Dismayed...Yet...

 

“…but when You hid your face, I was dismayed. To You, Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it proclaim Your faithfulness? Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.” (Psalm 30:7b-10, NIV)

Upon reading Psalm 30:7b-10, wonder arises about what David dealt with when he wrote this psalm. Could it come from a difficult time he had before this psalm’s writing? Why did David beg for God’s mercy? What did David mean when he wrote these words? Effective Bible study involves reading the entire chapter from which a passage comes and its surrounding chapters. Let’s study this passage and Psalm 30 in its entirety.

Whether a devotional guide gives these memory verses to read and meditate upon or you find Psalm 30:7b-10 on your own, the depth of David’s dismay is obvious. David perceived, though erroneously, that the Lord departed from him, leaving him to handle his hard times alone. He said it seemed like God hid His face from him (vs. 7b). For that reason, he experienced dismay and fear. Without the Lord, who chose, anointed, and protected him throughout his life, David knew his adversaries would have defeated him. He also realized God would not have used him as His king to unify His people, Israel.

Verse eight shows the depths of David’s despair. David considered God had ignored him. He felt like God’s mercy had left him and he was alone. To this, David pled to God in verses nine and ten. He reasoned with God in verse nine. David reminded God, as if God needed reminding, that if he was silenced by death, he could not praise God and proclaim His faithfulness. In verse ten, David begged God for mercy and help.

If a person reads just verses 7b-10, despair could overtake him. A reader facing difficulties would gain no strength or trust in a faithful God. Instead of gaining strength to endure, the person might experience discouragement and hopelessness. Yet, readers must consider the whole chapter.

When reading the whole chapter from its beginning, the introduction to the chapter should be read because it gives the reader a first impression of the intent, topic, or scope of the chapter. The introduction to Psalm 30 shows David wrote the psalm as a “dedication of the temple”. This introduction causes a question to arise since David did not build the temple. David’s son, Solomon, built it. How can this psalm be for a dedication if it has a dismayed David pleading with God at its center? Remember, a Bible passage must be read in context with the entire chapter.

After reading the chapter at least once, a student of this psalm should consider a Bible commentary or other scholars’ teachings on the text. Samuel Barth of the Jewish Theological Seminary studied and wrote about this psalm in his article titled Psalm 30: Dedication of the ‘Inner Temple’ (Psalm 30: Dedication of the “Inner Temple” - Jewish Theological Seminary. Barth gave two possibilities for how this psalm, that includes David’s dismay, could be a dedicatory psalm for the temple. He first stated that Psalm 30 leads the reader to go from the mental study of God’s word to soul praise of who God is and what He has done throughout the ages.

—From mental study to soul praise—

For today’s particular study, Barth offered a second possible reason for the Psalm 30 introduction: a dedication of the temple. He stated the “temple” in the introduction is not a physical earthly structure. Barth wrote, “The psalm is not about dedicating any earthly structure, but that each individual might be seen as a bayit (the Hebrew word for vessel.) that can, if we so choose, be dedicated to the service of God.” This means each person who sees himself as a vessel God can use gives his life to God to become a temple dedicated to Him.

--not an earthly structure but a bodily structure--

Barth’s second thought about the introduction to the psalm is what we will consider today with this study of Psalm 30. David’s dismay in verses 7b-10 is not intended to discourage a person, but to lead a person to God and cause the person to worship Him. How can that be since the middle verses, usually considered the main point of a chapter, cause discouragement in people? How does David’s dismay lead a person to dedicate himself to God for His purposes?

How does a reader shift from feeling discouraged by Psalm 30:7b-10 to worshiping God, as David’s introduction intends? Consider the verses before and after verses 7b-10. With verses 1-7a, David praised God for redeeming him from situations and enemies. He recited as a reminder for himself and his readers who God had been in his life. David praised God for who God is and for His faithfulness to and favor upon him. He reminded himself and the readers that he never needs to fear; his life was a testimony of who God is and what He had done: He is good, faithful, almighty, and provider. By recalling what God had done for David, it would lead people to recall for themselves who God had been in their lives and what He had done in their lives. These people could praise God for redeeming them, like David did. People could dedicate themselves as God’s temple for Him to use, like David did.

Transitioning from verses 1-7a onward into verses 7b-10 enables David and his readers to carry the joy from the first section of the psalm into the challenging days. With the joy and reminder of God’s faithfulness and mercy to them, they would feel more able to endure whatever hardship they would meet. Verses 7b-10 also become reminders to the readers and hearers of God’s redeeming David from his dismay and distress. They would be enabled to remember and rejoice because of God’s faithfulness to them. God, through this psalm, reminded David of His own great mercy, faithfulness, and favor towards him. He also reminded His children over many millennia since David’s time. From the first part of Psalm 30, God brought to mind His triumph over His children’s struggles so they would remember to trust in and praise Him. Because of God’s victorious triumph and who He is, a child of God can praise God more readily and choose to dedicate himself to Him, to be His living temple.

Psalm 30:11-12 tells of what God did inside of David. God changes not only circumstances; He changes the heart, mind, and spirit of each person who calls on Him. In this psalm, David went from wailing to dancing with joy when remembering God’s great favor, faithfulness, and mercy towards him (vs. 11). He sang praises to God and reminded himself never to stay silent, but outwardly to praise God. God’s redemption of David from his dismay caused his heart and mind to praise God, his body to dance, and his spirit to be renewed in faith. God can and will effect this change in His children's hearts, minds, spirits, and bodies when they call upon Him, like He did in David. David cried out to God and God heard and responded with His presence, help, guidance, and strength. When any of God’s children cry out to Him, He will respond to them similarly so that they dance with joy in praise to God. God’s redemption of His children from struggles can cause that person’s heart, mind, spirit, and body to praise God and dance with joy. They can experience a renewed faith in Him.

David did not intend the middle section of Psalm 30 to cause dismay to its readers and hearers. He meant for it to tell of God’s goodness to him and to all who seek Him in humility. This psalm’s purpose is to lead hearers and readers to recall God’s faithfulness, favor, and mercy even when times seem dark. David’s psalm causes each person to renew hope in God and praise Him—to renew his dedication to God as His temple.

The temple of God within each of His children is what they dedicate to God whenever they praise Him or pray to Him. From this temple within each of God’s children, the psalm elicits hope as they remember God’s faithfulness to David and themselves. Remembering God’s love, mercy, favor, and faithfulness to them may cause them to dance with joy and lift their hands in praise, too.

This leads us to agree with Barth. Barth is correct on both his points about Psalm 30; the introduction to Psalm 30 does both possibilities, not one of the other. It causes a person to go from mind study to soul praise. It also causes the person—child of God—to renew his faith and trust in God by recalling from the past who God has been as He helped him. This latter will cause soul praise that leads to bodily praise, such as dancing with joy. Both of these, David experienced in God’s inspiring him to write Psalm 30, like we each may have experienced as we read of David’s struggle in the middle part of this psalm.

David’s psalm should cause two things to happen. The psalm, as a reminder and as a song to and about God, causes us to go from the study of our circumstances and God’s word to the rededication of ourselves as God’s children—His temple—to whom He is ever faithful. This dedication of ourselves will take us beyond ourselves and circumstances to soul praise to God and dancing with joy.

The psalms are to lead us to worship God in easy and hard times. David shows us how to praise God in hard times and praise Him later as we recall God’s actions towards and for us. Today, remember when God was by your side during tough times, and how His faithfulness helped you overcome challenges; then praise and thank Him.

If you have not become a child of God, today is the day to seek His mercy and grace. You do this by believing in Jesus as your Lord and your Savior and by confessing and repenting of your sins (Romans 10:9-10). Today, will you choose to live with God now and forever?

