To us a Child is Born - Part 3
Isaiah 9v6
18th December 2020
This is our third study of this wonderful prophecy, given 700 years before Jesus was born:
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.
We now come to the most famous part:
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.
What a marvellous description of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! God the Son was willing to come to earth and be born as a human baby. The government of our lives, of our churches, and of the entire universe is on His shoulders. That image may derive from the idea of something like a mayor's chain of office. But it might simply mean that Jesus bears all the burden of government. In short, Jesus is in control of the entire universe. We haven't got to worry. We haven't got to understand. Jesus has it all under control. The future is sorted.
Jesus is our Wonderful Counsellor. He's wonderful in the sense of being extremely good at being a counsellor, and that word translated "wonderful" also means He is our supernatural counsellor. How often we reach a place where we just don't know what to do, what to say, how to proceed. We think and think and get nowhere, but then we pray, and the Holy Spirit drops into our minds an idea that enables us to sort things out.
Jesus has resources and wisdom that are just not available to created beings like us. He sees the future. He sees into the hearts of everybody we'll ever have dealings with. He's wise beyond our imagining. He knows His own plan for our lives, and for the whole of creation, and He's smart enough and powerful enough to make sure it comes to pass.
Jesus is the Mighty God. Some people will try to tell you that everybody worships the same god really, but we that's not true. Jesus Christ is my God. A Moslem or a follower of Judaism would say He isn't.
And Jesus is mighty. He created the heavens and the earth in six days. Jesus holds all of creation together. He works miracles for His people, as many Christians can attest. Nothing is too difficult for the true God. I've seen people get out of wheelchairs. I've seen a blind man see. Two years ago, I was healed of Reynaud's syndrome. Two years before that I was healed of very deep depression, when a church member prayed for me. Another member of my church recently drove a car with no petrol. Many years ago, so did I. Many of us have experienced the extraordinary power of God.
And God has the power to change how we feel, and what we believe, and how we treat other people. That may seem less miraculous, but it's even more important than physical miracles.
Jesus is the everlasting father, although that name may be confusing for some of us. He's the perfect father and He will always be our father. He's always the head of God's family, the church. A good father provides for his family and brings leadership and security. He's faithful, He's wise, He's just and He loves every one of us as the perfect father does.
Psalm 103:13
As a father has compassion on his children
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
Jesus is the prince of peace. By His blood sacrifice He brought peace between us and God. Through our shared faith in Him we are all His children, Jew and Gentile, male and female, rich and poor. Jesus has established peace between us. We can, sadly, damage that peace, but reconciliation is always available to us in Jesus, if we'll accept it. Please, please, dear brother or sister, be reconciled to anybody you're in dispute with. Let it go. Know God's peace. Love your brother or sister.
And Jesus enables us to be at peace with ourselves. Many of us are tempted to self-condemnation, wishing we were different. But God made us the way He intended to make us. He made each one of us to play a part in His eternal plan. He accepts us 100%. He loves us. And He enables us to accept and love ourselves. God is glad you're you.