Christmas Lessons: May We See the Light

Twenty-six times the psalmist repeats it in the great Hallel, Psalm 136. For his love, his chesed, endures forever. For his love endures forever. For his love endures forever. We did Psalm 136 last week as really a lead-in to this season of the year.

Is it not true that those of us who live on this side of the manger, who live on this side of the cross, can we not say even more fervently, for his love endures forever? For his love endures forever. And we want to see how that love endures forever as we turn to Isaiah 9 this morning. So if you have your Bibles, let's turn to Isaiah chapter 9.

I'm going to press a point on this passage this morning. You really need to read this passage in a good modern translation to really catch the flavor of this translation. So the New American Standard, the NIV, if you typically read another translation, that's fine, would really suggest strongly you take some time to read this passage in a good modern translation Isaiah 9 says 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 Gentiles by the way of the sea along the Jordan. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy. They rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us, a child is born, to us, a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders and he will be called wonderful.

O Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Don't you just hear that when you get to this passage? Of the increase of his government, you hear it better usually, I understand that. Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with And righteousness from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Lord, this day I pray that we will see the child who is the light of the world. And may we understand who he is in all his glory and in all his grandeur. For it is in Christ's name we pray. Amen.

It was a time of much gloom, much despair, and much darkness. It was the time when Isaiah wrote. Isaiah, whose name means the Lord saves, is usually viewed as the greatest of the writing prophets of the Old Testament. He prophesied from about 740 to about 700 B.C. during the reigns of kings named Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.

Do you know how Isaiah met his death? According to tradition, it's not recorded in Scripture, but by tradition, Jewish history tells us he most probably died by being sawn in two. And when you read Hebrews 11, that hall of fame of faith, Isaiah is not mentioned by name, but the writer of Hebrews mentions those great people of faith who were sawn in two. And he most likely had the prophet Isaiah in mind, a man who died for his faith. But probably more than any Old Testament writer, he gives us a glimpse of the coming glory.

in the midst of the gloom and in the midst of the despair. Why was there so much gloom and despair at the time that Isaiah wrote? Well, if you remember your Jewish history, and let me just refresh you if you don't, we are in an era of Jewish history when it's a divided nation. There is a northern kingdom called Israel. It's the larger of the Jewish kingdoms.

And a southern kingdom called Judah, the smaller of the Jewish kingdoms. And the northern kingdom has already suffered terrible military defeat. The Assyrians initially attacking the northern part of Israel, attacking it, destroying part of the country, but then in 722 B.C., finally actually conquering completely the northern kingdom of Israel and deporting many of the people out of the nation. So we are at a time when this once mighty nation who trusted God completely has now become a divided kingdom, and the northern part of that divided kingdom, Israel, has been defeated and is under the hand of the Assyrians. It's a time of much gloom, much despair.

The people lack hope. But it is in the midst of the gloom, in the midst of the despair, chapter 9 and he begins in my English translation and it's a great word a great way to begin he says nevertheless nevertheless I care not what the gloom is I care not how dark things may look I don't care how much you are despairing nevertheless nevertheless nevertheless God is going to do something. He's going to change this gloom and this despair. And Isaiah peels back the curtain for the children of Israel and lets them glimpse ahead to what is coming. And this is what he says.

First, there will be no more gloom. That's your first blank to fill in in your handout. There will be no more gloom. G-L-O-O-M. For he shall make it glorious, is the way the New American Standard says it.

Or as the NIV says it, in the future he will honor Galilee. In the past, verse 1 says, he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. Zebulun and Naphtali were sons of Jacob. You remember Jacob had those 12 sons. and when they divided up the promised land, each of the sons got part of the land.

