Hope amid gloom
MATTHEW 1:6b-11 | CORRIE THOMSON
David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,
Solomon the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asa,
Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,
Jehoram the father of Uzziah,
Uzziah the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,
Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amon,
Amon the father of Josiah,
and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
I always find winter in Scotland a challenging time. When the days are short and gloomy and the rain is lashing, it can sometimes feel like you can go days without seeing any daylight.
This third section of Jesus’ genealogy ends with the exile of God’s people to Babylon as a result of their disobedience. During this period, the Israelites were forced to live under the laws and culture of the Babylonians. In these difficult times, the Israelites looked to the prophets for hope and encouragement. In Isaiah 9:1, we are told with great certainty of a time ahead with “no more gloom” as he shares the hope of a “great light” (v2) in the form of a child who will be born, a son who will be given (v6). In 1 Peter 1:3 we are reminded that as Christians we have been “born again to a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading”. How much more encouraged can we be with the knowledge that this promised child was born, lived an earthly life and died and was raised to life so that we can be filled with the hope of a life with him beyond this earthly life. When life, can feel a little like our Scottish winters, with little light and hope, where do we look? As we journey through this time of advent, let us look to our “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6) for our hope.
Our Heavenly Father, We thank you that you sent Jesus, the light of the world, and that at Christmas we can celebrate the everlasting hope that has come through His birth, life, death and resurrection. In your Son’s precious name, Amen.
