The Kings of Isaiah's day were supposed to be the keepers of all things right and holy in Israel…instead we see a pattern that God rejects through prophets like Isaiah…a theme of pride, self-reliance, compromise, folly. Many of the kings made "treaties" with neighboring countries to protect themselves, even after God has proven his faithfulness in times of fear and scarcity.

Isaiah 9 talks of the "time of Midian's defeat"…that time was in the past…WAY IN THE PAST. In the Book of Judges we see a narrative of a hero names Gideon who listened to God's seemingly crazy advice to whittle his army down from thousands to just 300 to defend against and defeat the Midian's…a growing superpower coming to invade from the East (if this sounds familiar it is because it shares quite a few similarities with the Spartan 300 and the battle of Thermopile). God went before Gideon in his obedience and wiped out the entire oppressing army without the Israelites raising a single sword!

We can not experience the fullness of God's goodness, power and provision if we never need God to fight our (seemingly) impossible battles. If we are completely self-sufficient, if we assume God always wants us to follow the safe, simple way, will we ever come to know God as a rescuer? A Messiah?

Here is a great quote from a recent, very relevant book, followed by our passage from Isaiah:

"Have evangelicals over the past fifty years been so busy fighting the culture wars and pursuing political power that they have failed to bring more white men and women into the fold through evangelization?  Have they invested so much time in politics that they have not cultivated the spiritual and moral lives of young people in a way that keeps them in the church?" - The End Of White Christian America

9 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

2 The people walking in darkness

    have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness

    a light has dawned.

3 You have enlarged the nation

    and increased their joy;

they rejoice before you

    as people rejoice at the harvest,

as warriors rejoice

    when dividing the plunder.

4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,

    you have shattered

the yoke that burdens them,

    the bar across their shoulders,

    the rod of their oppressor.

5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle

    and every garment rolled in blood

will be destined for burning,

    will be fuel for the fire.

6 For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given,

    and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the greatness of his government and peace

    there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

    and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

    with justice and righteousness

    from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty

    will accomplish this.

- Isaiah 9:1-7 (NIV)