Image from biblia.com
View devo: https://bit.ly/4j8UFUe
View the devo: https://bit.ly/3LieQmb
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 9:2-7 NIV)
Merry Christmas, Friend! It's finally here! It seems like forever to get here, then it's here and gone almost as quickly. I say enjoy it! Every minute of it! Enjoy the music, the lights, the gifts, the joy, and enjoy especially why we even have this day! Do not let anything take away the eternal joy and peace the Lord offers even in the midst of sadness or hardship; God is still in control and God has the last word. So, a Happy and blessed Christmas Eve to you and yours.
Christmas Eve holds a sacred expectancy—the darkness before dawn, the waiting before fulfillment, the silence before the announcement. Isaiah's prophecy, spoken seven centuries before Jesus' birth, captures perfectly what we commemorate tonight: light breaking into darkness. "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." This isn't just dim conditions or evening shadows—this is deep darkness, the darkness of oppression, despair, spiritual blindness, and death itself. The people aren't standing still in this darkness; they're walking in it, trying to navigate life without being able to see clearly where they're going or what dangers lie ahead. But then—light. Not gradual improvement or slow brightening, but sudden dawning. "Have seen" suggests the light has already come, not merely promised but present. For Isaiah's original audience facing Assyrian invasion, this was hope. For us on Christmas Eve, this is history—the light has dawned in Jesus Christ. Tonight we light candles not just for tradition's sake but as physical reminders that the Light of the World entered our darkness, that Jesus is the great light who has dawned on those of us who were stumbling in deep darkness, trying to find our way home.
Isaiah continues with the results of this light: "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." Light brings growth—the nation is enlarged. Light brings joy—not mild contentment but the exuberant joy of harvest time when labor bears fruit, or the elation of soldiers victorious in battle dividing the spoils. This is celebration, abundance, triumph. "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." The reference to Midian recalls Gideon's victory when God used 300 men to defeat a vast army, demonstrating that deliverance comes through God's power, not human strength. The imagery is liberation—yokes shattered, burdens removed, oppression ended. "Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire." War's implements will be destroyed because they're no longer needed. Weapons become kindling. Military uniforms are burned. Why? Because lasting peace has arrived. Tomorrow morning we'll celebrate that this peace came through the least likely means imaginable—a baby born in a stable, laid in a manger, announced to shepherds. The Prince of Peace doesn't come with armies to defeat enemies but with love to transform them.
Then Isaiah gives us the reason for this joy, liberation, and peace: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given." The light that dawns on darkness comes in the form of a baby. "To us"—this is personal, particular, given specifically for us. "A child is born"—fully human, entering through normal birth, subject to growth and development. "A son is given"—a gift from God, not something we earned or achieved but something freely bestowed. Christmas Eve reminds us that salvation comes as a gift to be received, not a reward to be earned. Then come the magnificent titles: "And the government will be on his shoulders." This child will bear the weight of rule, will carry responsibility for establishing and maintaining God's kingdom. "And he will be called Wonderful Counselor." Wonderful—beyond our ability to fully comprehend, evoking wonder and awe. Counselor—providing perfect wisdom and guidance. "Mighty God"—possessing divine power, not merely a human king but God Himself in flesh. "Everlasting Father"—eternal, providing paternal care and protection that never ends. "Prince of Peace"—bringing and establishing shalom, the comprehensive wholeness and wellbeing that comes when everything is as it should be. These names aren't poetic exaggeration; they're accurate descriptions of who Jesus is. The baby we celebrate tomorrow morning is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah concludes with a vision of this child's kingdom: "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." Notice the expansiveness—no end to His government's greatness, no end to His peace. Human kingdoms rise and fall, empires expand and collapse, rulers come and go. But this kingdom never ends. It's eternal, unshakeable, permanent. "He will reign on David's throne"—fulfilling God's promise that David's line would produce an eternal king. "Establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness"—not through violence or oppression but through justice (right relationships) and righteousness (right actions). "From that time on and forever"—beginning at His first coming, continuing through history, completed at His second coming, lasting eternally. Then comes the final declaration: "The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." We're not responsible for making this happen through our efforts or religious performance. God's zeal—His passionate commitment, His fierce determination—will accomplish everything He's promised. Christmas Eve is the threshold moment when centuries of promise became present reality, when prophecy became person, when "the zeal of the Lord Almighty" produced a baby in Bethlehem who would grow to be the Savior of the world.
Tonight, as darkness falls on Christmas Eve, we stand where countless generations stood before—waiting for light to dawn, longing for liberation, hoping for peace. But we stand with an advantage they didn't have: we know the light has come. Jesus was born. The child was given. The Wonderful Counselor spoke words of life. The Mighty God demonstrated His power through miracles, death, and resurrection. The Everlasting Father welcomed prodigals home. The Prince of Peace reconciled us to God through His blood shed on the cross. The darkness couldn't overcome the light. Death couldn't hold Him. Sin couldn't defeat Him. And His kingdom continues to expand, His peace continues to spread, His reign continues forever. As you light candles tonight and gather for Christmas worship, remember: you're celebrating not just a historical event but a present reality. The light that dawned in Bethlehem still shines today, illuminating the darkness of our world, our lives, our hearts. The child born two thousand years ago continues to establish His eternal kingdom with justice and righteousness. And the zeal of the Lord Almighty continues to accomplish what He promised—salvation for all who receive the gift, light for all who walk in darkness, peace for all who trust the Prince of Peace.
PRAYER: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace—thank You for being the light that dawned in our darkness, the child born to us, the son given for us; as we celebrate Your birth this Christmas Eve, help us receive You not just as a baby in a manger but as the eternal King establishing Your kingdom of justice and righteousness forever; may Your light shine through us into the darkness around us, in Your holy name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: This Christmas Eve, light a candle and spend a few quiet moments reflecting on which of Jesus' titles—Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, or Prince of Peace—speaks most powerfully to your current need, thanking Him that He is exactly who you need Him to be.
I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me. May the awe and wonder of this special eve stay with you all this season and well into the New Year!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
