The Advent of Hope

Introduction

Engage

It was the bottom of the fifth inning, the St. Louis Cardinals were down one game in the National League Division Series and down three to two in this game, game five of seven. Skip Schumaker was up to bat when suddenly a squirrel darts across home plate and into the stands. The pitcher for the other team tried to argue he was distracted and wanted to throw the pitch out, to which the umpire said no, and Saint Louis went on to not only win that game, but also the NLCS and the World Series in dramatic fashion. I remember it all well even 12 years later. It made third grade David’s year.

Since then, this squirrel has gone down in baseball history as the rally squirrel. Saint Louis, who was down in the game and series, and the underdog in the playoffs all together came together and won it all after this moment. Some have credited the success to the squirrel. Saint Louis which was behind because of not playing their best was “delivered by the rally squirrel.”

Focus

Now, it is silly to put your hope in a squirrel. For that matter, its silly to have hope in a baseball team. The point is this, when you feel like you’re losing, when you’re in the dark, your fault or not, you want something to put hope in. Where is our hope in the darkness of our sin? Where is our hope in the darkness and despair of the crushing effects of sin on the world as a whole? Especially as we are to weak to do anything about it.

Maybe you feel like the prodigal. You left home and made a mess of everything. Seeking only what you wanted and not caring about the affects it would have on others. Years down the road you realize you’ve made a mess of all your relationship, you’ve wasted your youth on pleasures that now seem pointless but you feel stuck in the lifestyle you’ve chosen. You don’t see how you can give up your addictions or how you can outlive the darkness of your past.

Or maybe you’re not like the prodigal. Maybe you think you have done everything right but you realize now that your pride has created a darkness of its own. No one once to get close to you for fear of being torn down and you look around now and see the pain you have caused.

Or perhaps its not even your fault. The innocent child who was born into a family who didn’t love God. Whose childhood was dark not for reasons of their own sin but because their parents didn’t look out for them but only for themselves. The absent dad or the passive mother.

Whatever the darkness may be it begs the question from where does the light of hope shine?

Set the Stage

Were officially in the season of Advent. When the church worldwide begins to turn their attention to the birth of our savior. For the next four weeks we will, together with our brother and sisters across the world, examine the four advents, the four initiations of Christ’s reign if you will. This first week has traditionally been called the Advent of Hope.

The prophet Isaiah has much to say about hope to people stuck in darkness because of their decisions or surroundings. In our passage today Isaiah is writing to the citizens of Israel who are being threatened by the oppressive Assyria. Israel has perhaps grown complacent in their worship of God and the threat of an outside nation is growing real. Of course the northern kingdom will be eventually exiled by Assyria, which the last half of the book addresses, but for now things look grim, they look dark, and it seems Israel is to blame.

Preview

However, God offers hope and Isaiah says that he himself will deliver them from their darkness, but not how we might expect. In three occasions for Hope God proves his power in our weakness.

Isaiah 9:1-7

Hope in Darkness

The first occasion for hope is a hope in darkness. In the despair of our own sin and sins consequences Isaiah gives us reason to hope. When it seems grim, hope.

Isaiah says that for those living it utter darkness light is breaking through.

Isaiah 9:1–2 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.

This is a bit cryptic. What are these places and why are they walking in darkness, what is there light and glory? I said that it seems to be Israel’s sin that has them in this precarious situation with Assyria, their foolishness and its these two regions, Zebulun and Naphtali that are going to be the first to feel the effects of this foolishness. They make up the region of Galilee and they are the most northern provinces in Israel, the closest to Assyria. Assyria is beginning to move in already and they will be the first ones to take the brunt of the attack when they come in force, a gloomy situation.

Yet, this isn’t the story Isaiah wants to focus on in our passage. The focus isn’t on what Israel has done or what Assyria will do, but on what God is doing.

There will be no more gloom for a great light has shone. God is not so concerned with the sins of the pass and the oppression to come because in that darkness comes his redemption, in that darkness comes his light, come his presence.

The same is true of us. In our darkest moments, whether produced by our sins or another’s sins, a great light shines. It is God working in the midst of what seems broken. Where we can do nothing but look around and see brokenness God moves to establish light.

Its a remarkable truth of who God is, that in our darkest places he shines the brightest. Its true for the region of Galilee. The first ones to see Assyrian oppression are also going to be the first to see the Messiah when he reveals himself. Nazareth, the home of Jesus, is in this region.

To the prodigal maybe the place of your greatest struggle, the addiction to alcohol, the reckless lifestyle, the squandering of resources becomes the place of your greatest ministry. Your story becomes a story of hope as you mentor those younger than you to fear the Lord.

The woman who realizes her pride has gotten in the way of relationship may see the light int he humble, quiet friend who always stuck by her. And as she repents of her pride the community begins to heal and others repent themselves.

The kid who grew up in the broken home becomes a big brother to kids in similar situations.

That which seems like our biggest downfall, mistake, or disadvantage God has a way of shining his light into to turn it around. Not to fix the mistakes and consequences of the past. Not to give you what you think you want, but to use it to establish his light.

And so we see God promise hope to those in darkness, that a turn to light is coming.

The darkness of Israel reveals our second occasion for Christian hope.

Hope in Oppression

We have Hope in Oppression. We have hope that God will defeat those who are set on our destruction, our enemies will not stand.

Israel’s threat from the North is an oppressive kingdom. They are taking their land, diminishing Israel as a people, they are burdening them with slavery and violence, and they are threatening war an end to a previously held peace. But God will turn all this around to be cause for great joy.

Isaiah 9:3–5 ESV

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.