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. (Psalm 107:1, NIV)

 

 

The Donkey's Burden

 

Before Jesus’ birth in human form to Mary, she and He rode on a beast of burden to Bethlehem. That beast, a donkey, did not know where he was going until Jospeh led him there. He did not recognize the heavy prize he carried. The donkey plod under the weight of pregnant Mary going to where Joseph led him. He became one of the first in creation to witness the newborn King.

Skip forward thirty-three years to Jesus’ triumphal entry to Jerusalem. More happens than a donkey found, cloaks laid on the donkey, and cloaks and palm branches laid on the ground. Consider what each of the people in these verses consider and call Jesus. This comprehension will lead to an understanding of Jesus’ authority to cleanse the temple and die for each person.

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and, at once, you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away” (Matt. 21:1-3, NIV).

Matthew chapter twenty-one tells of Jesus and His disciples going to Jerusalem for the Passover. The disciples had seen Jesus heal people, give sight to the blind, welcome the lowly and poor, and eat with the outcasts. They saw Jesus teaching with power and authority. When Jesus instructed the disciples to fetch a donkey and told them how to respond to inquiries about it, Matthew's readers grasped that the disciples acknowledged Jesus' authority. To the disciples, Jesus was more than just a teacher. He was more than a rabbi. The disciples recognized Jesus for who He is, the sent One from Yahweh, the God who is, was, and always will be. They followed Jesus’ instructions assured of the truth of what Jesus said. Yahweh and Jesus have authority.

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey’” (Matthew 21:4-5).

Jesus, to the disciples and other followers, was more than a rabbi. He showed He had authority over life, death, sickness, and health. Jesus spoke truth with power and gave His authority and power to His disciples. In verses four and five, Matthew reminded his readers and hearers of what Zechariah prophesied at God’s command in Zechariah 9:9. He foretold this King. This King of which Zechariah spoke foreshadowed the Messiah. Zechariah prophesied, “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey.” Matthew agreed with what Zechariah wrote and proclaimed it happened when Jesus entered Jerusalem just days before His betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion. He reiterated what Zechariah said and pointed out Jesus is the King. As one who has authority, Jesus is the King, Matthew declared. He was the one riding on a donkey that day. As the proclaimed King, Matthew attested to and declared Jesus is the sovereign leader in governance, military, and religious life. Jesus is ruler over all life, Matthew made sure the people understood. Jesus is the one who came to fulfill God’s foretold prophecy, of which Zechariah spoke. Matthew declared Jesus the divine King from God. Jesus has all authority, sovereignty, and power. He is more than an earthly king. In exercising His authority, the people had seen, heard, and realized, Jesus is humble, humble enough to fulfill the prophecies foretold by each prophet. He, the one Yahweh promised, will save humanity from sin and death.

Jesus, Matthew wrote, has authority and power, and is sovereign over all that is. Verse nine tells Matthew’s readers more about Jesus. He described non-disciples' reactions to Jesus, revealing their viewpoint of Him.

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven” (Matthew 21: 6-9).

Matthew recorded the disciples’ obedience, the donkey owner’s recognition and permission, and a large crowd's acknowledgement in these verses. The disciples and donkey owner recognized Jesus’ authority and honor. The crowd’s reaction to Jesus entering Jerusalem shouted of who Jesus was in their minds. Potentially, this perception took hold in the people’s hearts. The authority the crowd inferred and the words they proclaimed about Jesus as He rode the donkey into Jerusalem declared who they believed and wanted Jesus to be. They called Jesus the Son of David, the One whom the LORD sent.

So far, in Matthew 21, the disciples and the donkey owner affirmed their belief in Jesus’ authority, power, and sovereignty as the King who came to fulfill the prophecies. Now, the regular people, the Jews, exclaimed “Hosanna,” which in Hebrew meant, “Lord save us”. By the New Testament time, hosanna meant to praise and exalt. More interestingly, the crowd referred to Jesus as the Son of David. King David is an ancestor of Jesus, as a son of Mary and Joseph. This exclamation by the crowd meant more than that. A son in Jewish understanding brings with it a covenantal relationship with God. Mary and Joseph’s firstborn son was a fulfillment of God’s prophecy to them and to humanity, as the angel told them. When the crowd declared Jesus as the Son of David, they recognized Him as fulfilling the prophecy. Jesus was the direct blood descendent of their beloved King David, the covenantal son between God and Mary and Joseph, the covenant God had with Israel, and the fulfillment of God’s promises to send a Messiah. Jesus is the physical and spiritual fulfillment of God’s covenant and prophecies. As the Son of David, the people declared Jesus as the Son of God, the prophesied Messiah from God.

When the crowds of people proclaimed, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they exalted and praised Yahweh and the Son, Jesus the Messiah. They exclaimed Lord and King, save us! This equating Jesus as the Son of David and anointed Holy One from God was not an interpretive stretch.

The people continued exalting and proclaiming in verse nine by saying, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” They recognized Jesus was the blessing from God. He was God embodied. The people exalted and praised God and Jesus, and they exclaimed Jesus came from God. Coming in the name of the Lord meant Jesus came with the reputation, glory, and renown of Yahweh (the LORD) because they recognized God sent Him. Saying Jesus came in the name of Yahweh meant He came with the authority, character, reputation, and identity of God. Jesus came from God and is God; He is the essence of God.

Jesus is Lord, King, and Teacher with authority, power, majesty, renown, and sovereignty. God sent Him to bless and fulfill Yahweh’s covenant with His people, Israel. By people’s trust in what He said and did, Jesus demonstrated He was the Son of David, the King, the Messiah, and the Teacher.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee” (Matthew 21:10-11).

This recognition by the disciples, donkey owner, and the crowds flocking to Jerusalem for the Passover occurred before Jesus arrived in Jerusalem. When Jesus entered the gate of Jerusalem, the people inside the city heard the crowd/s praises. They wondered who or what caused the stir. The Greek word for “stir” speaks of a metaphorical agitation from an earthquake. This stir shook the people inside the gates and made them ask questions and pay attention. When God enters, people and all creation notice. They ask about the ruckus.

When the people in Jerusalem asked who the man was who rode upon a donkey, the crowds replied. Their answer showed some people had become stirred up by God’s presence; but, they may not have understood who Jesus was. The people who replied to the question Matthew recorded in verse ten called Jesus a prophet from Nazareth of Galilee. They were correct, but did not know the whole truth yet. These people would get to watch the unfolding moments and days in Jerusalem. They would watch the working out of God’s salvation plan. The people would hear, then some would believe, that Jesus was more than a prophet. Jesus was the ultimate prophet, the One who heralded—prophesied—His own coming with the consummation of His life-given sacrifice and life-giving resurrection. Until that time, people referred to Him as a prophet without fully grasping His roles as teacher, prophet, Son of David, King, and Lord.

Understanding who Jesus was, is, and will forever be is the doorway to eternal forgiveness and life. Jesus offers forgiveness because He paid the judgment price for sin with His life given as the sacrifice on the cross. With authority, He spoke to heal people. Jesus speaks even now and stirs each person to action, to seek Him or ignore the conviction. He commands with authority, and people go where He told them, or do not. Jesus, incarnate, lived a sinless life to defeat and offer pardon by His death.

Each person can put their trust in Him, thereby conquering sin and receiving Jesus’ cleansing forgiveness or not. The prophesied King, Jesus came from David’s and accomplished more than people anticipated. People can see and choose to trust in Jesus or not. Jesus carried and fulfilled God’s final covenant through His life, death, and resurrection. Some people choose to see, hear, listen, and understand, and others do not.

Many people proclaim with all creation, “Hosanna, save us, Lord! We praise and exalt You.” Yet many people do not. Jesus is one of the three personages that comprise God. The Jews on the road to Jerusalem that day recognized Jesus had God’s character, is, in His essence, God, the final King, the only Lord, eternal Yahweh, and Redeemer. Each person can choose to believe in Him or not. God never forces Himself on people. He calls each one. God stirs their hearts and minds. He puts people around them who believe and proclaim Him, like the disciples, donkey owner, and people in the crowd.

