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Handle with prayer!
News – ANiC and AEN
ANiC Bishops’ Christmas letter
A Christmas letter from our bishops says in part: “The good news of [God’s great gift of His Son] cannot be
suppressed. We feel compelled to share it with a world of people who have
wandered in so many sad directions, never successfully finding what they seek… As
we again are restored and made whole this Christmas by Word and Sacrament, may
we be granted fresh courage and determination to spread “these glad tidings of
great joy which shall be for all people”.“
Audio
and video from our ANiC synod is now posted to the ANiC website
Thanks
to the work of Jonathan Randoy (video), Glenn Cooper (audio) and Daniel Hartwig
(webmaster), video and audio from many synod sessions can now be accessed from our
website. You can access the videos here and the audio here.
These include sermons and talks by Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali and others, the
moderator’s charge and ANiC’s strategic priorities. Some sessions were not
captured on video, but are available on audio.
Also, photographs
from synod, courtesy of David J Robinson, are posted
here. Various synod documents and presentations are posted
here. And the St George’s Ottawa
newsletter has a number of articles related to synod and Bishop Nazir-Ali’s
visit.
More on
the Vancouver-area ANiC parishes’ appeal to the Supreme Court
ANiC
special counsel Cheryl Chang was
interviewed on AnglicanTV about the parishes’ plan to take their appeal
to the Supreme Court of Canada. She said that, in the most recent decision, the
court agreed with the parishes’ on four significant points of law, overturning
much of the original court decision. However, the court essentially said it
could not disrupt the structure of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) so
awarded the properties to the ACoC diocese of New Westminster.
Speaking
of the decision to appeal, Cheryl said, “Essentially the issues have been
narrowed significantly…. The judges have agreed with us on [the four] points…
of the law… The question becomes have they applied the law correctly to the
facts of this case in coming to their conclusion. So… in the next court we
shouldn’t be spending time on arguing points of the law, which we were in the BC
Court of Appeal. It’s really a case of the application of that law to the facts
of this case. And frankly I believe that a lot of the very significant facts
were not considered properly or sufficiently.” Please listen to the entire
interview!
The Diocese
of New Westminster has posted a
statement on its website which says, “Bishop Ingham
has offered to meet with the leaders of the four congregations to discuss how
everyone can move forward in keeping with the decisions of the courts and
appoint new clergy for these parishes. To date, there has been no response. Bishop
Ingham and Diocesan leadership do not believe that there is any need to take
any further court challenges, which will incur more expense and anxiety… Diocesan
legal counsel will respond to all the actions initiated by the Plaintiffs (ANiC
Trustees and Clergy), and under the direction of diocesan leadership will move
to ensure that the decisions of the BC Courts will be acted on in the months
ahead.”
More
media coverage of the BC Appeals Court decision and the parishes’ announcement
that their legal counsel is preparing an appeal the highest court in the land
can be read here:
VirtueOnline
– Dec 13 2010 – Four Anglican
parishes appeal to Supreme Court of Canada
Abbotsford
News – Dec 13 2010 – Anglican churches to file appeal in Supreme
Court …
Anglican
Journal – Dec 15 2010 – …congregations…
take…dispute to Supreme Court
Church
of England Newspaper – Dec 17 2010 – ANiC to
appeal to Canada’s Supreme Court
Anglican
Planet – Dec 10 2010 – Four BC
churches lose properties in landmark ruling
Financial update
Back in early June, we shared ANiC's financial
needs with you, and God, through you, graciously provided. Now, as we approach
the end of 2010, we are reminded that this has been a difficult and financially
stressful year for many. That has shown in the finances of a number of our
parishes as well as in contributions to ANiC. With great opportunities for
ministry all around us, we would ask you to keep your parish and ANiC high on
your priorities for prayer and, as God leads you, for financial support. If you
wish your gift to be credited during the 2010 tax year, please ensure it is
postmarked by December 31st or given through your parish by the end of the year.
Temporary
changes to ANiC communications
To
accommodate vacations, communications from ANiC will be modified somewhat during
January. We are aiming to get out two smaller newsletters during the month
focused primarily on ANiC news. Happenings in the broader Anglican world will
be covered by the weekly American Anglican Council newsletter
which we will forward to those on our distribution lists.
