TO US A CHILD IS BORN
Isaiah 8:1- 9:7
Key Verse: 6
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of peace.
Merry Christmas! First of all, thank God for giving me this great opportunity to prepare and deliver the good news of Jesus Christ at this season of Christmas. In fact, I was thinking that I am the busiest person in this universe after new baby Amy came into this world. Everything was changed and my time greatly is limited. In the midst of this busy and tired life, God gave me a special chance to meditate on the Messiah Jesus Christ coming into this world. I am sure that we have to hold on to God’s words and put our hope fully to the coming messiah Jesus Christ. May God help us to accept the Immanuel Jesus and rejoice in the Lord.
I. The Announcement of Judgment (8:1-22)
Look at verse 1.The LORD said to His prophet: Take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-Shala-Hash-Baz. God said to Isaiah to write on a large scroll with an ordinary pen. It means God wanted everybody knows the coming judgment. God asked him to write “Maher-Shala-Hash-Baz,” Which means quick to plunder, swift to spoil.God really wanted to wake His people up from their Spiritual blindness and hopeless situations. He really wanted to make sure the judgment and destruction is coming absolutely because the people has rejected God’s truth and blessings.
God also wanted Isaiah to name his son as “Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz” The name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz is the longest personal name in the Bible. God wanted to show that the coming judgment and destruction is 100% sure. And even God gave exact time line that it is going to happen before the boy knows how to say ‘My father’ or ‘My mother.’ I can see here Isaiah’s absolute faith and obedience to God. I know once Daniella and I tried to find proper names both Sophia and Amy we tired our best to find a meaningful and beautiful names for them. However Isaiah to obey to God He named Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. In our term these days probably we call like this “hasten-booty speed-spoil”. Instead of calling Peter or David Jr think about that we are calling “hasten-booty speed-spoil”. It is not easy, but it reveals that God’s judgment is coming sure because of people’s rejection and their sins against God.
What is God’s judgment to them? Verses 7-10 record God’s judgment. Like a flood in a large river, the Assyrian army will not stay confined to its “bank.” Instead, they will “flow over” their attack on Israel and Syria, and “flood” with violence and destruction. It shows how God’s prophecy will be fulfilled in detail. However verses 8 and 10 finishes with “Immanuel” “God with us”. The land the Assyrians will invade doesn’t really belong to Judah or King Ahaz. It belongs to the Lord God, to the coming Messiah, to Immanuel.
God also warns prophet Isaiah in verse 11 not to follow the way of godless people. At that time people were filled with the fear of Assyrians attacks and threats. Instead of fearing God, people fear conspiracies and threats.But God said to Isaiah in verse 13 to have the fear of God, not like the people of his time. Today we do not hear much about the fear of the LORD. In this “feel good” world we want to think that God will accept us no matter what we believe or how we act. Seemingly we live without God. Our God is one we have to fear and dread. We have to regard our God as Holy.
What was the spiritual condition of the Israelites at that time? This was a dark time both spiritually and politically. Many people want to know their future. So some people are interested in the readings of horoscopes are popular today. The Jews living in Judah during Isaiah’s lifetime had the same fondness for spiritual adultery.Theywere lured into the pagan practice of consulting mediums and spiritists who specialized in trying to contact the dead.They were physically and spiritually famished and they blamed on their king and God. They groped in utter darkness and needed someone’s deliverance.
So far we have learned that people canbecome wicked and hopeless in their difficult situations. Instead of seeking God, His power and glory deeper people tried to depend on human power and even evil spirits. Our God is the God of light.Without God, we are living in darkness. In his mercy, however,God sent His people the light of the world Jesus. We praise Immanuel God.
II. TO US A CHILD IS BORN (9:1-7)
Let’s look at verse 1.“Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles…” God would glorify this despised district when He sent Jesus Christ, the Son of God. When God honored these humbled lands, they were no longer gloomy or distressed. Verse 2 reveals why the people were gloomy and in distress. Look at verse 2.“the people were walking in darkness and living in the shadow of death. Due to continued foreign invasions, the people in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali were completely troubled.
However, in God’s tender love and grace, He gave Israel a beautiful promise that the promise would be fulfilled through the Savior King, Jesus. Look at verse 2 again.“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Jesus is known a great light because only he can dispel the power of darkness of sin, sorrow, meaninglessness, fatalism, despair and fear of death. Jesus is our true hope.
