The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. You have multiplied the nation and increased its joy; they rejoice before You according to the joy of harvest … For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name 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, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:2–3, 6–7
Christmas. For many, this season brings nothing but stress and loneliness rather than peace and happiness. So for the month of December, we want to focus on this wonderful passage about the Child who was born, the Son who was given, He who brings forth joy and rejoicing.
God Himself
Consider first what the Lord is telling us through Isaiah the prophet—all of our hopes and aspirations are centered on a Person. Today, people think we will attain peace and prosperity through political principles. However, the Bible declares that a Person will implement these things, but not just a mere person like us. No, that Person is none other than God Himself. That is the great story of Christmas.
An Amazing Promise
Think for a minute about the multitudes of people in the world. As they contemplate the future, as they live with hope for better days ahead, how many connect those hopes to an actual Person? How many know that the Scriptures speak of such a Man? Not many, I would venture to say. There are two billion or so people on the planet who refer to themselves as Christians, yet even amongst those, very few realize the implications of this amazing promise.
Joy to the World
In the weeks ahead, as you hear “Joy to the World,” pause and reflect on the words. It’s not just a Christmas carol. In reality, it’s a song about the future when the kingdom will be established.
Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing.
All of these promises of righteousness and peace and a world free from injustice, war, tyranny, and hostilities come about through this one Child, this Son who was given—Jesus Christ.
Next week, we will look closely at who this Child is.