Text: Isaiah 9:1-7
[L]et us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28, 29)
Sovereign Father, let my words be true. Let this sermon be glorifying to You. Magnify Your Gospel and Your Kingdom and Your promises in this place today. We confess that we are slow to believe. Father would you grace us with faith that pleases you? We confess that we are too often scrooges who fail to rejoice as much as You say we should. Would you fill us with joy. Make us cheerful-hearts. Search us and know us by Your Word now for Christ’s sake. Amen.
Isaiah lived and prophesied some 700 years before Christ’s birth. Among other things, he prophecies that this Messiah would bring judgement unto truth (42:1-4), be a light to the nations (49:1-7), and would take away the sins of His people (52:13-53:12). He also prophesied that this Christ would be born of a virgin (7:14).
As we get into Isaiah 9 today, I want you to pay close attention to what he actually says; what he actually describes some 700 years before Christ’s birth. If you do, you just might be tempted to think “He can’t be serious.”
We are Christians and that means we confess Jesus is Lord. And that means we confess Jesus is Lord of our reasoning and this kind of logical, rational, eyes-wide-open faith in Jesus enables us to read the Words of God via Isaiah and actually believe it all to be true.
Part of Isaiah’s prophecy had to do with events that would take place in his own lifetime, for example, he foretold the Assyrian invasion that ravished the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali. He says these prophecies that were fulfilled relatively quickly (as in his own lifetime), were to prove his authenticity and accuracy as a true prophet, because he knew that the hearers were “obstinate” and had “necks of iron sinew.” In other words, they were stiff-necked skeptics so he proved that what he saw and said was true and reliable.
This morning, if you start to feel that iron sinew begin to stiffen your neck as we go through some of Isaiah’s writings, remember, he was serious. We must believe that the writer was either confused, lying, or correct. A man or perhaps a loon who wrote fiction that just so happened to accurately predict future events, the whole book is a con-job and was written after the facts, or God actually inspired Him to see and hear and record true things.
If you are on the fence at this point, I want you to suspend judgment until we get to the end. If you have ever read a good fiction book you know what I am talking about. Once J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings, was asked if he believed that Middle Earth was real to which he quipped, “One hopes.”
I want us to hear these glorious prophecies and ask ourselves this advent season, “When shall these things be?” as if we were reading them for the first time. Perhaps as Zechariah and Elisabeth, John the Baptist’s parents. Or as if we were Mary and Joseph or Simeon in the temple, or good jewish shepherds or wise men from orient far, earnestly and honestly reading what Isaiah was foretold.
You may not believe that Tolkien’s vision of Middle Earth or Lewis’ vision of Narnia are real. You may not believe Isaiah’s vision of his future world is real, but if you pay attention to his words, if you know the narrative and the promises, you are going to hope it is.
One of the things I want this sermon to accomplish is to show you that Isaiah’s prophecies (specifically in chapter 9) are about so much more than just the actual birth of Christ. There is so much more here than a mere foretelling of the physical birth of the Prince of Peace. There is the foretelling of a re-creation, a re-ordering. A new Kingdom of a new creation.
Isaiah sees glory coming down in the face of Christ and yet glory such that it radiates like the light of the sun upon the earth. Isaiah sees glory that cannot be contained or confined. So on that note, lets get to the first text. Isaiah 9.
vv. 1-5
There will be no gloom for her who was in anguish…Verse 6 says for unto us a child is born. Unto us, because Christ came for His people, to the true Israel that is the Church, His bride. From the start of this text, we need to keep in mind that Isaiah is talking to us.
He says to us, gloom is on a non-stop flight to elimination. Death is dying.
The people have seen a great light, on them a light has shone…Paul in Ephesians 5:8 says, “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord…” Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father singing and prophesying about Jesus in Luke 1:79 quotes this verse in Isaiah because Christ is the light that conquers all darkness.
The fact that Zechariah quotes the verse is significant because it nails this text down to something historically concrete. Zechariah points to this verse and says, it is now. It is fulfilled.
Multiplied the nation and increased its joy… We are talking about growth. We are talking about light, not consigned to one ethnicity or worldly nation. Isaiah sees multiplication. He sees a fruitful harvest and the ensuing celebration feast (Isaiah 25:6).
The yoke of burden and rod of oppression have been broken…Our enemy ultimately was not the ravaging Assyrian or Babylonian armies. God’s people’s enemy was not the tyrannical Roman empire that crucified Christ. Our enemy isn’t any government or regime of this world.
Our oppressor is not of flesh and blood. Satan, that wicked and terrible dragon along with his cohorts sin and death are our enemies. These are our true oppressors but their yoke has been borne and broken by our big Brother. Your heavy chains of sin have been shattered. Death has lost, to die is gain! Whether we are awake or asleep, we live forever!
Ever warrior’s boot and bloody garment will be burned up…There has been a re-ordering. An end to war. Now comes the reconstruction. A light to dispel the darkness. Isaiah is describing the reign of Christ. It is on this very basis of this re-ordering that we were given the great commission.
