Merry Christmas!

Undeserved for Hundreds of Years

When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:12-17


In Isaiah’s time, the people of Israel were not following God. The spiritual condition of the people of Israel generally paralleled the spiritual condition of their king. Under Pekah, the people of Israel reached an all time spiritual low.


“In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twenty years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.


In the time of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maakah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He took Gilead and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and deported the people to Assyria. Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He attacked and assassinated him, and then succeeded him as king in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah” (2 Kings 15:27-29).


But, God didn’t leave them there.


“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 nations, by the Way of the Sea [the district around the sea of Galilee], beyond the Jordan [the land belonging to Reuben, Gad and half-Manasseh]— The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:1-2). [Insights from Jamieson, Faussett and Brown Commentary on the Whole Bible]


Galilee was not a highly regarded region. The inhabitants were a mixed race of Jews and Gentiles from the bordering Phoenician race. This was not merely an ethnic issue, but was also a spiritual issue of religious syncretism. Galilee was an unlikely place to produce a Messiah. Jerusalem would have been far more appropriate.


Quoting from Isaiah 9:1-2, Jesus stood at the exact spot mentioned in Isaiah‘s prophecy. In Isaiah’s time, the people of Zebulun and Naphtali were deported under Tiglath-pileser just prior to the giving of this prophecy (2 Kings 15:29).


Jesus was the Great Light. Over 700 years later, Jesus, the Light had arrived.


Where has gloom crept into your life during this Christmas season? What are you frustrated about? What are you depressed about? Maybe you don’t even know. Ask Jesus to shine His light and bring clarity and peace to you this Christmas. The Light of Christ is not merely the fanciful tale of the ancient Nativity. The Light of Christ is a powerful force available to guide you today.


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Were Shepherds Supposed to be Invited?

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”


Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”


When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”


So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:8-20


Why did the angels proclaim Jesus’ birth to shepherds? The kings from the East, the Magi, were prophesied about (Isaiah 60:3). Shepherds were not foretold. But, the shepherds were symbolic.


Jesus is known as both the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) as well as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). As Shepherd, Jesus led God’s people to places they had never been. While God’s written Word gave the road map, and God’s prophets proclaimed warnings, Jesus, the Shepherd, took them on the journey Himself. He showed us what to do. He showed us how to respond. He showed us how to live. What the cognitive and auditory couldn’t accomplish, the kinesthetic “Word made flesh” (John 1:14) demonstrated brilliantly.


The shepherds weren’t drawn to the manger by a flashy announcement. The shepherds were drawn to the Savior through worship. The angels came praising and proclaiming. Worship points people to the Messiah.


We all worship in different ways. Most obvious is worship through singing. But, people also worship through being in nature, serving, studying and many other ways. If you haven’t identified the way that you worship best, check out Sacred Pathways by my friend, Gary Thomas.


Some things we discover through words. Some things we discover through work. But, we are completely alive and more fully discover through worship.






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The Quiet Strength of Joseph

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”


All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).


When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25


The Bible doesn’t have a whole lot to say about Joseph. In fact, Joseph is one of the few people mentioned in the Bible who is never quoted saying anything. He’s sort of an ancillary figure in our nativity scene. But, that’s not really true. This passage reveals two significant decisions Joseph made that led to the credibility of the Messiah.


When Joseph heard of Mary’s pregnancy, his first impulse was to divorce her. The terms of engagement then were much more stringent than today. It was more like the first year of marriage than planning a wedding. Infidelity during an engagement would have brought a great deal of dishonor to Joseph. None of us would want that. He reasoned that his only choice was to divorce Mary quietly. What else could he do? What would we do?


Can you imagine the problems that would have been caused if the parents of the Savior of the world were divorced? Even the Son of God needed an earthly mother and father to give him credibility. Illegitimacy might have voided the message Jesus came to proclaim. Who would have listened to Him? No one would have given Jesus any attention back then.


The angel appeared to Joseph and explained the situation. Divine revelation was the only way that this pregnancy could be understood or accepted. Joseph chose to man-up, take Mary as his wife, and claim Jesus as his own son.


Then Joseph made another remarkable decision. He chose to wed Mary and delay the honeymoon. “But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son” (Matthew 1:25). While every bride dreams of the wedding day, every groom dreams of the wedding night. Joseph chose to marry his pregnant fiancé, and then he chose to put off the pleasures of marriage that were rightfully his (1 Corinthians 7:4) in order to guarantee that no one could ever say that Joseph had anything to do with Jesus’ human birth. For a man that didn’t get any words in the Bible, Joseph silently obeyed.


Following God would be easier if we knew that God’s direction would always lead us down an easy path. But, when following God makes things worse rather than better, it takes more than our willfulness to obey. It requires faith.


