AN INSPIRATIONAL MOMENT ~ By JH FORESTER A Child is Born – Part 1 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulderand his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” - ISAIAH 9:6. Worldwide security! Under “the Prince of this world,” Satan the Devil, it is an impossible dream. (John 12:31) But worldwide security under the “Prince of Peace,” Jesus Christ, is an absolute certainty. God assures us of this in the prophecy about the birth and career of the “Prince of Peace.” In verse it continues: “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” What a marvelous prophecy! It will be thrilling to examine this prophecy about the grandest childbirth on earth. But before we can fully appreciate it, we need to focus on the circumstances under which the prophecy was given. It was a time of international conspiracies during the days of the kingdom of Judah under King Ahaz. Although unfaithful to God, that king was permitted to sit upon God’s throne. This forbearance was shown to him because of the covenant that God made with David for an everlasting kingdom in his line of descent. Though David was denied the privilege of building a temple to the Lord, God gave him an alternative blessing. This was set forth in the words of the prophet Nathan: “Also the LORDtelleth thee that he will make thee an house. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” (2 Samuel 7:11, 16) That divine promise proved to be so satisfying to King David that he looked forward to its glorious fulfillment. That covenant with David finds its fulfillment in the great Son of David, Jesus Christ, the “Prince of Peace.” No other royal house on the face of this earth has ever enjoyed such a covenant for a kingdom, with no end to the abundance of its princely rule, with no end of peace. But that Kingdom covenant held forth a challenge to all the kingdoms of the world of which Satan is prince, or ruler. So the Devil and his demons made it their goal to try to destroy the house of David and thereby eliminate the prospect of its having a permanent heir. Satan found ready instruments in King Rezin of Syria, in King Pekah of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel, and in the king of Assyria. What was the Devil’s scheme? His aim was to force King Ahaz of Judah, out of fear, into an improper alliance with the king of Assyria. How could the Devil do this? Well, he caused King Pekah of Israel and King Rezin of Syria to enter into a conspiracy against the house of David. They conspired to remove Ahaz from the throne of Judah in order to install their own man, the son of Tabeel, as puppet king. Who was this son of Tabeel? It is significant that he was not a descendant of David’s house. Hence, he was not a man through whom God’s covenant for the Kingdom could be passed along until it found its permanent Heir in the “Prince of Peace.” He was to be their man, not God’s man, on the throne of Judah. Thus the Bible exposes Satan’s effort to stop the operation of the Kingdom covenant that was made with David. How did King Ahaz react to this threat? He and his people trembled with fear. So God gave him some encouraging information to turn him away from forming a protective alliance with the king of the rising world power, Assyria. God sent His prophet Isaiah to meet Ahaz and to deliver this message found at Isaiah 7:4-9: “Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying, Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.’” Thus, God foretold the overthrow of the conspirators. At that moment came the time for a divine prophecy of world-rocking importance, for it pointed to the royal Heir of the Kingdom covenant with David. But what led up to that remarkable prophecy? Well, God was speaking to King Ahaz. He told Ahaz to ask for any miraculous sign that he could think of, and then God would perform it as an absolute guarantee that God would break up the conspiracy against the house of David. But Ahaz declined to ask for such a sign. What happened next? Isaiah 7:14 tells us: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” That name means “God is with us.” Since Immanuel and Isaiah’s two other sons were to serve as signs, the prophet said at Isaiah 8:18: “Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.” So the birth of Immanuel was a reliable sign that all the conspirators and their conspiracies against God’s Kingdom covenant and its Heir would come to nothing! In the next post we will see how this second application came to fruition. If you are visiting the Sacramento California area and would like to join our prayer and Bible study meetings please contact Pastor J for times and locations at: minister.forester@gmail or email us here on facebook. If you need prayer, have a Bible question, or would like to comment on any of the things that are posted, feel free to contact at the above email. The email is connected to the phone and will be received promptly. Jesus never said this journey would be easy, but, He makes it much easier. Come to Him!...God bless you!
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 20:27:35 +0000
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