The Prophecy of the Great Light

The Prophecy of the Great Light

This Sunday, we were privileged to have our own Pastor Micky give the message from Isaiah Chapter 9, a very powerful passage showing Old Testament Prophecy of the coming of Christ.

It was a time of economic gloom and darkness, not unlike the situation we are experiencing now. There was a general sense of depression in the air, but God sent Isaiah to turn the people back to Him and to give them hope. 

1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-

 2 The people walking in darkness
       have seen a great light;
       on those living in the land of the shadow of death
       a light has dawned.

The great light was of course referring to our Lord Jesus Himself. In Him was light, and no darkness at all, and His life was the light of men! And later Jesus declared “I am the light of the world!” 

3 You have enlarged the nation
       and increased their joy;
       they rejoice before you
       as people rejoice at the harvest,
       as men rejoice
       when dividing the plunder.

Indeed, how we rejoice at Christmas, as we celebrate the coming of the Lord. Joy to the World, the Lord has come, let earth receive her King!

In the Bible, names are always very important, and the names given to the Messiah, the Savior are very meaningful indeed.

6 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

Our Lord Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor, truly Wonderful, beyond anything we have seen. He is our Great Counselor, listening to us and counseling us, teaching us what we should do. He understands because He Himself was tempted. He understands because He knows us better than we know ourselves. The learned teacher, Nicodemus, came to Jesus in the night, realizing the emptiness of his religion. Jesus understood his emptiness, his needs, and explained deep and wonderful things to him. He continues to listen to us today, and counsels us through His Mighty Spirit.

Our Lord Jesus is Mighty God. He is all-powerful, all-supreme. The demons are subject to Him, heaven and earth are subject to Him. He has power over every disease and sickness, and He has power even over death.

Our Lord Jesus is Everlasting Father. He is forever, the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. He is the Great Father and Creator. Through Him all things were made and nothing was made that has been made.

Our Lord Jesus is the Prince of Peace. His peace is not the absence of trouble, but a peace in spite of trouble. No matter what terrors the early Christians faced, they did not fear for they had the peace of God!

May we grow in our relationship with Jesus, seeking His counsel, praising Him as mighty God and Everlasting Father, and trusting in Him to give us peace, in any and every situation. In Jesus name, Amen.