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Overview

Isaiah 9 has it all. In the first half, God reveals more details regarding the Messiah. The second half reminds us of the liquid nature of prophecy. Now God pronounces judgment of the northern kingdom, the nation of Israel. 

Isaiah 9:1

But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

Once again, the notorious problem of chapter breaks. The last verse of chapter 8 talks about “the gloom of anguish”. Obviously 8:22 and 9:1 are connected. Maybe take a moment and reread Isaiah 8:11-22. 

Oh, and the book of Matthew (Matt. 4:12-16) quotes this verse, referencing when Jesus makes Capernaum (i.e. the region of Zebulum and Naphtali) His home base for ministry. Fulfilled prophecy is so cool. 

Isaiah 9:2

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

The Jews had been waiting centuries for the Great Light to arrive. Divine revelation had thrown them a few bread crumbs over the years that a chosen one was coming. But God is ramping up. He is revealing more details. The portrait of the identity of this Great Light is starting to fill in. Now of course, they still had 700 years to wait, but there is hope. There is always hope in God. 

Isaiah 9:6-7

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Isaiah 9:6-7—the classic Christmas text. Isn’t it sad that these verses are only thought deeply about during that time of year? There is so much in these two verses. Talk about filling some color in the portrait of the Messiah. His government will be righteous and just and eternal. He is the ultimate and final Davidic king. Oh—and we finally have His name! Or at least personal descriptors! The one that shakes my foundation is this name, Mighty God. No confusion here. Immanuel is coming. The Mighty God is coming. They may not have understood how the incarnation was going to work, how the joining of the Mighty God and the Messiah was going to look. But nevertheless, He was on the move. The Lord of Hosts is so zealous, so filled with endless love, He will do this. The eternal council had already decreed this. This is the plan to save humanity. To save those who will repent and head to the Great Light. 

Isaiah 9:8-10

The Lord has sent a word against Jacob, and it will fall on Israel; and all the people will know, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and in arrogance of heart:


“The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones;
the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.”

God is now showing a vision of judgment regarding Israel, the northern kingdom, to Isaiah. Jacob is a reference to the nation of Israel. Remember God changed Jacob’s name to Israel. He was the father of twelve sons, who became the twelve tribes of Israel. Samaria is the capital of the northern kingdom. The inhabitants are arrogant. Look at their response to God’s judgment on them. “You can try and bring us low, but we will become even greater.” Wow. Crazy amont of arrogance. Notice the language. Bricks to dressed stones. Sycamores to cedars. It is no wonder God was angry with Israel. And He certainly was. Judgment was on the doorstep. It came in 722 B.C., probably less than 10 years after Isaiah spoke this. 

Isaiah 9:21

Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim devours Manasseh; together they are against Judah. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.

Two tribes of the northern kingdom devouring each other. Civil war. When God leaves the room, when His common grace is removed, when God chooses to finally give people what they want—they consume each other. The weeds of evil take over. The land implodes. 

I am not a big politics guy. But I do care deeply about my nation, my people. The United States is divided. The more God is removed from society, the more we will consume each other. What is the answer? Who is the answer? The prince of peace. Human governments rise and fall. Not His government. It will last forever. 

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.