Christmas is Like the Day of Midian, You Know?
[2] The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
[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.
[4] 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.
There are going to be a lot of Old Testament prophecies quoted over the next few weeks. That’s because when Jesus was born, things that were written down hundreds of years prior came true.
They didn’t come true like some vague Nostradomas true. Micah named the city in which Jesus would be born, and it was an obscure guess, but it was the only one. He was right.
Isaiah wrote things in the 700s B.C. and got hundreds of things right about Jesus.
But some of them are hard to see. Like this one. “The rod of his oppressor you have broken as on the day of Midian.” It’s not obvious what that is all about, is it?
In the time of the Judges, Israel was oppressed by Midian. Anytime Israel had crops to harvest, Midianites would come and steal the crops away. They looted their villages and repeatedly took away every good thing.
Sin tears people apart today. It takes more than you ever agreed to give it. It hurts and wounds and destroys. You might feel like Sin is just watching and waiting to come to steal your harvest anytime you’re about to enjoy something good. (Gen 4:7)
God heard the pleas of Israel and sent Gideon to beat the Midianites. Gideon’s method: obey the Lord. Armed with torches and trumpets, 300 men surrounded the Midianite armies. At the right time, they cheered and proclaimed God’s power. They shined their lights, blew their trumpets, and worshiped God.
God through Midian into confusion and they all attacked one another. When it was all over, 300 worshippers had plundered 300,000 men’s supplies.
That is what being saved by Jesus is like. I didn’t fight the fight, I just had to believe and worship the One who had served up the victory for me. Whatever oppression, whatever Sin wants to take away, Jesus has beaten it.
It’s like the day of Midian when all we had to do was shine our light and blow our trumpet and let God take care of the rest. We are saved from oppression and sin and we are saved to God’s great mercy.
That is what happened when Jesus was born and came to live among us.
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