The Promised One: Advent Day 10

Read & Journal

Read Isaiah 9:2-7. Take a few moments to meditate on what you’ve read. The following questions can help guide you.

• Today’s reading is mostly poetry. Take a few minutes to jot down or outline the key points. What is the overall tone of this poem?

• What does this passage teach you about God and his character?

• How do these verses point to Jesus? What do they reveal about his ultimate purpose or mission?

• How have you experienced Christ being light in your darkness?

• Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. These titles point to the Messiah, praising his wisdom, divine nature and power to bring peace. How has Jesus fulfilled these titles?

• How has Jesus shown himself wise, divine, powerful and full of peace in your own life?

Ponder

For the people Isaiah’s words first came to, the exiled Israelites living under enemy rule, these words of hope would have been the smallest glimmer of light in a dark world. They were a people well acquainted with grief, with oppression, with fear and disappointment. In a time and a place where everything felt wrong, Isaiah’s prophecy told of a Messiah who would set things to rights.

All that was wrong, would one day be made right. All that was lost would one day be found. All that seemed hopeless or impossible or overwhelming would be overcome with eternal hope and peace. Everything sad was coming untrue.1

These people lived in a great darkness they couldn’t see their way out of. A darkness of oppression and fear, but also one of their own sinfulness. Just like us, they were trapped in the sin that so easily entangles and there was nothing they could do to free themselves. But God was promising a Savior, a Messiah, one who would come and end the darkness and oppression. They would be set free, eternally.

We are a people who walk in great darkness—and we live among a people who walk in great darkness. Isaiah’s prophecy was hope to people who didn’t know or understand the depth of their need. And it is still a message of hope to us today.

The Messiah has come. He is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He brings light where there is only darkness. He brings hope where it seems impossible and unlikely. In him, everything sad is coming untrue.

Rest easy today. Our light has come.

1.J.R.R. Tolkein, Return of the King.