My brother in Christ said to me, "It won't be a merry Christmas this year, will it?" A member of his family had died and the "happy happy! joy joy!" of the holiday season was obviously wearing on his weary heart. Truth be told, I wasn't feeling too enthusiastic about Christmas myself. My parent's divorce was finalized several years ago on Christmas Eve and the pain of that memory clashes with all that Christmas seems to be about. I told my brother as much, and added, "Yes, it won't be 'happy! happy!' for me either."
I want to leave this story for a moment and share with you another story. In Isaiah chapter 9, Isaiah the prophet speaks an extraordinary messianic prophecy. "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 the 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. 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 Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this." Isaiah 9:1,2,6,7
I want to tell you today that this prophecy has a very special and powerful meaning as it relates to Christmas and to our lives. If you will carefully listen to a little bit of the history and the meaning of the words of this prophecy, I believe that the meaning and power of Christmas can truly come alive for you.
HISTORY: About 2900 years ago, the balance of power in Palestine was about to be turned on it's head. The once invincible nation of Israel was splintered in two, and the Assyrian and Egyptian Empires were vying for which nation would become the greatest. Israel in her weakened state would be no match for the up-and-coming new power of the Assyrian Empire. During the reign of Tiglath-pilezer King of Assyria the northern kingdom of Israel was carried off into captivity. Then the King of Assyria returned for a second visit at the invitation of Ahaz, King of Judah. It was then that the King of Assyria devastated all the land of Galilee and of Gilead and removed the remaining people into captivity in 731 B.C.. The King of Assyria was no teddy bear. History tells us that in the destruction of Galilee, those who were not killed were subjected to excessive violence, torture, and rape. Among other extremities, they are known to have frequently skinned their captives alive. The land and the people were completely annilated. Isaiah the prophet predicted that because of Israel's unfaithfulness to the Lord this affliction of darkness and doom would come upon the people through the nation of Assyria (Isaiah 8:6-8). The Jewish people lived in the shadow of fear -- not only in fear of the cruel King of Assyria, but of the wicked reign of their own Kings. Their situation could be well summerized by Isaiah 8:21,22 "Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness."
TRANSLATION: Let's take a quick inside look at the King James Version of Isaiah 9:1. "Nevertheless the dimness shall not be as was in her anguish, when at first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations."
In comparison with other versions, this translation says that the first "dimness of anguish," is light anguish, and the second is greater "anguish," not glory. Jesus' visitation to the same area was the beginning of his "striking the earth with the 'rod of his mouth' and 'slaying the wicked with the breath of his lips.'" (Isa. 11:4) So great is the destructive forces of Immanuel, to the wicked, using the "Sword of the Lord" that it is seen in contrast, as much greater than the destruction wrought by the King of Assyria which utterly annihilated the inhabitants of Galilee and Gilead in 731 B.C. This series of contrasts between the visitations of first, the Assyrians, and afterward, the Messiah, emphasizes the spiritual nature of the Messiah's coming and not physical destructive force which, God says, is not to be compared with that which is inflicted by the Messiah.
Now, if we fastforward approximately 900 years in Jewish history, we will find that it is the Romans who are ruling over the Israelites. When John the Baptist is born, his father Zachariah prophesies and says, "because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." Historically speaking, the "darkness and in the shadow of death," refers to the cruel reign of Rome's Herod the Great. The historian Josephus tells us that he was "a man of great barbarity towards all men and a slave to his passions". His ruling passions were jealousy and ambition, which urged him to sacrifice even those that were nearest and dearest to him: including wives and sons. It was Herod who gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem two years and younger. Yet as cruel as this slaughter may be, it disappears among the cruelties of Herod.
It was into this context of dark hopelessness that Jesus Christ was born. The birth of Jesus was a full-scale invasion, an all-out attack on the forces of evil and darkness. Isaiah boldly prophesied that Assyria's destruction of Galilee would be "a light affliction," compared to that which the Messiah would bring. Yet, the "heavy affliction" of the Messiah would be that of a spiritual nature, rather than physical. "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." It's the promise that the light, the glory, and the goodness of Christ's kingdom would overcome the evil, darkness and death of Satan's kingdom. "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 Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this." In contrast to the King of Assyria and King Herod, notice the characteristics of Christ's reign: wonderful, mighty, everlasting, peace, justice and righteousness. Just as Isaiah said, "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 here that I want to return to my first story - the conversation between my Christian brother and I. As we were feeling very sad that we couldn't join in everyone else's "happy! happy!" Christmas, Crimsen, who was patiently listening, said something that hit me like it never had before. "Christmas isn't about 'happy! happy!'," she said, "it's a message of hope." This is what Isaiah and Matthew are screaming at us: that although there is darkness, it will not overcome the light. Christ has come into the world and not only taken on the darkness, but has annilated it's power. It's the promise for all of us who experience sadness, loniless, fear, and loss - that though there is darkness, for those of us who trust in the mighty reign of Christ there is tremendous hope. 1 John 5:5 says, "Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."
The message of Christmas is that even in the darkest of times, God is with us and His kingdom of light will not fail. The darkness that you and I may experience right now is not the end. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness WILL NOT overcome it. You're right, Crimsen, it IS a message of hope.
"...the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining." I John 1:8
sources
*www.ao.net/~fmoeller/index.htm
*www.newadvent.org/cathen/07289c.htm
1 comment:
Ben,
Thanks for sharing. See you soon!
Judith
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