Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for December 15, 2019

Christmas Series

From Gloom to Glory

Isaiah 9:1-7

Connection of This Text to Christmas

-Advent, leading up to Christmas, the birth of Christ
-For unto us a child is born… (Isa. 9:6, Luke 2:10-11)
-700 years before events fulfilled

1. Consideration of the Original Context (1-2)

• 8:22 and 9:1: hope after judgment
• former time: gloom (2 Kings 15:29)
• latter time: glory (Matt. 2:22-23)
• darkness/light contrast
• fulfillment in Christ (Matt. 4:12-17)

2. Consideration of the Overwhelming Conquest (3-5)

• multiplied the nation (Gen. 17:5, John 10:16)
• increased its joy: plenty and victory
• grounds for joy: liberation and appropriation (Judges 7:12, 20-23 and Rom. 8:35-37)

3. Consideration of Christ’s Everlasting Agency (6-7)

• child born and son given
• administrative authority
• incomparable description
• supported by sovereign zeal (Isa. 40:5)

4. So What?

• Because of God’s gift of His Son, celebrate the removal of anguishing gloom and the arrival of inextinguishable light this Christmas.
• Ponder Isaiah’s astonishing insight. (Isa. 53)
• securing peace through the blood of the cross (Col. 1:20)
• “No Christmas story will ever surpass the original.” (Bob Kauflin)
• “Tears are falling, hearts are breaking, How we need to hear from God, You’ve been promised, We’ve been waiting, Welcome Holy Child. Bring your peace into our violence, Bid our hungry souls be filled, Word now breaking heaven’s silence, Welcome to our world.” (Chris Rice)