Amen. Now if you have a Bible, let me invite you to turn with me to the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah chapter 9 verses 1 to 7, Isaiah 9, 1 to 7, which I believe is on page 5, 7, 3 if you're looking for in the black q-bodel. Tonight as I mentioned before the service we begin a series an ancient Christmas, the coming of Jesus in Isaiah and over the next five weeks Lord, we will consider some of the prophecies found here written 700 years before the birth of Jesus and in considering these we'll see how trustworthy God and God's word are as he brings these to fulfillment in Jesus and we'll see the hope that he gives his people about their future even people in great suffering or about to greatly suffer and who among us doesn't need to grow both in our confidence in God and his word and in hope in Jesus for not just now but forevermore. So tonight we begin with Isaiah chapter 9 verses 1 to 7 where God promises a coming son, a coming child who will carry the weight of God's kingdom and the weight of his people's welfare on his shoulders.
Isaiah 9, 1 to 7 here now, the word of God. But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish in the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naftali but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan Galilee of the nations, the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness on them has light giant. You have multiplied the nation.
You have increased its joy. They rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest as they are glad when they divide the spoil for the yoke of his burden and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle to molt, every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born.
To us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor Mighty God Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Amen. This is God's Word and He write in on our hearts let's look to Him in prayer.
Father we bless you. Thank you for the gift of the child who grew to be a man of maturity and bear the weight of our souls on his shoulders and our eternal destinies bless you. Thank you and thank you that your kingdom is one that endures forever. We pray that you would strengthen our confidence and build our hope in Jesus name.
Amen. God gives to his suffering people a hero. That's the language of verse 6 when it speaks of mighty God El Gabor a strong warrior God. One of the encouraging story lines if there are to be found any amidst the various evil acts of terrorism we have seen of light here in the US and in Paris and other places has been the story of heroes.
You have to sometimes scour the news for them but they're there. I read recently many news outlets reported during the assault in San Bernardino, Denise Parraza and employee of the health department where it occurred says she can't remember much from the chaotic minutes when the gunman, the gunman, the gunman came in and shot some sixty rounds or more in just the span of a couple of minutes in a room filled with people killing by the account of the last story I read about this 14 people wounding 21 others. She says she doesn't remember a whole lot but she does remember this. That Shannon Johnson, one of those who died a fellow employee and friend, he wrapped his left arm around her holding her close to him as they lay on the floor behind a chair shielding her with his body saying to her I got you.
Johnson did not survive but she was indeed a survivor. He was her rescuing hero in doom and gloom. He was light and hope for her in dark places when we are oppressed and helpless. A hero is a welcome thing and this passage speaks to Israel and to us of that great hero, the Lord Jesus unto us a child is born unto us a son is given.
Now as we work through the text first I want you to think about the context then I want you to think about the content two things. The content there's three or four things to be said here. Verses two to seven are so clearly as Christians read it anyway about Jesus that some scholars say Isaiah could not have written them or that they aren't about Jesus. Some have said well they're not about Jesus because some of the language is passed and some of the language is present and they say the child must have written what it was seven hundred years before Jesus.
The child must have already been given or that light must have already shined in the darkness as the past tense seems to indicate before Isaiah spoke of it and so the child we're looking for is not some future one but maybe Hezekiah who'd already been born but of course if you read the rest of the Old Testament Hezekiah doesn't come close to fulfilling the description of the everlasting king given here and besides more to the point the use of past and present tense doesn't necessarily mean it has already happened. Some of the language here is future and in prophetic literature it is a manner of speaking to describe yet future events as if they have already become accomplished fact because often the prophet stands as it were in the future looking back upon the promise and then seeing and spelling out its fulfillment. Prophets spoke this way because the words were so certain to be fulfilled. It was this as if they were already a done deal.
You have a wonderful example of this in the New Testament when the Apostle Paul in Romans 8 to encourage us in Romans 8 after speaking of our suffering in Romans 8 and you know the great promise of Romans 8 that God works in all things for our good. He's speaking there of even the sorrows and sufferings of life but He goes on to say it verse 30. He says to believers that those whom God predestined He also called those whom He called He also justified those whom He justified He also glorified. Not the time to delve into the meaning of all of those phrases but He's saying if you trust Jesus you're a believer in Him.
God planned your salvation, called you to faith, justified you meaning He forgave all your sins. He accounts you as this righteous in His eyes because of Jesus. You already have that in Jesus. It's already past tense in your experience and those whom He justified He also glorified.
