This year, in Week 1 of Advent, we are looking at hope from the ancient prophets’ point of view. Yesterday, we looked at one of Isaiah’s many word pictures of the coming Messiah, the one hoped for.

Today, we’ll look at the second part of the prophesy we began yesterday:

⁷ 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, English Standard Version)

Imagine, for a moment, the impact of these words to the ancient reader. Injustice and unrighteousness were everywhere. The nation had literally split in two – Israel and Judah were two separate countries, and there was strife between them. The glory days of King David’s reign were but a memory, an idea that would likely never occur again.

But now, Isaiah’s words brought encouragement to weary souls. God was promising that one day, He would restore peace and re-unite the kingdom. There would be justice and righteousness, and God would be in charge from that point forward.

Messiah has come – His name is Jesus.

And Jesus, when on this earth, after showing us how to live, promised to come back one day and rule with justice and righteousness, for eternity.

So we share the same hope as the ancients, looking forward to the day when this broken world we live in will be made right by the Righteous One, as God promised.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Waiting with hope and expectation,
~kevin