Dearly Loved ones in Christ,
Prophet Isaiah was a prophet of gloom and doom but also a prophet of Hope. He saw the Assyrian king, Tiglath-pileser III, conquering the northern part Israel turned in to part of Assyrian provinces. It was God’s judgment of punishment for being unfaithful. It becamereality within history. There was indeed much darkness.
In the midst of darkness a word of hope came from the prophet Isaiah. “The people who walked in darkness has seen a great light”- Isa 9:2. He described the coming of the Messiah in terms of light bursting forth on the darkness of Galilee (Isa 9:1). St. Matthew used these words in chapter 4:15-16 as the ministry of Jesus in Galilee. The good news of the kingdom of God from the lips of Messiah was reached first by these Assyrian provinces that were in the darkness. It was not restricted to them but reached to the whole world. (St. John 1:4-5)
Joy dispelled Sorrow: Prophet Isaiah used two important images to depict the magnitude of Joy. The images are harvest (Isa 9:3b) and dividing up the booty after a successful plunder (Isa 9:3c). Harvest signifies the end of a long period of hunger. The days spent on the threshing floor are the most joyful in the whole year for the farmer and his family and indeed for the whole village. As prophet said in Isa.9:3 were proved when the angel said to the shepherds in St Luke 2:10-11. For Jesus turn our sorrow into Joy.
Victory over evil by the: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace”.
Israel will be set free, victory will come ‘as on the day of Midian’ (Isa. 9:4). This statement of the Prophet Isaiah refers to the time of Gideon who defeated the Midianites (Jud 7). It was a temporary defeat, but the victory of the coming Messiah will be final and everlasting who inaugurates His Kingdom (Isa. 9:5)
Isaiah’s hopes of light, joy, and victory are placed in the coming of the Messiah, who will establish and uphold ‘the throne of David and his kingdom’ (Isa.9.7). This coming of Messiah is described in a series of four epithets.
‘Wonderful Counselor’: The Hebrew translation is also mean Supernatural. It means that the Messiah need not be guided by any one because He is self-sufficient. The crowds marveled as he taught them with authority: an authority that came not from formal rabbinic training, but from within himself
‘Mighty God’: In Hebrew it also means Mighty Hero in the sense that he proves to be superior to all on the battlefield. Jesus the Messiah, through his cross and resurrection, was able to battle on our behalf against the powers of evil and to triumph. (Col. 2:15).
‘Everlasting Father’: Though it appears to an unusual epithet if it applied to Jesus the son of God. However there is no confusion between Father and Son. The Son is the everlasting Father in the sense that he cares for his people as a father cares for his children.
‘Prince of Peace’: As a great Colossian Christ-hymn declares, he made ‘peace through the blood of his cross’ (Col. 1:20, Eph. 2:14). Isaiah goes on to say that there shall be endless peace’ (Isa. 9:7). Jesus came as the Prince of Peace (Zech. 9:9-10). ‘The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this’ (Isa.9:7). And in God’s good time, God well and truly fulfilled this promise.
Therefore let’s rejoice for the Prince of Peace is born for us. In all our trouble and time of darkness and pain He is there as the wonderful counselor who leads us to experience the Peace and Joy not temporary but forever and ever.
WISH YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Your’s Lovingly, Johnyachen
