INTRODUCTION:

            What a joy it is to be here with you celebrating the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We lit the final candle of our advent season.  As our reader said, the wait is over, tonight the advent season ends.  God’s promise of a Redeemer is fulfilled.  The birth of Jesus Christ was the birth of the promised Messiah-King.  As we look at the state of our own world, there is no greater news and no greater hope than the birth of the promised Messiah-King.  We realize that mere men and women with their human solutions bring only failure, but at the same time we realize that something must be done to fix what is broken in our world.  What man cannot do; God has done by giving us the Messiah-King.

            This evening, I will only be looking at one verse from the passage read when the Christ candle was lit.  It is a verse that is often read at Christmas, but this verse is not just about Christmas it teaches us rich truth about the Messiah-King.  Although this verse will not be fully realized until Jesus Christ returns to reign on this earth, we learn that the promised Messiah is the greatest King of all time.  Let’s pray and then look at this verse.

--PRAY--

 

SCRIPTURE:

            Listen as I read this familiar verse to you again this evening.

     Isaiah 9:6,

            “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, NASB95)[1]

THE BIRTH (Isaiah 9:6a)

            The prophet Isaiah wrote this prophecy as Judah was on the verge of being conquered by Babylon and led into captivity.  This prophecy was written nearly 600 years before it was fulfilled at the birth of Jesus Christ.  The history of Judah’s monarchy was one failure after another as the kings failed to recognize and follow God.  Isaiah in the midst of all this failure and certain captivity looks across the centuries when God would rule on the earth through His Son.  Even though Isaiah may have not understood how God could do that, he knew God could do the impossible.

            “For a child will be born to us…” (Isaiah 9:6a)[2] speaks to us of the Messiah-King’s humanity.  Jesus Christ had to come as a human being, He had to be born as a child, so He could endure the temptations that all humans face and overcome them and be without sin.  Then He could die as man’s perfect substitute, suffering God’s wrath against sin and paying the penalty of sin, which is death.  He did this for us, and He was able to because He became like us by taking on human flesh.

            “…a son will be given to us…” (Isaiah 9:6b)[3] speaks of the Messiah’s deity.  He existed before His birth as the second Person of the Trinity.  Philippians 2:6-7 says, “who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:6–7, NASB95)[4]  Fully God and fully man, He was declared the Son of God in His incarnation—God in human flesh—to conquer forever sin and death.

            Then Isaiah makes a shift from the first advent to the second advent.  “And the government will rest on His shoulders.” (Isaiah 9:6c, NASB95)[5]  This statement affirms the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This verse looks forward to the birth of this Child, the giving of God’s Son and then looks forward to a time that is yet future, when Jesus Christ will sit on the throne of David and reign over an earthly kingdom that includes all the kingdoms and governments of the world.  The prophet Zechariah said this concerning the Messiah-King, “And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.” (Zechariah 14:9, NASB95)[6]

            In the future, the government of the whole world will rest on His shoulders.  Until that time, you can let the government of your life rest on His shoulders.  He desires to be the Savior and the Lord of your life.  He becomes your Savior when you agree with Him that you are a sinner, that you have broken God’s law, that you have done things in your life that were wrong, and acknowledge that there is nothing you can do to make yourself right with God.  But you believe that Jesus Christ died in your place and His death satisfied God’s wrath against sin and that through His death and resurrection your sin is forgiven.  Then Jesus Christ becomes your Lord as you surrender your life to Him and seek to obey His Word.  This is a day by day; often moment by moment commitment that we make with the Lord to make Him  the Lord and Master of our lives, giving Him the authority of our lives, letting it rest on His shoulders.

            When Jesus Christ returns to reign on David’s throne and rule over the whole world, what kind of kingdom will it be.  How will it be different from all the other kingdoms and governments of the world?  Isaiah gives us four titles of Jesus Christ that describe for us the Messiah’s rule and how it will be different from all other governments.  At a time when we see that our world is despairing and the future looks bleak, this is good news, this is a good reminder that one day the government will be all that it can be, and its authority will rest on the right shoulders.

 

THE CHARACTER OF THE NEWBORN KING (Isaiah 9:6b)

            The first title that is given to Jesus Christ is Wonderful Counselor.  The kingdom of the Lord Jesus will be free from confusion.  Jesus Christ is the source of all truth and will guide His people with all wisdom.  Even the wisdom of Solomon is nothing compared to the wisdom of our wonderful Counselor.  The One spoken of by Isaiah possesses all wisdom and is the One who gave Solomon his wisdom.

            When Jesus Christ reigns on the earth as the Wonderful Counselor people will gladly listen to Him.  In His kingdom they will be anxious to hear the Authoritative One teach the way of God.  Isaiah 2:3 speaks of this, it says, “And many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths.’  For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:3, NASB95)[7]  Jesus Christ is the omniscient One, the One who knows all things and will counsel people with wisdom and righteousness.  He is the source of all truth.  No politician can make that claim and it is to Him that we must ultimately turn and trust His loving rule in our lives.

