unto us

 Light, joy, freedom and peace are coming and have come because... to us a child is born.


Who is 'us' ? (Who are us?? Not sure of the grammar here but someone will keep me right  😆)

Well obviously in the days Isaiah was writing 'us' must have referred both to himself and those to whom he was speaking. The Jews, 800 years before Jesus was born.  I wonder what (or who) his readers thought he was talking about.  Its not unreasonable to assume that they thought he was talking about a baby that had just been born.  If someone writes to you and says ' Announcing the birth of a baby' you run out to find a congratulations card dont you?  You dont think 'Oh I'll wait 800 years and then say congratulations'  😁

Prophecy is a strange thing.  John Paul Jackson used to say that it is describing things that are not yet, as though they are.  But the trouble is, for people receiving the prophetic word it can be really hard to work out what is being said. Are you telling us a baby has just been born who is going to be all these wonderful things you describe?  Or is this a baby that is coming in the future, and if so, when?  And if we are to judge a prophet by the accuracy of their words and the words dont come true for 800 years.....well that prophet is going to be judged pretty harshly I would imagine!   Im hoping Isaiah did not have any idea that the words he had been prompted to speak would take so many lifetimes to fulfil.

So why did God talk about this promised baby to people who were never going to see Him and for whom His coming would have no relevance whatsoever??

Well, thats the thing about prophecy.  God doesnt need to tell us anything. He has a plan which He is putting into action and theres nothing much we can do about it.  Our opinions dont sway Him and His timing is perfect.  And yet He says He does nothing without revealing his secrets to His servants the prophets(Amos 3:7)  Why? I think its because of two things.  1) The thing God longs for most and the reason Jesus came is relationship. Its all about Him and us. Him with us. Him in us. Him for us. I dont think God takes much joy in just doing everything by Himself.  Just like us with our kids, He loves to spend time, explain, show, partner, correct and play. He does the work but He wants us to 'help' because He is training us and modelling who He wants us to be,  

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=811680317259132

2) We need the encouragement.  He knows how quickly we flag and fail. Without His constant promises and reassurance that He is in control our faith slips and slides.

Although Jesus wasnt coming for 800 years the words promising His coming (maybe soon) must have so galvanised and encouraged a people who were forever under threat from warring neighbours.  For those of us reading today we can marvel at the arc of the story of God who keeps his promises for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands. We are reminded that to God a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years are as a day. We look to the ,as yet, unfulfilled promises over our own lives and take heart. And for those of us who have delivered prophetic words which seem to have vanished into thin air..... well maybe it will be the great great grandchildren who will see the fulfilment.

We are so blessed to be living in the fulfilment of Isaiah's words. To be included in the 'us' as gentiles. Now we know that 'us' is the whole world our responsibility is to tell them.  Go church!

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