In Isaiah 9:1-7, our Christmas meditation for 2009, we see 7 Great Realities: a great light, increase, joy, deliverance, peace, prince, and kingdom. Listen in as we seek to understand the Old Testament prophetic imagery and understand it in its New Testament fulfillment and application. Christ is truly a Great Prince of an Eternal Kingdom!!!
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Teaching Notes:
The Greatness Of The Prince Of Peace
Isaiah 9:1-7
Intro: This text will serve as our Christmas meditation. In this text, the Prophet Isaiah sees 7 Great Realities: A Great Light, Increase, Joy, Deliverance, Peace, Prince, and Kingdom. The prophecy begins in verse 1 with a geographical description: the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. If you look on a map, you’ll see that this area surrounds the Sea of Galilee – the location in which Jesus did most of his ministry and miracles. What is said about this location? In earlier times God treated it with contempt, but later on shall make it glorious. The 2 tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali were the first to be devastated and depopulated by the Assyrians. Later, though, God would make this region glorious by visiting them in Jesus Christ!
1. A Great Light: Is.9:2; Mt. 4:12-16. Christ is the true Light (Jn.1:9); the Light of the World (Jn.8:12). All unconverted men are in a state of darkness, sin and ignorance. They are blind to their sin and its awful consequences. They are blind to Christ and His glory, spiritual truth, and the way of peace through the gospel. When Christ came into Galilee, He came preaching the truth of the gospel. He brought the knowledge of God and His righteousness. He opened people’s eyes to see their sin, and His salvation. He caused the light of His glorious gospel to shine into many hearts. Luke 1:77-79; 2Cor.4:4-6. Try to imagine what it would be like to walk in darkness and live in a dark land. In Barrow, Alaska from about November 18th to January 23rd the sun never rises! 2 solid months of no sun! Try to imagine living in a land where the sun never rose! That is what it is like for the unconverted man. Now imagine living in land where you had never seen the sun, and one morning you get up, and you see the sun rising in the East, enlightening all your surroundings. What joy, what amazement, what excitement! That’s what happens when Christ comes into a person’s life with the light of His gospel.
2. A Great Increase: Is.9:3a “You shall multiply the nation.” This entire prophecy is looking forward to what will take place when Messiah comes. What does the expression “you shall multiply the nation” mean? Is Isaiah saying that when Messiah comes, the physical descendants of Abraham will multiply? I don’t think so. I believe, he is speaking of the True People of God multiplying, as Jews and Gentiles are brought into the Church under the Headship of Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, we are taught that those saved by Christ are descendants of Abraham (Gal.3:29), the Israel of God (Gal.6:16); the true circumcision (Phil.3:3); Jews (Rom.2:29); a chosen race (1 Peter 2:9); a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9); a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9), and a people for God’s own possession (1 Peter 2:9). Yes, God has multiplied the nation! And, He will continually to multiply the nation until Christ returns. Remember, that the kingdom of God is like a tiny mustard seed which grows into a tree which the birds of the air can nest in.
3. A Great Joy: Is.9:3. The Messiah will bring gladness and rejoicing like the rejoicing which farmers have on harvest day, or soldiers have on victory day. This is describing the joy of the Holy Spirit when men receive Christ as their salvation. Wherever the gospel comes and souls are saved, there is great joy! 1 Peter 1:8 “joy inexpressible and full of glory.” Think back to the early days of your conversion. Almost without exception you will be able to remember JOY! I’m forgiven! I have eternal life! Christ is my Savior! I’m going to heaven!
4. A Great Deliverance: Is.9:4. A yoke was a heavy wooden bar placed over an animal to force it to comply. A rod was the instrument used to punish beasts. God will break the yoke – that is, He will set us free and deliver us from it. What yoke are we set free from? 1) The Law: Acts 15:5,10; Romans 7:4-6. 2) Satan: Heb.2:14-15. Satan is a cruel taskmaster like Pharoah of Egypt. 3) Sin: sin is a heavy burden which will crush a man. All of these are oppressors. Luke 4:18. Oh what a great deliverance our salvation brings! That’s what Redemption is all about – the setting free of captive slaves!
