“Around 771 B.C. Isaiah spoke what the Lord had told him and said, ‘The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light: they who dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the great light shined.’” Is. 9:2.
“In 26 A.D. Matthew wrote. ‘The people who sat in darkness saw great light; and to them who sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent: for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Matt.4:16,17.
“In 64 A.D., in his letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul wrote, ‘But ye were sometimes darkness but now ye are light in the Lord: walk as children of light.’ Eph. 5:8.
“Paul went on to exhort the Ephesians to live right according to the will of God.
“Isaiah had a vision concerning the last days. God showed him the sins of Israel and his judgment on them. God also gave Isaiah evidence of the remnant of His people, those who were faithful. He also showed him the way out for them. God has always done that. It is the purpose of His work to draw all people to Him, that His people be saved from the utter destruction and death that comes to those who refuse to accept Him and His word. God showed Isaiah the truth of the great promise of light to the world. It is His purpose for we who believe to allow God to do that work through us, to help expose the world to his word and lead all people to believe and accept His gifts.
“Isaiah was explicit in verse 6 when he said ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful, Councilor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.’ Is. 9:6.
“In detail God has shown Isaiah how this light would come upon us, I believe, so it could be taught through the ages to come; and this child, this light unto the world could be recognized as the Messiah. God told Isaiah that he would be his son given to us, given to us as the light and knowledge of his word, as our redeemer, as our deliverer. He would be called Wonderful because he was both God and man. He would be called Councilor because he would teach the truth, he would intercede for us, and he sits in council on the right hand of the Father. He would be called the Mighty God. The Mighty God is born into this world in the flesh. He would be called the Everlasting Father. The Son and God the Father are one, a relationship they have enjoyed since before the foundation of the world. John wrote that the Word was made flesh and dwelled among us. He is called the Prince of Peace. He brings us the greatest peace of all. No matter what happens to us in this life we are all right forever if we have accepted Him.
“The government will be on his shoulder. He was born King. He reigns over His kingdom that he established in the heart of man. He took all the sins of the Principalities and of all the subjects and carried them to Golgotha where he paid the price for all.
“As Isaiah spoke, God’s divine plan for our salvation had been unfolding for many generations. Many generations before, Abram answered the call and obeyed God. He left Haran, his home, with his family and all that he had, not knowing where he would go. The only security he had was the word of God.
“Nearly eight hundred years after Isaiah brought this word from God, in Nazareth, a small obscure community nestled between the hills in Galilee, Gabriel, the angel of the Lord appeared to Mary, a virgin espoused to be married to Joseph, a man of the house of David. Gabriel told Mary to fear not. He explained to her that she would conceive of the Spirit and give birth to the Son of God and his name would be Jesus. Mary had conversation with the angel of the Lord and he told her the child would be called the Son of God.
“During the last 400 years Israel had not had a prophet or priests who taught the truth. The Romans had dominion over their land. Herod, the king, believed the prophesy concerning the birth of the Messiah. When he heard of Jesus being born king he thought he could prevent it by having all the male children killed. God divinely warned Joseph and they went to Egypt where they sojourned until the danger had past.
“There were some in the land who kept the statutes and tried to live right. As always that remnant of God’s people preserved.
“Jesus gave all of himself, a perfect living sacrifice, with a pure and willing heart when he died on the cross and paid for all our sins. Jesus was resurrected and has gone back to the Father where he lives today. He is preparing for us, all of mankind, a place in his Father’s house.
“Indeed we wait for his coming, but when he comes again rather than bringing an offer of salvation and saving grace, he will have with him his reward and the judgment. Christ is sufficient for all our needs, accept him and share with all believers his peace and eternal joy before it is too late.”