Experiencing the Joy of Christmas-I—Isaiah 8:5—9:7
Attention/Need:
Gloom/Hopelessness/Melancholy/Depression/Despondency— Uncle Fred’s coming this year, We just can’t afford it, Overdrawn?, again!, Oh no!, I can’t believe this has happening, I wish this would all go away....Ahhhhh. The joyous sounds of Christmas. These happen when our holiday expectations collide with the reality of squabbling in-laws, dysfunctional family members, whining children, bickering teenagers, hurried gift-searching, depleted bank accounts & maxed-out credit cards.
—The religion of Christian Science tells us that there is no such thing as pain. That it is an illusion. What a joke!
Christmas is a time when we notice with particular clarity, those without jobs, health, houses, families & their pain is somehow transferred to & felt in our lives. We know their pain & we know the reality of living in a sin-sick world. We know the reality of mental, emotional & physical deprivation. It bears upon us with all its fullness during these times. The joy of others seems so blatantly out of place in the midst of the pain & sorrow this world offers. That’s the reality of Christmas for many people. Christmas is a profoundly sad time for these.
But it does not have to be that way. And it should never be that way. Yes, we are expected as God’s people, to meet the plight of the downtrodden, the helpless the sick, the hurting, the unstable.
If we lived the way we can in Christ, we & others would experience the utter joy of Christmas. Most of the aforementioned despondencies would be done away with, dismissed, dispensed with—not temporarily—but for the rest of our lives & the rest of theirs as well.
There is one factor we absolutely must consider above all others when it comes to dismissing the gloom of our lives....That leveling factor is God thru Christ!
Isaiah described a future state wherein the gloom which had engulfed the people would be dismissed outright.
The gloom of a sin-sick world can be dismissed.
How is the gloom of a sin-sick world to be dismissed?
7 keys/undertakings for experiencing the joy of Christmas.
1—A key to experience the joy of Christmas is to Choose...
The UNASSUMING/Modest over the PRETENTIOUS/OSTENTATIOUS(8:5-10)
Explanation:(8:5-10)
Pretentious—Eng.—Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed. Making usually unjustified or excessive claims (as of value or standing).
Ostentatious—Eng.—Characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; Designed to impress or attract notice. Marked by or fond of conspicuous or vainglorious & sometimes pretentious display.
:5—“The LORD also spoke to me again, saying:
The “me” is Isaiah himself. YaHoVeH speaks to Isaiah “again” as He spoken often to the prophet. Isaiah has immediately previous to verse 5, been informed that the riches & spoil of Damascus & Samaria will be taken by the Assyrian king(:1-4).
Bkgd.—This king would have been Tiglath-Pileser III(Pul) who ~738BC imposed severe tribute on the area(including Damascus & Israel). This tribute pushed Rezin(king of Damascus—from 740) ) to retaliate with an alliance including Israel(northern kingdom), Arab states, Phoenicia & Philistia. Ahaz of Judah refused to join the alliance against Assyria, inviting the alliance’s attack. Ahaz appealed to Assyria’s Tiglath-Pileser III who quashed the alliance in 733/32 BC.
:6—“Inasmuch as these people refused The waters of Shiloah that flow softly, And rejoice in Rezin & in Remaliah’s son;”
The people of Israel(& Judah) generally took lightly the seemingly ineffectual( “flow softly”) but steady stream of Shiloah(Siloam)—which arose from the Gihon spring on the west side of Jerusalem & emptying into the Kidron Valley on the east side.
This is a depiction of the political climate of the time, choosing to trust political entities rather than YaHoVeH.
Further evidence of this is that they took pleasure in foreign kings exemplified in their trusting “Rezin”(of Damascus—See :5 Bkgd.) for their strength as well as “Remaliah’s son”(one ‘Pekah’ a king of northern kingdom of Israel) who was not a descendant of David & thus was unqualified to rightfully claim the throne.
Refused”—oam maw-as'—1) To reject, despise, refuse—1b) (Niphal) To be rejected; 2) (Niphal) To flow, run. Strong—To spurn; also (intransitively) to Disappear:-- Abhor, cast away (off), contemn, despise, disdain, (become) loathe(some), melt away, refuse, reject, reprobate, X utterly, vile person.
