The Oppressor is Crushed
For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. Isaiah 9:4-5
When we think of Christmas, we think of sounding joy and rightly so. Not only that, but we repeat it. Christmas is a wonderful time, and we are told here by Isaiah that it would be a time where God was going to turn gloom into gladness and darkness into light. A time when He was going to multipy the nation and increase their joy. The people of God would celebrate as though the harvest had come and the spoils of war received. Amen, hallelujah and praise the Lord.
All of this. This cosmic reversal, this upending of gloom and sorrow and darkness and shame and exile would come as a result of a son being born. Even though we live in a disgustingly pagan age that has very little regard for life and the family, we still find time to celebrate at least one birth a year. This is generally not a hard sell for people. People can relate, if not, at least sympathize with the struggle of Joseph and Mary, and nobody really find’s a baby threatening. Well, except for the rulers that reigned during the time of Jesus’ birth. The birth of Jesus was a declaration to every tyrant that their days were numbered.
In a sentimental, overly emotional age of safe spaces and therapy hamsters and women in pulpit of both sexes we completely miss this, but desperately need to hear this. That the son to be born, the one that would usher in eternal joy and gladness would do so through the crushing of oppressors. Christmas is a time of victory and conquest. Christmas is a time when earth receives her King, and said receiving, all counterfeits are put asunder.
The rejoicing described in verse 3, (“You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.”) is occasioned by the release from oppression and victory in war, which we see in verses four and five. “FOR” the oppressor will be broken as on the day of Midian...
Upon reading these verses a couple of obvious questions arise, like, “who is this oppressor and what happened on the day of Midian?” These are good and honest questions, however, before we answer them we have to notice the language that Isaiah uses which is loaded and helps us to better understand the power of this passage. Words like, “yoke,” “burden,” “staff,” “shoulder,” “rod,” and “oppressor.” All of these are words used to describe God’s great deliverance of His people from slavery in Egypt at the time of the Exodus.
However, the deliverance that Isaiah is describing here is even greater in scope and power than anything accomplished in the Exodus. In fact, we may say in part, that the Exodus was pointing forward to what Isaiah is describing here. In order to fully appreciate this, we have to know who and what we are enslaved too.
In this, Christmas begins with the most unpopular of truths. We are born in sin. There is none righteous, no not one. Not only have we all been ravaged by the effects of sin, but our nature is fallen and our hearts are corrupted. No matter how hard we try to fix ourselves or change our nature we simply can’t save ourselves. In good Calvinist fashion, let me just pee all over your Christmas parade by saying every last one of us is on the naughty list.
So, while the masses indulge in self-indulgences and sentimentalities, we know that joy and gladness cannot be achieved by Scrooge giving away his money, or by Ralphy beating the crap out of Scut Farkus or not shooting his eye out, or by Santa giving us the perfect gift, or by having that perfect person come into your life, or whatever other marshmallow fluff that fills every single hallmark movie. Ladies, if you watch Hallmark movies you need to repent, and men, if you watch them there may well be no hope you at all. That may well be the unforgivable sin.
Unbridled and unending joy and gladness comes through victory. It comes through victory over that which enslaves and oppresses. Victory over Satan, and victory sin and victory over death itself. Victory comes when we are delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son in whom we have redemption the forgiveness of sins. Liberation and victory comes when we are no longer slaves to sin, but rather slaves to Christ.
Isaiah describes this as victory as on the day of Midian. The Midianites were wicked oppressors of God’s people. God, in His grace raised up an unlikely hero, Gideon, seemingly out of nowhere and delivered the people in a way that no one expected. This is the way that our Lord loves to work. He is the God of underdogs and of the most magnificent comebacks. He is the God who raises the dead after all.
Therefore, when we celebrate the incarnation of our Lord before a dead and dying world, victory is what we have to share. As Christians, we share good news of great joy. We share the historical fact of the Son of God who entered into human history taking on flesh, so that those who were dead in their flesh could become sons of God. We share that He lived the perfect, sinless life that we could not live and that He died the death that we deserved to die. We share that He took on our unrighteousness and died in our place receiving the wrath that was do to us because of our sin. We share that through repentance and faith in Him we are clothed in His righteousness, thus becoming righteous having received a righteousness not our own.
We do not share a philosophy, an ideology, or merely a way of life. We share Jesus our great Deliverer who has come to set the captives free. He is a great warrior,
“For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.”
And this is where we drop the mic.
Paul says it this way in Colossians,
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” Colossians 2:13-15
One may say, “yeah, but that’s speaking about the cross.” Yes, and amen. We would respond with, “why do you think Jesus came?” This is why we sing at Christmas time, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room, and heav'n and nature sing. Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ, while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy. No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found. He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love.”
Therefore, this Christmas, lay all of your burdens down at the Saviors feet and come out of the shadow lands. Rejoice with great joy and overwhelming gladness. Come and sing the victors song and come and welcome to Jesus Christ.
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