“Breakthrough”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Saturday, December 25, 2021
Isaiah 9:2-7 (Forward, p. 57) CEV p. 703
Isaiah, in this prophetic passage, singles out the territories of Zebulun and Naphtali (verse 1) and for good reason. Being the two most northernly districts within Judea, they were the areas most exposed to the conquests and predations of the aggressive and blood-thirsty military powers to the north and northeast. That meant that these were the areas most likely to be overrun by them—overrun before anyone else--and the areas most likely to be traded off in any defence pact or treaty. As such also, they were more likely to be settled by outsiders and foreigners and more likely influenced by their ideas. It is for good reason then that the prophet talks about them being the land of Gentiles, as having suffered pain (and displacement perhaps), and having walked in darkness.
However, the prophet also announces to them plain, unmitigated good news. There is much room for rejoicing, as with farmers when they successfully bring in the harvest or when soldiers divide up the spoils of war. (It is interesting to note that this was considered a ‘given’ within ancient warfare, but not today! I guess we perhaps have made a bit of progress, but then, what about the rebuilding projects—and contracts--that the victors often impose or bring with them?)
Isaiah describes the good news with a couple of images, first with the story of Gideon and the ‘day of Midian’ (see Judges 7). That situation was, to all who viewed it, simply impossible, for the meager forces of Israel, 300 in all, were faced with the thousands that constituted the Midianite army. And yet, God gave them an incredible, overwhelming victory. All vestiges, all reminders, of war and oppression will be gone from them.
And what is it that will accomplish all this? None other than a child, a son, who will be their ruler—and not just any ruler, but one that will rule wisely and powerfully, both now and forever. This is the long expected, long promised Messiah, one that they can truly trust and one that will fully and truly trust God—unlike the faithless and wavering King Ahaz that they had recently known. And so, this prophecy is meant to inspire hope, hope in the midst of desperate, nasty and uncertain times. It is particularly note-worthy that the opening lines of this prophecy (verses 1-2) were quoted in the Gospels (in Matthew 4: 15-16, for instance) as describing Jesus’ mission to this same general geographical area. And so it is a wonderful message about the hope, the restoration, that comes to all of us, to us especially in our times of darkness and desolation, through the loving rule of our Messiah, Jesus Christ. But once again, there must be faith, that faith that was missing in Ahaz and so many of Israel’s rulers and people, and that was so evident in Gideon and his soldiers in that wondrous victory over Midian—for, as that latter story tells us so eloquently, the victory over Midian was solely and totally the work of God, through His intervention in a rather desperate situation. May we, then, trust in Him to act in our lives, and in our world, in an equally dramatic and awesome way. Amen.
Forward notes: “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (verse 9).
“No music is more powerful to me than Handel’s ‘Messiah.’ For many years, with the saints that came before me and with those who sang beside me, my alto voice joined in with harmony, singing the nearly 300-year-old “Hallelujah” chorus.
“But a funny thing happened a couple of years ago: I couldn’t make it through the song. I started crying by the second page. Still now, all of those ‘hallelujahs’ overwhelm me with emotions I cannot explain. Is this joy? Is this sadness? Is this pure engulfment in a season marked by darkness more than light, and by singing this song, I can finally breathe?
“Regardless, by the time declarations of ‘Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’ come around in the songs of the ‘Messiah,’ the hiccups in my throat tend to cease. Although tears fall, my face is wet in gladness and in joy. For he is here, the child who has been born for us. And in this, my heart is glad.”
MOVING FORWARD: “How is your heart welcoming the Prince of Peace today?”
