Isaiah, and, Wait, Christmas in the Old Testament?

          So as we come into the Season of Advent, our focus turns to the prophet Isaiah. What? Wait! Advent, Christmas, birth of Jesus, kind of a New Testament thing, not so much Old, right? Well…

          My personal devotional time has just come through the gospel of Luke, and there was a piece after the Lord’s resurrection that comes to mind. Two men are walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They are grieved and probably disappointed because their religious leader, Jesus, has been executed at the hands of the Romans. And despite the rumors, they are convinced he is dead.

          Till, if you know the story-or if you don't-Jesus shows up and walks along with them. Before they know its him, Jesus offers them a masterclass in Biblical interpretation. He opens up the Scriptures (at that moment, the Old Testament) and walks them through it; where they will find Jesus throughout.

          Sidebar: Having that little piece of the bible in mind, or the piece where, after his resurrection, Jesus does a masterclass with the entire cadre of disciples, opening up the Old Testament to them, it has realigned how I have read that much larger section of our Bible. The question I keep asking is ‘Where do I see Jesus here?’ It is illuminating, speculative at times, but illuminating.

          One of the greatest treasure hoards of “Pre-Jesus” biblical writing is to be found in the prophet Isaiah. It is from Isaiah that John the Baptist speaks when he comes to 'prepare the way of the Lord'. Jesus turns to Isaiah in the synagogue one day when he comes to teach and announces how those words are now fulfilled before the eyes of the attendees of the synagogue that Sabbath (and I will leave you to google that passage).

          And if your church does a “Lessons & Carols” service or something akin, lessons of the Bible about Christmas and beloved music between, Isaiah is going to figure rather prominently. We have four Sundays in Advent and Isaiah figures in them all. Two will reflect passages prophesying the birth of Jesus, one will prophesy the plan of God as Jesus has fulfilled it, and one will be our Lessons & Carols service, where we will share Isaiah passages in our readings for the Season.

          Isaiah is the longest prophet, 66 chapters worth. The reading guide is almost as long. A fanciful coincidence is that the Bible is also 66 books long, but I have yet to find a parallel to transcend to something more conspiratorial in my biblical interpretation.

          So we are not going to get to the whole book, we are barely going to scratch the surface, but even so, Isaiah is rich in the prophecies of the coming of Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.