The Days of the Shattered Yoke

Here is the scripture I am meditating on this morning - Isaiah 9:2-4,6-7 NIV:

[2] "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. 

[3] 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. 

[4] For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor." 

[6] "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. 

[7] 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."

I love this prophetic picture of the Messiah, spoken 700 or so years before Jesus' birth.  In our present historical context, that would be before the discovery of the new world, actually in what we would call the middle ages.  The rule and reign of most places have changed radically in the last 700 years, but to the Jewish faith, 700 years is a moderate sliver of time.  The last prophet wrote about 300 years before the birth of Jesus, and yet the Jewish faith, mindset and prophetic  hope persisted.  

It really is pretty amazing how locked in on the Messianic Prophecy they were as people.  I am not familiar enough with other religions, but I believe this prophetic hope, this looking to the fulfillment of promises in the distant future seems unique, for sure in intensity.  The faith in the coming of the Messiah seemed to be present in both the minds and hearts of the leaders as well as the common people.  

There are several questions rolling around in my mind this morning that I would love to research, but today I just want to look at the beginning of this prophecy, specifically verse 4.  One can clearly understand why the Jewish people thought of the Messiah as a military leader/king.  The defeat of Midian used as an example is found in the Book of Judges, chapter 7.  Gideon and his 300 men, with the strategy and help of the Lord vanquished the huge army of Midian.  Interestingly, they used shouts, trumpets and torches, and the Lord caused such confusion that the Midian army turned on itself!   This is such a great story, and one that would certainly capture the imagination of a people under the oppression of the Roman's.

However, the yoke that burdened them, the bar and rod God is actually speaking about were much larger and stronger than the Romans, He was referring to sin and death.  The Lord speaks of and from levels that we cannot rightly comprehend, for who would have read or heard that sentence and thought, 'God is speaking of sin and death'?!  The Lord was speaking of that which affects us all, not just the Jewish people, or the people of that time frame.

We rightly celebrate the birth of Jesus, of God with us, Emmanuel, as the beginning of the end of the power of sin and death.  His coming to earth made possible the restoration of right relationship of all women and men with our heavenly Father.  We no longer have to suffer under the yoke, bar and rod of our oppressors!  Freedom and Eternal Life are available to us now, and have been ever since Jesus came to bring salvation to the world!

Jesus' coming to earth was not the beginning of a new religion, it was the beginning of new Creation, and He is the first born of this new people!  

This new reality is even more persistent than the Jewish mindset, faith and  prophetic hope of that time!  His coming to earth has radically shifted the eternal destiny of all men. His government (the Kingdom of Heaven) has been established and will never end, and is always increasing!  The thought and belief of much of the world has been shifted, and His truth will never end!  

Words cannot possibly capture the significance of His visitation, His becoming fully man, His willingness to pay the price for the redemption and restoration of all.  We cannot comprehend all that He has done, this side of eternity, and just as the Jews didn't understand the true meaning of the prophecy in Isaiah 9, we don't fully understand all that the Lord has said and done on our behalf!  

It is my prayer that this Christmas we might understand the love and mercy of the Lord!  I pray that we might more fully understand the incredible gift we have been given in the restoration of relationship with the Father!  I pray that we might receive the gift of freedom and grace extended to us by Jesus our savior!  I pray that we might celebrate the shattered yoke of our oppressors and embrace life as His daughters and sons!

May the Lord bless you abundantly!