“Rejoice”—swsm maw-sowce'—1) Exultation, joy, rejoicing. Stroing—Delight, concretely (the cause or object) or abstractly (the feeling):-- Joy, mirth, rejoice.
:7—“Now therefore, behold, the Lord brings up over them The waters of the River, strong & mighty-- The king of Assyria & all his glory; He will go up over all his channels And go over all his banks.”
Because Israel had trusted in the political strengths of the heathen, having not been satisfied with what they had, YaHoVeH will now bring deep waters over them, which they had sought. Rather than the quiet sanctity of a spring, they will experience all the power of the Euphrates at flood stage in the strength & might of Assyria as they bring destruction, brutality & fear upon Israel.
:8—“He will pass through Judah, He will overflow & pass over, He will reach up to the neck; And the stretching out of his wings Will fill the breadth of Your land, O Immanuel.”
Tiglath-Pileser III will, as the Euphrates, “pass thru Judah, overflow it & reach up to the very limit of her endurance. The entire breadth of the land belonging to “Immanuel”(‘God-with-us’).
This is the situation in which Immanuel will enter, minister & beckon people to God.
“Immanuel”(See :10)—la wnme im-maw-noo-ale'—= “God with us” or “with us is God” Used 2X.
Isa. 7:14—““Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
Mat. 1:23—““Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.””
:9—““Be shattered, O you peoples, & be broken in pieces! Give ear, all you from far countries. Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces; Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces.”
:10— “Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; Speak the word, but it will not stand, For God is with us.””
Those who follow the political powers counsel among themselves to alleviate their economic situation for naught. This is because God is with them.
YaHoVeH is the one frustrating their ungodly plans.
“Shattered”—eer raw-ah'—Strong—properly, To spoil (literally, by breaking to pieces); figuratively, To make (or be) good for nothing, i.e. Bad (physically, socially or morally):-- afflict, associate selves [by mistake for 07462], break (down, in pieces), + displease, (be, bring, do) evil (doer, entreat, man), show self friendly [by mistake for 07462], do harm, (do) hurt, (behave self, deal) ill, X indeed, do mischief, punish, still, vex, (do) wicked (doer, -ly), be (deal, do) worse.
“Counsel”—hue ay-tsaw'—1) Counsel, advice, purpose. Strong—Advice; by implication, Plan; also prudence:-- Advice, advisement, counsel(l-[or]), purpose.
“God is with us”(See :8—“Immanuel”)
Argumentation:
1Cor. 1:27-29—“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, & God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; & the base things of the world & the things which are despised God has chosen, & the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”
1Cor. 13:4 -7—“Love suffers long & is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
Illustration:
People buying houses they cannot afford/Whereas Living with our means may not get us noticed or a spot on TV but it will give us the means to serve God more effectively/UNASSUMING
Eating at upper-class restaurants when we need to eat at McDonalds--or better yet, at home!/We should be satisfied with eating in the quietness & conversation of our homes with those we love/UNASSUMING
Instead of Keeping up with the Jonses we must be sincerely satisfied with what may be mundane & run-of-the-mill to us, but in reality is a gracious provision of our loving God!
Application:
?Have you Chosen the UNASSUMING gift of God in Christ
?Are you Satisfied with that choice?
?Will you Experience the joy of Christmas this year?
2—A key to experience the joy of Christmas is to Choose...
TRUTH over PARANOIA(8:11-15)
Explanation:(8:11-15)
:11—“For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, & instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:”
Isaiah himself, as the spokesman used of YaHoVeH, is specifically told that he is not to follow the direction of the nation.
“Walk”—Kly yaw-lak'—1) To go, walk, come. Strong—to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, To carry (in various senses).
:12—““Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’ Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.”
Isaiah is cautioned that he is speaking to a situation where his words, though from YaHoVeH Himself, will be considered a conspiracy.
The people are so paranoid that they cannot & will not recognize truth aside from political manifestations. YaHoVeH’s spokesperson will face threats to his life regarding his words from YaHoVeH.
“Conspiracy”—rvq keh'-sher—1) Conspiracy, confederacy, treason, (unlawful) alliance.
“Afraid”—ary yaw-ray'—1) To fear, revere, be afraid; 2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour. Strong—To fear; morally, To revere;caus. To frighten:-- Affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, --fully, --ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), X see, terrible (act, --ness, thing).
