Isaiah 32:15-18 Peace is the Light Into Darkness

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-7.

Introduction: The theme I have chosen for this year’s Advent is Light into Darkness. Last week we looked at The hope that brings Light into Darkness. We touched upon the fact that Jesus is the light of the world and His coming brought hope to a world for no answer to its sin problem. The only hope we have to battle the wiles of Satan and our sinful nature is hope in Jesus. God knew this and sent His son as the answer. That Hope, Jesus brings us peace. The second Advent candle we have lit today is for peace. Also called the Bethlehem candle. This candle represents the sign that God had given us to state He loved us and wanted us back. Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. He came to bring us peace. It is His peace that brings us hope. Paul says in Eph 2:14 He is our peace!

The first candle was hope. Jesus is coming back and in Him is all our hope. Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Christmas is a time for all to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Not all celebrate or are joyous because of the depression of life upon them.

They war against themselves and the world. The bitterness of sin in the world and in their lives.

Satan uses and confuses them daily, and they feel isolated and alone. They see this time of year as hollow and a false bill of goods. It delivers no joy, love or peace to them.

Our scripture today is Isaiah 32:15-18.  Let’s Read together.

This is the second of a 4-part series on the Advent of Christ. It’s all about the Prince of Peace that was promised by Isaiah 700+ years before His birth, but not His beginning. 100+ years before the abduction by Babylon. Many believe that it is God who leads His people back to Jerusalem after their captivity.

Today I want to look at the glory of the Lord that is foretold to us in Isaiah.

We will be answering a few questions as we dive into God’s Word today.

1. First, who is the prophet and proclaimer and then Who is this person described?

The Spirit that is spoke of was brought to us from God following on the heels of the Prince of Peace.

Malachi helps to answer who this is and what He is to prepare the people of Israel for.

Malachi 3:1 Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts.

Messenger of the covenant- Jesus. Who makes the final covenant with God’s people, Israel, and then also to the gentiles.

John, the one who cries out in the wilderness, announces the coming of Christ into His own. To be revealed to God’s people whom He came to save. This brings great comfort to those who believe and hope and then peace to those who have awaited the announcement. Fear and jealous pride to those who are concerned that they are about to be exposed and dethroned.

When Christ stepped down into time He stepped into this temple of existence, His body. He came to do the work that would bring us the peace foretold and fulfill the prophecy about Him.

Isaiah 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us.

And the government will rest on His shoulders.

And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace.

There is 3 ways Jesus came to bring peace:

Paul first mentions the peace from God to us in Romans 1:7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Eph 2:14 again, He is our peace.

This is for all who receive His grace. The saints, the believers, the faithful, who were faithful to confess their sins and likewise Jesus was faithful and righteous to forgive them. 1 John 1:9

Paul mentions the second one as well, peace with God, in Romans 5:1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The war is over!

This peace is for those who surrender to Him in faith and thus receive grace. The grace Paul is speaking of is a continuing peace that allows us freedom in our peace. Liberty to virtue not to licentious living. Striving to do good works for His glory. We were created to bring Him glory and this grace allows us to live it out.

The third is peace of God. The scripture is in Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This peace stays with us. It brings strength in troubled times, hope on the darkest of days, and sharpness of mind when the evil one tries to remind of us of who we were before Christ.

At Christmas time we love to remember the scripture from Luke 2:14. In fact we will study this in the days to come as we continue in Advent.

Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

This peace is present for all with whom the Lord is pleased. His flock, His people, His redeemed fall into this category.

Those that are outside it is at war with Him. We were those at one time. These are the ones we are called to reach.

Isaiah states in 48:22 “There is no peace for the wicked,” says the Lord.

Psalm 7:11 God is righteous, and He is angry at the wicked all day long.

Luke 2:14 presents the availability of peace to the world. He can be pleased with them but only through the Prince of Peace. There is no other way to the Father except through Him. John 14:6.

2. The HOW. This passage in Isaiah is supposed to be a comfort to the believers of God, a captive people. In their future was the captivity of Babylon and the captivity of Egypt. This also has the advent message because when Christ returns, He will lead an army of saints and then Israel to victory in the last battle.

So how do the messengers (God’s elect) facilitate removing these obstacles to make the way of the Lord straight and smooth.

1st repent. Matthew 3:2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

 3 For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness,

‘Make ready the way of the Lord,

Make His paths straight!’”

Turn from evil and follow the Lord. John’s message was to bring back the people to God’s law and remove all the self-confidence of the Jews. Remove the pride in their national privilege, their hypocrisy and irreligion. They should the hope that is coming and the comfort of the souls.

Matthew 4:16-17 Gentiles—

 16 “The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light,

And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death,

Upon them a Light dawned.”

 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Jesus had come to deliver the Gospel of God, to remove sin from the people. When they see Jesus as the Prince of Peace that He then they will see the glory of the Lord. Not the baby in the manger born unto them but the Savior of the world born to die for their sin.

Mark 1:14-15 Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,

 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

He then goes down to the sea of Galilee and calls the first disciples to be “fishers of men”.

3. We must ask the final question, WHY?

Why must we prepare the way for the Glory of the Lord?

The Glory of the Lord will be displayed for all to see. Not the baby in the manger!

It’s too late for us to announce that now. We are now called, Go and Tell.

Prepare the way!

Tell them Peace has come!

The war can be over, sin can lose mastery over their lives.

When Jesus returns for the second Advent not one will be missed. All flesh, peoples, will be exposed. The sinful will be comforted as they see the Lord in all His glory. Arrayed in marvelous light for all to see the King coming, the Messiah that was promised, the Prince of Peace revealed. Let His Redeemed Rejoice!

Isaiah 52:10 The Lord has bared His holy arm

In the sight of all the nations,

That all the ends of the earth may see

The salvation of our God.

The salvation of our God will be on display. Jesus will come to heal all the pertinence of our sins. All the hurts. In my study I learned of another name of Jesus, the Balm of Gilead. As Jesus comes from the East to the West there will be healing in His wings.

All hurts will be eased and no longer will we wonder but will be in awe at His coming.

Christmas and Advent take aways:

1. Know the Prince of Peace

2. Remove obstacles in your life that would hinder your witness of God’s miraculous work in your life.

Lastly. Share the message of Peace. Romans 10:15 How will they preach unless they are sent?

Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

It’s so easy to share the Gospel at this time of year. Share the message of the Prince of Peace!

O Come O Come Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

and ransom captive Israel,

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

Chorus:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel,

shall come to thee o Israel!

O come, Thou Wisdom, from on high,

and order all things far and nigh;

to us the path of knowledge show,

and teach us in her ways to go.

O come, o come, Thou Lord of might,

who to thy tribes on Sinai's height

in ancient times did give the law,

in cloud, and majesty, and awe.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse's stem,

from ev'ry foe deliver them

that trust Thy mighty power to save,

and give them vict'ry o'er the grave.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

and open wide our heav'nly home,

make safe the way that leads on high,

that we no more have cause to sigh.

O come, Thou Dayspring from on high,

and cheer us by thy drawing nigh;

disperse the gloomy clouds of night

and death's dark shadow put to flight.

O come, Desire of the nations, bind

in one the hearts of all mankind;

bid every strife and quarrel cease

and fill the world with heaven's peace.

Let’s Pray.