The Promised King (Advent)

The ancient world was no stranger to darkness. Not just the physical darkness that fell when the sun set, but the deep, pervasive spiritual darkness that settled over humanity like a suffocating blanket. It's the kind of darkness we still know today; the darkness of failed leadership, broken promises, violence, fear, and hopelessness.

The Darkness We Created

Human history tells a sobering story. From the Garden of Eden to the present day, humanity has consistently failed to live in the light. The pattern repeats with disturbing regularity: God blesses, people prosper, prosperity leads to complacency, complacency breeds forgetfulness of God, and forgetfulness results in judgment.

Moses prophesied this cycle long before it happened. He warned that when the people enjoyed God's blessings, they would grow comfortable, forget their Provider, and turn to other gods. Hundreds of years later, his prophecy came to pass with devastating accuracy.

The Assyrian Empire rose to power—not because they were particularly wise or righteous, but because God used even a wicked nation to fulfill His purposes. Israel's leaders had failed. Their kings were corrupt. Their priests were compromised. The people walked in deep darkness.

Sound familiar?

Turn on the news today. Scroll through social media. Listen to the political discourse. We're still trying to solve the same problems with the same failed human solutions. Someone is always doing something wrong, and someone else promises to make it right. But human strength fails. Sin abounds. The world grows dark.

Isaiah 8:22 paints a vivid picture: "And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness."

We cannot save ourselves. We need divine intervention. We need light that cannot be produced by human effort.

The Gift That Changed Everything

Into this darkness, God spoke a promise: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).

This wasn't just another prophet or king or religious leader. This was something unprecedented—God entering human darkness in human form.

Why? Because sinful humanity cannot rule successfully. Because every human government eventually corrupts. Because we needed a High Priest who could sympathize with our weaknesses, yet without sin. We needed someone who could bridge the impossible gap between holy God and fallen humanity.

Consider the miracle: a child who never sinned. Not at age two during the "terrible twos." Not at age three when most children are testing every boundary. Not as a teenager. Not as an adult. Perfect obedience. Perfect words. Perfect counsel. This is Jesus.

Names That Reveal Everything

When Isaiah describes this coming child, he uses titles that reveal His true nature: "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

These aren't just poetic flourishes. They're descriptions of His character and authority.

1. Wonderful Counselor: Think about all the counsel we receive daily—from media, friends, culture, our own thoughts. Much of it leads us deeper into darkness. But Jesus speaks exactly the right word in every situation. He never puts His foot in His mouth. He never says something hurtful in anger. His counsel is perfect, and it transforms darkness into light.
2. Mighty God: This child is no mere man. He is fully human, yes, but also fully God. The One through whom all things were created. The Word made flesh. He has power to create, power to destroy, power over all things.
3. Everlasting Father: This title reveals that Jesus reigns not as a cruel dictator but as a merciful and loving Father. He is our strength, our protection, our provider, our comfort, and our King.
4. Prince of Peace: The Hebrew word here is "shalom," which means far more than the absence of conflict. It speaks to completeness, wholeness, fullness—a peace so profound it compels worship. Jesus offers a peace the world cannot give, a peace that guards our hearts even in the midst of suffering.

As Jesus Himself said: "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (John 14:27).

The Kingdom Without End

Isaiah's prophecy continues: "Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore."

We live in the "already but not yet" reality of this kingdom. Jesus reigns now, but His kingdom is not yet fully realized. Unlike human kingdoms limited by time, territory, and space, Christ's kingdom has no boundaries and no end. It will grow and prosper forever.

This is why we pray, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

The prophecy ends with a powerful promise: "The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this." God is zealous—passionately committed to what belongs to Him. He will never stop pursuing His people. He will never abandon His promises.

Personal Application

Make it personal: For you, a child was born. For you, a son was given.

The baby in the manger was sent by a zealous God who loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die on a cross for your sin. This is how we share in the light and become heirs in the kingdom to come.

If you walk in darkness today—whether from personal pain, global chaos, or spiritual confusion—there is hope. The Light of the World has come. He keeps His promises. He came once as a baby in Bethlehem, and He is coming again.

What would it be like to truly have peace that surpasses all understanding? That peace is available today through Jesus Christ, the promised King who reigns forever in righteousness and peace.

The darkness we created cannot overcome the Light God provided. That is the hope of Christmas—and the hope for every day that follows.