“Threats” (See :13— “Fear”)—arwm mo-raw'— 1) Fear, reverence, terror—1a) Fear, terror, 1b) Reverence, 1c) Object of reverence, 1d) Awe-inspiring spectacle or deed. Strong—Fear; by implication, A fearful thing or deed:-- Dread, (that ought to be) fear(-ed), terribleness, terror.
“Troubled” (See :13—“Dread”)—Ure aw-rats'—1) To tremble, dread, fear, oppress, prevail, break, be terrified, cause to tremble.
:13—“The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread.”
Unlike the majority of those he will declare God’s word to, Isaiah is instructed to “hallow” YaHoVeH who is head of all the “hosts” of heaven. As such, Isaiah—& anyone declaring God’s word—is to rightly proclaim that word with a holy “fear” & “dread.”
“Hallow/Sanctify/Regard as holy”—vdq kaw-dash'—Hiphil imperfect—1) To consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate. 1e) (Hiphil)—1e1) To set apart, devote, consecrate, 1e2) To regard or treat as sacred or hallow, 1e3) To consecrate.
“Fear”(See :12—“Threats”)—arwm mo-raw'— 1) Fear, reverence, terror—1a) Fear, terror, 1b) Reverence, 1c) Object of reverence, 1d) Awe-inspiring spectacle or deed. Strong—Fear; by implication, A fearful thing or deed:-- Dread, (that ought to be) fear(-ed), terribleness, terror.
“Dread”(See :12—“Troubled”)—Ure aw-rats'—1) To tremble, dread, fear, oppress, prevail, break, be terrified, cause to tremble.
:14—“He will be as a sanctuary, But a stone of stumbling & a rock of offense To both the houses of Israel, As a trap & a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”
:15—“And many among them shall stumble; They shall fall & be broken, Be snared & taken.””
This is descriptive of YaHoVeH’s(Immanuel’s) presence in Israel. He Himself will be the place of “sanctuary” for His people. True “sanctuary,”for the nation as well as the individual, is more about God than about a place.
The very presence of God working among them will polarize people to opposite extremes. This will not be because God changes but that the people are opinionated regarding God’s goodness or lack thereof.
Titus 1:15—“To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled & unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind & conscience are defiled.”
This two-pronged acceptance & opposition is set in the future(“will be”).
To the one (positively), YaHoVeH is a sanctuary & to the other(negatively) a stone to be stumbled over & One in whom “many” will take offense & thus “stumble.” This two-sided coin of trust & offense will transcend national boundaries as it is for “both the houses of Israel.” At this writing, Israel is a divided kingdom with two separate kings.
Again(negatively) He will also be “as a trap & a snare” to Jerusalem’s “inhabitants.”
Those who are unaccepting of YaHoVeH will both “fall & be broken” as well as become “snared & taken” by the enemy(?both physically & spiritually?). Those unaccepting of Immanuel will not merely stumble, they will also completely “fall.” To make their downfall complete, upon their falling, they will be “broken.”
*Jesus referred to this very section of God’s word applying it to His audience. Isaiah’s message thus has a Messianic fulfillment(See :18).
Mat. 21:40-44—Parable of the vinedressers(Mat. 21:33-44 & Lk. 20:9-18)—““Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, & lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’S doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you & given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.””
Lk. 2:34-35—“Then Simeon blessed them, & said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall & rising of many in Israel, & for a sign which will be spoken against “(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.””
Rom. 9:30-33—“What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone & rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.””(Isa. 28:16)
1Pet. 2:6-10—“Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” & “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”
“Sanctuary”—vdqm mik-dawsh'—1) Sacred place, sanctuary, holy place. Strong— A consecrated thing or place, especially, a palace, sanctuary (whether of Jehovah or of idols) or asylum:-- Chapel, hallowed part, holy place, sanctuary.
“Offense”—lwvkm mikshowl' —1) A stumbling, means or occasion of stumbling, stumbling block—1a) Stumbling, fall, 1b) Means or occasion of stumbling, stumbling block.
“Trap”—xp pakh—1) Bird trap, trap, snare—1a) bird trap (literal), 1b) Of calamities, plots, source or agent of calamity (fig.); 2) Plate (of metal). Strong—A (metallic) sheet (as pounded thin); also A spring net (as spread out like a lamina):-- Gin, (thin) plate, snare.
