Hoping For The Arrival Of God

Rev. Joel St. Clair
Isaiah 9:1-7

God's promise of deliverance is not found in political maneuvering, or technological advancements. Instead, his victory arrives through his Son. We have security today knowing that our ultimate hope is outside of ourselves.

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Advent is rooted in the idea that we live between two arrivals – Jesus’s first advent in the incarnation and the second advent when he will return as King to bring about justice and restoration. The two arrivals (advents) mean that the Christian life plays out in the in-between. We may look back and learn from those who waited for the first advent as instructive for us today in waiting for His second advent.

The prophet Isaiah is proclaiming the unique greatness of YHWH to a people tempted by idols, allured by foreign powers, and distracted from God’s call to covenant faithfulness. And so his prophecy is a mix of warning and hope in the midst of many difficult circumstances (including the impending defeat of the Assyrian army and the foretelling (?) of the Babylonian captivity). In the midst of these circumstances, he calls the people to wait and hope on the Lord. It’s a practice the church continues today.