5. A Great Peace: Is.9:5. This imagery depicts the accoutrements of warfare (boots and cloaks rolled in blood) utterly consumed by fire. They are burned because they are no longer needed. There is no more war. It is similar language to Isaiah 2:4 “They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war.” The message of Isaiah 9:5 is that Someone is going to bring Peace! What kind of peace has Jesus brought us? Peace with God! Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” If Jesus has brought us peace with God, that means that before we were saved, we were at war with God. We were enemies of God (Romans 5:10). Colossians 1:20 says that Christ made peace through the blood of His cross.” God hates sin, and is against evildoers. Something had to be done about sin, if God’s hostility towards sinners would be eradicated. That “something” was the blood of Jesus’ cross. Through the cross, our sin has been paid in full. Anyone can have peace with God if they will only throw down their weapons, and unconditionally surrender to God. When 2 countries are at war, there will never be peace until one unconditionally surrenders to the other. Well, God is not going to surrender to us. If you ever want peace with God, you are going to have to surrender to Him. And that surrender must be unconditional. You can’t say, “I surrender to Jesus, but He can’t say anything about this part of my life over here.” The Bible refers to this surrender as “repentance” and “conversion.” Do you have peace with God?
6. A Great Prince: Is. 9:6. How are all these great blessings to come about? Through a Person!
A. A Child Will Be Born: this speaks of the Messiah’s human nature. Here we have the incarnation of Jesus Christ. In one sense, the Messiah would be like any other ordinary baby. He would come into the world like all of us. He would be truly human.
B. A Son Will Be Given: here we have the Messiah’s Deity. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (Jn.3:16). This child that would be born, is also God’s Son that He gave. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father” (Jn.1:1,14).
C. Wonderful Counselor: this phrase could also be translated “a wonder of a counselor.” A counselor is one who makes or gives counsel. This Title of Jesus Christ can be taken both ways. 1) He is the One who Makes Counsel: Before the foundation of the world, Christ took counsel with God. The 3 persons of the Trinity entered into an eternal agreement concerning the redemption of sinners. The Father would decide who experienced redemption, the Son would provide the Accomplishment of Redemption, and the Spirit would provide the Application of Redemption. 2) He is also the One Gives Counsel: Christ is made unto us wisdom from God. In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He counsels us through His Word and Spirit. He gives us daily wisdom and direction for life. We have a Wonderful Counselor!
D. Mighty God: this is an extremely clear declaration of Deity! The Omnipotent One becomes a helpless babe! Just as He has the wisdom to devise the plan, so He has the strength to carry it out! He is mighty to save! He is able to save to the uttermost. Who is this child who was born? The One who created everything out of nothing, who upholds all things by the Word of His power, who spoke the universe into being!
E. Eternal Father: We should not confuse this title with Christ’s relationship within the Trinity. Jesus is not the Father, and the Father is not Jesus. Rather, this title refers to His relationship with His spiritual seed. Just as Adam stood as the Father of his physical descendants, so Jesus Christ stands as the Father of His spiritual descendants. Is.53:10 says “if Christ would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring.” On Judgment Day, Jesus will say to His Father, “Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me” (Heb.2:13). So, Jesus is the Eternal Father in the sense that from all eternity, His mission was to create spiritual offspring, children of God by His work on the cross.
F. Prince Of Peace: This Son will be a Prince. He is Royalty. Peter declared that God had exalted Him to be a Prince and a Savior (Acts 5:31). Jesus is Royalty. He is the King over a Kingdom the Father has given Him. His royal decree is that there be peace between the believing sinner and God. He is the Prince who decrees Peace!
7. A Great Kingdom:
A. The Government Will Rest On His Shoulders: It is His sole responsibility. It is on His shoulders, the place of strength. Mt.28:18-19 “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
B. There Will Be No End To the Increase Of His Government: This is the same truth we saw in 9:3 “You shall multiply the nation.” Notice that peace and government are mentioned together. Most kingdoms grow by war. This kingdom grows through the gracious working of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of men and the preaching of the gospel.
C. On the Throne of David and Over His Kingdom: This kingdom is the fulfillment of a promise made to David. This promise was made in 2 Samuel 7:12-16, and the fulfillment of that promise is recorded in Acts 2:29-31. Jesus is sitting on David’s throne today in heaven, ruling over all things!
D. From Then on and Forevermore: Jesus’ kingdom is eternal. Some think this promise refers to Christ’s millennial kingdom but it can’t, because it is established as a result of the babe’s birth (His 1st coming), and will last forever (not 1,000 years). This kingdom began when Jesus came the first time, is ever-increasing, and will last forever.
E. The Zeal of the Lord of hosts will Accomplish This: Zeal refers to a fervent, flaming desire. This burning desire of the Lord will bring about the accomplishment of this prophecy. This is a fervent desire for 1) His Own Glory; 2) His Own Son; 3)His Own People.
Application: This Christmas ask yourself:
- Have you experienced His Great Light, His Great Joy, His Great Deliverance, His Great Peace?
- Have you unconditionally surrendered to the Great Prince?
- Are you part of His Great Kingdom?
If so, you have great cause to rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. Your King has come, and brought you into His kingdom!
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