Regardless of how Joseph felt about Mary, regardless of what Joseph knew he was entitled to, regardless of receiving a life that he had never signed up for, Joseph chose to obey God. He didn’t receive any earthly honor for his obedience. In fact, after the incident of leaving Jesus behind at the temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:43), we don’t hear anything else about Joseph. How did he influence Jesus? What did he do with his life? When did he die? We don’t know.


Joseph’s reward was investing in the life of someone else. His honor came from putting his own will and feelings aside for someone greater. Like all of us, Joseph’s ultimate reward is in Heaven.


What seems impossible for you these days? Regardless of what you deserve and how you feel, how is God directing you to obey? Are you willing?


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If We Can Do for Ourselves, then Why Do We Need God?

Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:14-17


No one wants to be perceived as weak. We would rather put our weaknesses aside and attempt to be strong for others. It seems that as long as we can keep busy and look strong, then we don’t feel as weak. After all, no one throws a parade for the weak. Parades are for heroes.


Yet, in God’s economy our perceived strengths often get in the way. If we can do for ourselves, then why do we need God?


A week ago, David Ring, an evangelist with cerebral palsy, spoke at our Christmas Blessings Banquet at Brookwood Church. The banquet is a ministry to disabled folks in our community and their families and caregivers.


Many people have heard of David Ring. He’s been preaching for 37 years in over 6,000 churches and speaks to over 100,000 people every year.


He starts with his classic line, “I have cerebral palsy. What’s your problem?” David asked our audience if they had noticed that he had a speech impediment. Then, in his wry humor, he says, “Oh, I’m in South Carolina. Everyone has a speech impediment in South Carolina.” He’s a character.


David lost his father when he was very young. Then, his mother died when he was 14-years-old. He spent the rest of his growing up years in foster care.


I was struck by David’s attitude about his mother’s death. He said that if his mother hadn’t died, he wouldn’t have been married. He wouldn’t have four children. He wouldn’t be in the ministry. He would be at home tugging on his momma’s apron strings.


David went on to say that if he had the choice of having cerebral palsy or being completely healthy, he would choose cerebral palsy. His reason: “When I am weak, God is strong.” It was a little difficult for any of us to have a pity party that day.


The Apostle Paul said, “But [God] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).


How do you feel weak today? How can your weakness reveal God’s strength? God doesn’t want to keep you down through weakness. He wants you to see how helpless and limited you really are, so then you can see how He can give you His strength.




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Better Than Cash for Gold: Peace for Problems

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD— and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.


The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious. Isaiah 11:1-10


In these early prophecies of Isaiah, the prophet pronounced judgment on the people of Judah. They had forsaken God. They had turned to false gods. Their country was on the verge of collapse. Yet, in the middle of some very strong words, God gives Isaiah this beautiful vignette of peace and tranquility beyond their imagination.


As you drink in these words from Isaiah 11, think about the turmoil in your own life. Isaiah wasn’t speaking about peace in a peaceful time. Isaiah’s words were meant for people who were confused. These were people who had tried everything that they knew to do, yet couldn’t make things any better. I can relate to those people at times.


Rather than scolding them one more time, God casts a vision for their future (and ours). Life on this earth is not all that there is to life. The problems that we face today are not problems that will last forever. Ultimately, Jesus will usher in an unprecedented time of tranquility. There will be no diplomatic cables appearing on Wikileaks then. There will be no negotiations. The Savior will merely declare it so. Enemies will be vanquished. Tensions will be released. Natural rivalries will be turned into unnatural friendships.


While we haven’t seen these times, those of us who belong to Christ have tasted them. The outward workings of redemption are yet to come. Humanity and all creation long for that day. But, today those who belong to Christ can experience this kind of peace in our hearts.


The Bible tells us “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). We can possess peace that is not rightfully ours, by giving our problems and turmoil over to God.


God knows what we will experience in Heaven. He also knows what we will experience when our problems are resolved. God, in His grace, gives us the peace of a resolved problem, even while He’s still working to resolve things.


What turmoil are you experiencing today? What chaos needs to be brought into order? God is waiting to give you His peace. You just need to give Him your problem.




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Christmas Shadows

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”


A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”

“All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”


You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”


See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40:1-11


The prophecies given in the first 39 chapters of the book of Isaiah are words of judgment. This prophecy from chapter 40 begins words of comfort for the last one third of the book. But, the comfort for Judah was a long way off.


Jerusalem wouldn’t fall for another 100 years, and then God’s people would be exiled for another 70 years. God instructed Isaiah to begin planting seeds of encouragement. The hard, rocky soils of their lives were being tilled through one-coming adversity. As I mentioned a few days ago, the people of Judah were completely surrounded by the Assyrian Empire (LINK). More consequences and punishments were heading their way. But, in the midst of judgment, God directed Isaiah to tell about the comfort ahead.