“Snare”—vqwm mo-kashe'—1) Bait, lure, snare. Strong—A noose (for catching animals) (literally or figuratively): by implication, A hook (for the nose):-- Be ensnared, gin, (is) snare(-d), trap.
“Inhabitants”—bvy yaw-shab'—1) To dwell, remain, sit, abide. Strong—properly, To sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, To dwell, to remain; causatively, To settle, to marry.
Argumentation:
Rom. 8:31-39—“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, & furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Heb. 11:13-16—of the faith & accepted alienation of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham & Sarah—“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them & confessed that they were strangers & pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”
Illustration:
My bout with depression during my teen years/Cold war between the US & Russia/Nuclear weapon proliferation -SALT treaty/So concerned that governments would collide & I would pay the price, that I literally considered suicide/PARANOIA
God’s TRUTH that He is in control at all times & we have no need to fear what comes of man/That TRUTH Destroys Paranoia!
Application:
?Have you Chosen the TRUTH of God in Christ?
?Are you Satisfied with that choice?
?Will you Experience the joy of Christmas this year?
3—A key to finding the joy of Christmas is to Choose...
the OBVIOUS over OBSCURITY(8:16-18)
Explanation: (8:16-18)
:16—“Bind up the testimony, Seal the law among my disciples.”
The very “testimony” of God will be “bound up” & “sealed” among those who are YaHoVeH’s(Isaiah’s—as a type of the Messiah) “disciples,” or rather the disciples of God(Jesus). “Disciples” show a level of commitment that followers do not have. There will be no others who can offer the counsel of God.
:17—“And I will wait on the LORD, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him.”
Isaiah(Jesus) will then “wait for” YaHoVeH seeing as He is not revealing Himself to & is unseen by His people, Israel. Though absent from sight, by faith Isaiah will “Hope” in YaHoVeH(Jesus). This is attributed to Jesus in Heb. 2:13—“And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I & the children whom God has given Me.””(See :18).
“Wait”—hkx khaw-kaw'—1) To wait, wait for, await.
“Hides”—rto saw-thar'—1) To hide, conceal.
“Hope/Wait/Look for/Put trust in”—hwq kaw-vaw'—1) To wait, look for, hope, expect. Strong—To bind together (perhaps by twisting), i.e. Collect; (figuratively) to expect:-- Gather (together), look, patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon).
:18—“Here am I & the children whom the LORD has given me! We are for signs & wonders in Israel From the LORD of hosts, Who dwells in Mount Zion.”
*This first statement is directly attributed to Jesus in Heb. 2:13. Thus again(:14-15), this section of Isaiah is Messianic.
Concerning the 2nd statement: “for signs & wonders”—:
1Cor. 4:9ff. of apostolic ministry— “For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels & to men.”
& 1Cor. 15:32—“If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat & drink, for tomorrow we die!””
& 2Cor. 4:8-12—“We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you.”
& Php. 1:27-30—applying apostolic suffering to all Christians—“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come & see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, & not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, & that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me & now hear is in me.”
& Rom. 8:28-39—“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; & whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, & furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”[Ps. 44:22] Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Truly Christians(all ‘children’ of the Christ—born again) are “for signs & wonders” in Israel & beyond. But more so among Israelites as they were undeservedly privileged to have been the recipients of YaHoVeH’s presence, voice, direction, law, Scriptures & prophecies.
Argumentation:
Denial of the initiation of the Church & God’s bringing it about amounts to blasphemy of the Holy Spirit....
Mat. 12:24-31—“Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” But Jesus knew their thoughts, & said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, & every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house & plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.” He who is not with Me is against Me, & he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. Therefore I say to you, every sin & blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.”
Illustration:
Jesus raising the Lazarus from the dead/OBVIOUS
Jesus’ Himself being raised form the dead/OBVIOUS
His saints who lived godly lives before me/OBVIOUS
God’s speaking directly to each of us/Our purpose is not to be sought in OBSCURITY!/OBVIOUS
Jn. 20:29—“Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen & yet have believed.””
Application:
?Have you Chosen the OBVIOUS Testimony of God in Christ?
