The Weary World Rejoices
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Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Or
Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Little darling, the smile's returning to their faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, do, dun, do, do
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right
The Christmas Carol “O Holy Night” has a line that seems fitting both for the season of Advent as well as the season of COVID.
“A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn.” Reference to:
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
Isa. talks about a future moment when the Galilee region will play host to a great light that will spread like the dawn over the darkness. In past years in Zebulun and Naphtali (two of the sons of Jacob) there had been a period of continues darkness over this area but this will not remain. The very places where God had continue to humble, he would now exalt. There had been times of disgrace that had happened over and over but now a light has come. The light would occur once but the effects of the light would continue into perpetuity without change.
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Given their outer location way up north these lands had been exposed, on account of the countries that joined them, to corruption from Gentile influence and subjugation by heathen foes. The northern tribes on this side suffered the most in the constant warring between Israel and the Syrians, and afterwards between Israel and the Assyrians. Those northern regions were largely abandoned by faithful Jews (or taken into captivity) and there was a lot of Gentiles / Assyrians living up there as well as a lot of Samaritans, lots of cultural influences of other nations, sort of the fringe of Israel. Isaiah’s reference to “humbling” them.
Example of a Bullseye? Psalms about Jerusalem. None about Z!
Tried to think of an analogy a lot of could relate to: Star Wars! (Mos Eisley—the armpit of the galaxy.)
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Mos Eisley was an amalgamation of the riff-raff.
Obi-Wan Kenobi, to Luke Skywalker "Mos Eisley Spaceport. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious."
Remember Nathaniel's surprised question to Phillip when Phillip told him they had found the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nazareth is in the region of Z/N.
So Zebulun and Naphtali were the “Outer Rim.” Imagine living in a place where you’re trying to be a faithful Jew and practice your religion, but all around there is no cultural encouragement to do that, you’re the remnant. You don’t have lots of fancy houses of worship or neighbors that care about your God. You’re forsaken/forgotten and lonely living in exile in your own country. So it is out of this type of desolate and forsaken place that Isaiah prophesys a light will dawn.
Humiliation to Exaltation is a thing with God. He’s in that business. Recall when Mary met with Elizabeth and they compared notes on their pregnancies, morning sickness, etc. Mary had already been visited by the angel who told her about her special baby.
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
Mary prophecies along with Isaiah. She claims that with the coming of Christ the world is turned upside down. The old order of things is passing away. Three groups of people: 1) the proud, 2) the rulers, 3) the rich. All the head honchos and top dogs of society, the shot callers and big ballers. Those people are all laid low at the advent of this new age. But exalted are three different types of people: 1) those who fear God, 2) the humble, and 3) the hungry. These people are given mercy, lifted up and filled with good things.
Jesus not only ushered in this age with his coming. He was an example of this upside down kingdom in his life and death.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
From humility a a place of the greatest honor. That is what God does in his faithful.
So those faithful few living in Z/N would have been weary souls indeed. The song “O Holy Night” mentions this wearniess. “The weary world rejoices.” I don’t know about how you’re doing, but I can really relate to that. Weariness.
Stages of remodeling house? Stages of COVID.
Pictures from kids to Santa about COVID. Those kids are weary! Can we just get this thing over with already? Or how about the election? You know I don’t like to get one sided with politics from the pulpit, but come on man you lost the election. We’re weary of your tweets.
You feeling weary? You have a sick family member or friend? You battling something yourself? Trips to the Dr. appointments, calls, tests. Do you have a relationship that is wearisome—someone you love that is headed in the wrong direction? Do you miss someone? I think about people I’ve lost this time of the year because both of my parents died in late fall.
I miss Maurice and Marie taking me to Red lobster, Paralee sitting in the front row of Bible Class (remember the story about her praying the lizard out of her house at her funeral?), talking camping and Yosemite with Dick Barlow, June Lewis always telling me that she was still ticking and giving me a fist bump on her 96th BDay. Hazel Wang coming in with a blanket on her lap.
Tired of being stuck in the house and having Zoom Church? You know what I like about Christmas? Besides fruitcake, improved Egg Nog, and reading Dickens? I like the Sierra Madre Christmas Mexican food potluck. I’m going to miss that this year. I miss ringing the bell, eating doughnuts, and laughing at Michael Biard’s crazy socks. I’m weary of this pandemic. I’m weary from the world.
I see in our current situation with the promise of a COVID vaccine and advent a parallel. I don’t want to equate some medicine with the coming of Christ but it makes me think of hope. Despite our situation with this pandemic, we have hope. We see it drawing to the end with the coming of a vaccine. Despite the weariness of the world, Isaiah says that on those living in a world of darkness a light is dawning. This light breaks through and over all the darkness. It breaks it completely apart and darkness cannot exist any longer in its presence.
Isa. seems to be saying: have hope and of Z/N, a light is dawning. Scripture speaks a lot about our hope in Christ. Maybe don’t read #1
“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.”
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel
In a weary world, how do God’s people express faith and love? In the darkest days of a pandemic how do we carry on? How can we mean it when we say “Merry Christmas? The song O holy Night says, “A thrill of hope” is what allows the weary world to rejoice.
In English, hope is a wish. “I hope this will happen.” “I hope to see you again soon.” “I hope we’re having something good for dinner.” That’s not the solid rock promise of the NT.
Hope is something that is “stored up” for us in heaven. Hope is held in reserve for us. It is our destiny. in Jewish and Christian thought hope is something retained by God to be revealed in the appropriate time in God’s foreordained plan. “Hope” expresses full confidence that the sure purpose of God, not yet fully unveiled, will be revealed and realized in God’s good time.
So weary travelers, weary Christians, weary world, rejoice. Upon those walking in darkness a light has dawned. Those walking in darkness, have hope. Your hopes that this world will be reconciled, that our weariness will cease, that we will rejoice once again with our loved ones are already accomplished. Those hopes are stored up and waiting for us. Now hidden, but ready to be revealed. Our hopes are more precious than gold because they are in Christ.
Done.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.