Are you having a hard time finding hope today? Are you discouraged by the chaos in the world around you? Are you disappointed in your work or your relationships? Are you wondering if there’s anyone who can straighten things out?

The people of God in Isaiah’s time had good reason to feel that way. The Assyrian empire, which lay to their north and east, was growing, flexing its muscles and asserting its dominance over the whole region. But things were no better at home, where the political leaders took bribes to deny justice to the weak (1:23), and the whole land was filled with idols that people had made to worship (2:8).

And God said He would clean up the mess – but only after He removed all the blessings that His people had come to take for granted: after “cities are devastated and without inhabitant, houses are without people, and the land is utterly desolate” (6:11). Yes, Isaiah’s message to God’s people was that “the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria” (8:4).

But at the same time, Isaiah held out hope for the Lord’s people. And he said that this hope would appear first in exactly the place where God’s people had been least faithful to Him and where the Assyrian onslaught had first encroached on their territory: Naphtali and Zebulun, in the far north of Israel, near the sea of Galilee (9:1), and therefore far, far away from the Temple in Jerusalem.

Yes, it was in that place, the place of greatest darkness, that Isaiah promised God’s light would shine first (9:2). And it was in fact in that place, some 700 years after Isaiah’s prophecy, that Jesus began His earthly ministry. It was in that place that He began His earthly reign as the Son of David and the Prince of Peace (9:6-7).

And the good news is that He continues to reign today, breaking the power of the worst of our enemies, even sin and death (9:4). And for 2000 years, He has inspired His disciples to follow His example, advancing the cause of justice and righteousness on earth, multiplying His people by showing and sharing the truth of His love.

Yes, that’s the good news: no matter what problems may face us, Christ has come to live with us and to die for us. And He has risen from the dead so that we might not only live with Him forever, but so that we might have new, resurrection life even today. Let’s rejoice in His light today, even as we wait for the Prince of Peace to come again to set all things right and to make all things new.

Isaiah 9:1-7 (NASB)

But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.
2 The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.
3 Thou shalt multiply the nation, Thou shalt increase their gladness; They will be glad in Thy presence As with the gladness of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For Thou shalt break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.
5 For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.
6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.