?Are you Satisfied with that choice?
?Will you Experience the joy of Christmas this year?
4—A key to finding the joy of Christmas is to Choose...
SIGHT over BLINDNESS(8:19-22)
Explanation:(8:19-22)
:19—“And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums & wizards, who whisper & mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?”
The conspirators(:12) will be told to seek guidance from darkness & the dead. But it will be obvious to these conspirators that such a people(in dark reliance) should instead “seek their God.”
It is surely nonsensical to seek those who are “dead in order to determine the welfare of “the living.” In fact, this goes against serving YaHoVeH who’s very name stems from the Hebrew verb “to be,” & is translated as “I am”—self-existent & eternal.
Deut. 18:9-15—““When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, & because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers & diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you. The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,”
Notice how a people’s seeking answers by ‘supernatural darkness’ ties in directly with God’s promise of Christ. Thus, to go to the dead supplants Christ & thereby God’s answers & work in your life!
“Seek/Consult”—vrd daw-rash'—1) To resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require. Strong—properly, To tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, To seek or ask; specifically to worship.
“Mediums/Them that have familiar spirits”—bwa 'owb—1) Water skin bottle; 2) Necromancer—2b) Necromancer, one who evokes the dead, 2c) ghost, spirit of a dead one, 2d) Practice of necromancy; 3) One that has a familiar spirit. Strong—properly, A mumble, i.e. a water skin (from its hollow sound); hence A necromancer (ventriloquist, as from a jar):-- Bottle, familiar spirit.
“Wizards/Spiritists”—ynedy yid-deh-o-nee'—1) A knower, one who has a familiar spirit. Strong—(properly), A knowing one; (specifically), A conjurer; (by implication) A ghost:-- Wizard.
“Whisper/Peep”—Ppu tsaw-faf'—1) (Pilpel) To chirp, peep—1a) Of birds, 1b) Of ghosts.
“Mutter”—hgh haw-gaw'—1) To moan, growl, utter, muse, mutter, meditate, devise, plot, speak.
:20—“To the law & to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
In seeking truth God’s people should go to the “testimony” He has left them—to His law(not the law of men nor the faulty & wordy interpretation of God’s law) & the guidance God has commanded thru it to His people.
Those whose speech does not originate from God’s revealed word, ironically & in reality reveal something of themselves. Their speech belies that there is in fact, “no light”(of God & thereby of truth) “in them.” Their light is darkness.
“Law”—hrwt to-raw'—1) Law, direction, instruction. Strong—A precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch:-- law.
“Testimony”—hdwet teh-oo-daw'—1) Testimony, attestation, confirmation—1a) Testimony, (prophetic) injunction, 1b) Attestation. Strong— Attestation, i.e. A precept, usage:-- Testimony.
“According to this word”—rbd daw-baw'—1) Speech, word, speaking, thing. Strong—A word; by implication, A matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, A cause.
“Light”—rxv shakh'-ar—1) Dawn—1a) Dawn, 1b) At dawn (as adverb).
:21—“They will pass through it hard pressed & hungry; & it shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged & curse their king & their God, & look upward.”
The last proper antecedent of “it”(fem.) is the lack of light in :20 & is referenced to “the darkness”(fem.) of :22.—J. N. Oswalt This lack of light or darkness they will “pass thru”... both “hard pressed” as well as “hungry.”
In the throws of the hunger of their darkness, they will become so frustrated that their frustration will erupt in rage directed toward both “their king”(chosen of God) & “their God.” This they will do & “look upward” in utter frustration for for a god of their own making who offers neither hope nor direction.
Mat. 6:19-23—““Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth & rust destroy & where thieves break in & steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys & where thieves do not break in & steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
“Hard pressed”—hvq kaw-shaw'—1) To be hard, be severe, be fierce, be harsh. Strong—properly, To be dense, i.e. Tough or severe (in various applications):-- Be cruel, be fiercer, make grievous, be ([ask a], be in, have, seem, would) hard(-en, [labour], -ly, thing), be sore, (be, make) stiff(-en, [-necked]).
“Hungry”2X—ber raw`eb—Adj.—Hungry. Strong—Hungry (more or less intensely):-- Hunger bitten, hungry.....ber raw`eb—V.—1) To be hungry, be voracious.
