For a Child Is Born to Us | A SOAP Devotional, By Pastor Jamie

 

 

Isaiah 9:2-6- 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. 3 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. 4 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. 5 The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire. 6 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.

Upon hearing this prophecy about what God would do "one day in the future," King Ahaz and many others were left frustrated, because they were desperate for help immediately. Ahaz took matters into his own hands. He wasn't willing to wait on God for His perfect timing; instead, he said, “I need an army now; I need to make connections and alliances with foreign nations," but God was giving the nation the promise of a baby one day in the future who would make all the difference- here and now and there and then for eternity. Ahaz was basically saying, "Thanks for nothing, God! I will do it myself.” Isaiah was reminding people that their ultimate hope could never be in any particular government or human ruler; rather God had something, Someone, who would be and do far more than they could even imagine.

It's always interesting to look back at these prophecies that we now believe were perfectly fulfilled in Jesus. Of course, He arrived in ways far differently than anticipated and not on their time schedule. Guess what? Jesus didn’t enter into human history for another 700+ years- at just the right time! The reason we know this is a prophecy about Jesus is because the gospel writer Matthew tells us it's about Jesus in chapter 4:14-16. While Jesus was different than the political leader people may have expected, He was the exact representation of His Father that we needed most of all: "The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God." (Hebrews 1:3a) Knowing who Jesus is for us as "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" is designed to help meet our needs today and forever. This promise reminds us that our ultimate, even our primary, hope can never be built on a foundation of a human leader or earthly government. Our trust is in Jesus- here and now and forever!

(By St. Bernard of Clerveaux- 1070-1153) Let Your goodness Lord appear to us, that we made in your image, conform ourselves to it. In our own strength we cannot imitate Your majesty, power, and wonder nor is it fitting for us to try. But Your mercy reaches from the heavens through the clouds to the earth below. You have come to us as a small child, but you have brought us the greatest of all gifts, the gift of eternal love. Caress us with Your tiny hands, embrace us with Your tiny arms and pierce our hearts with Your soft, sweet cries. Amen.

 

“I am leaving you with a gift- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14:27),

 

Pastor Jamie