Isaiah 9:6-7 (ESV) 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.
7 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.
Isaiah is a prophet to the Southern Kingdom of Judah during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Isaiah sees some good times and he prophetically sees Israel through some hard times as he proclaims, “To the teaching and the testimony!”
Isaiah is the one Yhwh gives the vision of the Lord himself high and lifted up with the angels proclaiming, “Holy, holy, hoy!”
Isaiah is loaded with some of the most profound insights into the nature of Yhwh that point us to the glories of the good news of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
It is no surprise that we see in Isaiah glorious words that prepare the heart of God’s people for his eternal King, the one who will sit on David’s throne forever, who sits on the throne of the universe and whose government does nothing but increase.
The first words of the birth narrative of Yeshua in Luke 2:11 mirror these first words of the promised birth of the One in Isaiah 9:6, “For to us”, “For unto you”. The similarity is far from chance. God leaves nothing to chance. His providential breathing out of his word to Isaiah and to Luke clue us into Luke’s inspired intention: Jesus, Yeshua, is the promised one of Isaiah 9:6-7.
Isaiah is preaching during the reign of Ahaz in Isaiah 9, and the gloom of their discipline weighs heavy. But the promise of God’s faithfulness cuts through that darkness with a promise that there will be one who will come that will not be like Ahaz, a king who will rule with absolute certainty, righteousness, peace, and justice.
Unfortunately, Israel never had a king afterward that fully lived up to Isaiah’s vision. Did God fail? Absolutely not. Because God’s word to Judah had a fulfillment and application that was not for their day.
And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, – Hebrews 11:39
Isaiah speaks about some Old Testament saints who believed by faith though they did not receive the promise of Yhwh in their day. Isaiah and his audience are included in that great cloud of witnesses to God’s saving work by faith as they looked forward without wavering to the fulfillment of his word.
We have had the absolute honor of seeing and experiencing what Isaiah longed to see.
“since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” – Hebrews 11:40
Who do we see? We see Yeshua, Jesus. Jesus is the King who carries the weight of governing the Israel of God, the universe, and all things we can’t even see, Wonderful Counselor who we can go to for divine help, Mighty God who will cover us with his sovereign power, Everlasting Father who will love us and care for us and provide for us, Prince of Peace who can calm our troubles, Jesus who’s rule will never end, God who sits on David’s throne ruling over the nations of the earth, Yeshua who advances justice and righteousness now and forever.
Advent. Jesus has come and has made his rule available to us by faith. Receive him today. Continue in him today.
Theology in the Dirt 