God had a higher purpose for a stubborn animal of burden. Jesus freed it from its tether. He called it to use for His purposes. Jesus had it walk with Him through the cheering and singing. Each of us is like this donkey. We can receive freedom by the Lord’s command. Given for His purposes. Walk in His parade. See Him work. Feel the weight of Him and His sorrows. And then watch as people accept Him. The Lord can grant us freedom, like this donkey, and use us for His purposes. We need only go to Him.

When Jesus slid off the donkey’s back, the donkey’s burden, though heavy for a moment, was no more. Jesus changed the role of the donkey. His burden became easy. The donkey’s divine burden brought joy, peace, hope, salvation, love, and eternal life to people. Jesus removed the burdensome weight and freed the donkey. He released the donkey for a greater purpose. At day’s end, the donkey’s master probably collected him, but the grandeur and excitement of that day may have never left the donkey or its owner. Jesus changed the donkey’s burden into joy. Each person can have their burdens exchanged for joy by receiving the freeing and redeeming mercy and grace God gives to everyone who believes in Jesus as their Savior.

The donkey was just an animal, but each person can be like a donkey, at times. Jesus can free you from the weight of your burden. He wants to do it. Jesus can use you for His higher calling. That does not mean you will not have to labor. Life will not always be easy. You can have joy, peace, and the knowledge that this life on earth is not the only purpose for which we live. We exchange the heavy burdens of the world for God’s. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. You have an eternity to live with God awaiting you, for which you can look forward. What must you do for Jesus to save you? Paul summarized it in Romans 10:9-10. He wrote,

If you declare with your mouth “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified (made right with God), and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

This boils down to the ABCs of becoming a Christian:

Admit you are a sinner.

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (from your sins and eternal death due to your sins).

Confess with your mouth your sins and your belief in Jesus. Then you will be saved.

Now is your time to allow the stirring in your heart and mind to lead you to Jesus and salvation, or not. You get to decide. You are at a decision point. I pray you follow God’s stirring in your heart and walk in the parade of the saints who preceded you. Join them and proclaim,

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest heaven!

To Be or Not to Be

 

“Jesus said to them (Pharisees), ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.’” (Mark 2:27, ESV)

When we study Mark 2:27, we must first understand what was happening at the time the Pharisees confronted Jesus. Jesus and His disciples were walking through a grain field. The disciples were hungry, so they grabbed a handful of grain seeds to eat as they followed Jesus. The Pharisees challenged Jesus and His disciples about breaking the Sabbath law of not working on the Sabbath. Jesus reminded them what their venerated King David did when he and his soldiers were hungry. They went into the house of God during Abiathar’s leadership as high priest. David and his men ate the bread of the Presence, which Sabbath laws allowed only priests to eat.

With Jesus’ reasoning, the Pharisees would feel challenged if they agreed with Him. so, their acceptance of Jesus’ teaching would mean they accused their venerated king of breaking Sabbath law. If so, then why could not other hungry men eat on the Sabbath? They would not be eating sacred food, just grain. With Jesus’ reminder to the Pharisees, they may have believed if they decided the disciples had not worked on the Sabbath, they would lose power and authority among the people. Yet, if they agreed with Jesus, then that would say their beloved King David broke the Sabbath law. Never back a caged lion into a corner. Let us now learn more about Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees.

The first thought that comes to mind in seeking to understand this verse is that God created the Sabbath day before He created the Sabbath law. God’s intent of the Sabbath laws was to help people remember and focus on God and to rest. The priests of God interpreted the thirty-nine Sabbath laws God gave. Upon writing the priestly interpretations of God’s Sabbath laws handed down through the oral tradition (the Mishnah), The Pharisees codified over six hundred Sabbath laws by which the Israelites were to live. The priests’ interpretations aimed to help people follow God’s Sabbath laws closer. Their Sabbath laws ended up becoming a litmus test by which to compare themselves to one another and to the rest of the Israelites.

Like the first thought, God commanded the Israelites to keep a Sabbath day as holy, just as Moses recorded in the Ten Commandments (the Mosaic covenant). Remember, God created humanity before He gave laws about the Sabbath. so, the relationship between God and people is more important than the Sabbath laws. Recall, the Sabbath laws occurred to help the Israelites remember and focus on God and to rest. Because God called the Sabbath a day of rest, He put people’s needs as more important than Sabbath laws, because people are more important than laws. If someone is hungry, drowning, ill, or anything else, caring for God’s people became more important to God than following laws. Caring for a neighbor is obeying God. God created people for relationship with Him and other people. Relationship means we care for each other. By caring, we show love to and for God, which He intended for the Sabbath laws. Again, God’s intention for His Sabbath laws was to cause humanity to remember and focus on Him and to have a close love relationship with Him.

As we continue to study this verse, we must understand what the word “Sabbath” means. It comes from the Hebrew word shabbat, meaning peace: to rest or cease. Our minds cannot rest and focus on God if we are concerned about a person for whom we cannot care because of the fear of breaking Sabbath laws. Again, a person cannot rest or focus on God because of urgent circumstances. This makes the laws counter to God’s purpose for the Sabbath day.

God created the Sabbath as a day of rest that He set apart and commanded for worship, reflection, and rest. The Pharisees cared more about the institution called the Sabbath. Their rituals were more important to them because they wanted people to see their own piety. The Pharisees cared more for themselves than for other people. They did not focus on God in their worship, but on what people saw them do. The Pharisees broke the first covenant (the Adamic covenant) the intent for which God set aside the Sabbath day on the seventh day of creation. Their intention for the Sabbath was not God’s original intention. The Pharisees' intention focused on themselves, their power, and their authority among the people.

The question Jesus answered, though the Pharisees did not recognize it, was: Who made the Sabbath? If the Pharisees instituted the Sabbath, then the Sabbath laws would be valid in overruling caring for other people on that day. Yet, the Pharisees did not create the Sabbath. God created the seventh day and rested from His work.

Genesis 2:3 states, “So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it, God rested from all His work that He had done in creation.” God blessed the day. He invoked His divine favor, which creates a covenant relationship with humanity, by instituting a day of rest on the seventh day, which He called the Sabbath day. God blessed the Sabbath day as His creation for humanity. He did more than just establish a seventh day and establish it as a day of peace, shabbat. God blessed the day for humanity to rest. With God’s blessings comes rest because His people know God is faithful. This allows people to have peace in mind, heart, and soul, hence, shabbat.

Genesis 2:3 records God sanctified the day. God blessed the day and the people in the day by sanctifying it. Calling something sanctified (holy) means setting it apart as special for significant persons for a purpose. Here, the significant persons for whom God set apart the Sabbath day is humanity. (See the Adamic covenant.) Genesis 2:3 states God’s significant purposes for the Sabbath. God blessed the day and blessed humanity with it by making it a rest day. God set apart the day—He consecrated it—for a sacred purpose, too. He made it holy and dedicated to Himself.

God, by making the seventh day a consecrated day, made the day of peace (Sabbath-shabbat) into a day of worship and devotion. He separated the seventh day from the first six days of the week, so people would use it for His purpose. God gave to Adam, who represents all humanity, a consecrated Sabbath day of rest (from the blessing) and worship (from the sanctification). The seventh day became a day of peace in body, heart, mind, and spirit. God’s seventh created day is a day to rest the body from work and to rest in heart, mind, and spirit as humanity communes with God in worship and meditation, leading to complete peace.

