Isaiah 9 COMING DELIVERANCE – COMING DOOM The first verses of this chapter continue the subject of the previous chapter when darkness and trouble was predicted for those who reject the warnings of God through His servant. Darkness was over the land and the people were longing for the light of hope. The promise of Christ coming in grace as the Light of the world to Galilee was a message of prophetic hope. Isaiah could see forward, by the Spirit of God, to the time when our Lord Jesus Christ would come as “a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.” He would be here “found in fashion as a man,” and would be “full of grace and truth.” Through Him and in Him, God would demonstrate His love to those who long for light.
Then Isaiah looked beyond this present age, to the revelation of the Lord in the future when all nations will be blessed by Him when He reigns. The invasion of the Assyrians led to Israel being scattered among the nations and the northern tribes have lost their identity completely. The northern tribes were the first to be brought into bondage when Assyria conquered them. It was to that area of the promised land to which God sent His Son. He lived in Galilee, taught in Galilee, and did many wonderful works in Galilee. His ministry there composes much of the written ministry our Lord gave publicly when He was here the first time. It was to that area of “great darkness “Great Light” came when Jesus came to live among them. The sad conditions described will be Israel’s state until the Lord returns in power and glory. Israel rejected Him, but the Promised One will return again.
Verse three tells us that the coming of Christ added Gentiles to the blessing of the coming of the Messiah. The first and second coming of Christ are both seen in verses two through four, as well as the first and second invasions of Israel. The Assyrians invaded soon after Isaiah’s prophecy, and the second invasion referred to is the invasion of Israel during the time of the tribulation which leads to Armageddon. It is then in Isaiah’s poetic message that he indicates the character of Immanuel.
In each of the names of the Lord Jesus in this chapter, two words are used. “A child is born,” is a statement of the humanity of Immanuel. “A Son is given,” is a clear statement of His deity. The government upon one of His shoulders teaches us that it is no serious problem for our Lord to rule the nation, or all nations. They are to Him but a “drop in a bucket.” In contrast, when He goes after the lost sheep that He gave His life for when He was one the cross, when He brings that person back to the safety of the fold, He carries it on both of His shoulders. The cost of saving one soul is far greater to Him than governing a nation. One He controls with His word. The other, He gave His life for. “When He was on the cross, I was on His mind.” He will rule God’s kingdom with God’s authority.
That unique Person is a Wonder. He is above all and for all. His grace and His love are toward all. His redemption, His death, burial and His resurrection are all a wonder! He is a Wonder from God who has the words of eternal life. He is absolutely without any limitations as far as power, glory and purpose is concerned. The second word linked with this One who is “Wonderful (a Wonder),” is “Counselor.” This Counselor knows every situation that can ever befall a human being. He was both God and Man and as such can bring infinite wisdom to every problem and issue of our lives. He is the Word of God who makes known the mind of God. The heart of every person is known by Him, and as a result of His work on our behalf and His present role on our behalf, He makes it possible for us to “come to the Father” by Him. He “suffered to bring us to God.” Consequently, we are “accepted in the Beloved.”
Two words, “Mighty God:” allow us to face the impact of His authority which would normally create fear in our souls but because of who He is, we get the big picture. “Mighty” indicates that He is irresistible as the champion of a battle. “All power in heaven and on earth” is His. He never set aside His supreme power when He came here found in fashion as a man. He maintained, and always will, power over creation. Even when here as a man, He created. He had power over darkness and evil. He had power over sin and power to forgive sins and sinners. He had power over life and death. He always was and always will be Mighty, even though He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
He is “God:” always was and always will be. He had to be God to forgive our sins because all sin is against God. He had to be God to satisfy divine claims against sin. He had to be God so He could be the perfect sacrifice for sin – “Once for all.” He had to be God to lay down His life by His own volition in order to conquer death. He had to be God to take it again and be raised from “among the dead.” He had to be God to be Lord of eternity and the Giver of eternal life to those who believe in Him and trust Him.
“Everlasting,” assures us that He had no beginning and no end. He is the “Alpha and Omega.” Nothing He does is in jeopardy of failing or not accomplishing all that He intends. He is the Lord of eternity. His attitude and actions have eternal purposes and consequences in view. Nothing about Him is temporary or less than He wants it to be. As “Father,” He will always be our provider, protector and defender from all that would oppose His divine and sovereign will for us. His eternal Fatherhood is enduring and compassionate without any unknown events occurring that catches Him unaware of how it will affect us.
“The Prince of Peace:” “Prince” is His position and His work of authority and leadership that initiates “Peace” that is needed in so many ways by so many people. He made “peace by the blood of His cross.” We “have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” He gives peace to the troubled souls of those who trust Him as their personal Savior. Through the peace He gives He makes enemies to be at peace. He will bring a universal reign of peace on earth for a thousand years. He gives eternal peace to those who love Him because He is our peace. When He establishes His peaceful government on earth, even the earth itself will produce in places that have been deserts. Peace will be evident on earth and in effect here as it is in heaven. Presently He sits on a throne in heaven because of peace He has made for us with God, and He will sit on a throne on earth when He comes again, making peace between people.
However, in spite of such promises and prophecies, the northern tribes of Israel remained haughty and proud in spite of all that was happening to them. They were boasting about all they would do when they made all that was ruined better than it was before. The prophecy of the Lord directed toward them, was no longer a warning, but a statement of fact. “Yet for all this, His anger is not turned away, His hand is still upraised.” There was no repentance nor was there a return to the Lord after warnings. There was no change of attitude because of the chastening of God on them. There was no lessening of pride and arrogance. There was no stopping their boasting against God and His servants who came to instruct them in the ways of the Lord. There was no change in the guilt of the leaders of the nation. There was no escaping the just judgment that was coming upon them.
Samaria and all the northern tribes of Israel were doomed to exile and dispersion in spite of all their boasting. To boast of rebuilding better than before was of no more value than a dog howling at the moon to turn off its light. To ignore God’s warning is to pronounce doom upon oneself. The leaders did not repent and turn to the Lord. They were unfaithful to God and to the people they led, and they would be destroyed and their children who followed them. Sin has its own seeds of destruction and payback. There would not only be famine in the land but there would be civil war between Manasseh and Ephraim.
For some reason, people think lightly of sin and its consequences in spite of warnings. The result of rebellion against God will be that their own wickedness will burn them, and the wicked will suffer for what they have brought on themselves. True, God is longsuffering and not willing that any should perish, but His holiness will not condone sin or allow it to go on forever. Wickedness in individuals and nations will bring retribution down on those who commit sins and remain in them.
In times of gloom and distress, the Lord is there to take us through those dark valleys that seem hopeless. Faith in Him leads us to “Consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be weary and faint in your mind.” The Great Light of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our conscious awareness of Him with us, takes us through dark times. We won’t go around them, but He will be with us through them. The message of hope strengthens our faith as we look ahead to the future. We see what will be, but we are also assured that He is with us now in all of the dark times. It is in the dark times, that the light seems to shine brighter.