Cue Handel’s Messiah who made this the most sung verse of Isaiah, as well as one of the most memorable. And rightly it should. Is 9 is the prophecy of the Messiah.
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
4 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.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
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.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
Isaiah 9:1 A light in darkness (Matthew 4:15)
Isaiah 9:6 A child shall be born (Matthew 1:23)
That child as Matthew makes clear is Jesus. He will shatter their oppression, deliver them from war, the government will be on his shoulders and his reign will last forever. The people of Israel thought that this would be an earthly kingdom and it’s not hard to understand way. They were oppressed and this seems to talk about deliverance. But the kingdom of our God and Savior is a heavenly kingdom with a reign in our hearts that is earthly and forever as well.
Thoughts:
1) Shining more light on Is 2
Here too it talks about the garments of war will be burned (stopped) and his government will be forever. We know this is Jesus so in many ways I feel like this sheds light on Is 2.
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Is 9 says the Messiah is a prince of peace, but let’s face it, since his coming there still has not been peace in the world. But what he is saying is that we have peace with God, and that means we actually have the ability to have a measure of peace with each other (“as far as it depends on us” – Rom 12:18), and in heaven we will have peace for all eternity.
So when I go back and read Ps 2, I am more inclined to say this is Messianic in the heavenly kingdom and less in an earthly rule that some millennial views support.
2) Joy and Peace is the new paradigm
He has come and so there is an increase of joy and rejoicing (v. 3). That and he has shattered the oppressive yoke (v. 4). In the 1st century that was seen as the yoke of Rome but we now know with Jesus’ coming that the yoke was sin. He has “shattered” that yoke.
3) Justice and Righteousness is how he reigns (v. 7)
Justice and righteousness are necessary for peace. Without these, the innocent are condemned and the guilty go free. This is what we see now in society. We are in a position where rule of Law tends to only matter based on the political party you are attached to. If your party is in power, then the law doesn’t apply to them, just those “evil” others. And the opposite is also true.
