In the second week of Advent, we light the candle of peace and pray for peace. Peace reminds us that Jesus’ coming is meant to reconcile us with God and one another.
In this passage from Isaiah, the prophet begins the prophecy with the Messiah's lineage. He will be a descendant of Jesse. As we know, Jesse was David’s father. So
immediately, the Messiah is established as from the royal line of King David. But if we read carefully, the prophet says the shoot will come from the stump of Jesse. A stump is the part of the tree that is left after it has been cut down. From the history of the Israelites, we know that the kingdom had been divided after David, yet the prophecy of the Messiah coming from Jesse’s line, therefore from David’s royal line, remains. God’s word remains.
The passage ends with the Messiah becoming an ensign to the nations—symbolising that he will be lifted up as a sign of God's power and gathering nations and the dispersed of Israel under his banner.
It is good to look forward to the celebration of Christmas—the excitement of preparing for family and friends, buying gifts, and going on outings and holidays. But in
between, let us take enough time to reflect on the Prince of Peace who was born as a baby and whose life and death have been prophesied long before he was born. The Prince of Peace calls us as his followers to be peacemakers, to wish each other peace wherever we find ourselves, especially in our broken and war-torn world, and closer to home in our communities and our families.
What practical thing can I do today to bring peace to
those I encounter?
