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Scripture Reading: Isa. 9:1-7; Matt. 4:12-17; Isa. 7:14; Luke 2:12; John 3:16; Judg. 13:18; Rom. 9:5; Isa. 63:16; Eph. 2:14
In this message we will consider the unveiling of Christ as the great light and the wonderful One issuing from Jehovah's chastisement on the kingdom of Israel and His judgment on Assyria.
In Isaiah 9:1-5 Christ is unveiled as the great light.
"Gloom does not remain in the place where there was anguish: formerly He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali contemptibly, but afterwards He treats the way of the sea, across the Jordan, with glory, Galilee of the nations" (9:1). The sea mentioned here is the Sea of Galilee. The Lord now treats that part of the world called "the way of the sea" with glory. This part of the world is also called "Galilee of the nations."
The first group of Christ's followers, the beginning of God's New Testament elect, the one hundred twenty in Acts 1 and 2, were all from Galilee (Acts 2:7). Galilee of the nations was a despised place, but today we need to respect Galilee because it is the source of the church. It is difficult to say whether the one hundred twenty were Jews or Gentiles. Actually, they were neither Jews nor Gentiles; they were the church. The same is true of us as believers in Christ today. We, the church people, are all from Galilee, a despised region which is the very origin of the church.
Although Isaiah does not speak of the church, there are some hints in his prophecy concerning the church. One of these hints is the word concerning the Galilean believers from Galilee of the nations in 9:1.
Isaiah 9:2 says, "The people who walked in the darkness / Have seen a great light;/Upon those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death/Light has shined." This prophecy was fulfilled in Matthew 4. When Christ came to Galilee, the people sitting in darkness saw a great light, and to those sitting in the region and shadow of death, light sprang up (v. 16).
The fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 9:2 is continuing even today. Jesus is still visiting the "Galileans"; He is still visiting "Galilee," the despised region, to gain the despised people. Therefore, to be in Galilee is to be blessed. If those who occupy high positions in society would be saved, they must become those who are in the despised region of Galilee.
Isaiah 9:3 goes on to say, "You have multiplied the nation; / You have increased their gladness;/They are glad before You as with the gladness of harvest,/As men rejoice when they divide spoil." This prophecy refers to Peter, John, James, and all the early apostles, and it also concerns us. We are the farmers in the harvest and the fighters gaining the spoil. This refers to the increase, spread, and growth of Christ on earth.
Verse 4 continues, "For You break the yoke of their burden /And the staff on their shoulder,/The rod of their oppressor,/As in the day of Midian." This indicates that Christ as the great light is breaking the yoke that has been upon us.
Finally, verse 5 says, "For all the boots/Of those who in boots trample in the battle quake/And the garments/Rolled in blood/Are for burning;/They are fuel for fire." This indicates that a battle is going on. Today Christ is fighting, and we, His followers, are also fighting.
In 9:6-7 we see the unveiling of Christ as the wonderful One.
Isaiah 9:6a says, "For a child is born to us,/A son is given to us." Once again, this involves the sign of a virgin conceiving and bearing a son. In 9:6 the child born to us is both human and divine, and the son given to us is divine. Without the birth of the human and divine child, there would have been no way for God to give His divine Son to us. The divine Son was given (John 3:16) through the birth of the human child.
Isaiah 9:6b tells us that "the government/Is upon His shoulders." This means that the divine administration is upon the shoulders of this child who is born and this son who is given.
Isaiah 9:6c says, "His name will be called/Wonderful Counselor,/Mighty God,/Eternal Father,/Prince of Peace." In translating this verse, it is difficult to decide whether a comma should be inserted between the words Wonderful and Counselor. As the human and divine child born and the divine Son given, Christ is the Wonderful Counselor, and He is also Wonderful (Judg. 13:18) and the Counselor. Furthermore, He is the Mighty God (Rom. 9:5), the Eternal Father (Isa. 63:16), and the Prince of Peace (Eph. 2:14). Every item of what Christ is is wonderful. We can never exhaust our telling of what He is. He is the wonder in the entire universe; thus, He is wonderful.
Christ is wonderful mainly in His being the Counselor. I can testify that I experienced Him as such a Counselor when I was imprisoned in China by the Japanese invading army. During the month of my imprisonment, I was examined twice daily. Each examination and trial lasted about three hours. I was asked many difficult questions. As I was considering how to answer these questions, I looked to the Lord for His counsel. As He gave me counsel, I experienced Him as the Wonderful Counselor.
Isaiah 9:7 says, "To the increase of His government/And to His peace there is no end,/Upon the throne of David/And over His kingdom,/To establish it/And to uphold it/In justice and righteousness/From now unto eternity./The zeal of Jehovah of hosts/Will accomplish this." From the time, in Genesis 11, when mankind gave up God as their governor and made themselves the governors, the matter of government has been a great problem to man. But when the restoration comes, Christ will be the unique Governor, and the government of the Triune God will be upon His shoulders. This government will increase and fill every corner of this earth.
The increase of Christ's government and His peace will have no end. Peace is a sign that justice and righteousness are present. In the new heaven and new earth, everything will be just and right (2 Pet. 3:13). When Christ becomes Governor of this earth, the earth will be full of peace.