            The Messiah is the Wonderful Counselor, the source of all wisdom and truth and He desires to give us His wisdom and truth to help us when we are in need.  Not only can we receive counsel and guidance in our times of weakness, but He has sent His Spirit to be our Counselor.  The Spirit of God indwells us at the moment that we put our faith in Jesus Christ.  The Counselor will teach us His ways from the Scriptures, so that we might walk in His paths.

            Jesus Christ is the Wonderful Counselor because He is God, the source of all truth.  When He rules the earth, there will be no uncertainty in His administration.  He is the ultimate and the only true answer to the confusion and chaos in our world.

            The second title Isaiah gives us is that Jesus is the Mighty God.  This term shows that the Messiah is more than a mere man, He is God.  The word translated “mighty” is a word that means “champion.”  Jesus Christ will truly be the Champion of His people Israel when He delivers them from all their enemies.  Jesus Christ is our Mighty God as well; He is the champion of our salvation.  Our Champion conquered sin, Satan, and death through His death and resurrection. Jesus Christ truly is the Mighty God of our salvation.

The third title Isaiah gives to Jesus is Eternal Father.  A phrase that literally means, “Father of eternity.”  This title must not be confused with God the Father.  This title is not how Jesus Christ relates to the Trinity, but rather it is in relationship to time and to His covenant relationship with His people Israel.  In relation to time, He will be Israel’s eternal King fulfilling the promise made to David that his kingdom would endure forever.  In relation to His people, He will be a “fatherly” Ruler.  He will be an enduring, compassionate provider and protector for His people.  For those who belong to the body of Christ, we experience this same loving and compassionate provision and protection from our Savior.  Jesus as our Savior shows us the qualities of a loving Father, just as He will to Israel as their Eternal Father. 

Finally, Isaiah’s final title for the Lord Jesus is Prince of Peace.  In the Messiah’s kingdom there are no conflicts because He is the Prince of Peace.  He offers this kingdom peace to all who are recipients of His grace.  He brings peace with God to those who surrender to Him in faith.  He brings the peace of God that transcends all understanding to those who walk with Him by faith.

There has never really been peace on earth as described in the Bible except in the garden of Eden before the fall.  Our world has only known hostility, brutality, wars and rumors of wars in the more than two thousand years since the announcement of peace on earth at His birth.

The angelic announcement to the shepherds that first Christmas night was a two-pronged proclamation.  First, it proclaimed that God’s peace was available to men, women, and children right now.  Listen carefully to the words of the angels in Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (Luke 2:14, NASB95)[8]  Who are those with whom He is pleased?  Those who have yielded their lives to Him and to His authority.  Psalm 147:11 says, “The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.” (Psalm 147:11, NKJV)[9]  We hope in His mercy because we are sinners who need forgiveness.  We must recognize this fact, first of all, if we are to place our lives under His authority.  We must understand that He gave His own sinless life as a substitute for us.  He died for our sins to save us from God’s righteous wrath against sin.  We must be willing to turn from our sins and embrace the Lord Jesus by faith, realizing that in ourselves we can never earn His favor or make ourselves right with Him.

            Second, the angels’ announcement of “peace on earth” declared the arrival of the only One who ultimately can bring lasting peace on earth.  Jesus Christ will bring lasting peace when He reigns on this earth as King.  He will ensure “peace on earth” over the rebellious at heart by wielding a rod of iron.  Ther will be no attempted coups, no insurrections, not even the slightest threat to disturb the peace He brings to the earth.

            Verse seven begins with, “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace.” (Isaiah 9:7a, NASB95)[10]  In other words, His government and peace will keep expanding and improving.  It will be perfect, and how can perfect improve?  That is one of the mysteries of the Messiah’s government, it gets better and better, and perfect peace flows deeper and deeper.

 

CONCLUSION:

            This evening, we celebrate the birth of the King.  We remember His first advent and anticipate His second advent.  Both were prophesied in this verse, Jesus Christ came the first time to deal with the problem of sin, Satan, and death.  When He comes in the second advent He will conquer the world and free His people from their enemies and set up His kingdom of peace.

            I hope that the government of your life already rests on the shoulders of Jesus Christ.  If it does it means that you have placed your faith in Him, agreeing with Him that you are a sinner in desperate need of His mercy, believing that He died for your sin, was buried and rose from the dead.  If you have not done this you can today and begin to experience His loving rule in your life as your Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace.  Then and only then will you experience true peace, peace with God and the peace of God as you walk with Him in faith.

            May you find this Christmas and always the prefect peace that comes from walking with our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace.

 

[1]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[2]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[3]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[4]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[5]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[6]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[7]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[8]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[9]The Holy Bible : New King James Version. Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1982.

[10]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.