From Gloom To Glory | Isaiah 9:1-7

Introduction. On Wednesday December 21st, we faced the shortest day of the year. According to the weather channel, the sunrise took place at 8:01 am and the sunset took place at 4:42 pm.

If you think that’s bad… In Barrow, AK (320 miles north of the Arctic Circle), When the sun sets on Nov. 18 , the city will sit in complete darkness for the next 65 days.

As I deliver this message to you, the people in Barrow, Alaska are still sitting in darkness and won’t see the sun for another full month (Jan 22). Scientists call it Polar Night. The locals call it Endless Night.

Isaiah 9, describes what seems like an endless night:

Gloom

Anguish

Contempt

Darkness

Deep darkness

Nevertheless, there is hope. Isaiah begins chapter 9:1 with, “But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish.” You see God made a promise that he was going to bring transformation.

I have a simple message for you today:

God is in the business of transforming our gloom into glory

Let me show you how he does that.

Isaiah 8 ends with “And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.” (Is 8:22)

Isaiah 9 begins by offering a contrast, “But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish.” (Is 9:1)

That little word “But” describes divine intervention. God breaks through the darkness.

Isaiah 9:2 “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.”

What we see in Isaiah 9 is good news for hopeless sinners sitting in hopeless darkness.

Tommy Clayton “Christmas is a powerful reminder that God is not afraid of entering our darkness. That’s where he does his best work.”

Look what God does in Isaiah 9

God turns gloom (v.1) into increased joy (v.3)

God turns anguish (v.1) into rejoicing (v.3)

God turns oppression (v.4) into a broken yoke (v.4)

God turns darkness (v.2) into light (v.2)

God transforms the land of deep darkness (v.2) into a kingdom marked by endless peace, justice and righteousness (v.7).

These are God’s gifts to his people. Merry Xmas everyone!

How is God going to accomplish all this? How is God going to transform gloom into glory?

Isaiah answers with a threefold “for” in vv. 4, 5 & 6. These three conjunctions could also be translated as “because”

Because the Lord delivers (v.4)

Because the Lord gives the victory (v.5)

Because a son is given to us (v.6)

Let me show you how these three conjunctions show us how God transforms our gloom into glory in three different ways.

1. God transforms our bondage into salvation

Isaiah 9:4 “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.”

The day of Midian is a reference to the story of Gideon in Judges 6-7.

At this point in history, Israel is being oppressed by the Midianites. So God calls Gideon to be the one to deliver Israel from Midian.

Gideon acknowledges that he is a nobody. “I got no resources or influence.” God says, “No problem. I’ll be with you. I’ll do the deliverance.” (Judges 6:15-16)

God instructs Gideon to cut back the number of soldiers from 32,000 to 300, each soldier is equipped with a clay jar, a torch and a ram’s horn (trumpet).

Judges 7:20 “[They] blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!””

This created terror and confusion for the enemy. The Midianites turned on themselves, destroying one another.

The point of Gideon’s story is not that Gideon was strong and clever. The story of Gideon is about God saving the day. The day of Midian reflects the heart of the Xmas story. That is, we cannot ourselves.

We are under the yoke of slavery to sin

We under the heavy burden of sin

We are under sin’s oppressing rod.

We desperately need a savior!

On Xmas we celebrate Jesus coming down in human form to do for us what we cannot do ourselves.

He breaks the yoke of slavery

He lifts the heavy burden from our shoulders

He breaks the oppressor’s rod.

This is the good news of the gospel: God delights to save those in bondage of sin.

Jesus declared in John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Jesus has the power to transform our bondage into salvation

God is in the business of transforming our gloom into glory by transforming our bondage into salvation.

A second way how God transforms our gloom into glory

2. God transforms our despair into restoration

In Isaiah 9:5 we find our second conjunction, “5 For [or because] every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.”

V.5 is connected with v.3

Isaiah 9:3 “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.”

What a wonderful picture: The people enjoy a victory they did not win but was given to them.

God multiplies the nation. This is a great reversal of war & exile that the nation of Israel experienced (2 Kings 15:29)

Their joy increases because of the harvest and victory that God has given them.

More importantly, they rejoice because they stand before the presence of God. This is a wonderful picture of restoration & fellowship.

God transforms their despair into restoration.

When is this restoration going to take place?

In Isaiah 9 we see two advent seasons. That is, two comings of Jesus the Messiah. The first coming took place at Xmas. The second coming is yet to happen.

Jesus’ 1st coming: He came to deliver us from sin

Jesus 2nd coming: He will come to deliver us from death & suffering (1 Cor 15:24-26, Rev 21:4)

Bonhoeffer: “Our whole life is an Advent, a season of waiting for the last Advent, when there will be a new heaven and earth.”

Until then, we, like the people of Israel in Isaiah 9, are waiting. We are waiting for his second coming

We live with confident expectation in light of God’s promises.

God is in the business of transforming our gloom into glory by transforming our despair into transformation.

A final way how God transforms our gloom into glory

3. He transforms our darkness into light.

The darkness of sin and evil fell upon the earth when Adam and Eve rebelled against God in Genesis 3. As a result, sin and death entered the world filling it with darkness (Is 60:2)

However, Isaiah 9 is filled with good news: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

This light is not a metaphor or an abstract idea. This light is not a concept or a teaching. This light is a person. This light has has name. His name is Jesus

John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.””

Back to Isaiah 9. Isaiah declares that God is going to turn their gloom into glory.

How is God going to accomplish all this?

In Isaiah 9:6 we find our third and final conjunction: “For [or because] 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.”

This child given to us by God would one day grow up and trade places with guilty sinners by going to the cross where he would experience deep darkness and judgment so that we can experience and enjoy the light God’s salvation.

Yes, the darkness would swallow him. Jesus walked through deep darkness, but on the third day he rose again in victory.

God is in the business of transforming our gloom into glory

Conclusion. Do you want to see God transform your gloom into glory? Come to the light: Turn to Jesus by placing your trust in him. The Bible uses the word “repentance”

Matthew 4:12-17 “12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 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.” 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.””

There is hope for those who are in a place where life seems hopeless. Jesus wants to meet you in your darkness. He is not afraid of your darkness.

I don’t know your situation, but imagine what would happen in your life if you let Jesus come and shine his light in your darkness. He is here today

To offer forgiveness

to offer hope

to offer love

to offer joy

to offer peace

Come to the light: Turn to Jesus by placing your trust in him.