During January,
parishes and ministry leaders with news to communicate should note the following:
• |
ANiC
news for inclusion in the newsletter should be sent to Erica Cantelon. |
• |
For website
updates or graphic design needs, parishes are asked to work directly with ANiC’s
webmaster and graphic designer, Daniel Hartwig. |
ANiC office closed over Christmas
Our office will be closed on December 24 and will reopen January 3. During
that time, phone calls will go unanswered and emails unopened as staff members and
faithful office volunteers recuperate from a hectic year and prepare for an
equally exciting 2011.
Hiding
the Bible in your heart workshop coming to Moncton, January 8
Bishop Charlie
Masters will present a workshop on January 8 at Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church
in Moncton, New Brunswick entitled "Hiding the Bible
in your heart". Bishop Charlie will then help to officially inaugurate the
fourth ANiC congregation in New Brunswick – Christ the Redeemer Quispamsis. This new congregation
at Quispamsis joins the three other New Brunswick congregations that comprise Christ
the Redeemer: Moncton, Miramichi and Sussex.
Regional
church planting conferences planned
ANiC Plant and Grow Conferences are being planned for many regions in the first part of 2011.
They are intended for clergy, laity and prospective church planters who are in
any stage of discernment, planning or implementation. Dates and locations may
change as plans develop. If you are interested in participating, contact
the planners, whose contact information appears below. Bring colleagues, find
support, and learn both the foundations and tactics of launching healthy new
churches! More
church planting information is on the ANiC website.
Christmas
baptisms: Celebrating new life in Christ!
Over
the Christmas season, Good Shepherd Vancouver and Good Shepherd Richmond will
celebrate 16 baptisms. Four candidates from the restaurant workers ministry
will be baptized on December 21, four from Good Shepherd Richmond on Christmas
Day, and four from Good Shepherd Vancouver on Boxing Day. Praise the Lord!
Vancouver
revival conference, Feb 25-27
The ANiC Church of the Good Shepherd (Vancouver) will hold a revival
conference, Feb 25 – 27, which will be conducted in English. A children’s
program will be offered as well.
Theme: |
A Closer Walk With Thee |
Speaker: |
Dr Dennis Ngien (Professor of Systematic Theology at Tyndale Seminary in Toronto, author and international speaker) |
Date: |
February 25 - 27, 2011 |
Time: |
Friday and Saturday night, 7.30 - 9.30pm; Sunday, 11am - 1pm |
Location: |
Good Shepherd, 189 West 11th Ave, Vancouver, BC |
The
Bishop or the King reviewed
Canadian
Christianity offers a review of The Bishop or the King, a book
written by the Ven Ron Corcoran. The book is available via the website for Christ the King
(Victoria, BC).
Developing relationships in
the community
St Paul Anglican Bible
Church (a project in Stoney Creek, ON) is ‘reaching out’. Members visited 314 homes in
their community during December, and were able to speak to 131 people in
person. They knocked on doors to wish folks a Merry Christmas, and leave them a Sharing the Good News of Christmas gift bag as well as an invitation to have coffee and a chat. In addition,
members John and Zandra Pennylegion will host a Christmas Open House between
Christmas and New Years, inviting more than 35 couples. John Pennylegion
says “we are working hard to live out the mantra ‘make a friend, be a
friend, then bring that friend to Christ’ through presence and an open door
policy at our home.” St Paul meets weekly at the Pennylegion’s home.
