In Isaiah 9, God spoke a bright and shining promise to Israel at a time that must have felt very dark.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone. (Isaiah 9:2)
Far on the horizon there was a glimmer of dawning light. God would send His King whose kingdom would have no end.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:7)
As we now know, the baby born in Bethlehem was this King, fulfilling God’s promise to David centuries before. He came and conquered Satan at the cross, giving His life as a ransom. Then He rose in triumph and walked out of the tomb. He has ascended to His rightful place at God’s right hand where He sits as our Great High Priest and King of kings, awaiting the day He will return and establish His throne on earth forever.
But we can still relate to Isaiah 9:2, can’t we? The kingdom of this world is still so far from looking like the kingdom of our Lord. But we also have a glimmer of dawning light on the horizon.
Andrew Peterson wrote a beautiful song that points our eyes forward with great hope to that coming day called Dark Before the Dawn. You can listen to it at the link below.
May it lift your spirits and make you eager to gather this Sunday and worship Christ the King with us. Erik Thoennes will be preaching this Sunday on Jesus’ fulfillment of God’s promise to David and Kenny Clark will be leading our time of sung worship. Would you pray for each as they prepare?
See you Sunday, Grace.
Song Link of the Week
Dark Before the Dawn by Andrew Peterson
I’ve been waiting for the sun
To come blazing up out of the night like a bullet from a gun
Till every shadow is scattered, every dragon’s on the run
Oh, I believe, I believe that the light is gonna come
And this is the dark, this is the dark before the dawn
I’ve been waiting for some peace
To come raining down out of the heavens on these war-torn fields
All creation is aching for the sons of God to be revealed
Oh, I believe, I believe that the victory is sealed
The serpent struck but it was crushed beneath His heel
Oh, I know the wind can bring the lightning
Oh, I know the lightning brings the rain
Oh, I know the storm can be so frightening
But that same wind is gonna blow that storm away
Blow that storm away
Lord, I’m waiting for a change
I’m waiting for Your change
So I’m waiting for the King
To come galloping out of the clouds while the angel armies sing
He’s gonna gather His people in the shadow of His wings
And I’m gonna raise my voice with the song of the redeemed
‘Cause all this darkness is a small and passing thing
This is the storm, this is the storm
The storm before the calm
This is the pain, the pain before the balm
This is the cold, the cold
It’s the cold before the warm
These are the tears, the tears before the song
This is the dark
Sometimes all I see is this darkness
Can’t you feel the darkness
This is the dark before the dawn
I had a dream that I was waking
At the burning edge of dawn
And I could see the fields of glory
I could hear the sower’s song
I had a dream that I was waking
At the burning edge of dawn
And all that rain had washed me clean
All the sorrow was gone
I had a dream that I was waking
At the burning edge of dawn
And I could finally believe
The king had loved me all along
I had a dream that I was waking
At the burning edge of dawn
I saw the sower in the silver mist
And He was calling me home