Isaiah 9:1-7 Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice.
They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
Those of us who attend church during the Christmas season have likely heard these verses read many times. These verses are some of the first promises of the Messiah, and they are inspiring. And as long as you stop with these verses, everything sounds wonderful….but wait! Isaiah is speaking for God and God follows up these stirring promises with a harsh dose of reality.
Isaiah 9: 8-20 The Lord has spoken out against Jacob; his judgment has fallen upon Israel.
And the people of Israel and Samaria, who spoke with such pride and arrogance, will soon know it. They said, “We will replace the broken bricks of our ruins with finished stone, and replant the felled sycamore-fig trees with cedars.”
But the Lord will bring Rezin’s enemies against Israel and stir up all their foes. The Syrians from the east and the Philistines from the west will bare their fangs and devour Israel.
But even then the Lord’s anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike. For after all this punishment, the people will still not repent. They will not seek the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Therefore, in a single day the Lord will destroy both the head and the tail, the noble palm branch and the lowly reed. The leaders of Israel are the head, and the lying prophets are the tail.
For the leaders of the people have misled them. They have led them down the path of destruction. That is why the Lord takes no pleasure in the young men and shows no mercy even to the widows and orphans. For they are all wicked hypocrites, and they all speak foolishness. But even then the Lord’s anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike.
This wickedness is like a brushfire. It burns not only briers and thorns but also sets the forests ablaze. Its burning sends up clouds of smoke. The land will be blackened by the fury of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The people will be fuel for the fire, and no one will spare even his own brother. They will attack their neighbor on the right but will still be hungry. They will devour their neighbor on the left but will not be satisfied. In the end they will even eat their own children.
Poor Isaiah! All Isaiah wants to do is to worship and obey God; however, that obedience comes with a shockingly high price. Isaiah is tasked with warning all those around him that God is just and holy and will not tolerate evil and injustice in His people. Even though Isaiah will repeatedly prophesy of a coming Messiah, he will also warn all those around him to repent, least God subject them to a terrible fate, starvation to the point of cannibalism.
The Bible graphically portrays the depths of evil to which the Israelites sink as they enthusiastically embrace every pagan god/demon available. Forgetting the laws God has given through Moses, the Israelites steal and abuse the most vulnerable in their society. Reading much of the Old Testament, you might wonder why God didn’t just give up on the Israelites and find another nation. Reality check: There were no virtuous nations. And God chose Abraham and his descendants to demonstrate His power, not the natural goodness of people. See, God is so holy and so just that only when people are willing to follow Him and serve Him, will they become holy and just as well. God gave the laws of Moses to guide His people into holiness and righteousness. Unfortunately, the Israelites ignored God’s directions much of the time. But God remains faithful, even when people fail completely.
When considering the Israelites, it’s helpful to examine our own hearts. Although we would like to pride ourselves on being virtuous, the reality is far different. We are easily irritated, impatient, and sometimes even vicious. We fail to do the things we should and do other things we shouldn’t. No, we don’t really look better than anyone else. And that is precisely why God has sent Jesus, the Messiah to die for the sins of the world. Romans 3:23 tells us, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” How short do we fall? Comparing our righteousness to God’s is like comparing a small speck of mud to a huge mass of gold.
God has not given up on Israel and the Jews because that is His nature; He doesn’t give up on any of us. We are the ones who give up on God. Today, the nation of Israel is under fierce attack; yet, the Israelis have created high-tech industries and have done amazing things farming in the desert. God continues to keep His promises.
As we consider Israel, let us consider our hearts, examining ourselves and quietly confessing our sins to God. Remember, if God has not given up on Israel, He has also not given up on you.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, we confess that we are sinners and that it is only by Your mercy that we are made clean and whole. Please forgive us our sins and help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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