Todays Reading Isaiah 9:1-7 1 Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times when He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in the future He will bring honor to the Way of the Sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to Galilee of the nations. 2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness. 3 You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before You as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils. 4 For You have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as You did on the day of Midian. 5 For the trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. Birth of the Prince of Peace by Reid Patton As has been discussed the previous two days, the season of Advent is one of expectation. Any time there is expectation, there is also anticipation. Remember the night before your first job or first day of college? Those nights were filled with thoughts about what was coming. The pages of Isaiah are filled with what Jesus is like and who He would be. The New Testament bears witness to this by Jesus’ continuous fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies. Isaiah 9 does a good job of filling in Jesus’ resume for us. Some of the best-known verses on Jesus’ resume are Isaiah 9:1-7. The opening verses are filled with expectation and the promise of a great light coming to people who are lost in darkness. The later verses fill in the details. The hope of Israel is a Child, a Son, but not any ordinary son. Isaiah tells us He will be a Wonderful Counselor. He will be full of wisdom and discernment. Jesus will see clearly the hearts and intentions of men and will judge all wisely. The Son born to Israel is God Himself. He will be an Everlasting Father. This title is not meant to equate Jesus with the first Person of the Trinity, but rather to show Him to be the ideal King who— unlike the fallen and sinful rulers who have stood over Israel in the past—will rule with charity and grace. Jesus will be the Prince of Peace. Jesus will at last bring peace between men and God. No longer will sin and sorrow separate men from their God. Through the perfect life and atoning blood of Jesus, He will accomplish the goal of mediating the distance between men and God. Because of all these things, His government, His authority, and His perfect peace will know no end. He will be a king like David, but a true and better King. It is He in whom we place our hope and anticipation. Although the reign of Jesus was clearly prophesied in the Old Testament, when we flip over to the pages of the New Testament, it becomes clear that the Jesus the people received was not the one they expected. Jesus was not a great military ruler. He was poor, He spent time with sinners, and He died an embarrassing and painful death as an enemy of the state. What we know now, however, is that Jesus did far more than they expected Him to do. The holidays bring a wide range of emotions, and He is our answer. Are you struggling? He is the Wonderful Counselor, ready and able to address your deepest hurts. Are you in need? Jesus is an Everlasting Father who delights to give you good things. Do you feel powerless? Jesus is the Mighty God who controls not only the wind and the waves, but also all the circumstances of your life. Regardless of your situation, the Jesus of the Bible is here for you today. Praxis Do you let the Bible define your expectations of Jesus? Who does the Bible say He is? How can you take comfort in that today? Take some time to read over Jesus’ titles in verses 6 and 7. What do these titles mean? How do they help you see more clearly who Jesus is? Consider memorizing these verses during the Advent season.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 06:12:39 +0000
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