“Enraged”—Puq kaw-tsaf'—1) To be displeased, be angry, fret oneself, be wroth. Strong—To crack off, i.e. (figuratively) Burst out in rage:-- (be) Anger(-ry), displease, fret self, (provoke to) wrath (come), be wroth.
“Curse”(See 9:1—”Lightly”)—llq kaw-lal'—Piel perfect—1) To be slight, be swift, be trifling, be of little account, be light—1c) (Piel)—1c1) To make despicable, 1c2) To curse. Strong—To be (causatively, make) light, literally (Swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (Easy, trifling, vile, etc.):-- Abate, make bright, bring into contempt, (ac-)curse, despise, (be) ease(-y, -ier), (be a, make, make somewhat, move, seem a, set) light(-en, -er, -ly, -ly afflict, -ly esteem, thing), X slight[-ly], be swift(-er), (be, be more, make, re-)vile, whet.
“Look”—hnp paw-naw'—1) To turn. Strong—a primitive root—To turn; by implication, To face, i.e. Appear, look, etc.
:22—“Then they will look to the earth, & see trouble & darkness, gloom of anguish; & they will be driven into darkness.”
These who have dispensed with God & God’s king, remain in darkness & will thus regard/favor “the earth” for solace & purpose. However their dark conscience & attitude will only allow them to experience the tightness/straits & misery, the dimness which arises thru their pressures. Thus they will be driven further into the darkness of their already setting sun.
“Those who depend upon earth for solutions to earth’s problems only compound their darkness.”—J.N. Oswalt
“Look to”—jbn naw-bat'—1) To look, regard—Pay attention to, regard. Strong—a primitive root; To scan, i.e. Look intently at; by implication, To regard with pleasure, favor or care.
“See/Behold”—hnh hin-nay'—1) Behold, lo, see, if. Strong—Prolongation for Nh hen— a primitive particle; lo!
“Trouble”—hru tsaw-raw'—1) Straits, distress, trouble; 2) Vexer, rival wife. Strong—Tightness (i.e. figuratively, Trouble); transitively, A female rival:-- Adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble.
“Darkness”(See 9:2)—hkvx khash-ay-kaw' —N. f.—Darkness. Strong—Figuratively: Misery. From—Kvx khaw-shak'—V. Used 5X.
“Gloom”(Compare :9:1)—Pwem ma`uwph—N. m.—Strong—From Pwe oof—in the sense of covering with shade; Darkness:-- Dimness. Used 1X.
“Anguish”—hqwu tsoo-kaw'—N. f.—2) Pressure, distress. Strong—A strait, i.e. (figuratively) Distress:-- Anguish, X troublous. Used 4X.
“Driven”—xdn naw-dakh'—1) To impel, thrust, drive away, banish. Strong—a primitive root; To push off; used in a great variety of applications, literally & figuratively (to Expel, mislead, strike, inflict, etc.).
“Darkness”—hlpa af-ay-law'—1) Darkness, gloominess, calamity; 2) Wickedness (fig.). Strong— Duskiness, figuratively, misfortune; concrete, concealment:-- Dark, darkness, gloominess, X thick. feminine of lpa aw-fale’—from an unused root meaning to set as the sun; dusky:-- very dark. Used 10X.
Argumentation:
Jn. 9:39-41—“And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, & that those who see may be made blind.” Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, & said to Him, “Are we blind also?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.”
Lk. 6:39—Jesus said, “....“Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?”
Illustration:
Piloting a plane in fog/Impossible...unless one uses the instrumentation available to them/Instruments of communication/Cannot arrive safely without them!/SIGHT
Our Sight is now supplied by faith/Faith is thus not blind.
Application:
?Have you Chosen the SIGHT of God in Christ?
?Are you Satisfied with that choice?
?Will you Experience the joy of Christmas this year?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Christmas doldrums & depressions...
Action:
A key to finding the joy of Christmas is to Choose...
1.The UNASSUMING/Modest over the PRETENTIOUS/OSTENTATIOUS(8:5-10)
2. TRUTH over PARANOIA(8:11-15)
3. the OBVIOUS over OBSCURITY(8:16-18)
4. SIGHT over BLINDNESS(8:19-22)
Presented 12/12/2010am to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