“All authority in Heaven and on Earth” Jesus says, “has been given to me. Go therefor…” For that reason, go.
v. 6
For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given…This is the part of the scripture that usually goes on Christmas cards. And why? Obviously because it is about the birth of Jesus. That night in Bethlehem when the virgin, Mary, gave birth in a barn. Why wouldn’t we put it on our Christmas cards?!
But for those Christians who tend toward pessimism, here is where it can start to get hairy. Those of you who who hold a view of the world and her future that is jaded and pessimistic rather than enthusiastic and optimistic. This is where a downcast theology and dim worldview become, at best, inconsistent with a plain, child-like reading of the story.
I want to make sure I am being perfectly upfront. I have an agenda. I want all of you to become more optimistic and enthusiastic. I want your outlook to be marked by joy and laughter and rejoicing. And I mean for our text to prove why you should be genuinely optimistic and enthusiastic about the future of our world; why you should be Christians, merry and bright.
Christ in all of life for all the world. Pessimistic people, jaded Christians, take this as nothing more than hyperbole—a juiced up slogan. I take it literally, as a commission.
I want my family to be on mission such that we see even the so-called mundane and seemingly menial aspects of life through the scope of Gospel and therefore understand life and work and leisure, no matter the day or time or task, as profoundly unto the Lord.
I want my life to be a blank check in the hands of the One who can take a seed and make it a tree. Who can take a life lived in obscurity, adorned by faithfulness in the menial and mundane, and from it produces a harvest beyond comprehension toward His end of global fame and glory and kingdom increase.
And it starts with a child born. A son given. Given. Isaiah is talking about the gospel. We are talking about grace. We are talking about the gift. A child—a son. God Himself. Love and Truth, flesh and bone. Theologians call this the incarnation. My children know it as “Christmas.”
That is the start, but that is just the start. This is only the entryway of a glorious mansion.
The government shall be upon his shoulder… In other words, this Son is going to be a king. He is going to govern. But what government are we talking about? The Obama administration? The 1st century Roman empire? Where (and when) is the government this Son is going to rule? Believe it or not, Jesus Himself told us the answer.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18)
What, where, and when are all answered in this statement. All authority, in Heaven and on Earth, has been given. This is not simply some earthly government and this is not only a far-off Heavenly government. No. This is a new Kingdom. A Kingdom that encompasses Heaven and Earth made new. A Kingdom won by costly conquest at a tree that now affords all authority to the Son who was given.
His name shall be called…Wonderful Counselor. Mighty God Himself, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. This child will save us from our sin and be a comfort to the afflicted. He is very God of very God. He is a Father who takes care of His children. He is Prince of a government that brings with it peace because He is Peace (Ephesians 2:14).
But how exactly will this peace manifest in the world? What will this government be like? For the answer to that, think about why the Jews in Jesus’ time assumed the Messiah would reign like fire on the politics? Because they knew Isaiah’s prophecy. Those Jews were disappointed not because they didn’t know what the Messiah would actually do, they were disappointed because they didn’t know who and what the real enemies were. They didn’t understand how their Messiah would do what was promised.
Isaiah describes this government with explicit imagery. He does so in a few places (Isaiah 40 and 65). Another place he describes it is Isaiah 11:1-10. This is our next text. Before we go on to verse 7, we need to look at what Isaiah has in mind and what historically, God’s people understood the Messiah to bring about.
Isaiah 11:1-10
Descended from the eternal line of King David son of Jesse, Jesus is that shoot. Jesus is this branch. The rightful heir to the eternal throne. And on His Holy Mountain, in His Kingdom, the wolf and the lamb will dwell together. Lions, no longer predator and calves, no longer prey. Bears and lions will graze with cows. Nursing children will play with cobras and be as safe as if they were playing with a teddy bear.
We are talking about the extinction of danger and destruction and decay and death. Once vicious predators will become docile, domesticated herbivores. Lions led by children through the park on a leash.
The language is over the top, there is no doubt about it. This is pretty extreme. However, when we read this we still have only the three options. Either Isaiah was confused, lying, or correct. Christians, only have one option, Isaiah was correct. I know there is disagreement about what this all means, and I don’t want to get into all of that. I want us to simply ask the question, “When shall these things be?”
St. Paul took Isaiah seriously. Further, Paul, in the Bible, actually tells us when this outlandish prophecy takes place. In Romans 15:12, the apostle cites Isaiah 11:10 as the reason why he is preaching to the gentiles! He says these prophecies have been confirmed and in order that the gentiles—the nations, not just the jews, might glorify God for his mercy!
Isaiah 11:10 says, “In that day,” in the day of righteous judgment, that predators become herbivores, the root of Jesse will stand as an ensign of the people and the nations will hope in this root that is Christ the Lord.