God’s work in our lives doesn’t culminate in a dead end. Some of our struggles seem so dark, it’s hard to believe that it’s part of God’s plan. It’s hard to believe that God has anything to do with it. It’s hard to believe that anything will turn out very well. Yet, 170 years before God’s people are released from captivity, God promises His comfort, even though they don’t seem to have a clue about what they are about to face.


What dark thing are you facing today? Whether it was caused by your actions or someone else’s, God can use it to refine your character and demonstrate His comfort and grace in your life.


Joni Erickson Tada has been paralyzed from the neck down for over thirty years. She writes, “The cross is the center of our relationship with Jesus. The cross is where we die. We go there daily. It isn’t easy.


“Normally, we follow Christ anywhere – to a party, as it were, where He changes water into wine, to a sunlit beach where He preaches from a boat. But to the cross? We dig in our heels. The invitation is so frighteningly individual. It’s an invitation to go alone.


“Suffering reduces us to nothing and as Soren Kierkegaard noted, ‘God creates everything out of nothing. And everything which God is to use, he first reduces to nothing.’ To be reduced to nothing is to be dragged to the foot of the cross. It’s a severe mercy.


“When suffering forces us to our knees at the foot of Calvary, we die to self. We cannot kneel there for long without releasing our pride and anger, unclasping our dreams and desires…In exchange, God imparts power and implants new and lasting hope.” From When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty.



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Merry Madness

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:16-21


The wisemen gave gold, frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). And, boy, has capitalism capitalized on that. Could it be possible that the holiday shopping season starts after Halloween now? At this rate, we could start seeing “After Christmas Sales” before Thanksgiving.


During the week of Thanksgiving, commercial after commercial announced that stores would open at 3 am on Friday. I thought, “And, the store is also open, right now.” But, I guess it’s not really Christmas unless you are a cold, sleep-deprived Black Friday gladiator fighting for the best deals. Ah, how it warms the heart.

I’m not opposed to gift giving. I enjoy giving gifts and receiving them. I even like fruitcake. Gifts are great. Gift receipts might be even better. Read my lips: I am not anti-presents. I am pro-presents. But, why do we give?


We give some gifts because we should give. These would be gifts for people who share our DNA, people we work with, people we live near, and people who serve us. We like some of these people. But, if we only gave to those we liked, it might be a much shorter list.


We give some gifts because people expect it. If we didn’t give them something, they would be disappointed. They might even retaliate.


We give some gifts because someone gave us something. To not give them something would be like saying “I love you,” but having no “I love you” return. They expect something of equal or greater value in return.
 We give some gifts completely in the dark. A truly thoughtful gift is giving exactly what they wanted without being told what they want. This requires some sort of gift giving ESP that most men lack. Ladies: to get what you want for Christmas, your man must be told. If he is left to himself, then don’t be disappointed with a universal remote control and beef jerky in your stocking. It’s his love language.


While Christmas giving has morphed into something surreal compared to the simple scene in the manger, giving is still at the center of Christmas. “God so loved the world that He gave…” We know those words well. Hopefully, they haven’t become “yada, yada, yada” to us. God didn’t give because we deserved it. God didn’t give because we expected Him to. God didn’t give because He needed to reciprocate somehow. God gave because He loves us. No matter who we are or what we’ve done or what we continue to do, God loves us and desires to have a relationship with us. God doesn’t give because it makes Him feel good. He gives because it’s His nature.


You and I are most like God when we are generous. When we faithfully give to God’s work either in the offering plate or online, we are reflecting God’s character and nature. In fact, the antidote to materialism is generosity. Rather than allowing money and things to control our lives, we can enjoy the freedom of giving it away.


Giving also demonstrates our trust in God. If I commit a portion of my income to Kingdom causes, I trust that God will provide for all my needs. That provision might be increased income or shoes that last for 40 years (Deuteronomy 29:5).


How do you trust God through your giving this Christmas? How are you celebrating this year and remembering why we celebrate?


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Might Could or Use-ta Could?

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:16-19


The nature of Christmas and God’s mission on this earth is summed up in one word: giving. God gave His Son (John 3:16). Jesus gave His life (1 John 3:16). God’s instruction to His followers is to follow His example: “And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16). But, what does that mean? The answer is very clear.


If we have something that someone else needs, then this passage instructs us to have pity on them. Why? Didn’t they get themselves into their own mess? Why should I bail them out? We should have pity on others because God has pity on us. We talk about grace and mercy, but the root of these is really pity.


Most of us are too proud to be pitied. We’re not pathetic. We’re not unable. We’re still in the realm of “might could” not “used to could.” God sees us as “never could.” We never could live up to His standards. We never could save ourselves, so God had pity on us and He gave. Jesus gave His life, now He calls us to give to those in need.