Calendar
of upcoming events – for your interest and prayer support
Jan 8
– Christ the Redeemer (Moncton, NB) – Hiding the
Bible in your heart workshop
Jan
25-27 – ACNA 2011 church
planting summit in Plano, TX with speaker Tim Keller
Jan
25-31 – Anglican Communion Primates Meeting (Dublin, Ireland)
Feb 19
– Victoria, BC church
planting workshop
Feb
25-27 – Good Shepherd (Vancouver) revival conference
Feb
(TBD) – Brandon, MB church
planting workshop
March 5
– Langley, BC church
planting workshop
April 2 –
Ottawa, ON church
planting workshop
March
14 – St John, NB church planting
workshop
March
21-22 – Asian Mission
inaugural conference, Vancouver, BC
March 29-31 – ANiC’s 2011 pastors’ retreat
near Abbotsford, BC
March 2 –
Burlington, ON church
planting workshop
April
30 – Montreal, QC church
planting workshop
June
(TBD) – Marlborough, MA church
planting workshop
News shorts – Anglican
Church in North America (ACNA)
Archbishop
Bob joins other religious leaders in defending marriage
The
Anglican Church in North America’s primate, Archbishop Robert Duncan, has
joined other religious leaders in the US in signing and releasing an open letter affirming the importance of preserving the uniqueness of traditional marriage. The
letter, entitled “The Protection of Marriage: A Shared Commitment”, was also
signed by leaders from Baptist, Catholic, Evangelical, Jewish, Lutheran,
Mormon, Orthodox, Pentecostal and Sikh communities in the United States.
One of
the letters signatories, newly elected president of the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops Roman Catholic Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New
York, stated, “The broad consensus reflected in this letter—across great
religious divides—is clear: The law of marriage is not about imposing the
religion of anyone, but about protecting the common good of everyone.”
The
letter reads:
Marriage is the permanent and faithful union of one
man and one woman. As such, marriage is the natural basis of the family.
Marriage is an institution fundamental to the well-being of all of society, not just religious communities.
As religious leaders across different faith
communities, we join together and affirm our shared commitment to promote and
protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman. We honor the unique
love between husbands and wives; the indispensible place of fathers and
mothers; and the corresponding rights and dignity of all children.
Marriage thus defined is a great good in itself,
and it also serves the good of others and society in innumerable ways. The
preservation of the unique meaning of marriage is not a special or limited
interest but serves the good of all. Therefore, we invite and encourage all
people, both within and beyond our faith communities, to stand with us in
promoting and protecting marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
ACNA
Governance update
Writing
in the American
Anglican Council’s December 17th newsletter, Canon Phil Ashey
discusses the work of the ACNA Governance Task Force in reviewing and adjusting
the province’s Canons and Constitution which were
founded on the principles of “Biblical essentials, minimalism and subsidiarity”.
He likens those in the ACNA to the first century gentiles – outside the
establishment church – and says that the principles of Acts 15 governed
the work of the task force. The work of the task force now goes to ACNA’s
Executive Committee in June 2011 for review. Any approved changes will go to
the Provincial Assembly in 2012 for ratification.
News shorts – Canada
Qur’an
read at installation of Anglican Church of Canada Dean
The AEC blog
notes a report in the Diocese of Huron newspaper of the installation
of the Rev Kevin Dixon, previously of the Diocese of New Westminster. The Imam
from a local mosque participated in the London, Ontario service by reading from
the Qur’an.
Ten ACoC jurisdictions now openly
defy Anglican Communion’s Windsor Report
Reporting
on the recent decision of the Toronto bishops to bless same-sex unions, the Anglican
Planet states, “The archbishop of Toronto has defied the Anglican
Church of Canada, the Windsor Report of 2004 and the Lambeth Conference of 2009
by issuing guidelines to bless same-sex unions. The Most Rev Colin Johnson said
that the guidelines will accommodate those in
"stable committed same-gender relationships" seeking a blessing of
their commitment… Even though the Anglican Church of Canada has not officially
approved same-sex blessings, the Diocese of Toronto is now one of ten
jurisdictions (eight dioceses, one former diocese and the Military Ordinariate)
within the national church that have gone ahead anyway to approve such rites.”
Parliament votes against
criminalizing coercion to have an abortion
This
week, members of Canada’s parliament overwhelmingly voted against a private members’ bill that would have banned coercing a woman to have an abortion.
Canadians
look at joining Communion Partners
Writing in
the Anglican Planet, the Rev Dean Mercer, ACoC priest at St. Paul’s, L’Amoreaux in Toronto,
reports on his and two other ACoC priests participation in a Communion Partners
clergy gathering in Florida in November. According to Mercer, “Canadians
came to explore the possibilities of having Canadian representation in
Communion Partners or starting a similar group in Canada.” Bishop Tony
Burton, formerly Bishop of Saskatchewan, was a conference leader. Mercer
reports that the meeting was attended by a representative of
the Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop Peter Carnley. Archbishop
Carnley, a retired Primate of Australia who previously headed the ineffectual
Panel of Reference, has been assigned by Dr Williams as a “…pastoral visitor
serving North American clergy and people distressed by recent actions in their
churches”. He was to report back to Dr Williams and to the Presiding Bishop of
the US Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori.
