Christmas, 700 B.C.

Isiah 9:1-7

Seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus, God gave Isaiah a vision of the coming Messiah. It was a brutal, oppressive time in the history of Israel—comparable in a few ways to today, where we still have terrorism, violence, and a culture focused on materialism. The vision Isaiah saw in 700 BC is similar to what we need to see today.

Isaiah description of the birth of Christ was a great sign of hope and anticipation. It meant there was confirmation that there would someday be better days, better circumstances, and better conditions. At the time, people hoped for a militaristic messiah to defeat their enemies and lead a revolution, but that was not the type of man Isaiah saw or the changes he would bring. This Christmas, put your hope not in material things, but think about Jesus, for he came to bring inner hope.

When we see Christmas through the eyes of Isaiah in 700 BC, we see the personal presence of God. Isaiah knew the Messiah would be a real human being, and yet would also grow to be called “wonderful counselor,” “mighty god,” “everlasting father,” and “prince of peace.” To experience the presence of God in your life, let Him “grow up” in your life.

This year, look at Christmas a little differently—look for hope, look for peace, look for counsel. They are all there for you—God has put them there.