In a dark world there are many clouds. Concerns about China loom on the horizon. The storm clouds of climate change are always present in the newsfeed. There have been stifling government restrictions brought about by covid-19. There is a general cultural failing at upholding women with dignity, but particularly so in our Parliament.
So what hope has the world offered you in light of all these problems?
In many, perhaps most of the cases, our world puts its hope in the government and it keeps telling you to do the same thing.
In this secular age, the government is the highest authority. Hope in light of China is governmental diplomacy (think political boycotting). Hope in light of climate change is governmental initiatives. Hope in light of government restrictions is of course, government freedoms. Hope in light of the mistreatment of women in the government, is ironically, government bodies introducing stricter governance on said government.
So much of our world’s hope is in government change or government action. In the minds of many that’s the highest authority to appeal to. If there is any hope for a brighter future it will come from the Almighty… government.
There certainly isn’t anything wrong with wanting change from the government. But if that’s all we’ve got then it’s a pretty dim light in a pretty dark place.
But the bible speaks of another king of another kingdom. King Jesus. Isaiah speaks of this king saying the “government will rest on his shoulders” and his reign will bring freedom to the oppressed, hope to the hopeless and peace without end. This is a ‘government’ (a kingdom) like no other (see Is 9:6-7. The classic Christmas text). No other human King can do what Jesus does. Every human ruler on whom the government rests at best brings temporary relief to some present crisis. At worst they create the crisis. And every leader goes the way of mankind. They die and their dynasty and efforts are left to another who will also go the way of mankind.
Not so with King Jesus. Jesus is born a child, he is fully man and yet he is fully God (Is. 9:6). And on his shoulders “the government will rest.” As people we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders. In our current climate we are always pointing the finger at our leaders (sometimes rightly, but other times – maybe mostly – we do it because we are way way way heaps heaps heaps smarter than them and if only I was in charge the world would be better and also why can’t I keep my own life in order again???). Yes, we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders. But with King Jesus he shoulders the load himself. He takes our burdens. But he doesn’t do it just as a man. He is the mighty God, he’s the prince of peace. That makes the world of difference. Jesus rules with perfect justice and perfect righteousness. Not just temporarily, because he has conquered death and is raised and seated at the right hand of God where he rules forever.
All of this means His is not an earthly rule but a heavenly rule. In one sense we are really hoping for an earthly rule, like a theocracy – “Jesus for president!” But that’s probably because we are tempted to put our hopes in this world and we are tempted by the solutions that this world offers us day in and day out. But our hopes go beyond this world to a heavenly King who rules all creation in justice and in righteousness. Under his Lordship and in his kingdom (his government) there is peace for his people. You might say, “peace amidst war”, there is light amidst the darkness, there is hope in a hopeless world. That’s what this king provides. That’s what Jesus provides.
Bigvai and Shiphrah 