the storms of life. Eternal Father, He is the father who will never leave you or forsake you. He is the Prince of Peace. The angels announced the birth of Jesus with the words, “Peace on earth, good will toward men.” The government is on His shoulders. God has it all under control. Whatever burden you are carrying, He can carry you. His shoulders carried the cross, government, and they will carry you. Let the light of Jesus be your hope and hope for those around you.
