Isaiah must have been excited when he reached the end of the
prophecy. The Messiah, for whom all the Jews waited and anticipated, would
come. Dispirited, the people of Israel may have felt after Assyria battered
their country for many years. Yet Isaiah gave a fresh word from God about His
promise to them of the Messiah, the anointed One.
Dispirited Israel reminds me of a child who hoped for a
school break. Halloween came and went, while candy remained. Thanksgiving came
and went with nothing too exciting happening. Will Christmas ever arrive, the
child may have wondered? The wait was endless, it seemed. But, upon awaking
early one morning, the child looks out his window and sees something new,
something that bolstered his hope and anticipation once again. Snow! Surely
Christmas is today!
With Isaiah’s words from God, he helped bolster the spirits
of the people of Israel, who felt woefully battered. With hope renewed, they
remembered God is faithful to them, to Himself, and to His promises. Isaiah’s
prophecy led them to seek God anew. Once released from captivity, will the
people of Israel hold on to this hope from God? History recounts this tale.
As a review, what hope did Isaiah’s prophecy in verses one
to six give the people? Isaiah told them—Jews and Gentiles—they “will see a
great light” though they live in darkness and captivity (vs. 2). Isaiah meant
God would send the light that would shine on them. (Remember, this hope has
both a now and not yet part to it.) God would also multiply their nation,
increasing the joy. This would generate joyful praise and worship of God
because of His blessings, mirroring their celebrations after harvests or
wartime victories. The feasting festivals caused by God’s joy would include
people around them, so joy would spread from person to another (vs. 3). Isaiah
said God would free the people of Israel from captivity, so they would not live
under a foreign government, slavedrivers, and masters (vs. 4). Their government
would be what God intended for them. The peace God would give would come from
no more wars (vs. 5). He would burn the armor, armaments, and clothing of war
like kindling.
God's actions and provisions in verses one through five would
have caused great rejoicing, knowing God did not leave them at the mercy of
their adversaries. Isaiah built to a crescendo in this prophecy. He desired to
lead the people to return to God, trusting only God could achieve this. God is
the ultimate covenant maker and keeper. Verses six and seven emphasize what God
would do because of who He is.
God’s covenant in verses one through five laid the
foundation for verses six and seven. What Isaiah 9:1-5 alluded to in metaphor, Isaiah
expanded upon with verse six. With verse six, Isaiah said how God would
give them these things. God informed them about the birth of a Child and the
giving of a Son. 6). God's promise was not merely a child; He offered a unique
Personage, directly from Himself. Old Testament understanding of God was that
He was among them in His tabernacle and by fire and cloud. God was around them.
Through this Child and Son, God would provide for the people. He would be with
them—Emmanuel. This Child and Son, fully human and fully divine, would be born
from a woman and conceived by the Spirit. He would be from the Jewish lineage.
He would be God with them (Isaiah 41:10).
This prophesied Child and Son would carry the governing
responsibilities and burden on His shoulders, so His people’s burden would be
lighter. The Son’s burden upon His people as their God, Messiah, and King would
be light. His government would not be tyrannical (vs. 6). God declared that
this Child and Son would need no advisors as He would possess all knowledge. This
Child and Son would be omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, and eternal, encompassing
all timelines at once. In this Child and Son’s government and kingdom, peace
would reign. Peace would occur because no war, fear, suffering, sickness, doubts,
and selfishness would exist. God’s people would recognize and worship Yahweh
God completely.
The people may not have grasped entirely what God intended when
Isaiah prophesied. Isaiah explained and emphasized the prophecy further with
verse seven. He emphasized two things: who caused the actions, and the
magnitude of the actions.
With Isaiah 9:7, Isaiah built upon verse six and highlighted
what he said in verses two through five. Isaiah showed, yet again, the Child
and Son fulfilled prophecies. First, remember about whom God foretold; He foretold
about the light He would send. This light would possess tangible qualities. It
would be a person—fully divine and fully human. We understand that because of
verse six—a Child and Son will be born. Isaiah confirmed the metaphor of light
and dark as being related to the personage sent from God—the Messiah. Since
this Personage came from God and is God, but resided in human form on earth, He
kept divine power. This Child and Son would have the power to fulfill all God
had prophesied, giving them hope, peace, joy, and freedom. The Light is not
intangible and lacking power; but He is real and comes with ultimate and almighty
power (omnipotent). Since the Child and Son are divine, the people could grasp
that His government and peace would increase. Nothing can stop God or His Son,
the Messiah.
God foretold more about this Light—Child and Son. He said
His reign would follow David's, as a Judean descendant. Remember, God had
promised David’s reign and kingdom would not end in 2 Samuel 7:8-16, especially
verse sixteen. God told David, “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before
Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” The Messiah—the Light,
Child, and Son—would rule on David’s throne and establish it forever. This
emphasizes God's unending rule, extending beyond the Assyrian captivity. God will
never leave them, and nothing and no one could remove Him. God, the One who
created all things and Whom nothing could defeat, founded David’s throne and
kingdom. This kingdom has the Son—Messiah—as the chief cornerstone (Psalm 118:22,
Isaiah 28:16, Acts 4:10-12, Ephesians 2:20-22, 1 Peter 2:7). This statement
shows God’s divine authority in His covenant with David, which He established and
would fulfill. God continued giving His people hope even though they would go
into captivity.