A Living Church
article on this gathering notes that the Communion Partners
fellowship is comprised of theologically conservative clergy still within the
Episcopal Church who are “committed to the Windsor Process, supportive of the
Anglican Covenant, determined to maintain ties with the Anglican Communion… [but] take the long view and work for the renewal of the
Episcopal Church.” However, the author says, “Conservatives who stay at the
table often end up as dinner… The other questions are theological. For some
voices in the ACNA and the AMiA, conservative clergy in the Episcopal Church
are simply those who lacked the courage to leave behind their pension fund.
Articulating a theological defense of staying rather than leaving remains a
necessary task.”
Other
Canadian news
Church of England Newspaper –
Dec 17 2010 – Calgary
church goes over to Rome
Winnipeg Free Press
– Dec 12 2010 – Calgary
Anglican… parish wants to join Catholic Church
Toronto Star – Dec
6 2010 – Calgary Anglicans
first… in Canada to join Catholic Church
Anglican Journal –
Dec 10 2010 – Calgary
congregation votes to join Catholic Church
CTV Calgary – Dec 5
2010 – St John the
Evangelist Anglican Church to join Rome
Vancouver Province
– Dec 8 2010 – Only small
minority object
Calgary Herald –
Dec 17 2010 – Anglican
Church didn’t abandon anybody
News shorts – United States
Texas
court again frustrates Episcopal Church legal tactics
A
federal district court in Forth Worth has, at the request of the ACNA Diocese
of Fort Worth, granted a stay of proceedings in the latest of multiple legal
actions initiated by the Episcopal Church (TEC) in various Texas courts. In the
words of canon law expert A S Haley, “Once again, in an attempt to do an end
run around the State courts, ECUSA had filed in the federal court action a
motion for summary judgment, making all the usual "hierarchical"
arguments. But once again, their strategy has been rebuffed.” Mr Haley provides a good chronological
summary of the convoluted Texas court proceedings.
News shorts – International
Archbishop
of Canterbury criticizes attempts to ban Christian aspects of Christmas
The Telegraph
reports that Dr Rowan Williams has defended nativity plays and carol
singing, saying people of other faiths and cultures love the story and respect
the message.
Primates
Meeting boycott
Drawing
from several sources, the Anglican
Planet offers an interesting summary of the state of affairs leading
up to the late January Primates Meeting called by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
It is expected that at least 10 Primates – representing the vast majority
of active Anglicans globally – will not attend the meeting in Ireland.
Remaking
the Communion in the revisionists’ image
Writing
on the Anglican
Communion Institute website, Dr Phillip Turner discusses the
strategy employed by revisionists in the US Episcopal Church and the Anglican
Church of Canada to transform the Anglican Communion into something more to
their liking. He concludes by calling on the Archbishop of Canterbury to
withdraw the invitation to the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and to
place on the agenda the matter of Communion discipline in light of TEC’s
flaunting of the moral authority of the Communion Instruments.
In
discussing the tactics of TEC revisionists in implementing what amounts to a
revolution, he lists:
1. |
Act in
a way contrary to established canons and doctrine and then pleading immunity
from consequences because the actions were “prophetic”. They then plead for
dialogue. “In this way, dissent expressed as disobedience is portrayed as a
mere disagreement that can be sorted out by conversation.” |
2. |
Seek to
escape the consequences of their actions by arguing against centralized Communion
authority, saying it has no place in Anglican tradition and that provinces have
unfettered autonomy. |
3. |
Through
political maneuvering, manipulate and reshape the structures of the Communion. |
4. |
Redefine
Communion, saying “…that the basis of communion is not so much common belief and
practice as it is common mission understood primarily as the alleviation of
human suffering and the pursuit of greater social justice… The heart of
communion on this view comes down to perpetual dialogue coupled with “mutual ministry,”
understood largely in moral terms. |
The Covenant
and the Anglican Communion
Chris
Sugden, writing in Evangelicals
Now sets out the two opposing views of the current draft of the
Covenant. Then concludes: “The current Covenant process interminably delays
judgement and leaves little hope of discipline and consistency. We are left in
a permanent state of dialogue. Endless appeal could be made to conviction,
openness, listening and time while actions continue which go against the
church’s teaching.”
