Advent Day 15: Isaiah 9:1-7

Week 3: The Light of Joy

As the news of Jesus’ arrival began to spread, the shepherds and the faithful responded with joy and celebration. This week, we will delve into their stories and ponder how Jesus’ arrival brings the light of joy into our own hearts.

Read & Journal

As you have the first two Sundays of Advent, turn your attention to Isaiah 9:1-7. Meditate on these verses.

• As you reread these familiar verses, does anything stick out to you that you hadn’t noticed before? Why does it stick out?

• Look over the list of Jesus’ characteristics you’ve been compiling each Sunday over the past few weeks. As you think over the past week, which aspects of His character has God displayed in your life lately?

• Take time to praise God for specific ways He has displayed those characteristics in your life this week.

• As you read the passage again, underline each word or phrase that refers to joy or rejoicing. How has Christ increased your joy this week?

Ponder

For people living under oppression, Isaiah’s prophecy must have sounded almost too good to be true. He promised a Messiah who would bring light to their darkness and turn their sorrow to rejoicing. But that joy was never meant to be found in circumstances. Instead, it was found in a person: Jesus.

Read verses 6-7 again and take note of the titles the prophet used to describe the Messiah: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Through this Son, God would use His extraordinary wisdom to plan wonderful miraculous things.1 Mighty God affirms the Messiah’s divine nature. As a father, He would care for His children eternally, and He would be a leader (Prince of Peace) who brought eternal peace to His children. The people were well acquainted with oppression, but God was promising a Messiah who would rule with fairness and justice. Leaders had promised peace and prosperity before, but this promise was different because God Himself guaranteed it (v. 7).

In the darkness, God promised light. To a people who seemingly only knew sorrow, He promised joy. While oppression and strife ruled their daily lives, God promised a Messiah who would bring eternal peace. He promised hope in a person.

This week, we’ll delve into the accounts of Jesus’ birth once again, turning our hearts and minds toward the examples of peace and joy they reveal. From unlikely outcasts to faithful followers of God, the good news of the Messiah’s birth sparked rejoicing and celebration. As you turn your eyes once again to the Light this week, let the good news of the gospel spark joy in your heart. No matter what you face this week, you can rejoice in the truth that the Messiah has come. Through Him, we have peace with God, eternal peace. So, rest easy, child.

1 Gary V. Smith. New American Commentary: Volume 15A, Isaiah. (Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman & Holman, 2007). Accessed June 5, 2021.