God told the people about His kingdom in verse seven(b). He
said He would rule with justice and righteousness. This justice and
righteousness are a reiteration of verse six, where God said, His name will “be
called Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God.” Righteous is who God is. This means
the Son is always good. He will rule with justice. His might is more than
physical power, it includes morality. Because God is righteous, His actions for
His people to battle against darkness come from moral courage. As the Son is a
personage of the triune Godhead, He acts with righteousness; He has moral
courage. Nothing could tempt the Son to act contrary to what is good for His
wise and knowledgeable purposes. Jesus stood against Satan’s schemes while in
the desert for 40 days (Matthew 4:1-11). He proved Himself willing and able to
be moral and purposeful. The Messiah chose to follow through with triune God’s
plan to save all people even though it would cause Him excruciating pain. This
Child and Son would rule on David’s throne with righteousness and justice.
The Davidic covenant God made with David in 2 Samuel 7:8-13
states the prophesied One from David’s line would reign in his kingdom forever
(vs. 13). The Israelite's promised Son of God, their Messiah, would not rule
only during his 33 years on Earth. Because He is fully divine and fully human,
His human form died, but Himself as a person of the triune Godhead did not. Isaiah's
prophecy declared this Child and Son would reign eternally, starting with the
Messiah's kingship at His second coming. God existed before creation and time
and will last forever beyond time’s ending.
Though time passes between the Son’s earthly life and when God
fulfills His prophecy, Isaiah said it would occur because of God’s zeal to keep
and protect His people. God’s zeal is His fervor and devotion, His passion to protect
His people. God’s armies will keep them protected by His might and wisdom. Nothing
and no being will take His people from Him. God’s children are His forever. Jesus
taught this in John 3:16 and 10:27-30. John taught it in 1 John 5:13. Time to
God is immaterial. What He says, He will do. God promised light, joy, peace,
and multiplication of the people of Israel—all Jews and Gentiles. He is greater
than time, which He created, and any enemies or schemes against His people and/or
Himself.
God’s majesty and magnitude, the ultimacy of who He is, would
ensure the fulfillment of this prophecy. Captured people can rely upon God and
that He will fulfill His prophecies, some of which Isaiah told the people of
God. In Isaiah 9:1-6, Isaiah prophesied so the people whom Assyria battered and
captured would realize God is not definable by their own circumstances. He
exists forever and His promises and reign will last forever. He did not want
them to lose hope. God wanted the people of Israel to understand He would not
discipline them forever for their unfaithfulness to Him. He would bring them
back to the land He promised to them.
God wanted the people of Israel to realize that despite
their sins of self-centered living and neglecting to seek and worship Him as
their sole God, He would remain faithful to them. This promise of the Child and
Son—the Messiah—extends beyond Hebrews and includes everyone. Jesus said this
in John 3:16. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son so that whoever
believes in Him will not perish (be separated forever from Him) but have
eternal life.” This promise was for the people in the past, present, and
future, including us.
The prophecy's fulfillment is yet to come. It still plays
out beyond our lives. Throughout our lives, we can hold on to hope, knowing
that Jesus is on the throne. His reign never ends. The Messiah will return for
His people and rescue them from sin and death. He will take them to His kingdom
to live with Him forever.
Our circumstances, no matter how difficult and painful, do
not define God and His power, wisdom, or fulfillment of His prophecies. Nothing
defines God’s ability, purposes, or longevity; He is undefinable,
uncontainable, and unshakable. He will defeat your circumstances and will be
true to you, His promises, and Himself. God is good all the time and, all the time,
God is good. We can have hope, joy, and peace despite of our circumstances.
Seek God and all these things—hope, joy, peace—He will give
to you. It will ease your anxiety, and you will find rest (peace) in Jesus and
His promises. Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:33. “Seek
first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to
you.”
“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.
Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.” (Isaiah 9:2)
One this day after Christmas, people often feel disappointed
because Christmas day has passed. The luster has left the hope of the holiday
and the regular-ness of life returns. Isaiah 9:7 reminds us that God is with us
every day. Yes, the day of celebrating Christmas is in the past. That does not
mean the anticipation God gives should end. It does not mean less exists to
celebrate and anticipate. While the thrill of opening presents has passed, the
reason for Christmas, celebrating God’s giving of the Messiah, continues to be
present.
Jesus the Messiah has not returned to earth for His second
coming. We can still hold on to hope and peace, embracing freedom and the
Light, and participate in multiplying His nation of believers, encompassing
both Jews and Gentiles. We can still participate in that multiplication and
becoming part of His nation. So much more is worthy of our anticipation, and
the receiving of His hope, joy, peace, and freedom.
Be one of the children who runs to the window, sees snow, and says, "Today, it must be Christmas!" Keep anticipating Jesus’ return. Keep receiving His joy and
peace. Keep growing closer to Jesus. Keep hope alive by sharing about this good
news of the gospel of Jesus so others can hear, understand, and believe in Him,
too. By that, you help multiply the nation and you obey Jesus’ command to go to
the nations, disciple, baptize, and teach people to follow Him (Matthew
28:19-20).
Do
you need hope?
Are
you tired of being afraid, struggling, and having no peace?
Seek
the Light Who shines forever.
He gives eternal
hope, joy, and peace now and forever.
“Seek first God’s
kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
(Matthew 6:33, NASB)