Now we have to ask whether or not Paul was serious or was he crazy. “Paul, it is 2013 and I’m still not going to let my child play with a cobra. I think you must have been confused. Isaiah was probably talking about a heavenly reality in the future.”
And I admit, if we don’t take all of what the scriptures say into account, this condescending attitude toward Paul’s interpretation would be easy to come by. If you don’t let Jesus inform us what the Kingdom of Heaven is like, we will most assuredly lose heart and become jaded and heard-hearted.
Let’s go back to Isaiah 9:7, and let Isaiah inform us how this is going to happen. You don’t have to be stuck thinking Paul was delusional and grow obstinate toward God’s Word because we don’t let our kids play with cobras.
Isaiah 9:6 is easy, it is describing the birth of Jesus some two thousand years ago. So then what about verse 7? When shall these things be? Some Christians assume verse 7 is describing a far-off reality as if there is a break in the prophetic fulfillment in-between verses 6 and 7 of some thousands and thousands of years. I don’t think so. Pay close attention to what Isaiah says.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder…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 forever more. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:6, 7)
Notice a few things in particular. First, “from this time forth and forever more.” This government will increase from the time the son is given, forever more. Then, Isaiah describes the manifestation of this government not as instantaneous, rather as gradual, unending increase. “Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end.”
This corresponds with the dream Daniel interpreted for King Nebuchadnezzar. A stone cut without hands grows into a great mountain and fills the whole earth. Daniel is describing exactly what Isaiah is. A Kingdom established (Daniel 2:44) that shall never be destroyed and a King that will reign forever (c.f. Daniel 2:31-45).
This should be obvious to us by the very way our King came. As the song (Baby Son) says,
We thought You’d come with a crown of gold, a string of pearls and a cashmere robe. We thought You’d clench an iron fist and rain like fire on the politics. But without a sword, no armored guard, but common born in mother’s arms.
We of all people should see. It was our Lord Himself who taught us what the Kingdom was like with parable after parable illustrating this reality that the kingdom would come gradually and increase supremely.
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed that doesn’t appear as a tree overnight. The Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven permeating the world. And then Jesus says, the Kingdom of Heaven is like hidden treasure and like a merchant in search of fine pearls who on finding one pearl of great value, sells all to buy it.
The point? The Kingdom of Heaven isn’t coming like ‘rapid dominance.’ Not like ‘shock and awe.’ It is coming gradually, without observation, hidden to those without faith.
The author of Hebrews, seeing that we would have a hard time waiting, that we would be tempted to walk by sight instead of by faith, exhorts us,
…Now in putting everything in subjection to [Christ], He left nothing outside His control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to Him. But we see Him…(Hebrews 2:8, 9)
We don’t yet see bears grazing with cows or wolves and lambs cozying up to each other, but we see the risen Christ who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth, who is seated at the right hand of the Father, the Ancient of Days.
Death, the last enemy, isn’t yet put away but death has been defanged. It has lost it’s sting. It has been mortally wounded and it is surely dying. We know this because we see Christ.
We see Him and thus we know His Kingdom is here and increasing. We see Him and so we know that His gospel will conquer because He already has. We see Him born as a baby, as one of us, in who’s face is glory.
Isaiah saw Glory. Mary and Joseph saw Glory. Paul saw Glory. Do you see Glory?
Isaiah was serious. Paul was serious. They possessed rock solid confidence about what was and what was coming. They were not swayed by what they saw or didn’t see. They refused to doubt the promise. Their light couldn’t be snuffed out, even when faced with their own hellish deaths. They enthusiastically believed and lived and died accordingly. Do you? Will you?
You see, at Christmas time, even if you don’t believe that what I am saying is true, that we should be optimistic and enthusiastic because the kingdom is here and it is increasing and the zeal of the Lord will see to it, even if you don’t believe that, at Christmas time, you at least pretend to confess it. You confess it every year.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let ev’ry heart, prepare Him room
And heav’n and nature singJoy to the world the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joyNo more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is foundHe rules world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
Or
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the inner man:
O, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart.
You sing as if you believe it, do you live as if you do? Will you die because you do?
Isaiah looked to Christ to see the future. Likewise we look to Christ to see the future. Isaiah relied on the Word of God to know what was coming. We too rely on the Word of God to know not just what is to come, but what has already come and what has already been accomplished. Isaiah was looking forward, to see Christ. We are looking behind to see Him, to see the cross. To see it is finished.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we ask that you would make us more optimistic. We ask that you establish these promises in our hearts as you have established Your Kingdom on the earth. Those who are having a hard time believe You have given us sufficient reason for our outlook to be optimistic and enthusiastic, remind them to keep their eyes fixed on King Jesus. We believe God, help our unbelief. For Christ’s sake we ask these things. Amen.
The charge is this:
Be merry. Be bright. Be Christmas light glowing in the dark. Be optimistic. Be enthusiastic. And if you aren’t these things, search the scriptures and see for yourself if you should be. Read Isaiah and take him seriously. Pray. Repent. Rejoice.
Benediction:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Or here…