photo: Martha G. Brady

The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.
 You have enlarged the nation
    and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.

 For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
 Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:2-3, 6-7 NIV

 

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God whose name was John.  

He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 

He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.  

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, 

the world did not recognize him.  

He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, 

he gave the right to become children of God—

children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will,

but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son,

who came from the Father,

full of grace and truth.

John 1:3-14

 

The passage from Isaiah is often among those quoted during the first Sunday of Advent. The Candle of Hope or Prophecy is the first candle of Advent. If you want more information on it, click here. I wrote on the Advent Candles last year. This year I will simply write the Scripture.

I enjoyed finding this passage in John where he speaks of Jesus in terms of the Light…as the Isaiah passage does. You know how I enjoy metaphors. I find them to be so helpful.

So today is the day to think about the prophecy of Jesus…and its fulfillment!

His coming is our only hope for forgiveness…for a future.