And Zebulun and Naphtali got part of this northern kingdom of Israel. But it was Zebulun and Naphtali that experienced the earliest effects of the Assyrian army. It was those regions of the northern kingdom that first were attacked and first were beaten. and so that's where the gloom first came was in Zebulun and Naphtali and all the children of Israel when they read what Isaiah said they knew when he said he humbled the land of Zebulun and Naphtali they knew we have to go back and learn our history they knew what happened in Zebulun and Naphtali they knew that's where the Assyrians hit first, hit hardest, brought the gloom in but then there's the promise of hope I don't care how difficult it is be no more gloom and in fact God is going to come in and make things glorious. This is where some of the older translations miss what the Hebrew says. They talk about in the future there being more affliction. In fact the Hebrew word is kabod, k-a-b-o-d, which means glory. It means something that's weighty, something that's honorable that's going to happen and God is going to do something What's he going to do?

To be. There will be glorious light. That's your second blank. There will be glorious light. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.

On those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. It's interesting, isn't it? the writer Isaiah here uses what is called the prophetic perfect. He talks about it as if it has already happened. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.

On those living in the land of shadow of death, a light has dawned. And he's talking as if some, it's actually going to be a future event that he's talking about, this light dawning. but he's talking about it like it's already happened like it's already dawned why does he do that he does it because he knows what he is teaching is so certain to occur he treats it as it has already happened this light that is going to dawn that is going to come into the gloom into the midst is so certain he can speak of it as if it has already happened and those lands of zebulun and Naphtali and the whole nation of Israel that is in gloom can already know that this light is going to dawn. It is going to be the gospel writer Matthew who will point back to this passage when Jesus Christ comes. Turn over with me to Matthew 4, verses 12 to 16 very quickly.

and you're going to see the words Zebulun and Naphtali again, that place of gloom and despair. Matthew 4, start at verse 12. When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali, Fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah, land of Zebulun and land of Natali, the way to the sea along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, that's the northern part of Galilee, the people living in darkness have seen a great light on those living in the land of the shadow of death. A light has dawned.

It is this event, the coming of Christ, that Isaiah prophesied. And Matthew says it was fulfilled in Christ. And he records it here in Matthew 4. So nevertheless, despite the gloom, there will be no more gloom. There will be glorious light.

That's going to be Christ. There will be glorious joy. That's your next blank. Verse 3. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy.

the word if you've got a translation that says not increase the joy that word not should be taken out that is an incorrect that word is not there in the Hebrew text there will be glorious joy and there will be glorious liberty that's your fourth blank there will be glorious liberty

and this is how Isaiah describes the liberty as in the

defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their soldiers, the rod, the shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. So with this light comes joy, but then comes liberty. The yoke that burdens the people, the rod that oppresses them is going to be taken away. And it's going to be like what happened in the day of Midian's defeat. Do you remember the defeat of Midian? Do you remember a guy named Gideon who defeated the Midianites? I've got to tell you this story or you won't understand what verse 4 is teaching. As in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them. There was a huge army of Midianites that was opposing the people of Israel. And Gideon takes a force of 30,000 Israeli soldiers to go do battle with probably over 100,000 Midianites.

And he gets ready to go into battle and God says you've got too many, Gideon. Get rid of some of those soldiers.

Gideon says you've got to be kidding, God. He says no I'm not. So of the 30,000 he says 20,000 away. So it's now 10,000 Israelis against over 100,000 Midianites. And God says, you've got too many Gideon, get rid of some of them.

And God has Gideon ultimately pare down his force to 300 Israeli soldiers. And he says, now you're ready, go get them.

How about that? And Gideon gives every soldier a trumpet, and he gives every a jar and he says when I give you the signal you 300 you blow the trumpets with all your worth you break the jars so it'll sound like a great shattering sound and then you go for it and they go and he says charge and the 300 blow the trumpets and they shatter the jars and charge at the Midianites and the Midianites are so overwhelmed the text tells us that they actually get thrown into confusion. They begin to attack one another, and this huge army is defeated by 300. No, they weren't defeated by 300 soldiers. Who defeated them?