Understanding this makes it easier to understand God made the Sabbath long before He gave the thirty-nine Sabbath laws. From God’s thirty-nine Sabbath laws, the Pharisees created almost six hundred other Sabbath laws. Neither the Pharisees nor any person in humanity created the Sabbath. God created the seventh day, blessed it, and consecrated it for His purpose to bless humanity. Humanity is to rest on the Sabbath and focus on God in worship, praise, meditation, and prayer.

If, while focusing on God, He causes someone to remember a good that person should do to help someone else, even on the Sabbath, then, in doing that good, shows love for God. A person’s action based on impulses/convictions from God, even on the Sabbath, is obedience to God. Obedience to God is an act of worship. In obeying God by doing good for someone, a person is fulfilling the first and second greatest commandments, as Jesus taught in Matthew 22:36-40. The greatest and second greatest commandments are the summation of the Ten Commandments. We love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength when we obey Him, that which God requires.

God created the thirty-nine Sabbath laws to help people abide by His overarching and original intent for the Sabbath: to be in relationship with Him. That overflows into caring for other people (being in a relationship with them). God’s original and primary intent for creating humanity was so He could be in a relationship with them, like the three persons of the Trinity relate to each other. His intent was to be in a loving and holy relationship with people. That is the overarching theme of the Bible and of all time.

Since the Adamic covenant is the primary covenant of God with humanity, every other covenant builds from it to lead people back to a good and holy relationship with God. The covenants appear circular. They each aid humanity by leading them to God—to becoming closer to God and letting Him make them more in His image.

God making people more into His image is a growth process. It involves becoming more perfected, which can only happen when people believe in Jesus and He saves them from sin and death. Merely existing on earth is stagnating and then dying when the body dies. God’s making people more in His image is His growing and perfecting them until death. At death, Jesus perfects the believer—makes him or her sinless and holy, like Himself.

God, who comes from eternity, made the Sabbath. He created the Sabbath and placed it in time, a finite part of eternity. The Sabbath did not always exist. Time did not exist in eternity until God created sun, moon, light, and darkness and called the light and darkness day and night. Because time is a subset of eternity, so the Sabbath day is a subset of time, which God created. so, God’s intent for the Sabbath day, which He stated in Genesis, is the overriding ruler of the Sabbath. Humanity’s intent and laws are not. Hence, God should be the focus of the Sabbath, not humanity or its created Sabbath laws.

Who was the direct object of God’s gift of the Sabbath, shabbat? Humanity. Humanity did not create the Sabbath and has no power to change the original intent of the day. Additionally, humanity is not more powerful than God; they cannot usurp God’s role and rule.

God did not first create the Sabbath, then create humanity and all living things. No, God created humanity before the seventh day, then He declared the seventh day as the Sabbath, a peaceful day blessed by God with rest and consecration. Man sits in time, but man does not sit in one day of time continually. Days rotate within time to come upon humanity, so they may do what God commanded: care for creation. On the blessed and consecrated Sabbath day, God gives rest and reminders so humanity can focus on and worship Him. Work and renewal, a created rhythm God knew that our bodies and our relationship with Him would need for balance and peace.

Adam did not need for God to tell him to walk with Him in the Garden of Eden. That relationship happened because God established it as part of the essence, the inner yearning, of people for connection, closeness, and union. Because God made humanity for His purpose (to be in a relationship with Him), God created His Sabbath laws to cause His initial and overarching purpose. God’s overarching purpose is to have a close love relationship with humanity and to provide rest for them after six days a week of caring for creation.

God created the days and nights for man to give Him a cycle of people, objects, and places to enjoy. He created them for humanity to sustain them while they walked with God daily. God’s love was so comprehensive, He took care of the needs of humanity to work, create, rest, and relate. Why did God create humanity with these innate needs? First, God created people in His image. Just as God enjoyed a close relationship with the three persons of the Trinity and just as God loved to work and create, He created humanity to desire a love relationship with Himself and with other people.

With these understandings, Jesus took the Pharisees in Mark 2:27-28 back to the overarching theme of the Bible. God created humanity to be in a close relationship with Him. Closely following this, He created one day of the seven, which He created, to be a Sabbath day of rest, worship, and meditation for humanity. God did not create humanity for the Sabbath’s enjoyment. Inanimate cannot feel. Hence, the Sabbath laws dictated by the Pharisees take a backseat to God’s original intention for humanity—to be in a loving relationship with God.

To make that possible, God created the Sabbath day for physical rest and to allow the mind of each person to focus solely on Him and his or her relationship with Him. God’s Sabbath laws were an aid to humans for that purpose. The Pharisees Sabbath laws did not always have the love for God as their intention. Plucking grain from the stalk while walking through a field was not work. It allowed the disciples to have nourishment as they followed Jesus. Jesus allowed it because of His love for them of their body, spirit, heart, and mind. His disciples hungered; Jesus loved and did not hinder their plucking grain.

God’s commands/laws give freedom and show His love. The Pharisees’ laws and other laws, which leaders created throughout history, sometimes hinder the wellbeing of people. They steal freedom and leave fear and failure in their place. Human leaders made these laws sometimes just to make the leader feel superior and to make others experience inferiority. Caring and loving other people were not what the impious Pharisees intended with their Sabbath laws. God’s laws give freedom to find and focus on the Father.

The Pharisees did not change or remove their Sabbath laws. Some came to believe in Jesus and He saved them. What personal laws have you created that keep you or others from feeling loved by God and you?

Choose as Jesus taught.

Choose freedom over fear and failure.

Choose a loving relationship with God.

“And Jesus said to them (Pharisees), ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So, the Son of Man (Jesus) is Lord even of the Sabbath.’” (Mark 2:27-28, ESV)

The Kingdom can be Yours

 

Gift of Wonder

 

For the Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6, NASB)

That multi-part sentence's wordiness may make it hard for readers to understand its meaning. Possibly, those readers might have memorized it for a pageant, speech, or choir anthem. But has each part of this bulky verse been considered individually and as part of the whole prophecy? To understand what a passage meant to people back then, Bible students should examine the full text and its historical context. Only then can they truly carry its intent into their lives and times.

To understand this passage, we will review what we learned from verses one through five first, then consider verse six. Recall, Isaiah, a prophet, spoke to the northern kingdom (called Israel after the split) of the Promised Land after the split of Israel. Isaiah prophesied to them what God told him to say. He said their adversary would overthrow Israel and would capture them, making them slaves in a foreign land. (Assyria did this in 722BC.) Yet God wanted the people of Israel to have hope. Consider now what Isaiah said in verses one through six.

Isaiah prophesied to the people of Israel, which included Jews and Gentiles from the northern border tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. From this, as the study titled The Dawn of the Light (Thoughts from Another Home ©: The Dawn of the Light) showed, we understand God’s promise is for all people, Jews and Gentiles. God wants all people to listen to Him and heed what He plans to do and give.

God, through Isaiah, said He would send a great light to the people, to the ones who live in a dark land. He would give them hope. God gave a continual hope, not a stagnant hope.

In verse three, God also stated He would multiply the nation—geography and numbers of His children. (Thoughts from Another Home ©: Gift of Joy) He said He would increase the people’s joy. With these promises, the people captured by Assyria held onto hope because the promises came from the ever-faithful God. He Himself would supply their light, increase their nation, and increase the people’s joy. The people of Israel they were not be alone, they realized. They still had a champion.

When God gives, especially when He gives joy, a natural reaction occurs—rejoicing. Isaiah the people would rejoice, like when they divided the booty from a battle victory and like when they harvested their crops. The joy God put into them would cause praising, worshipping, and feasting. Rejoicing generally includes more than one person; it does not containable in a person. Joy bubbles, then bursts forth from a person as rejoicing. Like when a person laughs, other people cannot help but laugh, too. Likewise, when one person rejoiced, people would join in rejoicing. Rejoicing is a communal reaction to God’s goodness and blessings. The person whom God blesses, as well as the community around that person, benefit from God’s blessings. Meals are shared. Praise bursts forth among them. Dancing and singing occur. Joy is uncontainable.