And that's past tense. And if you're sitting here today as a believer you know you haven't experienced that glorification. You aren't yet a soul made perfect in righteousness back in a resurrected body full of health standing in the new heavens and new earth in the glorified state we all long for. And yet the Apostle Paul says it is so certainly true of you, you who have been forgiven of all your sins, that that will happen for you.
He can speak of it as though it's a done deal. This is the way the Bible speaks prophetically and so Isaiah does likewise. Well since it's not Hezekiah and it's clearly Jesus some have therefore said well no the way around this is Isaiah didn't write this because of course if he did it would be predictive prophecy and that can't happen. There is no God or if there is using the kind of God they would say who knows the future or so guarantees the certainty of the future to make this eventuality actual or He isn't the kind of God who would tell us about it or could if he could speak human language.
There's all kinds of explanations. So they say someone around the time of Jesus wrote it and slipped it into the Old Testament. But of course since those who advocated that particular view began to do so we have since discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls. They want to say we want to say in response to things.
One if you assume predictive prophecy cannot happen well then of course you're going to say that it did not happen because you're saying it can't but if God exists and he does and he knows the end from the beginning and he's the kind of God who controls history so that his purposes will come to pass and he can speak and he thought of language then certainly predictive prophecy is not a problem. God even boasts of his ability and in fact he says it's a reason to believe in me. Isaiah 49 verses 9 and 10 the prophet God says to the prophet remember the former things of old for I am God and there is no other. I am God and there is none like me declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done saying my counsel shall stand I will accomplish my purpose.
God says believe in me. Listen to me. Trust me. You can bank on me.
So is Isaiah some fictional story whose prophecies are fulfilled because they're written after the facts? Not at all. And as I mentioned the Dead Sea Scrolls with the full text of Isaiah remarkably so including these prophecies dates to hundreds of years before the coming of our Lord Jesus establishing this didn't just get written after the fact. So Isaiah 9 is predictive prophecy fulfilled in Jesus.
One more note about context and that is it's immediate context given. It was given to a people who are about to suffer terribly. Just 10 years after this is given the Assyrians as recounted in chapter 8. The Assyrians will invade the northern tribes of Israel, decimate them, cart off some of them as the spoils of war to be enslaved by them in exile and take over that region repopulating it with Gentiles and Assyrians and others.
822 speaks of life in Israel being full of distress and darkness and fearful gloom. Will they be hopeless however? Answer is chapter 9. Absolutely not.
The future is brighter though it may feel to the believer then like it is always winter and never Christmas that is not so rather the darkest the darker the clouds the brighter the rainbow and into this doom and gloom God says light will shine light brightly shining. The Bible here is wonderfully and extremely realistic and yet hopeful. It doesn't say the world is a great place. It doesn't say well if you just had the eyes to see that it is you'd be okay.
It doesn't say if we could all just get together well then goodness would ooze out of everybody's loving pores and we'd all get along. No the Bible says this world is broken war is common people hating and hurting one another is normal yet sinfully so and we need to be rescued. So we're going to have a child king. This king says we'll come from Galilee that would have been like telling somebody from Fayetteville who doesn't want to live in Fayetteville.
Sorry if you don't but if you're from Arkansas it's one of the great places to be. Don't leave us here. Don't know how I prefer. It'd be like saying yeah this guy he's going to come from the Delta and saying he's coming from a city like Nazareth would have been saying he's going to come from West Helena you know where the police all get thrown in prison by the federal agents for aiding and abetting the drug dealers and if you're from there I promise I said too much and it was hyperbole but nobody comes from there big things like this don't happen in little places out of the way like that it happens in the big city in the thriving metropolis but no in tiny little Bethlehem out of you will come one who is to be ruler in Israel.
So this word comes on the heels of a promise of great trouble ahead as a promise of hope for the future and we should receive it that way as well. Now what is the content and here's we'll spend the last of our time let's look at three things. Number one in verses one and two he this one who is coming the child the son he brings light into darkness in verses three to five he brings liberation to the oppressed and in verses six and seven he brings leadership to the kingdom he brings light liberation and leadership in the first place in verses one and two it says but there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish in the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulan and the land of Naftali but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea even he says Galilee of the Gentile. So you understand the prophet is standing forward in time looking back at her who was in anguish that English hadn't even come yet and then he says but she will no longer be in anguish because light will come and good will come.