There are three images here to consider.

From Rags to Riches

There is of course the threat of losing everything when an enemy sweeps into your home. Land, crops, your people. God, however, has other plans. God provides a hope of joy in abundance.

Instead of losing their land and people God will, eventually, multiply the nation. Instead of the loss of food god will provide the joy of an abundant harvest. instead of being plundered they will rejoice in the spoil themselves.

God works in abundance. Isaiah deals with the physical fears of the people. What will we eat, where will we live, can we provide for ourselves, will we survive and he says in the presence of the Lord all of these are abundantly supplied. The answer is yes and more.

I don’t know if you share some of these fears. Provision and life. Will God provide for me the ability to take care of my family, food on the table and a roof. Will we live always striving for the next pay check. Will God provide a harvest will he protect the cattle, maybe you know that one closely. How about our lives, sure enemies don’t oppress them, but illness, and accidents, and pains, and age do oppress us. Will God provide me with health? Do you feel oppressed by sin and death and darkness?

Assyria will come, Israel will be exiled and plundered and some even killed. In this life darkness will seem to prevail. Isaiah is prophesying a future redemption, a future hope after all. Yet he seems sure. He writes in the present tense.

A Non-Yoke

God will ease the yoke of oppression. The second image in this section of verses. Yokes are heavy burdens, of work specifically, but the metaphor seems clear, its a yoke of sin. It is this yoke that makes our fears real and heavy. God will lift this yoke though and give us a light yoke a light burden, a non-burden if you will.

Isaiah points to Gideon's defeat of Midian to remind them how God works in weakness.

Do you remember the story? With just three hundred men God uses Gideon to defeat the Midian with trumpets and clay pots and torches. In what seem like weakness God will defeat the oppressors of our souls.

No More War

The final image is one of a banishment of war. In Israel garments used in war had to be burned. God will banish war.

Totally and finally. There will be no way for the enemy to wage war on your soul. All his devices will be burned.

Every mechanism for tyranny goes to the bonfire of God’s grace.- Ortlund

No longer will food or shelter or health or sin itself be used to cast you into despair for God will take these on himself. No longer will news stories about rockets and wars and political scandals weigh down our Spirits, he is abolishing war itself. He is the freedom fighter come to lift the yoke of our oppression. And what is the form he will come in? A baby boy.

Hope in a Future King

There is hope that a future king will come and set things right. That one is coming who is greater than David and greater than Israel’s monarchy.

God himself will send one who will turn the world upside down. He will establish a government and a reign of peace by his wisdom that will last forever.

Isaiah 9:6–7 ESV

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.

What is the root of sin if not pride. A looking around and either assuming we are good enough to get what we want or important enough deserve it. Maybe this is Israel’s issue all along, wanting to be found worthy outside of God’s plan for them. This of course leads to the establishment of their monarchy, they want to be like the surrounding nations. Yet God has a way pf turning the arrogance of the proud against them. It will not be Israel’s king that saves but a new royal in the form of an infant.

God does not push back darkness with violence and warfare in any conventional method. He condescends, taking the form of a servant, inviting the wretched in.

There are four names given to this future king that hint at his unique power and status

Wonderful Counselor

The coming savior displays true wisdom, knowing strength is found in humility. Wisdom that only makes sense in an upside down world or maybe a world finally set right side up where a baby, born in weakness, surrendering to his fathers will and finally death on a cross provides life for all mankind.

Mighty God

The promises to Israel always included God’s power and protection when they followed his law. Failure to do so lead them to despair yet the coming one won’t just have God’s power and blessing, he will be the mighty God himself.

Everlasting Father

Kings wanted to be considered the fathers of their nations, they would force a sort of loyalty on their subjects that a son might give to a father. Yet this would end with their death or defeat. Yet when a father sacrifices for their children, such as this new king, their fatherhood never ends.

Prince of Peace

Ancient Hebrews were chiefly concerned with Shalom, peace with God and man. Not just a ceasing of war but a wholeness and completeness. The world around them set right. This king is the prince of peace. Who establishes peace not through superior fire power but by being the example of love and humility. No one fights against a king who is on their side, why resist the one who comes to bring you peace and deliverance from your darkness?

This is the government the messiah has come to establish but it isn’t political, it isn’t national. He reigns in the hearts of men. When you submit to Jesus the darkness of your heart melts away. You’re freed from your captivity to sin and darkness. You become part of the light.

And of this, there will be no end, even now, one soul at a time, Christ pushes back darkness. Each person who repents of their own pride and humbles them self before Christ is a new citizen in the government of peace. We become ambassadors of this new government as we begin to look and act more like the king who reigns over it. Injustice, sin, and terror will have no reign in your heart as the perfect justice, righteousness, and peace of God takes over.

Not by your effort. But by God’s direct involvement in out lives. Transforming us into the kind of citizens who will never tire of following our good king.

Conclusion

In many ways we aren’t so different from Israel. The people of God waiting for the deliverance of God. Israel had hope that this king would come and he came. Jesus came that his people might be delivered from their sins. This season reminds us of that. Yet, we to await his final return. And as our own commitments shift as we journey we cry out for the prince of peace to return, To finally and fully establish his kingdom. Its the now but not yet. Today you have experienced some freedom from sin, and anxiety over provisions, perhaps you’ve had answered prayers over health, but not all of them have been. We still struggle with sin, and worry, and pain, and death at a personal level. The world is full of rocket attacks, and hostage situations, and our leaders seemed only concerned with their own rules maybe. So what is our hope in the sin and darkness around us? Its the same as Israel’s. Christ has come, and Christ is coming again.