Isaiah continued prophesying to the people of Israel in verse four by telling what else God would do. Remember, these actions of God prophesied by Isaiah would give hope to the people then and while in captivity. They would help the people realize God had not forgiven them. These actions by God would give joy and cause a communal response of praise, worship, and celebration. Now, God said through Isaiah that He would break the yoke, the rod, and the staff of their oppressor, Assyria. (Thoughts from Another Home ©: Freedom from Oppression) The people’s captivity by another government, the cruelty of slave masters, and the burdens of work and of the heart would not last forever. God would rescue them like He did when He caused the defeat of the Midianites, a regular pest of the Hebrew people.

Continuing to use the battle metaphor, God said through Isaiah He would end wars and battles. They would not need armor and battle clothing. God would make the implements of war fuel for His eternal fire. (Thoughts from Another Home ©: Gift of Peace) He would defeat the Assyrians Himself. The Medes and Babylonians defeated them in 625BC and fulfilled that part of the prophecy.

God gave the people of Israel hope by saying He would give Jews and Gentiles hope, light, joy, and peace and would multiply their people. He did not say this would happen once. God is faithful to His promises. Prior to their captivity, the people heard the prophecy. They remembered it during their captivity. The people recognized the metaphors and understood this prophecy foretold the future defeat of their enemies and that the light contrasted with the persistent darkness (evil) in the world. Aligned with other prophecies, this one spoke of God’s evil defeat of darkness where He rules supreme and peace reigns. The people may have hope before the captivity, during it, and hold on to it forever because God does not change, and their adversary would continue until the prophesied Messiah arrived.

With this hope and the reminder in verses one through five of the Messianic prophecies, Isaiah spoke eternal words of hope that would end all fear. He said, “For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us” (vs. 6a). Other Old Testament writers wrote about the Messiah in Psalm 2, 89:26,110:1, 2 Samuel 7:13-14, Proverbs 30:4, and 1 Chronicles 17:13-14. The Old Testament contains numerous Messiah references, including these few. God gave the people of Israel an eternal that included the past, present, near future, and eternal future.

Isaiah referred to the Messiah when he prophesied of the “Child” and “Son” to be born and given by Yahweh God to every person. God said through Isaiah that this Son—the Messiah—would be the government, the ultimate leader. Leaders of the people of Israel and other types of leaders amongst those they encountered included emperors, kings, governors, soldiers, advisors, priests, town elders, and tribal leaders. Recall these leaders subjugated them, impoverished them, beat them, etc. They harmed the people in heart, mind, body, and spirit. What sort of leader would this “Child” and “Son” be?

Isaiah prophesied “the government will be on His shoulders.” Though fathoming a child carrying the burden of ruling any group is hard, he did not intend a literal interpretation of this sentence. Notice, the “Child” is a “Son.” The young child ages, like all people. Consider God’s divine purpose for this “Son.” He foretold “the government would be on His shoulders.” This meant the “Son” would bear burdens on his shoulders, like people and beasts carry heavy-weighted items. This phrase symbolizes strength and support. It carries the connotation of being a leader and carrying responsibilities. The “Son” would carry burdensome weight, literally and metaphorically.

By using the words “the government,” Isaiah meant the “Son” foretold would rule by God’s divine appointment. For people of the time, particularly Jews, it meant the “Son” would be a king. He would bring justice and peace among the people. The “Son” will lead people. This leader, the Jews thought, meant He would be a warrior leading them to defeat their enemies or a king who would grow their nation into an international symbol of superiority. People saw leadership in Jesus as a twelve-year-old boy who remained at the temple and astonished the educated men with His understanding. They saw it during Jesus’ three-year ministry.

Despite being captives, the people of Israel held onto hope as they believed in God's ongoing control over everything. He would punish their captors for battling God’s people. Israel's people, both Jews and Gentiles, past and present, can hold on to hope for the arrival of the Messiah, who will rule the world with supremacy. This “Son” would be their King ruling in righteousness, bringing justice and peace. Compare that with the current leaders of the Zebulun and Naphtali tribes and of the entire northern and southern kingdoms. Those leaders ruled selfishly. They dominated their people. Those rulers sought their own good first. They did not lead the people to seek and to worship God.

The “Son” in Isaiah 9:6 is the foretold Messiah. As such, this prophecy states the Messiah will reign supreme with righteousness. He will bring peace and justice. The Messiah literally will bear the burden by carrying the cross to Calvary and figuratively by lightening the burden of God’s people. God’s people would carry a lighter burden because peace and righteousness would reign and be how the people lived. Revelation 21:4 records the future time of the Messiah’s reign.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning or crying or pain; the first things have passed away. (NASB)

What sort of government would this “Son” bring? How would He rule? The people of Israel may have wondered if He would match King David’s stature. The prophecies foretold the Messiah would sit on the throne of David eternally. Isaiah used four descriptors in this prophecy to tell the people about this “Child” and “Son.” He prophesied in verse six, saying, “And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” These descriptors spark hope within in a person. They sound grand and powerful. What did God mean by them?

“Wonderful Counselor” speaks of advisors. Counselors are educated men. Today, international, national, military, community, and religious leaders, et al. have advisors. They are cabinet members, parliament, congress, and specialists in areas the leaders are not. From these advisors, leaders gather information to help them make better decisions about what they consider doing, what occurred, and what transpires in the present. Though many possibilities exist about which leaders need to be aware, advisors educated in various facets of life can help him or her make the best decision to reach the intended goal.

The prophesied “Wonderful Counselor” would be extraordinary and a marvel to see and hear. He would understand things beyond human comprehension, things only God knows. This “Counselor” would inspire awe and reverence for God. What He said and did would represent God’s power and presence manifested. Because of this “Wonderful Counselor,” God would deliver His children.

This “Counselor” would show God’s active involvement in the world. He impacts humanity's past, present and future. The “Counselor” and Messiah would transcend all understandings or imaginings. This wise "Wonderful Counselor," possessing complete knowledge and power, needs no guidance to fulfill his plans. Comparing the “Wonderful Counselor” with Israel’s much lauded King Solomon, the Messiah would be absolutely correct and need no advisor. Solomon, renowned as the wisest ruler of all, failed and paled when compared to the Messiah. The Messiah, not Solomon, is the standard toward which human counselors/advisors, and all people, should strive.

God’s “Son,” the Messiah, would be the Wonderful Counselor. He would need no advisor. The Messiah would be marvelous and awesome in deed and word. No one could surpass Him. For this, people would clamor to follow Him and be in His presence and kingdom.

The “Child” and “Son” would be the inerrant, “Counselor” and “Mighty God.” What He intends could and would be done by Him. Nothing could stop Him. Humans described as mighty in Bible times were heroes, like Saul, Gideon, and David. People held them in high regard. The “Child” and “Son” would need no advisor to make the best decision. The Messiah would be courageous and moral, unlike the Israelite heroes, such as Saul, Gideon, and David.

This hero — “Child” and “Son” — would not be only in human form. He would be God, El. El described the true, mighty, and powerful One with the people of the Old Testament. For the Hebrews, El was Yahweh, the eternal One who exists past, present, and future. He is the pre-existent One who was before creation. He created everything from nothing. The “Child” and “Son,” about which Isaiah prophesied in verse six, would be almighty and ever-present (omnipresent). He is mightier than anything or anybody. He is eternal, with nothing before or after Him.

This “Child” and “Son” would be mighty and supreme God with, for, and in them. The Jews called Him the Messiah, the anointed One. He is the chosen One God sent to rectify the relationship rupture between God and humanity because people’s sins. Only God could be the “Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God.” God added to these descriptors of the “Child” and “Son.” He called Him “Everlasting Father.”