He speaks here of Zebulan and Naftali these are the northern lands they cover the area west and southwest of the sea of Galilee and they were part of the of the promised land that fell to the Assyrians in fact they were the first to be overrun and in the latter time he says it is made glorious this way of the sea beyond the Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles or Galilee of the Goyean Galilee of the nations. Okay having been overrun and the Jews basically having been killed off and were having fled that part of northern Israel became mostly Gentile and where darkness had fallen light would now shine. She was in anguish in the future will no longer have gloom and this was fulfilled as Matthew makes it abundantly clear even referencing it in Matthew chapter four if you wanted to turn to twelve to seventeen it says when Jesus heard that John had been arrested he withdrew into Galilee and leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea in the territory of Zebulan and Naftali so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled verse 15 the land of Zebulan and the land of Naftali the way of the sea beyond the Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles the people dwelling in darkness have seen the great light for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death on them has a light dawn. It couldn't be more explicit light even the light of the world has come Matthew says and Jesus came and where did he go?
Well he came to Bethlehem and to the Jews and he went to the Gentile region he went even to the nations to preach and he lived there for a time among them the place where even the Assyrians had overrun and I would simply pause and ask you this question personally have you yourself been visited by this light he who is the light of the world has come to shine light into our darkness and has he done that for you because you say with the Apostle Paul where he says in second or anything as chapter 4 that God who said let light shine out of darkness Joseph 1 has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ has the light that is the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ has that come home to your heart has that light been shown in you that's the first thing he brings light in our darkness second he brings liberation to the oppressed verses 3 to 5 go back to Isaiah 9 verses 3 to 5 actually look at it verse 4 for a moment it speaks of the yoke of suffering endured at his laid on his back and the rod of suffering inflicted these things are ended the rod is broken this is the language or the vocabulary of Egypt oppressing the Israelites that same kind of yoke and burden and shoulder and oppression oppression is nothing new they're going to experience it from the Assyrians at the end of verse 4 it speaks of a defeat of many million it recalls an event in the life of Israel which was meant to be an encouragement and so we have to know a little bit about that event you may remember that the million knights had at one time come down on Israel and God had raised up for them a deliverer to rescue them who was that deliverer it was Gideon and you remember what Gideon did he assembled an army of 30,000 fighters really farmers and then God whittled the 30,000 not down to 10,000 or 5,000 but down to a measly little 300 of them and what weapons did they use to fight back the millionites well they didn't have assault rifles or grenades they used clay jars twinkling lights and the sound of their voices yelling to frighten them into destruction and it's a remarkable story but the point of that story is God gave them the victory and he did it in such a way as to prove that it is not by might or not by power but by my spirit says the Lord he deliberately weakened the army so that it was absurd that they could win to show that it was God who would do the work and so it will be says Isaiah recalling the days of that liberation the people enjoy a victory they do not win God wins it not in power but in weakness and we could add not with an army but with one man dying upon a cross he liberates his people forever and in the language of verse 5 Isaiah 9 God liberates them and everything combustible goes into the bonfire the bloody soaked battlefield clothing all of this they go into the fire to be burned up because the war is done the fighting is over victory is assured as the enemy is destroyed and of course behind the Assyrian oppression or the Midianite oppression or the Egyptian oppression is the chief oppressor of all the one who seeks the destruction of our souls Satan himself the serpent the liar the murderer there in the garden of Eden in Revelation 12 speaks of is that great red dragon who sought to devour the child being born to the woman but that child was led to safety and that dragon went off to make war against you against those who believe in Jesus and the reason the son of God appeared first John three says was to destroy the works of the devil and to deliver us from the domain of darkness and to bring us into the freedom of the children of God that is what a king does for his people a good strong mighty warrior king he rescues us from all our foes and one of them is the devil himself and all his hosts what causes rejoicing then at Christmas well in Isaiah chapter 9 verse 3 he started with the rejoicing both farmers and soldiers alike he says have their times of joy the completion of their reward of their work and the rewards of it so he speaks of the joy like you have when you've harvested the grain and the harvest is over and the fruit lies before you or the joy you have when you're a soldier and you enjoy the spoils of war and so it is in this case this son who is to come he is the farmer and the soldier he reaps the harvest and gets all the spoils of war and we are his spoil we are whom he has delivered us delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of God's family and he don't like us and he has joy and do we share the joy that our Savior has in that