God defeated them. He took away the oppression. He took away the despair of this huge opposing army, and that's what he does with Jesus Christ, the light. The yoke that we bear, yoke of sin, the oppression of all the difficulties of this life, the despair that we feel, it is shattered by Jesus Christ. Come to me, all you who are weary and heaven laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you. His yoke is gentle and easy. Do you want rest? season is a time of

being tired. We're so stressed out, rushed, hurried, and it is often a time of great despair because it's at this season of the year that we feel our losses and our difficulties may be most

to the greatest degree. Those who have lost loved ones. What despair at this time of year. Those who are having family difficulties can be a very difficult time when they see many others without those difficulties. It can be a time when we realize our shortcomings to a great degree.

I want to tell you the yoke has been broken. You have been set free in Christ. You need not be oppressed. You need not be defeated. You need not despair because your difficulties do not have the last word.

Your sin does not have the last word. Jesus Christ has the last word if you will but trust in him. That's the message of Christmas, is it not? We have been set free in Christ who has come. He is the light of the world.

Well, we're told that there will be no more gloom and there will be glorious light and joy and liberty. But how does it happen? Really, so far Isaiah hadn't told us. I've already sort of clued you in. But he tells us in verses 6 and 7.

And verse 6 begins with a very important word. It begins with this little prepositional word, for. There is a cause or a reason that we have glorious light, joy, and liberty. and the cause or the reason is the birth of a son. To us, a child is born.

To us, a son is given.

And it will be at that scene in Bethlehem where this child is born, this son is given.

and we there have the seed of the woman that was prophesied in Genesis 3 15 after sin entered the world God promised that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent that seed of the woman not the seed of the man in the woman this is a virgin birth it's just the seed of the woman who is going to crush the head of the serpent that seed of the woman is born in Bethlehem that is son that is referred to here. That is the child that is to be born. And this is no ordinary child and no ordinary son. And the descriptions of him make that clear. The government will be upon his shoulders, we are told by Isaiah. You know, I always thought that meant he would be opposed by the governing authorities, that he would be oppressed by the Roman government and Jewish ruling authority. I don't think that's what this means after studying it. When it says the government will be upon his shoulders, it means that this child, this son that is born in the manger will have ruling authority. He will be the government. The government of the universe will be on his shoulders because the father has given him all sovereign power and all sovereign authority.

So this child born in the manger is not just some little weakling baby. This is the one to whom the Father has given all ruling sovereign authority. The government of the universe is with Him. It is on His shoulders. And He will reign and rule over this universe.

As Jesus says in Matthew 28, 18, right before He gives the Great Commission, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. The government rests on his shoulders. Or you go and you can read Isaiah 22, 22, where it says whatever he says will be. He will set the standards for the universe. This son is described.

he is a wonderful counselor i think those are that's one description it's not wonderful comma comma comma counselor it's wonderful counselor he is a wonderful counselor that means he has extraordinary wisdom he has supernatural wisdom he is able to govern the universe because of this extraordinary wisdom he is mighty god he has all strength and all power he is called the everlasting father that's kind of interesting that the son is called the father but being called an everlasting father is simply telling us he will be our eternal protector and provider like a good father to his children a good father protects and provides this one who is the child born in the manger who has all governing authority will be the eternal and people. He will be the shepherd of his people. And he will be the prince of peace because it will be this son that makes it possible for us to have peace between God and humanity. Our rebellion against God, our sin that had raised the barrier between us and God, it is in this child, this son, that that barrier is bridged. His government, we are told in verse 7, will be increasing.

It will be peaceful. It will be unending. It will fulfill God's promise to David. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom. Do you remember what God promised King David?

2 Samuel 7, 16. He told David before he died, kingdom and your throne will endure forever. And it is in the birth of this son that that promise is fulfilled because Jesus Christ, the baby born in the manger, will reign forever. His rule will be unending. And we are told in the text that his government will be just and righteous.

Whatever this son does is always the right thing.

Isaiah concludes by telling us the zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. In other words, God himself is going to assure that all that has just been promised will occur. And he's called in the NIV Lord Almighty. Other translations say Lord of hosts. This is Lord Sabaoth.