In verse 3 Isaiah talks about people’s joy when the Messiah comes. God would turn these humiliated lands into the lands of abundant harvest and fruitful victory. God enlarges the kingdom of God in us and in the world.We can have joy and victory when we have faith in God’s promise of victory.
Look at verses 4 and 5.“For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.” During the seven years of Midianites’ invasion and rule, the Israelites were slaves to the Midianites. They were oppressed by these pagans. The powerful Midianites came over from their land at each harvest time and plundered everything. But God chose Gideon, and with only 300 men and defeated the Midianites. This was God’s victory. God shattered their yokes, bars, and rods of their oppressors.
Today, many people are under the bar of oppression to Satan and evil spirits. They suffer from sin meaninglessness, fatalism, despair and power of death. However, like Gideon’s time, God will turn man’s sorrow into joy through the redemption that came from Christ Jesus. We must remember that victory comes through Jesus’ death on the cross. Through Jesus’ victory and redemption, he destroyed the power of sin and death, and the devil. May we find the joy that comes from Jesus. Praise God who takes away our gloom and humiliation and gives us victory!
Look at verse 6a, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.” Who is this child? He is Jesus. He is a king. In his humility, he came as a child. Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords, who is worthy of our worship. May King Jesus rule in our hearts with peace and joy this Christmas and for years to come.
Let’s read verse 6b. “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of peace.”When we look at verse 6b,Jesus was given four other names. These four other names reveal how Jesus is Immanuel, “God with us.” Let’s look at these four names in verse 6b, “… Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”Jesus is Wonderful counselor. He counseled so many people. He is still counseling people in the whole world through his living words. Jesus is Mighty God. He healed the sick, raised the dead. Most of all he rose again from the dead proving that he is mighty God. Jesus is Everlasting Father. Our human fathers have human limit. But Jesus is our everlasting father who takes care of us and protects us eternally.
And Jesus is Prince of Peace. I would like to think more about Jesus the Prince of Peace. The word “peace” shalom means the presence of God, not the absence of conflict. Peace has nothing to do with our situation from the outside; rather, it has everything to do with the condition of our heart. Men and women need peace with God. Peace results from God’s forgiveness of sins. Jesus Christ brought peace, preached peace, and is our peace. The only place we can find true peace is through Jesus Christ. John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Jesus’ peace makes us strong, and enables us to live in holiness and righteousness. How did Jesus bring us this peace? Jesus brought peace through his death and resurrection. It was through his death and resurrection that he brought us reconciliation with God. This is why Jesus is our Prince of Peace. As Prince of Peace, he calls us to him saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” May we come to Jesus to find true peace for our weary and burdened souls. May we come to Jesus to give us peace with God.
We all are in need of Jesus. Among these 4 characteristics of Jesus Christ, which name of Jesus do you need most? Wonderful counselor? Mighty God? Everlasting Father? Prince of Peace? Personally I deeply felt that the world need Jesus the Prince of Peace. When you just turn on the radio and the TV, you see all kinds of bad news and tragedies every day and every moment. If you don’t hear about anything bad news then you are very lucky. Truly we are living in a troubled world. Especially hearing terror attacks here and there all around world more often and finding terror attempts here in Canada, people are worried and troubled.
As for me, I need peace in my heart and in my family. These days M. Daniella and I often had hard time dealing with Sophia. She is now two and half years old and very faithful and diligent not to listen to her parents. We tried to correct her bad behaviors such as beating others and crying intentionally without any obvious reasons and messing up whole house and ripping the books and throwing some stuffs and screaming and all kinds of non-sense behaviors. However, regardless of our efforts she does not change but becomes worse. Because of this, my wife is suffering every day and sometimes crying. It is like a battle field every day. And it breaks peace in my family. At this troubled time, Daniella and I need the help of Jesus our Prince of Peace. We must come to Jesus instead of worrying about her. We must pray to Jesus the Prince of Peace for my daughter. Especially meditating on Jesus’ death and resurrection may I dearly love and serve my daughter and all of my family members. On top of that, through deep one to one Bible study on Jesus I may serve Brother Philipp every week and grow together with him so that we can have real peace in our hearts.
In verse 7, the reign of the Messiah will grow until the whole world is under his reign. Our country will never be perfectly just and righteous. And, our country will not last forever. But Jesus’ kingdom will have no end. It is an eternal kingdom of righteousness and peace.
In conclusion, God sent his One and Only Son Jesus Christ as a baby in a manger, God with us. He is not a mere child. He is our great light, Savior King, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. May the peace of Immanuel fill your heart through these beautiful characteristics of God in your life. Merry Christmas!