“Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom, for those who were in distress…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. Of the increase of his government and peace there will
be no end.” (Is. 9:1, 6, 7)
In my Christmas cards this year I have quoted this passage from Isaiah about how there is to be “no more gloom for those who were in distress”. I thought it a timely promise for us to celebrate this Christmas. For many, they might think it is an announcement predicting that we have developed a vaccine for Covid-19. But it is much better than that! It is a prophecy about the birth of a child who is “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”!
Now that is a solution for gloom! How much better is it having God Himself than just one of His blessings? It’s like choosing between having the golden egg or the goose that lays golden eggs. But having God With Us could be a scary thing because of His holiness and our sinfulness. The world is a mess because of our sin and so God coming among us would normally consume us all like the “killer cell” that attacks cancer cells in our bodies. However, the good news is, as the angels announced, this “Emmanuel” is also “a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord”. “The Word became flesh” so that He could become the sacrifice that would “save us from our sins” and reconcile us to God.
This “King of the Jews” was no ordinary king either. As someone has said, there have been many babies who have become kings, but only one King who became a baby. He “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness” so that He could establish a kingdom of justice, mercy and peace for all who will “receive Him”. Then it says…and I love this…“of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.” In these turbulent times, as we anticipate the New Year, we can approach it with confidence that His government and peace is continuing to increase all over the world and will do so until He returns to fully establish it, no matter who the earthly “kings’ may be. And that same government and peace will also increase in our own lives and churches as we allow Him to reign without reservation in us.