Giving is easy when we know the people in need. We know the story about the hardship in their lives. We know how long they’ve been out of work. We know about the catastrophe that took place. We know about the single mom who has struggled because she hasn’t seen a check for child support.


Who do you know right now that you could do something for? Maybe you need to purchase a bag of staples for their pantry or donate a box of Angel Food for someone in need.


Then, there are those that we don’t know. The man on the street, shabbily dressed and in need of a shower, who asks for spare change. What do we do about him? Don’t you think that he would rather have a home and a job? Does he really prefer living on the street and surviving the cold? Maybe you give him cash. Maybe you give him a gift certificate. Maybe you donate to Triune Mercy Center or Miracle Hill in Greenville.


You don’t need to find a program or start a ministry. Just ask God how He wants you to help, and then keep your eyes open to the needs in front of you.




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Griswolds Anonymous

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:3-6


We used to live on a street in Turlock, California that was known as “Christmas Tree Lane.” That wasn’t the actual name, but that’s what it became every year. All of the neighbors would elaborately decorate their homes. Even the Jewish family offered a Hanukkah house complete with plywood cutouts of dradels.


Our house actually came with the decorations. The pressure was on. The week before Thanksgiving, all of the neighbors were outside in shorts and t-shirts (it was California after all) hanging their lights and creating their elaborate displays. Ours was pretty basic. Lights hung around the house and in the trees. A few Christmas trees placed in the yard and a pathetic nativity scene. Someone had stolen our baby Jesus, and one of our wise men wasn’t very bright.


Most of us spend an evening or two driving around looking at Christmas lights. Whether you bundle up in blankets and have hot chocolate or load the kids up in their PJ’s, turn up the heat and drive until they finally go to sleep, we like to take in the holiday lights. Houses range from gorgeous to garish. Either way Duke Energy or PG&E are very happy.

The Light of Christmas is certainly the greenest energy available – the Light of Christ. “For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” The same God who on the first day of creation proclaimed, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3) was at it again. But, this time the light wouldn’t shine in our eyes. It would illuminate our hearts.


So, if the Light of Christ is the light of the gospel, why is it “veiled” to unbelievers? The god of this age has blinded them. The evidence of blindness looks like selfishness, pride, fear, worry, addiction and success. Not everyone is blind in the same way.


But, how could the blind ever see the light? Here’s where the analogy falls a little short. The spiritually blind are not ignorant of God. They are made in His image. They benefit from His grace and benevolence toward all of His creatures. They are confronted with the Light when they hear from science that not all living things originated from a single life form. (The Huffington Post: NASA Discovers New Life: Arsenic Bacteria With DNA Completely Alien To What We Know)


Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).


How is your light shining today? Are you a Griswold or a Grinch?




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Judah, Rhode Island, and the Messiah

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” Isaiah 60:1-3


Prophecy is of no use to people who don’t heed it. Isaiah wrote these words from chapter 60 toward the end of his ministry (around 681 BC). The northern kingdom of Israel had been taken captive by the Assyrians in 722 BC or about 40 years before this prophecy was given. The entire known world was under Assyrian control, except for Judah.


Judah was only 1,350 square miles. That’s just slightly larger than Rhode Island (1,213 sq. miles). Everything around Judah was under the control of the Assyrians. The Assyrian Empire totaled about 75,000 square miles from modern day Iraq to Turkey, Syria and northern Israel. This would be slightly smaller than the state of South Dakota (77,122 sq. miles). So imagine Judah, the size of Rhode Island, completely surrounded by a nation the size of South Dakota.

The only reason that Judah hadn’t been taken captive at this point was entirely due to God’s patience. They had been warned for by Isaiah for 60 years (the first 39 chapters of the book of Isaiah). Yet, they didn’t recognize God’s grace over them.


The people of Judah were caught up in pagan worship and were far from God. Spiritually things were very dark. Amidst this darkness, Isaiah proclaims, “Arise, shine, for your light has come…” The people of Judah probably thought, “Here he goes again.” Isaiah’s words didn’t draw much attention or appreciation. He spoke of Jesus 677 years before his birth (4 BC). That’s a long time to be patient for both God and His people.


Outside of God, there really is no reason that darkness shouldn’t take over the entire world. God’s patience and His mercy keep the light on in this world. In the darkness that surrounds us, the people of God might feel like refugees huddled on a small island. But, our island is not a place to seek refuge and find comfort. Our island is the lighthouse.


It’s our job to point others to the light. It’s our job to shine the light into dark places. It’s our job to allow the light to illuminate our lives and not to let darkness, even in small ways to creep in.


How well are you reflecting the light of Christ this Christmas? How can others see the difference that He has made in your life? What darkness needs to be swept out of your life? The Lord rises upon you!


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