The Hope of the Advent

Introduction

For those of you who are new to the faith or still growing, now is the time we put up Christmas trees. Only pagans put up their trees before Thanksgiving

Permacrisis

As nations across the globe reel from one crisis to another, the Collins English Dictionary has just revealed its 2022 word of the year to be “permacrisis.” “Permacrisis” is a noun defined by the U.K.-based publisher HarperCollins as "an extended period of instability and insecurity, especially one resulting from a series of catastrophic events.” A blog post on the Collins Dictionary website noted that the term rings true because of the war in Ukraine, climate change challenges, political instability, and the surge in inflation. He goes on to say the term embodies the "dizzying sense of lurching from one unprecedented event to another," as people wonder what new "horrors" might be around the corner.

COVID, Riots, Ukraine War, Israel War, Pressure from China and Russia, Immigration, inflation, mass shootings,

Context - The land spoken of in verse 1 is in the Northern Kingdom. This was written just before the Assyrians came in and took over that land as a judgment from God. They would have already been undergoing persecution and would have seen great difficulties coming. Much like us in our spiritual condition as a nation today. We are walking in Darkness!

The hope of light (2)

Explanation

The people who walked in darkness - This is the people of Israel. They feel darkness because they cannot see any hope.

The Assyrians are bearing down on the people of Israel and it is looking like the end of the Kingdom - And it it!

They have seen a great light - This is the light of ho pe -

This is far in the future but this is told in the past tense. Isaiah is saying it as though it is something that has already happened - With God, it already has. There is no question about the glorious victory of Jesus. It was the plan of God and would be fulfilled

So, Although they are looking towards a very difficult time, even one of judgment, there is the assurance of something brighter coming

This is the promise of Jesus who will make things right for the people of God. They will go through the pain and difficulty, but it is not over for them.

Illustration

Have you ever groped for a light switch and couldn’t find it in the darkness? You have the fear of not knowing what it around you and when you will fall. Israel was coming into a spiritual time like this. There was no spiritual light because they had walked in darkness

Application

Christmas is one of the most difficult time of the year for so many people. Maybe it is the loss of a loved one. Maybe financially it is discouraging. Maybe it is just pure loneliness

Whatever it is, there is something better coming. There is the light of hope in Him

Just as God never forgot Israel, He has also not forgotten you

His answer for all of the difficulties in life is Jesus

He is the one who will give eternal life

He is the one who will provide for your need in the midst of difficulty

He is the one who is with you when no one else is

Jesus is the light of the world John 8:12

John 8:12 ESV

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

The hope of joy (3)

Explanation

This comes as a reply from those who have seen the great light

God has multiplied the nation - This is a hope for Israel that God has promised. The people of Abraham will be as vast as the sand on the shore

You have increased its joy - Two illustrations

Joy at the harvest - A time when things may have been scarce and yet at the harvest they were at plenty once again

Glad when they divide the spoil - Having been harshly oppressed by Assyria at this point, they are probably envisioning defeating their enemy and then taking the spoil for themselves - which would have been substantial if it is Assyria

Application

When this time comes it will be a time of great joy because our foes will be conquered and we will be the recipients of great blessings from God

This is a promise that is assured through this prophecy

It is a promise that finds its fulfillment in Christ

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

The hope of peace (4-5)

Explanation

The illustrations of the yoke, the staff, and the rod are emblems of enslavement

It would remind them of the time in Egypt

And yet it would look forward to the fear of being

The hope of peace comes in that God has broken as on the day of Midian

Midian is a reminder of the way God delivered them simple by breaking their pitchers and yelling.

It is a time when God did the work of delivering them from their enemy

Isaiah is speaking as though this has already happened with Assyria, as well

The boots and garments rolled in blood - Bloody from battle

Will be burned as fuel for the fire - You burn what is no longer necessary

This is a promise of peace that is coming, even though they cannot see it at the moment

Application

Remembering their situation - They had been steeped in sin and were about to endure the wrath of God for their sin. They would be beaten by the Assyrians and would be scattered by this ruthless people

While there was a time of judgment coming, there would also be a time of peace ahead that they could look forward to.

We know that Jesus is the reason that peace is coming and we have the hope of Peace in Him

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

The hope of a Savior (6-7)

Explanation

For to us a child is born, a Son is given - A foreshadowing of one who will be a human king

And the government will be upon his shoulder - It will not be on the shoulders of sinful men who cannot keep it

And His name shall be called:

Wonderful counselor - Literally one who is a wonder-worker and who is a wise counselor - When no one has an answer to the impending doom

Mighty God - Divine

Everlasting Father - Never ending, and God Himself

Prince of Peace - The one to bring shalom peace when there is none

Of the increase of His government there will be no end - IT shall never end. This is something no kingdom has never known. There is an up and a down to every Kingdom

He will establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness - It will not know the brutality and evil of other kingdoms - Forevermore

More Mind-boggling Than the Virgin Birth - The virgin birth is far less mind-boggling than the power of all Creation stooping so low as to become one of us. —U.S. author Madeline L'Engle (1918–2007)

Application

This type of hope is not human. It cannot be brought by a world leader or government

This could only happen through a leader who is righteous. Who follows truth. Who is uncorruptible. Who is powerful enough to subject all other kingdoms to Himself

This is Christ alone

And we are now in the beginning of His Kingdom

Today we have this peace and the power of living with Christ as our Kingdom, even though the world is still evil

There is coming a time when our King will return and we will see the fulfillment of this promise

We have this hope because God sent His Son to bring about this hope

Only through the incarnation of God can this come true

Conclusion

Illustration - A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes, does various unessential things, and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened "from the outside," is not a bad picture of Advent. ~ Source: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, writing from prison to his fiancee Maria von Wedemeyer. Christianity Today, Vol. 31, no. 1.

The zeal of the Lord will do this - This is His ultimate goal