According to some scholars, the book of Isaiah spans over four hundred years of Israelite history. Some of the material can be traced to the Davidic (ca 1000 BCE) on one end and up to the rise to power of the Persian king, Cyrus (535 BCE) on the other.

• During this long history, Israel-Judah and the northern nation- will experience constant flux, their Near Eastern enemies will encroach, and Israel’s leaders will vacillate, reform, form alliances, refuse others, rebel, and ultimately get deported and dispersed.

• Our passage may have been written close to Isaiah’s call in chapter 6. The year is approximately 742 BCE-the end of an era of relative independence for Judah. On the international scene, Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria has come to power and will seek to expand his empire to include the small Palestinian regions of Syria and Judah. Sargon II and Sennacherib, Tiglath’s successors will follow the same expansionist policy.

• Much later, Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king will be the first-but not the last-to capture and then destroy Jerusalem with its Temple. The final part of Isaiah already reflects the new policies that Cyrus of the Persian Empire will adopt-a kinder, gentler military policy than that of his predecessor nations, allowing the exiles to return home.

• A note about Zebulun and Naphtali. Zebulun is situated between the Mediterranean Sea on the west and the Sea of Galilee on the east. Napthali borders Galilee on the east. Zebulun, according to the Chronicler, played a major role during David’s reign (1 Chron. 12:34) and some of its inhabitants apparently survived the Assyrian conquest (Is. 9 / 2 Chron. 30.6, 10-11). Naphtali (“mighty wrestlings”) suffered from the Syro-Ephraimitic War between Israel and Syria and fared worse during the Assyrian invasion in 732 BCE, the result of which, “All the land of Naphtali” was captured.

• NIB on this passage:

If there were any doubt that ancient texts could legitimately have diverse meanings, texts such as this should lay those doubts to rest. In the eighth century BCE, the words were uttered about the birth of a specific king in Judah, subsequently applied to other kings and even later to an expected messiah. The early church heard that promise and saw it fulfilled in Jesus, and Christians at worship will hear these words as proclamation of the birth of Jesus. All that is as it should be, for this ancient song helps faithful Christian hearers understand the meaning of Christmas. One of our struggles as interpreters faced with such texts is to proclaim the Christian meaning without thereby either ignoring or obscuring the ancient Israelite significance.

The central message of this text is that the birth and its celebration are signs of hope, grounds for confidence in God’s future. But there are other important matters as well. Since this passage speaks above all of the nature of the king’s reign as one of perpetual peace, founded on justice and righteousness-one that will bring an end to the dark, harsh, loud, and bloody martial alternative (vv. 2-5)-it concerns the messy world of politics. That makes it difficult to separate spiritual or religious matters from government. God’s instrument for establishing justice in this case is a monarchy, to be sure, but one that exercises power in accordance with the Lord’s will. Our familiarity with the text should not obscure its remarkable theme: In Isaiah’s view, God’s will for justice, righteousness, and peace is made flesh in the weakest of human creatures, a little baby.

The people who walk in darkness . . . the land where death casts its shadow . . .

- Know of any people or land around us that fit Isaiah’s vision? Consider taking a walk downtown-through a busy street or perhaps through a jammed mall this week; notice any pockets of despair among the shoppers or pedestrians.

- For example: I just got back from a walk-through of Market-Locust-Broad Streets in Philadelphia accompanying my son to a Navy NROTC interview. He was psyched and heady with dreams of college and the track that leads into the career of a commissioned officer. Afterward, eating at a Sharro shop, laughing and rerunning the interview, we must have seen seven passersby whose greatest vision might be to get their grocery cart filled with their life’s belongings to the shelter before dark. We’re sitting in this warm eatery directly across from City Hall-the seat of power in Philadelphia, yet with people walking-and sleeping-in darkness over the heating grates. As I speak an advocacy group for the homeless is staging a sit-in to protest the building of a billion dollar stadium when so many people are living in a land of darkness.

• What other ways might people today live in darkness?

• If we are honest, the light of Christ often hurts our eyes. Isn’t this text about Isaiah 9 vis-à-vis Matthew 4 an opportunity to ask whether we ourselves do not often prefer to sit in darkness?

• Describe a modern version of the “the land where death casts it’s shadow.”

- You might draw upon recent movies that reflect the land / people who exist in the darkness as well as how light enables life to be lived in a higher plane.

- The movie, The Light in the Jungle, provides a great contrast of light vis-à-vis darkness. It is the story of Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Albert Schweitzer who leaves western culture behind at the age of 30 to establish his jungle hospital in Africa. In building healing and hope in Africa, Schweitzer battles nature, cruel superstitions, and western self-righteousness from his sponsors. Light comes in the form of inspiration from his wife Scripture, and medicine.

- Babette’s Feast, might also help us to play with the contrast of darkness and light. During an especially foreboding and rain-drenched evening, a stranger stumbles on to a bickering, aging community of Christians. They live in the land of darkness, their world gradually darkened through arguing, unforgiveness, whispering about others, and suspicions. The stranger eventually becomes the Christ figure who brings light into the darkness, thus freeing the community to new visions of life.

- Peace Child is a missionary film, a true story about warring communities in Papua New Guinea; at the time of the story, the tribal groups have raised treachery to a fine art form: the more treacherous, the more noble. In the Sawi theology, Judas becomes the hero because of his treachery! The dénouement of the story comes in the “peace child,” a baby born within one of the warring tribes, but given to the other tribe. The child brings the tribes together in peace. Once peace is established, medical staff can proceed with hygiene and the gospel-but couched within Papuan culture.

 

Isaiah uses the powerful metaphors of death, agrarian images, breaking of prison chains, and the end of war. How could you reflect Isaiah’s powerful vision by using current metaphors and images?

• The early Christian writers made immediate connections between Isaiah’s “child” and Jesus Christ. How do you navigate Isaiah’s ancient prophecy with Jesus? In what way/s have you discovered Christ as Counselor / Mighty God / Everlasting Father / Princely? What Scriptures come to mind that “fulfill” such titles with the Advent of Jesus Christ?

• How would you characterize the Messiah’s rule based on the descriptions in this passage? Justice? Peace-loving? Nonviolent?

• How, being ourselves shaped by Isaiah’s Leader-ship qualities, can we go about the shaping of our world to conform to Isaiah’s vision?

• Any examples of how you seen a “bridging” of the two worlds?

• In C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, (“The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” I think) the land of Narnia has lain in a state of winter for untold years; Christmas is unheard of. The evil ruler of the land has kept all of the land in darkness and cold. Yet as the children flee for their lives to a safe place, they can’t help but to discern that Aslan has entered the land when they begin to notice crocuses breaking through the crust for the first time ever. Though winter still blankets the land as always, though the evil witch still threatens and turns subjects to ice, signs of change begin to appear, e.g. melting snow, slush, sun, etc. Aslan has entered the land.

Between Isaiah’s vision and our reality of a world of peace, nonviolence, justice, and joy is a huge chasm. If we doubt this, we need only read today’s paper.

Yet, Aslan has entered the land of darkness through prophecy. Every time we align our vision and work in the name of Christ and for the sake of the world, I wonder if we might narrow the chasm just a bit. At least, we are becoming people of vision and hope when, instead of writing the world off as hopeless, we enter renewed by faith to return as Aslan’s assistants, bringing new hope and light to people who live in the land of darkness.