The "Everlasting Father," referenced in Isaiah's prophecy of the "Child" and "Son," signifies God's eternal nature. He is the One who made covenants—promises—with the Hebrews. The Hebrews did not keep their side of the Mosaic covenant with God. Yet God faithfully fulfilled His side. He is faithful; God is true to Himself and His promises. What He promises will occur. Because these people greatly relied on God’s promises, hearing this prophecy about the “Child” and “Son,” the Messiah, would give them hope God remembered them and would fulfill His promises.

The last descriptor Isaiah used for this “Child” and “Son” is “Prince of Peace.” A prince is a ruler, though fallible, prone to selfishness and self-aggrandizing, like humanity often does. The “Prince” Isaiah prophesied about would be a ruler, not a tyrant, enslaver, or selfish and fallible leader. He would be a champion for His people, promises, and kingdom. This “Prince” would not be an errant human. This just and righteous leader would bring peace, justice, and righteousness to the world.

The peace this “Prince” would bring would not only keep their borders firm. It would bring more than physical peace. This “Prince’s” peace would be complete and without end. With the total welfare of each person in mind, God’s peace would give heart, mind, spirit, body, and soul peace. No uncertainties challenged its mental assurance. No sin could remove it from the soul and spirit. No trauma could remove it from the heart, mind, and spirit. And when His kingdom comes, nothing could constrain the whole and total peace to the body. What El, “Mighty God” gives, nothing can take from His children or kingdom. The “Prince of Peace,” the Messiah from God the Father, would give complete welfare in all things. None of His children will lack anything and peace will reign because of this “Prince of Peace.”

This “Prince of Peace,” “Everlasting Father,” “Mighty God,” and “Wonderful Counselor” has more significance than what they appear to mean. Consider these adjectives describing the prophesied “Child” and “Son” to come. He is the Light in verse two. This “Son” will multiply the nation with the salvation He gives, which brings complete peace. This “Child” will bring increasing and everlasting joy. This “Son” will unite Jews and Gentiles as children of God. This “Son” is the “Mighty God” who breaks the yoke, staff, and rod of the oppressor. This “Child” will be unlike the aggressor, conqueror, slavedriver, insatiable, and fallible humanity called Assyria. The “Child” will be the omniscient Counselor, omnipotent God and King, eternal and omnipresent Father, and Peace-giving Prince.

God’s prophecy to the people of Israel is not a history lesson. Like the Israelites who were familiar with God and held onto His eternal promises, God’s promises apply to our lives today. The final part of His Messianic covenant written and sealed by Jesus’ death and resurrection has not yet occurred. Jesus is yet to return to earth for the second time to distinguish believers from non-believers. He tarries so no one will die forever separated from Him.

God wants an eternal and right relationship with each person. He loves each of us that much (John 3:16). Because humanity broke the Mosaic covenant sealed between God and them, God created an eternal covenant with humanity that requires just His action to fulfill it. He began fulfilling it by sending His Son, Jesus the Messiah, to be born in human form. Jesus will fulfill (consummate) the covenant at His second coming. People do nothing to receive this covenant except believe Jesus is the Son of God who died for their sins. This Messianic covenant is a one-sided covenant; humanity does not have to fulfill a side because they are incapable, since they are sinful. God gave the covenant and fulfilled and consummates it at Jesus’ second coming. God gives each person the choice to decide if they want to be part of this covenant. Paul wrote about this covenant in Romans 10:9-10.

If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (NASB)

Don’t be confined by weak wisdom, limited leaders, helpless heroes, and paltry peace.

Jesus is the

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Eternal Father, and

Prince of Peace.

Believe in Him and you will have surety, safety, hope, and peace now and forever with Him in His kingdom.

Gift of Peace

 

For the boot of the marching warrior in the roar of battle, and cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire. (Isaiah 9:5, NASB)

Anyone who is a parent, has been a parent, and/or has worked with children knows peace and quiet are rare. If children are quiet, that silence comes for one of three reasons; either the child is asleep, is sick, or is getting into trouble. Isaiah’s prophecy told of the peace the people of Israel would have. It will occur not because of what they do, but because God gives it. God causes peace. The peace about which Isaiah prophesied does not occur by individuals. God’s peace is greater and overcomes whatever humanity, angels, demons, or principalities can create. What God causes, these other beings cannot take away unless God allows it. In the next paragraphs, we will recall what Isaiah said in Isaiah 9:1-4. After that, we will study verse five on its own, aiming to understand verse five in context with the first four verses.

For whom did Isaiah prophesy? In verses one and two, the student realizes Isaiah spoke to the people of Israel. Because the Zebulun and Naphtali lands had residents consisting of Israelites, Canaanites, and other nations, Isaiah prophesied to both Jews and Gentiles. Isaiah 9:1-7 is for every person on earth. Why was it necessary to speak a prophecy of peace to the people of Israel then?

Israel did not have peace for almost two decades. The Assyrian army would battle Israel, then take the people of Israel captive in 722 BC. What did God want these people of Israel to recall for the time of their captivity? He wanted them to understand that their captivity would not occur forever; they would receive freedom. In the moment of their freedom, it would be as a great light, a lift of the burdens from their shoulders (v. 2a).

God gave hope and promised light would come out of the darkness. This light for the people meant release from captivity. God would cause their release. Nothing within a person can bring the light of freedom unless God tells the person to do something and then gives him or her the ability to do it, like He did with Moses. Israel received hope from God with this prophecy. The hope God gave the people of Israel was a beacon of light that threatened to shroud their hearts, minds, and spirits. God’s promises are for the present time and the future. His hope makes it so. God included every person in this prophecy, as told to them through Isaiah. Their dark days of slavery would end. God would cause it to happen. He gives the light and hope.

God, through Isaiah, continued telling what He would do for the people of Israel. He added, in Isaiah 9:3, that He would multiply the nation. This multiplication would include the number of people who would live in Israel by a literal increase in population, which included both Jews and Gentiles. It would include all people, through the millennia, who came to God through belief in Him and His Son, Jesus. God would call them His children.

Since God’s promises included all people of all time, His multiplying Israel’s nation would multiply the number of God’s people, which did not include only Jews. This multiplication by God included the geo-political landscape of earth. The people of the promise—Jews and Gentiles—would expand the geographical borders of the promised land to everywhere in the world believers lived. The parts of the world in which believers lived expanded God’s land of promise to be as vast as His created world and heavenly kingdom. God will “multiply the nation” (3a).

With this promise of God, composed of several parts, a natural reaction would occur because of what God would do. God would fill the people of Israel with joy (v. 3b). With the gifts of joy, light, and multiplication of the nation God gives to His people, their bubbling over of gratitude and amazement flowed from them. When joy bubbles up through a person, a natural reaction occurs—that person bursts forth in rejoicing. Rejoicing can happen by singing, dancing, praising God, sharing God’s blessings with other people, and worshipping God.

Isaiah gave an analogy to help these future captives understand the depths of joy they would have during their captivity and afterwards. He said they would rejoice like when the harvest came in (v. 3b). Isaiah added another analogy. He said the people would rejoice like when they divide the plunders of war among themselves (v. 3c). The people would react to God’s actions of shining a light on them, giving them joy, and multiplying the nation. They would rejoice with other captives and praise God.

God promised more than light, joy, and multiplication. It joined with Isaiah’s prophecies in Isaiah 42:7 & 61:1-2 and Jesus’ statement about Himself in Luke 4:18. Through Isaiah 9:4, God told the people of Israel that He would give them freedom. He said He would break the yoke, staff, and rod with which their oppressor enslaved the people (v. 4). Isaiah used an analogy for their release that would resonate with the people. Their freedom would feel like when God routed their longtime enemy, Midian. While Gideon and three-hundred soldiers watched, God confused and routed the Midianites in 1184 BC.

