Introduction
One of the
things I love about the Christmas carols is how accurately so many of them
catch the triumphant sentiment of the Scriptures. The great Christmas carols
all have an optimistic outlook about the victory of our Lord. One of my
favourites, which you will know well, begins this way,
“O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees, oh, hear the angel voices…”
What a song!
The lines which especially catch my attention here are “Long lay the world
in sin and error pining…a thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices…” This
song catches something true about the world and something intrinsic to the
gospel story; this sense of the lostness of humanity and error of our sin, and
the joy of redemption.
There are
many ways in which the Bible speaks to this idea, that the good and gracious
king has broken into a lost and fallen world. Let me share with you one of the
most incredible prophecies about Christmas day in the Old Testament, from
Isaiah 9.
Sin and
Error Pining (vv.1-2)
We read in
Isaiah 9:1-2 these words, and they kind of sound similar to theme of O Holy
Night,
“But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In
the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of
Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the
land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 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.”
These verses
speak to a people under judgement who have seen a glimpse of the light, a
glimpse of hope.
We all know
that there is something wrong with this world. We see the wrong around us,
experience it, even feel it in our bones, sometimes literally. That does not
mean that the world is not often good, we get to sing some of the greatest
songs ever written. We enjoy great feasts and good times together. We will get
to enjoy good gifts. We get good things like holidays and more. But we all
still understand that something about this world does not feel right.
Isaiah 9 is
reflecting on this theme. The lands of Zebulun and Naphtali are two of the
lands of the tribes of Israel. And they have faced the contempt of God because
they have rebelled against him. God’s own people have rebelled, and therefore,
he has judged them. Isaiah 8:22, the passage just before this, says, “22 And
they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of
anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.” We know from reading
more of the Bible, that they have stopped worshipping God alone, and worshipped
other gods, chased other ways of satisfying their souls, and given themselves
over to all kinds of sin.
You might
wonder, how could God’s own people reject him like that. He saved them out of
slavery in Egypt. He rescued them from oppression and gave them the Promised
Land. But the truth is that this is what all humanity has done. God originally created
us with a perfect world, a perfect home, a perfect garden, and offered us
perfect fellowship with him. Humans, to the individual, just like God’s ancient
people, have rejected him.
Isaiah put
it like this, we all like sheep have gone astray. We have rebelled against
God’s good commands. This is what sin is, this is why God has to judge us,
because he cannot allow those who reject him to just get way with it. No just
judge can just pardon a wrong, they must make sure justice happens. But like
the Christmas carol we just quoted, this passage also highlights that people
will not be left in darkness, because “on them has a light shone…”
The
Oppressor is Defeated (vv.3-5)
In God’s
judgement of his people he allowed them to be overcome by all sorts of
oppressors, they were harassed and enslaved, their land was overcome, they lost
their liberties, their homes, their way of life. God allowed this to happen,
even brought it on his people as he promised, to discipline them. But he also
rescued them when the time was right,
“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” (Isa. 9:3-5).
Because of
our sin we can face human oppressors, but there are also spiritual oppressors. The
darkness that this world often experiences is not just because of the sins and
error of man, though they are plentiful. It is also dark because the world has
been overcome by an oppressor, the Devil himself. You might think, but Matt, isn’t
it a bit horrible to think about Satan at Christmas, a time of joy, happiness
and presents? Shouldn’t we sing happy songs like Christmas carols? You mean
like this one:
“God rest ye merry,
gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our
Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from
Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and
joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and
joy.”
Why do you
think, both the carol’s writer, and the people of Israel, were singing tidings
of comfort and joy? As Isaiah says, “you have increased its joy; they rejoice
before you as with joy at the harvest…” because “the yoke of the burden…the rod
of his oppressor…” has been broken. Nobody celebrates more than the one who has
been set free from an evil yoke of oppression. This brings true joy out of
people.
These twin
oppressors; our own rebellious sinfulness, and the evil god of this age combine
to create the darkness of this world, and none of us has the power to beat them
ourselves. You cannot do it. I cannot do it. We need a saviour, we need a hero,
we need someone to come in and rescue us from this, and Isaiah is reflecting on
how this was going to occur.
For Unto
Us A Child Is Born (vv.6-7)
Have you
heard of the concept of the Chosen one? It is a common concept in movies, books
and T.V. series and more. The idea of the chosen one is all through our
culture, and saturates so many great stories, from Star Wars to the Matrix, to
Lord of the Rings, to Marvel and so many other stories, and legends. Humanity
seems to have an inbuilt desire for a chosen one, a hero. Even political
candidates will play off this theme. Christmas is about the true chosen one,
the one who would be born to defeat sin, death and the devil. Isaiah tells us,
“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. 7 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” (Isa. 9:6-7).
Christmas is
all about this chosen one, who came to us as a little baby. Just meditate on
that for a moment. The creator of the universe, hands that flung stars into
space, the one before whom angels bow and demons tremble, the one who holds the
whole world in his hands, came to earth as a little child.
This little
child is truly human, but he is also more: “…the government shall be upon his
shoulder…” He is the true ruler, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. And
he is born to rule. When the wise men, whose number we don’t actually know,
came to Jesus, what does it say they did? It says this, “11 And going into the
house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and
worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and
frankincense and myrrh” (Matt. 2:11). Why did they worship him, this little
boy? Because in him they saw true majesty.
Because
he is God - “his
name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.” They fell down and bowed before him because he is the mighty
God, God the Son. The true Lord had come into the world.
“Wonderful
Counselor” - In
Jesus is the best counsel, if you are in need you can turn to him, you can live
by his word.
“Mighty
God” - In Jesus
is true divinity, as another great carol says, “God from true God, and Light
from Light eternal, born of a virgin, to earth he comes! Only-begotten Son of
God the Father…” For the wise men to worship, he has to be God.
“Everlasting
Father” - In him is the greatest and most full representation
of the father, which is why we say he was full of grace and truth.
“Prince
of Peace” – He
is the ruler who will establish true peace on earth. Something we all long for.
The most
important peace he offers, is peace with God. You see, as we noted, we have all
sinned and gone astray, we have all fallen into the devil’s clutches, and God
has every right to judge us. But he offers a way for us to escape this if we
trust in him. He gives us a way to join
his kingdom and reign with him forever. This King that was born, who lived the
perfect life, and died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins, will
return and you need to be ready for him.
“7 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.”
The most
important decision you will ever make, by the power and grace of the Holy
Spirit, is to trust in him. He only offers peace to those who trust in him, and
call him Lord. His kingdom will advance, join his team now while you have the
chance.
Conclusion
What is
amazing is that since that first Christmas day this is exactly what we have
seen happen. The salvation of Jesus and peace with God has expanded across the
earth. What is also amazing is Isaiah predicted this about 700 years before
Jesus was born.
The Lord’s
kingdom is being built, but there is only salvation for those who bow the knee
before him, turn from their sins and trust in him.
“Behold your
king; before him lowly bend, Behold your king; before him lowly bend.”
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