Peace- Isaiah 9:1-7

Introduction

Isaiah 9:1–7 ESV

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. 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.

Context

Birth Announcement

After living in North Africa for 8 months we learned that Annie was pregnant with our firstborn, Josiah.

I remember when Annie took the pregnancy test, and just the sheer joy and elation when it came back positive.

But being so far away we didn’t necessarily get to “share” that with anybody. So we did what most milennials do, and announced it on Facebook.

Personally I think a simple announcement on Facebook suffices, but others choose to pop a balloon at a family gathering, or smash a golf ball on video, or slice a cake, or send an older child into a room with a “Big Brother/Sister” t-shirt. etc. etc.

But in our passage today, we find a Birth Announcement, not surrounded by family and friends, not a gender reveal party, and obviously not on facebook… instead it is a birth announcement in the midst of distress, darkness, and the gloom of anguish.

Assyrian Invasion

Hope Recap

If you weren’t here last week, I mentioned that Isaiah is prophesying right at the beginning of the downfall of both the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and the Southern Kingdom of Judah at the hands of foreign Invasion to the mighty Kingdom of Assyria.

And in Isaiah 7 we saw that God was begging King Ahaz to ask for a sign.

A sign that would show Ahaz once and and for all that God is a God in whom we can trust. Someone that will never fail. Never disappoint. Utterly trustworthy. A God who delivers Hope.

But Ahaz rejected the offer, yet God took it upon Himself to deliver Hope in the form of an unexpected sign… A virgin would conceive and call His name Immanuel,” and that sign came true and was Understood in God’s time to be Jesus, specifically fufilled in the Virgin Birth.

But now we turn to Isaiah 8, and Isaiah is prophecying the dowfall of Israel and Judah and Isaiah 8:21-22 reads “They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.”

Because they had failed to Hope in God, they would be experience horrible circumstance.

They would be conquered, and taken into captivity and they’d spend their days wandering around distressed and hungry,

and ultimately blame God for their plight. (vs. 21.)

But while they wander they will only see distress, darkness and gloom. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.

To Us a child is born…

And as they are wandering around, thrust into deep darkness groaning and moaning like we do saying,

“What is this world coming to!?

A birth announcement arises saying, “Look what has come to the world.”

“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...”

and of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.

In the midst of distress, darkness, and the gloom of anguish… comes the Prince of Peace, who will bring about peace everlasting. Peace that will reign forever!

This prophecy is once again a messianic prophecy fulfilled in Christ’s birth.

Peace.

How does the Christmas Story provide Peace?

The Promise of Peace

Peace Defined

Just as we often confuse HOPE with Wishful Thinking, I believe we confuse PEACE with the absence of something negative. Let me give you a few examples, or common associations:

“Peace and Quiet”— sometimes I come home for dinner and all I want is for my kids to speak one at a time, but instead they all clamor and fight for attention and the noise grows louder and louder, and I find myself yearning for “PEACE”…

Peace the absence of Noise.

Or maybe you think of Miss Congenality starring Sandra Bullock. An undercover agent poses as a Beauty Pagent contestant, and the judges ask, “What’s the most important thing our society needs!?”

And 4 contestants rifle off, “World Peace” or Peace the absence of War.

“False Harmony”— Often we want “Peace” in interpersonal relationships. Right? You’re thinking about hosting the extended family for Christmas, but you know you got that one person who always gets people riled up, and you find yourself wishing, “I just wish for once, we could have peace.”

Peace--- really just false harmony. Wishing he’d be on his best behavior, and we can get through the holidays acting like we all ike one another.

But just as with HOPE, biblical Peace is so much more than these plighty definitions and usages.

Biblically, Peace is Shalom. SHALOM is not the absence of negative, but instead it is the presence of positive.

It is a completeness, A fullness, A contentment, prosperity, and security regardless of circumstances.

It is the presence of Positive, even in the midst of negatives.

Shalom is not dictated by externals at all, but wrought internally by the positive force of the Presence of God.

Dare I say… the Presence of the Prince of Peace.

Peace Promised

Now I’ll say more about this later on; but this Peace, this Shalom, Peace wrought internally by His Presence is exactly what Jesus came to give.

His birth was announced to bring peace (Luke 2).

After his temptations in the wilderness his ministry began and we read,

Matthew 4:13-17 “And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.””

Jesus is the LIGHT that has dawned even in the midst of thick darkness.

And why Zebulun and Napthali…

Isaiah 9:1… in the former time these areas were in thick darkness. HOw? They were the first taken captive. They were the first yoked to the burden. Bearing the rod of their oppressors on their shoulders.”

So the PEACE comes FIRST to those whom darkness had come first. A restoration.

But, in His ministry he continued to teach that Peace was not the absence of negatives.

John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.””

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.

In summary,

The world at times can offer you absence of negatives…

“Peace and Quiet” or “World Peace” or “False Harmony” but let me ask you:

Say you have these things. Say your life is absent of any and all external friction.

In your minds eye, go to your peaceful place:

A long run. JK. Some of you just felt the thick darkness didn’t you.

A walk on the beach.

A cup of coffee in the mountains.

A good book.

Finally, life is absent of the external negatives… but guess what, you still don’t have peace!

Why? Because YOU ARE THERE.

The negative internals are still there.

The distress remains, maybe even intensifies because now you don’t have the externals that serve to distract you from the internals.

The darkness persists.

No Peace.

Just from your own experience, you know you need peace. True Peace. Shalom

We do not need the absence of something, instead the presence of something.

And when we find it, ya’ll it’s powerful.

Look back at the text and see the Power of Peace.

The Power of Peace

Context

The Kingdoms of Israel & Judah, beginning with the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali had no peace.

And Isaiah likens that

That’s POWERFUL. Peace is Powerful.

Can’t we agree with these illustrations:

Like a life without peace just feels gloomy. Dark.

Life without peace feels stressed and anxious.

Life without peace feels burdensome and weighty.

Life without peace feels insecure and unsafe.

And I want to hone in on one in particular, because I believe that we can associate with it so much.

Backpack

The Price of Peace

SHalom or fullness only comes when peace is made with God.