The people of the joint kingdom of Israel regularly recalled this story of God’s hand delivering them from the Midianites. Because the Midianite defeat was familiar to the Israelites, Isaiah knew comparing it to God’s defeat of the Assyrians would give the people of Israel great encouragement, comfort, and joy. God would redeem the people of Israel from the soldiers, government, and slave drivers called Assyria.

In verse five, Isaiah continued using the battle analogy, which he began in verse three(c). He helped the people recall battles by using their senses. Isaiah described the battle sounds and implements of a soldier. He said, “For the boot of the marching warrior in the roar (and clanging) of battle, and cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire” (NASB). These words brought to memory the sight, sound, and smell of battle. The putrid odor of blood on cloaks and bodies. The clanging metal of armor shielding soldiers’ bodies. The heavy tromping of boots marching into battle. The blasting of bugles by generals’ orders. The panic and fearful escaping of nature from the area. People would recall of these sensory memories of battle. By recalling sensory details, Isaiah's prophecy reminded the people of the sights, sounds, and smells of battles fought by armies such as those of Midian and Egypt. They helped the people remember how God preceded them and defeated their enemies.

Without God’s light, hope, and peace, those memories of battle would haunt the people of Israel forever. Yet, with God, anything can happen. God gives light, hope, and peace. He causes the changes to set people free. Paul wrote in Romans 8:37 that God’s children are more than conquerors. They are more than slaves or conquered people. God causes freedom by His actions. He said this through Isaiah. God said every marching boot and blood-soaked cloak would burn as fuel for the fire. The people would be free. God would provide their freedom and conquer the enemies of the people of Israel. He will always provide freedom for His people who seek Him (2 Chronicles 7:14). With that freedom comes peace. Before freedom, God gives light, hope, and peace.

This freedom God gives would cause rejoicing by the people. Just as they danced at a harvest with joy and divided the plunder of war among themselves with excitement and joy, the people of Israel would dance with joy at God defeating the country that overpowered and enslaved them. The Israelites recalled their harvest celebrations and victory celebrations. In their minds, they heard their celebrations, recalled the taste of food in their mouths, and sensed the celebration in their being.

They could hang onto God’s promise with hope and relive from memory how God, in the past, gave them victory. The memories of God’s intervention are spiritual markers for people. People can recall spiritual markers throughout life. A person can recall and rejoice at what God did in his or her life. God’s joy is for all time. Rejoicing is humanity’s outflow of God’s gracious gifts. It leads to people loving God with their whole being as God taught people to do in the Old and New Testaments (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37).

God's actions, His gifts of joy, peace, hope, and future freedom would cause the people of Israel to react. That reaction would cause them to love the Lord their God with all their heart, spirit, mind, and strength. This morale booster, by Isaiah’s prophecy, telling what God would do, would strengthen and encourage the captives. The prophecy enabled them to endure captivity with hope, live with the memories of what God did in the past, and buoy themselves with thoughts of what He will do in the future. God would arm the captives with hope, so they were ready to endure. Paul wrote about the great power of God, which God wanted the people of Israel to remember. He continued his teaching and testimony by writing in Romans 8:37-39:

In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39, NASB)

The Isaiah 9:1-7 prophecy transcends a single moment; it lasts forever. God is always the Conqueror. He is always faithful to His promises and His people. The Israelites’ freedom from captivity in 523 BC did not signal the end of the prophecy. This prophecy from God is for all people, as Isaiah 9:1 recorded. God’s word lasts forever because He is eternal.

Because people will exist until Jesus’ second coming to Earth, this prophecy of release from captivity has not fully occurred. Jesus has not yet consummated it. God made available through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection the ultimate release from captivity to sin and death. Jesus gives this freedom—this redemption from slavery to sin and death—when a person confesses belief in Him as their Savior.

Jesus ended all battles and wars for people who believe in Him. No captivity can separate God from anyone who believes in Jesus. God declares freedom for His children, and nothing can defeat Him. The freedom Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection provided makes possible the defeat of sin, its judgment, and death from the moment anyone believes in Him. God will consummate the salvation of believers upon Jesus’ return to earth. At that time, Jesus will claim His disciples and take them to His kingdom to live with Him forever. No force can keep His disciples captive.

This freedom God gives also provides joy from Him so people can rejoice. Knowing this freedom gives peace to the hearts, spirits, and minds of people who seek God and who come to a relationship with Him through belief in Jesus the Christ. Because God is for us, giving us joy, hope, freedom, and peace; therefore, “who can be against us” (Romans 8:32)?

How do we realize at this point God intended that? We will understand more when we finish studying the entire prophecy with verses six and seven. We recognize, too, by Jesus’ teaching and Paul’s letters, that this prophecy intended eternal redemption and reconciliation with God (Luke 4:18-20, Matthew 5:17-18, Luke 24:25-27, Colossians 1:19-20). This will be the topic of the next Bible study.

For now, consider your relationship with sin and with the Redeemer who releases believers from sin’s captivity. Are you still captive to sin and its resultant judgment of eternal death? That outcome is not what God desires for you. He loves you and wants to have an eternal relationship with you in heaven.

Today, you have a choice. Which outcome will you pursue: eternal captivity or freedom from being captive to sin and death, which gives you a right relationship with God? It always remains your choice. Choose God, Jesus, redemption, joy, hope, peace, and eternal life.

Jesus came to give us peace through redemption and reconciliation with God.

Chaos no longer reigns over His disciples. Let God give His peace to you.

For unto us a Child will be born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6, NKJV)

The Dawn of the Light

 

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. (Isaiah 9:2, BSB)

At the beginning of Isaiah 9, Isaiah prophesied about the northwestern tribes of Israel—Zebulun and Naphtali. These tribes were two of Israel's three northwestern tribes. Isaiah’s prophecy was not exclusively for the Israelites. For whom was and is this prophecy intended? What was the prophecy? What did it mean? As we gradually go through Isaiah’s prophecy in verses one through seven, we will learn what the prophecy meant and means for Israelites and Gentiles then and now.

In Isaiah 9:1, Isaiah specifically mentioned Zebulun and Naphtali. Isaiah 8 was prophesied to the northern kingdom, too. By mentioning Zebulun and Naphtali specifically, Isaiah meant the prophecy was for every person living in the northern kingdom of Israel then. Why include all the people? Since the Zebulun and Naphtali tribal lands were the borderlands of Israel, people from other nations traveled through and/or made their homes there. The foreigners who came into these lands became intermixed with the Jews in marriage, thought, religion, and culture. Recognizing this, when Isaiah prophesied to Zebulun and Naphtali, he prophesied to the Jews and Gentiles in Israel. When Assyria overthrew the northern kingdom, the Assyrian king captured people, regardless of their nationality. The apostle Matthew used this prophecy in Matthew 4:13-17 to tell the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those verses reiterated that the prophecy of Isaiah was and is for Jews and Gentiles.

Because Isaiah 9:2 speaks of people, we had to understand to whom Isaiah spoke and wrote to consider what Isaiah’s prophecy meant in Isaiah 9:2. Likewise, to understand well the whole prophecy, we must understand its parts. Verse two introduces the metaphor of dark and light God gave to Isaiah to prophesy. Verse two says, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.” What did Isaiah mean by the metaphor of light and dark? What message did God want the people from Israel to know?

God’s metaphor of light and dark runs throughout the Bible. Generally, light refers to God and darkness refers to evil. Just as darkness keeps people from seeing reality (its good and evil parts), so spiritual darkness in this passage kept the people in Israel from seeing, hearing, and worshipping God. Darkness continued to confuse the people of Israel, so they did wrong instead of right.