victory and that freedom well that's the second thing he brings light into darkness liberation from the oppressed and finally he brings verses 6 and 7 he brings leadership to the ever enlarging kingdom of God they had the promise of an increase in kingdom verse 3 he multiplies the nation he gathers the nations even the Gentiles into one family and it grows and it grows and the government verse 6 is on his shoulders in other words he carries the weight of rule he rules one says he holds the universe by the word of his power he carries it along he holds it in his hands and his shoulders are strong where ours are we not a one of us can bear the weight of the responsibility for the safety and well-being of kingdom people or the expansion of that kingdom it is all on the shoulders of this great king and he rules with justice and he guarantees the victory of good over evil so we are to take our fears and our insecurities and dump them on him because he can handle them and why can he do so the prophet wants you to be absolutely clear it's all in his name what name does he have his name is his qualification who is he he's the wonderful counselor he's the mighty god he's the everlasting father he's the prince of peace and this is where we'll close he is in the first place the wonderful counselor or supernatural counselor or miraculous counselor it's I'm told that it is in the Hebrew language the word that is closest to supernatural or miraculous the kind of counselor he is now if you listen to handles Messiah and you hear that chorus saying wonderful counselor they don't much better than that it separates right with a pause because the old king James does and makes these two different names and actually the Latin Vulgate has six names from these words but but with modern English translations we should understand this to be four names they're each double and I say that about this one particularly because all the other ones are clearly double prince of peace mighty god everlasting father here wonderful or supernatural miraculous counselor and in his counseling he is wise beyond all imagination and in him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in fact Isaiah 53 says it is by his knowledge shall the righteous one by servant make many to be accounted righteous in other words it's by his knowledge because of his knowledge he knows the best way to save us as Isaiah 53 says by bearing our iniquities and so he's the wonderful counselor he's the mighty god he's Elgabor the mighty warrior the hero and he's not just god like he's not just representing god to us putting a godlike face on a human person he's God himself with us John one one in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God and the word became flesh or Hebrews chapter one verse eight but of the son it says speaking of the scriptures your throne oh God is forever and ever so this isn't just simply a New Testament idea in fact if you're reading Isaiah you come across the child's name is mighty god and you simply read the next chapter in chapter 10 verses 20 and 21 it speaks and it uses the it speaks of the holy one of Israel who is the Lord and a remnant returning to the mighty god Elgabor and that clearly is God himself and here the son is the identical title and name because that is who he is he is as much God as the Father is God and so he is strong enough to save and when you are saved it is God who saved you he's the mighty God he's not only wise enough and strong enough he is loving enough he is everlasting father he has father like qualities of compassion and care because he knows his helpless children need him and he delights to love them the ancient Israel kings and judges and magistrates were often given the reverential title of father don't misunderstand Isaiah isn't ascribing to him the the person of God the father or the first person of the Trinity that's not what Isaiah is not confused about that don't be confused yourself but he will rule like a father of his people and an everlasting father at that and only God can do that of the increase of his government and of his peace there will be no end there's total security under a king who loves you and rules over everything forever for your good and so he's wise and he's mighty and he's loving and he is finally the prince of peace he creates peace he gives peace and the angels came on that night and proclaimed to the shepherds the birth that would bring that brought goodness of great joy for a child is born to you this day they began with glory to God in the highest and on earth peace right Colossians 1 speaks of Jesus this way in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and through him to reconcile to himself all things whether on earth or in heaven making peace by the blood of his cross Ephesians 2 says he himself is our peace by his blood spilled on our behalf he endured what our enmity or warfare against God deserved that he might establish reconciliation between us and God and God and us so that we could have peace forever more he's the prince of that and so I simply close by saying do you know this hero who is wise and strong and loving and who gives and creates even peace with God has he brought light into your dark heart has he brought liberation into your enslavement to the forces of evil then let him lead you likewise for he is your king but if you don't think you need his liberation and if you don't think you need his leadership over you then it just says how much you are yet still in darkness and without the life of life may it not be so may God enlighten our eyes of our hearts in the knowledge of his son Jesus let's pray father we ask for that lift and exalt Jesus among us and in our hearts may he rule and reign as he does in reality so likewise over our lives help us to know the joy of his forgiveness of reconciliation help us to have the confidence in him and your trustworthiness and word help us to have hope in Jesus in his name I pray amen amen let's stand and sing and look