Advent Week 3: Joy

Light will come to those living in darkness ( vv1-2)

God came to his people first where they had suffered the most, and from that place he launched salvation for the world.

Isaiah uses the metaphors of darkness and light for oppression and liberation.

Whenever foreign armies marched over the Fertile Crescent to invade Israel, the first area to come under attack was “Galilee of the nations” in the north.

The Galileans knew slavery and despair.

But God turned invasion into mission by making the people of Galilee the first ones to see the light of Jesus Matthew 4:12–17

Matthew 4:12–17 ESV

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.”

That is how God ushered in the new era of triumphant grace.

We made no contribution to it.

The ones walking in darkness suddenly found themselves blinking under a new light they had never seen before.

They deserved what had happened to them. But God was not satisfied with that.

His zeal brought a Savior.

God will defeat the Nations oppressor ( vv 3-5)

Isaiah is thinking of a freedom fighter, like Gideon (Judges 6–8), breaking the power of all our oppressors.

But why “as on the day of Midian”?

Because Gideon broke the power of the Midianite hordes.

He was an unlikely hero.

And God deliberately reduced the size of his army from 32,000 men to 300.

Then God’s strategy was an audacious bluff, with Gideon’s men blowing trumpets and breaking jars and holding up torches in the night.

But God threw the enemy into a panic, and they slaughtered their own men.

Isaiah is looking ahead to a Liberator even better than Gideon.

Our Liberator will not only defeat all the forces of evil, he will put a final end to conflict itself.

Every mechanism for tyranny will go into the bonfire of God’s grace.

The passive voice “will be burned” whispers that this victory is not our accomplishment.

We step onto the battlefield after the victory is won, and all we do is celebrate.

But who is this all-powerful, new figure striding across the world stage?

Through what magnificent person does the zeal of the Lord renew the world forever?

A son will justly rule the Davidic Kingdom ( vv 6-7)

God does not need our strength or brains.

Jesus Christ crucified is the only Savior and King of the world.

Look at Jesus.

As the Wonderful Counselor, he has the best ideas and strategies. Let’s follow him.

As the Mighty God, he defeats his enemies easily. Let’s hide behind him.

As the Everlasting Father, he loves us endlessly. Let’s enjoy him.

As the Prince of Peace, he reconciles us while we are still his enemies. Let’s welcome his dominion.

This child is the King to end all kings, saving us from our failure, lifting us into his own justice and righteousness.

He is Jesus Christ the Lord, our crucified, risen, reigning, and coming Savior.

And he will not come back to tweak this problem and that.

He will return with a massive correction of all systemic evil forever.

That is the best part. “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.”

The empire of grace will forever expand.

If we will live by faith in him now, accepting his weakness as our strength and his folly as our wisdom, we will be there to enjoy his triumph, forever ascending, forever enlarging, forever accelerating, forever intensifying.

There will never come one moment when we will say, “This is the limit. He can’t think of anything new. We’ve seen it all.” No.

The finite will experience ever more wonderfully the infinite, and every new moment will be better than the last.