In
analyzing the forces holding the Anglican Communion together and those ripping
it apart, A S Haley
concludes, “The
demise of the Anglican Communion is thus a secondary consequence, not a primary
one in and of itself. The structure of the Communion arose and flourished while
there were churches bent on performing a common mission. That common mission no
longer exists -- and that is
the demise we should be ruing, not the Communion's. The question is… Exactly
who benefits if the church catholic fails again in its mission, and fragments
even more in the process? Think about it – and then pray for your church
universal. Ultimately, despite what mortals may do or believe important, her
fate is in God's hands.”
The Church of
England Newspaper reports that the Primate of Japan, in making the
case for the Covenant at Japan’s last synod, “used uncharacteristically strong
language, laying the blame for the dissension upon the Episcopal Church (TEC)
and Anglican Church of Canada (ACC).”
News in
brief from around the world and around the Communion
Sudan –
As the January 9 referendum on independence for Southern Sudan approaches,
please pray for peace and for God’s will to be done. The Sudan is seen as a
strategic gateway to central and southern Africa for Islam and has experienced
40+ years of war and political strife. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada has
an excellent
prayer alert with important background information and specific
prayer requests. The Anglican Communion
News Service also offers background and suggested prayers.
China – The Chinese Communist Party Politburo is reported to have renewed its efforts to crush unregistered Christian house churches,
labeling the house churches a “cult”. A similar crackdown is taking place in Vietnam.
Iraq –
The “Vicar of Baghdad” Canon Andrew White, tells the
London Evening Standard in a highly informative article, “I have
never known it so bad.” The article explains, “Last month, letters delivered to the homes of
Christians in Baghdad, including many of his 4,000 congregants, from an
extremist group calling itself the Secret Islamic Army warned: “To the
Christian … this is your last and final threat. If you do not leave your home,
you and your family will be killed.” These explicit threats came immediately
after the October massacre at Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad that left
52 Christians dead.” Canon White adds, ““For
Christians in Baghdad, this Christmas is the darkest hour they have ever known.
In the past month 112 Christians were murdered in Iraq, compared with 93 in the whole of last
year. Just yesterday two elderly people in my congregation were shot dead in
their homes, their only “crime” being that they were Christians.”
The
Evangelical Fellowship of Canada has issued a prayer alert regarding the
persecution in Iraq. And the Vancouver Sun
tells how the threat of violence has stifled Christmas celebrations
in Iraq.
England – The Telegraph
reports that the Church of England is issuing guidelines for how
parishes can incorporate commerce into their buildings. “The Church of England
will issue guidance on how naves and vestries can be turned into areas where
groceries and household goods are sold… In addition to acting as a shop, it
also proposes that churches consider offering others services, including dry
cleaning and providing prescriptions.” Previously post offices had been
installed in a number of church buildings. A bishop is quoted arguing that, "Church buildings may often be the only community space in a village or a
deprived urban area and can provide the perfect location for a community-owned
shop."
Other
international news
Telegraph
– Dec 17 2010 – Religion
review of the year 2010
Anglican
Planet – Dec 10 2010 – English Synod
approves Covenant
Anglican
Planet – Dec 10 2010 – Five CofE
bishops join Roman Catholic Church
Church
of England Newspaper – Dec 8 2010 – Dr Williams’
Roman holiday
Soul food
What
would Christmas be without Handel’s Messiah?
Dr
Albert Mohler has written a fascinating
article on the background to this brilliant composition and the
virtually unknown lyricist who compiled the Biblical texts and persuaded Handel
to set these to music. Charles Jennens was “greatly concerned to confront the
deism that was then spreading so quickly among the educated classes in England
in the wake of the Enlightenment. “Deism rejected the self-revelation of God in
the Bible, the need of humanity for salvation, the deity of Christ,
Christianity’s message of salvation, and any divine judgment to come.”
