THE LIGHT HAS COME
“For those who lived in a land of deep shadows – light! Sunbursts of light!” (Isaiah 9: 2 – THE MESSAGE).
“They lived in a land of shadows but now light is shining on them” (GOOD NEWS BIBLE).
“The Light has come” declared the prophet Isaiah and that is what we celebrate every Christmastime! A light has come to diffuse the deep shadows that are cast over the lives of God’s people. A light will bring great joy (v.3), deliverance (v. 4) and victory (v. 4). This trinity of blessings awaiting God’s people would eventuate because of the babe of Bethlehem. Indeed, the prophet compares the blessings that would come to God’s people through this babe to that of the joy, deliverance and victory through Gideon, a leader of God’s people earlier in their history!
You will remember how Gideon reduced his fighting men from a huge force of several thousand to three hundred and won a great battle over the Midianites (Judges 7). A small force with a stratagem of blowing trumpets and crashing jars so that their torches concealed in the jars blazed in the night sky causing the enemy to panic. The small force and fighting tactics of Gideon’s Army were God’s initiative, solely that it would be seen that the victory was God’s doing.
A small baby, the bearer of light, was also God’s initiative – his doing. Through this child, joy, deliverance and victory would be brought to the people. No-one would purposely reduce a fighting force, that would be seen as madness; no army would use seemingly useless weapons, but God had a different idea. He is noted for using the ‘small’, the ‘weak’, and the ‘little’ to fulfil his purposes. A little baby was God’s stratagem to bring light to the dark places. Because of the Christ-Child light shines on us! Bringing joy, deliverance and victory, today, tomorrow and forever. Through the coming of the Christ-Child there is a continual source of light to dispel darkness. This is the message that was proclaimed long ago and is announced afresh today.
For those who are unhappy because a shadow has fallen across their pathway – joy!
For those who have been ensnared by a set of circumstances – deliverance!
For those who have been overwhelmed by difficulties – victory!
The modern hymn suggests; “Lord, the light of your love is shining, in the midst of the darkness shining…shine on me, shine on me.”
Our Christmas prayer ought to be “Shine on me!”
Christmas is about an ongoing miracle of joy, deliverance and victory.
At the end of his prophecy, Isaiah calls the people of God to “Arise…Let your light shine for all the nations to see! For the glory of the Lord is streaming from you. Darkness as black as night shall cover all the people’s of the earth, but the glory of the Lord will shine from you”(Isaiah 60: 1, 2, LIVING BIBLE). Christmas allows us also to be light-bringers. Let us arise and be a part of the ongoing joy, deliverance and victory God wants for all!