And when you say that he is the Lord of hosts, those hosts are the heavenly armies. That's one type of host, the heavenly armies. He's also the Lord over the stars of the sky. That's another type of host. And the word host is also used to refer to the armies of Israel.

But in other words, this Lord rules over the angelic armies, the earthly armies of Israel,

So he has all power and all authority to accomplish what he says he will accomplish. So what are my lessons for life? Now that we know this light is coming, whose wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, here are my lessons for life. First, let us recognize there is much darkness in this world.

And I think at this time of the year it's just even more apparent. see the light, you see the darkness. By comparison, I think more easily. Secondly, the enemy, and I use a capital E there, hates the light. I'm referring to Satan. And will do all in his power to keep us from seeing the light.

I have dealt with some situations recently that have just made me recognize more and more that the enemy orchestrates so many things in our culture to us. We must be able, see, to silence the noise and distractions of this world so we can see the light. The enemy wants us to be so occupied, so consumed with our stuff and our self and our schedules that we don't ever have time to stop and see him. Screw tape in the screw tape letters, Remember C.S. Lewis wrote, Screwtape says to Wormwood, Our goal, Wormwood, Screwtape and Wormwood are demons.

Our goal, Wormwood, Is to fill the whole world with noise. One day the world will be just a place of noise. And you know what? I think they're doing a pretty good job. Try to find some silence in this world.

Try to keep out the distractions. try to keep away all the things that pull you from Christ from the things you watch on TV to what you see in the movies to what you read to what you do and I will tell you we are in a battle to not be distracted

fourthly Jesus Christ is the light of the world there is no other do not mistake our pluralistic messages for truth. They are a lie. If you hear anybody saying there are other ways, avenues to heaven, to glory, Christ is the only light of the world. Fifthly, in the end, Christ wins. The story of Christmas is, while it may look for a moment like Satan has won when Christ is crucified on the cross, this Christ who was born in a manger is now the resurrected and living Lord. In the end, so I don't care how dark things may seem on earth or how difficult they may become or how much we may think the other side is winning the battle.

We can rest assured that in the end Christ wins. The only question is, will we be with him? Will we be with him? On whose side do you stand? Do you stand with Christ?

Do you stand with this wonderful counselor, this mighty God? When crunch time comes and in wherever you work, wherever you live, with the friends that you have, do they know where you stand? Do you know where you stand? Can Christ count on you to stand with him like a stone wall?

6. In this season, find some silence and ponder what God has done for us in Christ. And lastly, it's my recommendation, you listen to the Hallelujah Chorus frequently. And I'm going to tell you a brief story about the Hallelujah Chorus, and then we're going to hear it and we'll be done. Beethoven said of Handel he's the greatest composer that ever lived Beethoven said I would uncover my head and kneel down at his tomb Beethoven thought a lot of Handel Handel was 56

he had rheumatism he wasn't feeling well but after receiving a letter from a friend that reminded him of some of the great promises about the coming light passages like one we just read he locked himself away and he wrote Handel's Messiah in seven days he wrote the first part which deals with the birth of the Messiah within nine days after that he wrote the second section of Handel's Messiah which is the redemption section and in less than seven days after that he wrote the third section dealing with the resurrection and future reign of Christ. So in about 23 days, Handel wrote this great oratorio we call the Messiah. Can you imagine that in just a little over three weeks, he wrote this great, magnificent piece of work? But throughout it, it is laced with the coming light, the coming light. And is it any wonder that at some point he gets to the point and he Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

Praise God, praise God, praise God. There's a tradition when the hallelujah chorus is played. It's a tradition that King George II started. When he first heard, King George II of England, first heard the playing of the hallelujah chorus, he was so moved, and he knew he was in the presence of the King of kings and Lord of lords, he stood, and he listened. Now, whenever this is played by all who know the King of kings and Lord of lords, to stand because no one can stay seated in his presence.

So as we hear it, let's follow the tradition.