Light represents Yahweh God. He reveals all things (good and evil). Darkness does not. Darkness enshrouded the people of Israel and tricked them into believing lies. Those lies led to the Assyrian enemies capturing the people of Israel. The people for decades had not sought the light and wandered wearily through the darkness of warring empires, raiding bandits, and enemies from their families and tribes. Decades and centuries of guiding themselves into the dark mists led God to discipline them by using their feared enemies.

The people living within Israel did not walk only in darkness. They lived in “the land of the shadow of death.” Assyria, in their battles against Israel for three years, caused thousands of people to die and captured thousands. To ensure obedience to the Assyrian king, the king ordered the blinding or killing of some of their leaders and the castrating of others. This king enslaved the people of Israel. He put rings in their noses by which to lead them. The educated and/or talented, the king used for his benefit. He had them learn the Assyrian language and acquire their knowledge. The Assyrian king did not allow the captives to worship Yahweh God during the first years of their captivity.

These happenings more fully encompassed the “shadow of death” about which Isaiah prophesied. The people of Israel forcefully died in their will because they had no choices. The Assyrians broke the wills and spirits of the people they captured. Israel’s people lived in Assyria, the “land of the shadow of death.” They lacked hope. God, through Isaiah, wanted the people to experience the depths of darkness that would enshroud them as His disciplining them. Yet, He wanted to give them hope. The light, about which Isaiah prophesied, would shatter the darkness. God shatters the darkness. His light would shatter the darkness Assyria put over the people of Israel as Isaiah prophesied.

God would not leave them in Assyria. He did not disinherit the people of Israel. God is faithful to Himself (His promises) and to His people. Their captors would not overpower and enslave them forever; God would not allow it. He does not call people His own and then leave them as captives. God promised, then gave them the Promised Land—a place to call home and to have freedom. The land was theirs forever. Understanding that God is faithful, even when He must discipline, helped hearers then and readers since have hope and keep their faith in God. They would/will not dwell in “the shadow of death” forever.

The people of Israel would know personally what David meant when he sang, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). Living in Israel and worshipping God in His temple gives freedom from “the shadow of death.” It comes because of the person’s seeking, finding, revering, and obeying God. God would raise His light upon the people. He would give them freedom in areas of their lives that the Assyrian king overpowered and removed. On the day the Israelites received freedom from captivity, the light of God would have dawned anew in their hearts, minds, and spirits. Living in the land of Israel would bring them refreshment in their beings. Israel's refreshment would be living in the land of God and dwelling in His house forever. Still, they would yearn for a deeper relationship with God because they would not be as close to Him as they desired. Sin created a chasm between God and them.

Understanding that Isaiah spoke this prophecy of chapter nine to all people in Israel—Jew and Gentile—the Bible student can surmise why Matthew used this prophecy to share the gospel. Matthew taught about Jesus’ birth, ministry, death, and resurrection—the gospel of Jesus Christ. For the Israelites taken into captivity, the dawned light was their release from Assyrian captivity. Jesus is the Light that banishes darkness. Living in Israel and worshipping God did not provide pardon for sins and a personal relationship with God. Their freedom from captivity just gave them again a seeking, finding, and revering Him. What more did the Israelites need to be closer to God? God alluded to it in the prophecy of Isaiah 9:1-7.

A nation had been groping for any light and hope onto which to hold. God sent Isaiah to give them hope with His prophecy to all the people from Israel. These people received a hint of hope. This hope was not merely about return the people to the Promised Land.

God intended more, an ultimate Hope—the Light—whose kingdom and power never end. He intended to fulfill His promises completely. Jesus, Light of the world (John 8:12), became human to live among them. He lived sinlessly, taught powerfully, healed mightily, showed great wisdom, and died at the hands of scared people.

Yet, Jesus did not remain dead. No manmade vault or conceived idea can box the Light of the world. Jesus conquered death when He rose from it three days after His death. His light never ends. Jesus is the Son of God, the true Light of all lights and the true Hope of all people. He ushered forth from the northern tribes’ lands, and, from there, God fulfilled His prophecies. Jesus’ Light is unquenchable. No darkness changes or contains Him. Instead, Jesus commands and contains the darkness.

Like the prophecy of Isaiah occurred, and the people returned to the Promised Land, Jesus came to earth as Victor. The restoration of the relationship of God to human that began in Genesis 1 had its penultimate ending with Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus provided the sacrifice for people to be restored to a right relationship with God. The ultimate ending will occur upon Jesus’ return to earth to bind Satan and take the God’s children to be with Him in glory. The dawn of the Light came to earth at Jesus’ birth and forever eclipses darkness and evil. Jesus’ provision of salvation—a restoring of people to a right relationship with God—is the “what more” the Israelites and Gentiles needed for the close relationship with God they desired.

God includes people around the world as those to whom He calls to receive light—permanent freedom from the darkness. He alluded to it in Isaiah 9. Matthew told about it in Matthew 4. Instead of striving hard and never escaping the darkness that imprisons each person, seek the Light of lights and the King of kings. This light is the Savior whose power is greater than any person, life, death, angel of demon (Romans 8:38-39). Satan, the father of darkness, did not trick Jesus or ensnare and enshroud Him. Jesus’ power is greater than all other powers. His Light is eternal and never dims. Why seek the darkness in the mist? Seek the Light that dawned about two millennia ago, which darkness never can dim.

(Note: Jesus’ ministry time of proclaiming Himself as the fulfillment of the prophecies began when Herod imprisoned John. Because the time had come for God’s Light, Jesus went to Capernaum in Naphtali. From Naphtali, Jesus began teaching and preaching in Galilee of the Gentiles. Mary and Joseph raised Him in Nazareth of Zebulun. These two tribes are the ones Isaiah spoke of in his prophecy when he meant every person living in Israel.)

May the Peace

(photo credits to Dyu - Ha)

Laughter and tears, joy and fear

These are part of growing from child to man.

Yet, darkness often accosts

By the hands of angry men again and again.

Running and riding,

Kite-flying and joy,

Playing football and cowboys,

Oh, how fun to be a young boy.

Storms and sunshine,

Rainbows and rumbling,

Run for shelter at crack of lightning,

Finding on entering, the storm’s crashing.

 

Short was the darkness

Maybe imagination that passed.

Skateboards and bikes anew,

Games of tag, red robin at last.

 

Day ends and darkness comes,

Normal though it may seem.

Enters door dark and looming,

It wasn’t imagining.

 

Hands raised high bring darkness,

Crack of belt brings shock and pain.

Disillusion and lost approval,

Greater loss than the “disciplining.”

 

Less heard is laughter

Loss of joy as fear takes its hold.

Peeking round corners

Fear of what may happen still to unfold.

 

Not knowing each day’s darkness,

Wary, wondering when it will come.

Inner fear, lack of presumed love,

Seeking acceptance just for once.

 

Enter light, so bright when arrived,

Cast darkness back from this child.

Come to Me He said,

You are loved and all mine.

 

Scrabbling quickly at escape,

Swiftly following toward Light’s love.

Peeking back to ensure,

Darkness corralled, no more to hurt.

 

Child of Light and of Day,

Belong you not to the night.

Grow in faith, love, and hope,

Strengthen you with My might.

 

Wear this armor of salvation

Always standing firm to the end.

Rejoice always, pray continually,

Give thanks in every circumstance.

 

In darkness, lost your innocence,

The first, cast away by the Light.

Look not back at fear and pain,

Keep your eyes ever on my light.

 

No more a victim, innocence lost.

No more a survivor staying ahead of the dark.

Forever more than a conqueror, our Lord declares.

Free and forever united with the Light, we wear His armor.

Amen.

May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace to the end.

In all times and in every way, the Lord is forever within.

(Bible texts: 1 Thessalonians 5, 8, 16-18, 2 Thessalonians 3:16, Romans 8:37-38)