9:2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those
who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.
9:3 You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they
rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when
dividing plunder.
9:4 For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their
shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day
of Midian.
9:5 For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments
rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
9:6 For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority
rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
9:7 His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless
peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and
uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward
and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
It seems to me that "the people who walked in darkness... those who
lived in a land of deep darkness..." describes our condition pretty
well. I am thinking of weaving in the words of the carol,"It Came
Upon a Midnight Clear." It was the darkness of poverty and the
hopelessness of life in the city, along with the threat of civil
war, that caused the writing of this hymn. The second verse, which
does not appear in the hymn, is poignant for our own darkness today:
Yet with the woes of sin and strife The world hath suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not The love song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife, And hear the angels sing! (from
Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas- Ace Collins)
We need the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace to bring light to our darkness. Tom of MO
Thanks, Tom, for your timely quotation. I will also use a quote
about The church of the Nativity becoming a beleaguered fortress
this year. Luke is saying this baby accomplishes the end goals that
a military army might have. (cf Luke 1:51-53 and 1:69-71) yet how
can this be--a defenseless baby? -AEA
I have only about 5-10 minutes to deliver a devotion on Christmas
Eve, because of all the special music. I'm thinking that I'll give a
quick, thumbnail sketch of the history behind this pericope and note
that Christians have adopted this same language in describing what
Jesus does for us. I've found a large, heavy yoke in the woods near
my parsonage. I'm going to hold it up (for a moment!) and note how
difficult it would be to break. Yet, if we look back on the year
behind us, many of us can see how Jesus has helped us to "break"
something that's been really hard to bear. I'll give an example in
my own life, but I'm sure I won't have enough time to ask the
congregation to share their own broken yokes. But, since I'm really
not sure how much time I'll be left with, this approach should
enable me to preach without notes, and check the clock as I go. If
the anthems and solos go faster than I think, then perhaps a few
people can share. My experience in this church is that the children
pick up on a dialogical approach faster than the adults do, and they
often share some pretty powerful stuff! Thanks, Tom of MO, for that
insight from "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear." That's so timely that
it almost cries out to be shared! MTSOfan
Just to set the record straight....
The third verse of "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" in the
Episcopal Hymnal 1982 (Hymn 89) reads thusly:
Yet with the woes of sin and strife the world has suffered long;
beneath the heavenly hymn have rolled two thousand years of wrong;
and warring humankind hears not the tidings when they bring:
O hush the noise and cease your strife and hear the angels sing!
I was puzzled by Tom's comment that the verse is not in the hymn as
published. It's been in the version published in Anglican hymnals
all along. (Some editor obviously "up-dated" and "de-genderized" the
language for the current hymnal.)
It is a timely verse! In connection with this pericope, it suggests
that the world needs to reconsider these traditional prophetic names
for God, names given by Christians to Jesus of Nazareth: Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. If we
were to hear the angels sing, listen to his counsel, follow his way
of peace, the world would be a much better place.
Blessings, Eric in KS
