To us a Child is Born - Part 2
Isaiah 9v3-5
11th December 2020
We're studying this wonderful Messianic prophecy:
Isaiah 9v1-7
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he
humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honour
Galilee of the Gentiles, by the Way of the Sea, along the Jordan —
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of
deep darkness a light has dawned.
You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people
rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.
For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the
bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.
Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined
for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his
shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with
justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
Last week, we looked at verses 1 and 2, and saw that Isaiah was prophesying over Galilee and Gilead, which had been traumatised by Israelite kings and by the invading Assyrians, and then depopulated when the Assyrians transported the Israelites to Medea and Assyria, and then re-populated with pagan peoples from other parts of the Assyrian empire.
The prophecy was fulfilled over 700 years later, when Jesus Christ, the light of the world, began his earthly ministry in Galilee.
We'll now move on to:
Isaiah 9v3
You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people
rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.
Old Covenant prophets and, occasionally, New Covenant prophets, sometimes speak in the past tense while talking about something that has yet to happen. In the Spirit, they know it will happen, and God has decided it will happen. Prophecies given in this way are not conditional. There can be no negotiation about them. The events they describe are certain to come to pass. Isaiah knew the events he was prophesying would happen, because God knew.
God has enlarged the nation of Israel by including people like me, Gentiles who believe the Good News of Jesus, the Son of God, the light of the world, who gave His life that we might live. Now God's chosen people are all over the world. The Gospel is prospering, the church is growing as it has for 2,000 years and as it will continue to do.
God has increased our joy. Since Jesus rose from the dead, we know that our sins are forgiven, and we will spend eternity with Him. Since Jesus ascended into heaven, all His followers receive the Holy Spirit, who causes joy to well up in our hearts. No matter what sorrow we have to bear, and we all do, the joy of our salvation, of knowing Jesus personally, of the sure and certain hope of glory, will never leave us. Joy is not the absence of sorrow. It's what enables us to cope with the sorrow. And it’s always there if we will seek it.
We rejoice before God, particularly when we meet together to worship Him but also, I hope, when we're alone with Him. Every day is a good day to rejoice that we're saved from sin and death, saved into God's wonderful kingdom, which Colossians 1:12 calls "the kingdom of light".
We rejoice as people rejoice at the harvest. In ancient times a bad harvest meant hunger through the winter. We know God has provided enough for us.
John 6:35
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry,
and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."
All our spiritual hunger is satisfied in Jesus, and only in Jesus, who gives us His Holy Spirit.
We rejoice as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. The battle against sin and death, against the force of evil, is won. The enemy is defeated.
Isaiah 9v4
For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you [God] have shattered the yoke that burdens
them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.
In Gideon's day, the oppressor was the invading hordes of Midian, which Gideon and 300 men defeated with God's help. In Isaiah's day, the rod of the oppressor was the brutality of the Assyrian army, and the iron rule of the governors who transported the people away. In Jesus's time, it was the Romans, the tax collectors, and the corrupt temple authorities.
God breaks the yoke. Where is Assyria now? Where in the Roman Empire now? Where are sin and death for us now? God has defeated them all!
What is it that oppresses you today? For some of us it's sickness. For others, poverty, or loneliness, or depression, or persecution from people who want you to renounce Jesus and God's ways, or guilt because you know you sin and you struggle to understand that you're forgiven completely.
Isaiah 9v5
Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be
destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
We used to fight for our rights, fight for what's fair, fight to be heard, fight for respect. We even used to fight for love. Now we know we don't have to fight anybody. As Paul said, our struggle is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). Now, we trust in God, we pray, and we resist the evil one. We love our enemies. We forgive those who sin against us. We don't need weapons or armour any more. We used to shout, to use sarcasm, to belittle others, to win arguments, to look smarter or more witty or charming than others. Now we don't need to. We don't need to compete with anybody. We don't need to impress anybody. We have the peace of God, we're accepted by God – as we are. We're free to be men and women of peace, not of conflict.
All this is true because Jesus came. There now follow some of the most beautiful words ever written:
Isaiah 9v6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his
shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace.
We'll study these marvellous words next time.