LifeSiteNews
writes that the YouTube sensation “flash mob” performance of Handel’s
Messiah Hallelujah chorus in a Welland, Ontario mall has been seen more than 22
million times. If you are one of the few who hasn’t yet seen it, you really
must!
Just
for fun
Theologians
and non-theologians alike will enjoy this “12 Doctrines of Christmas” YouTube video.
And
everyone with a Facebook and Twitter account will enjoy this short YouTube
video, retelling the
Christmas story for the digital age.
Copyright Gospel Communications
International, Inc - www.reverendfun.com
Thought
“The Son of God became a
man to enable men to become the sons of God.” - C S Lewis
Of
interest
Church trends – Barna Group Research reports six mostly
discouraging “megathemes” emerging from their 2010 church research.
• |
The
Christian Church is becoming less theologically literate |
• |
Christians
are becoming more ingrown and less outreach-oriented |
• |
Growing
numbers of people are less interested in spiritual principles and more desirous
of learning pragmatic solutions for life |
• |
Among
Christians, interest in participating in community action is escalating |
• |
The
postmodern insistence on tolerance is winning over the Christian Church |
• |
The
influence of Christianity on culture and individual lives is largely invisible |
Eucharist – Writing in
the Anglican Journal, Dr George Sumner argues that offering a weekly
Eucharist might not be wise in every parish and may even hamper growth. Strictly
adhering to this practice may, for example, limit the ability to plant churches
due to the lack of ordained clergy to administer weekly Eucharist. StandFirm
has an interesting
discussion of the pros and cons.
Creation
and worldview – The Christian worldview emerges from our understanding of
creation, Dr Albert
Mohler argues. He writes: “Biblical Christianity is not only a faith
that involves essential truths; it is the story of God’s purpose to redeem
humanity and to bring glory to himself… The Scripture narrates the story in the
unfolding of God’s plan and purposes… Every worldview… has a beginning. Without
exception, every worldview must give an account of how the cosmos came into
being and must answer the question of its meaning… [F]or the most part, everything that follows is contained within the account of
origins. Once we know that God is the solitary explanation at the beginning, we
can be confident that he will be the one who brings this story to a close in a
way that brings him no less glory.”
Please pray...
For our
bishops and clergy and their families – especially those battling illness
For ANiC
projects, church plants and parishes, and for their proclamation of the Good
News of Christmas to those in their communities who desperately need new life
in Christ
For the legal counsel for the four ANiC parishes in the Vancouver area as
they prepare the application to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.
For other ongoing legal challenges faced by ANiC parishes, including:
• |
The mediation process involving St George’s & St Alban’s (Ottawa) and their former Anglican Church of Canada diocese |
• |
The ongoing litigation involving St Aidan’s (Windsor) and the ANiC
parishes that were formerly in the Diocese of Niagara – and their mounting expenses |
For all the congregations involved in court proceedings and disputes. Pray for a continued focus on, and blessing
upon, their ministry in the midst of this turmoil. Pray for peace for the wardens
and trustees who are on the front lines and bear the burden of risk and
responsibility
For the leaders and parishioners of the ACoC dioceses pursuing eviction
of and legal costs against ANiC congregations and wardens
For donations to the ANiC legal defense fund supporting
parishes in disputes with their former dioceses
For funding of the ARDFC’s malaria
prevention project in Kenya
For persecuted Christians, especially in Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia and
other Muslim lands
For the
Sudan and especially the January 9th referendum on independence for the South. Pray
for a fair and
peaceful referendum, for lasting peace, and for wisdom for
Church leaders. Pray also for our ANiC parishioners – especially at St
John’s Surrey – with family and friends in the Sudan.
For repentance and revival in our hearts and in our nation – as
well as a hunger for God and a thirst for His Word
For all those in positions of leadership and influence in the Anglican
Communion, that they would seek to honour and obey God above all else
For the Primates of the Anglican Communion as they wrestle with
decisions related to the upcoming Primates’ Meeting in Ireland (at the end of
January)
And now
a word from our sponsor
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great
light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.
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. 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.
For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment
rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be
upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the
throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with
justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal
of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 9:2-7 ESV
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