TO US A CHILD IS BORN

Isaiah 9:1-7

Key Verse 9:6

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.

Read verse 1. Who are "those" (Isaiah 8:19-22)? What created their distress (Isaiah 8:19)? When did the Lord humble the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali (2Ki 15:29)? When did the Lord fulfill this prophecy? What did the nation of Israel look like when this prophecy was fulfilled?

** "Those" refers to the people of Israel who bore the fallout of God’s judgment  on the nation. They are the ones who turned from God and paid the heavy price of the nation’s disobedience.

** They didn’t study God’s Word but instead relied on false prophets like spiritists and mediums. Instead of depending on God they sought the advice of demons. They walked away from God and were captured by the darkness. Eventually, every spiritual and physical blessing was taken from them. But instead of repenting they cursed God because their lives were miserable. In mercy God allowed them to taste the pangs of hell before it was too late. It is God’s mercy to remove blessings and punish us when our direction is going away from Him.

** This happened when the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III attacked the northern Kingdom Israel in 734 and 732 B.C. 

** This prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus came to this world.

** The nation was suffering physically and spiritually. They were under the oppression of  Rome and demons had captured hold of many lives. The religious elite were not emitting the light of the God’s Word and the general masses of people were unrepentant.

Read verse 2. What is it like to “walk in darkness” and to live “in the land of the shadow of death”? What is the significance of a “light has dawned” for such people? 

** When someone walks in darkness they cannot tell where they are going or what is around them—they are totally blind and confused about everything for nothing makes sense. Those who walk in darkness eventually fall and hurt themselves. Walking in spiritual darkness has the same effects—total confusion, distress, anxiety, etc. Those who live under the shadow of death are always oppressed by the sense of fatalism and meaninglessness. Especially they have no hope for a better eternal reward or heavenly joy with God forevermore. Those who live under the shadow of death feel worse as their life span comes closer to it’s end.  

** When the “light dawns” for such people they have total relief. The light brings with it a real hope that life is going to get better and better. Life has purpose and meaning because God is with us.

Read verses 3. Describe the effects this light has on the people who were walking in darkness. Why are they celebrating?

** The light effects people’s attitude: making them “rejoice” (repeated 3 times) and have “joy”. The light of Jesus is so good that it makes all our sorrows fade away.

** The cause of all this “rejoicing” is the gain we experience. The “harvest” is a time of gain; dividing the “plunder” is a time of gain; we experience “increase” of joy and even our nation can be “enlarged”. Jesus’ coming brings abundance of spiritual wealth where we once there was leanness. Without Christ we were losing everything but because of him we gain everything—most notably eternal life and a rebuilt relationship with Him.

Read verses 4-5. What is “Midian’s defeat” a reference to? What does the removal of a “yoke”, “bar” and “rod” tell us about the new life Jesus brings? 

** Midian’s defeat is a reference to the victory of Gideon over the Midianites who constantly ripped-off and oppressed the Israelites.

** Jesus creates free men who are released from the bondage of sin and the torture of the devil. This freedom is a great blessing because the very devices that the devil used to hurt us (fear, sorrow, hate, fatalism, etc.) are not longer able to dictate our life course. We are not just relieved of these burdens but are totally set free! 

Read verse 6. What does it mean “the government will be on his shoulders”? Describe the four tangible benefits we receive from his government?

** The government will be on his shoulders means that all authority, power and glory will belong to Jesus. This is good news for us because we need government and rulership from a source that builds us up rather than tear us down.

**Jesus’ governing style bring us “wonderful” counseling. He exercises “mighty” power to help us overcome any barrier. He is always there to help us as our “Everlasting Father”. His presence in our life creates deep “peace”. Only Jesus’ government brings these tangible helps.

Read verse 7. What is the future outlook of Jesus’ kingdom and of those who participate in it? How will it be established and upheld? How will it come about?

** There will be “no end” to the increase of Jesus’ government and peace. Likewise the peace and prosperity of Jesus’ people will never end—they will go from glory to greater glory with Him.

** Jesus won’t cut corners in establishing his kingdom. It will be established in righteousness and upheld by justice. If the peace and prosperity of his subjects is to increase evermore his government must be established in righteousness and upheld in justice. Jesus paid a heavy price to incorporate unrighteous people into his righteous government.

** It will come about through the “zeal of the LORD Almighty”. God loves this project because he loves us.