Isaiah 9:1 says, Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. Referring back to the last chapter, Isaiah said that there would be a darkness over the land, but that it wouldn’t be as great as it had been at times. God first allows a person or nation a chance to repent as He allows them to be defeated by other powers of the world if they don’t repent and turn to Him once again, but this is nothing compared to the everlasting punishment they will one day suffer. If we are saved and allow sin to enter our life once again, there will be some spiritual darkness to reenter our lives, but it will never be dark as it was before we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.
Verse two adds, The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. This is a prophesy about the coming of Jesus Christ. This happens because once we do decide to put our faith in Jesus Christ, we will have seen the great Light that He brings to us, and even though we had walked in the shadow of death, He will give us new and everlasting life with God. The people then could only look forward to His coming by faith, and we today look back on His coming by faith. Faith in Jesus Christ is the requirement in either case.
Verse three continues, Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. Isaiah said that the nation had multiplied but that their joy had not. Isaiah also said that the people of Israel as a whole had rejoiced when they had material wealth, but that they turned away from God when they didn’t. God still continued to increase their numbers, but their joy was taken away because they refused to put their faith in Him. If we as Christians continue to increase in numbers but have lost the joy of our salvation, it may be that we have allowed fear and doubts back into our lives instead of just continuing to be faithful to God at all times.
Verse four states, For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. Isaiah said that they had broken the yoke of bondage by putting their faith in God as they had done in the past. We should be encouraged when we can look back and see the success of Christians in the past when they put their faith in God. Once we accept Jesus Christ, just as He has for everyone who ever put their faith in Him, He will break the power of sin and death in our life. Then, we just have to remain faithful to Him to continue to know the blessings of God.
Verse five adds, For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. We do not win the battles with sin in the world by our own abilities, but God wins them for us by the power of the Holy Spirit once we accept salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. He will burn away all those who oppose Him, and by extension, His people. We know that one day, all those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ will be cast into the lake of fire to be tormented forever. Still, God is not responsible for their situation, but each individual is responsible for his or her own everlasting destination by either choosing or rejection Jesus Christ.
Verse six continues, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. This deliverance was to be done by one person alone, and that is Jesus Christ. If the people asked Who this Deliverer was, Isaiah said it was the coming Messiah Who would be born to a virgin and the fate of all the world would rest on His shoulders. We look back to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Who has come to bring deliverance to all the world. He is wonderful, our counsellor, and the everlasting God, if we simply accept Him by faith. He is all these things whether we accept Him or not, but unless we do accept Him by faith, He is not these things for us. My acceptance or refusal to accept the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ does not change Who He is.
Verse seven concludes, Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. There really is no end to the kingdom of God. We have to realize that this is the spiritual kingdom of God here on earth, but it is more certain than any promise that the governments of the world may make. Jesus Christ alone brings peace, and He alone can sit on the throne of David forever. He is the fulfillment of God’s promise to David that his kingdom would never end. As followers of Christ, we are a part of His everlasting kingdom.
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