For To Us A Child Is Born

Isaiah 9:1-7, Christmas, 2006

Merry Christmas

Bible reading plan. I hope it’s been a good exercise for you.

Not that this makes God loves us anymore, but it helps us to know and follow Him.

There was an experiment on the effect of hope. Two sets of rats were in separate tubs of water. One set were left alone in the water, the other set were periodically lifted out of the water and then returned. The first set had all down within an hour, the second set swam for over 24 hours!

Hope is a powerful thing.

Biblical hope is not “I hope I’ll get an iPod for Christmas,” “I hope the Eagles make the playoffs.” It is not a wish for something uncertain. Rather, Biblical hope is assurance that God’s promise will be fulfilled. Christians have a powerful hope, a certainty of what is yet to come.

God offers us hope in Isaiah 9. But let me explain the background.

Isaiah 7. This is a time of great military tension and escalation. Israel had formed an alliance with Syria and together they were going to conquer Judah and dethrone King Ahaz. King Ahaz, however, decides to form an alliance with Assyria. In chapter 7, Isaiah is sent to King Ahaz to tell him not to fear Israel and Syrian because God would protect Judah. But with the threat of military conquest imminent, Ahaz stays with Assyria. God warns that there will be judgment for trusting in Assyria instead of Him.

Isaiah 8. Perhaps a year or two later. God again warns Ahaz: trust in God or ultimately be destroyed.

It turns out that the threat was taken care of. In 734, the Assyrians attacked Israel, starting in Zebulun and Naphtali (later Galilee), and Israel/Samaria fell in 722.

We also know that Judah eventually fell to the Babylonians in 586 BC.

In Isaiah’s time, there was a lot of military tension, escalation, alliances and war. Troops assembled, cities fortified, supplies stockpiled, alliances made, etc.

King Ahaz, somewhat understandably, was doing what he could to protect his nation. He was fortifying Jerusalem and forming alliances. This was war. But he failed to trust in God.

But in the midst of war and failure, God gives hope.

2 The whole story is not just darkness and gloom. A light has appeared.

In a place of war, destruction, death, a light has dawned.

3. Joy comes. Instead of being conquered, they now gain land. Instead of being conquered, they are the conquerors. And there is rejoicing, celebration.

4. Their oppressor is defeated. The yoke that burdened them is destroyed. Gideon had defeated the Midianites with 300 men and their clay pots, trumpets, torches, and the hand of God.

5. War is no more. Burn the boots and uniforms.

6. For a child is born.

Isaiah 9:4-6 (ESV)

[4] For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder,

the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.

[5] For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult

and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.

[6] 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.

In a place of darkness, death and gloom there is now joy and celebration.

(4) For God has delivered them from oppression

(5) For God has brought an end to war

(6) For to us a child is born

There is joy because God has delivered from oppression. There is deliverance because war is no more. War is no more because a child is born.

Freedom from oppression, peace without war, all follow from the birth of this child.

What’s so special about this child? This child is a king, a perfect and righteous king.

There is a contrast. Where King Ahaz failed, and eventual led the nation of Judah to be destroyed, a new King shall rule in righteousness and justice, in faith and faithfulness, and will lead His people to peace.

We tend to see our fate in our own hands, but in ancient days, there was a greater influence of the ruler. Throughout OT history, where there was a good king, the nation flourished, where there was a bad king, the nation suffered.

A new king, a child king is born, government on his shoulders.

This child is called

Wonderful Counselor

Where King Ahaz was foolish in his decision, this King is perfect in wisdom

Mighty God

Where King Ahaz was mortal and weak, this King is Mighty God, a Conquering Warrior

Everlasting Father

This is not a temporary rule or relationship. This is the ultimate, final.

He is One who cares, has compassion, protects, provides.

Prince of Peace

Where King Ahaz led his nation to war, this King is the Prince of peace. He ends war, He ends oppression. He establishes peace, Shaloam.

These are divine titles.

7. We see a description of His rule

He isn’t just King of kings. He is the final King, the king to end all kings.

Throne of David. In spite of King Ahaz’s failure, the line of David will continue. This is the promised Messiah

Justice and righteousness, forevermore

Zeal. God is zealous for His people.

Against the background of war and death, failure and defeat, God is saying, a light has dawned, a child is born, and everything will change!

We have a King who has come to set us free!

Between Afghanistan, Iraq, North Korea, Israel/Palestine, Darfur, terrorists, nuclear weapons, etc., we live in a fallen and violent world.

Janette was pregnant with Elijah when 9/11 happened. I remember thinking, what kind of a world are we bringing this child into?

There are other forms of oppression: social injustice to the poor, racism, crime, corruption, economic/political/military oppression, etc.

I saw an article saying that for 2006 Philadelphia has already exceeded (384, 12/11) the number of homicides than 2005. 2006 will be the highest number of homicides since 1997.

As Christians, we recognize a spiritual oppression, bondage, doom. The problems of the world ultimate point to problems within our souls: hatred, greed, pride, anger, bitterness, fear, selfishness, sin.

Under His rule, there is no more oppression, no more war, no more injustice or violence or hatred. He is the Prince of peace. He rules with justice and righteousness.

The rule of King Jesus points to a comprehensive healing of our broken world. The rule of King Jesus points to healing “far as the curse is found.”

The lion lies down with the lamb—it will be a world of peace, harmony. War is no more!

Ultimately, He has come to free us from sin and death, from the sin with us. He has come for make us righteous, new creations, glorious.

We have hope. For to us a child is born, a son is given.

We have a Humble King.

Where the ancient kings were ruthless in their oppression, even today the strong bully the weak, this King comes as a child. Isaiah could have written, “For to us a king has come, a ruler, a warrior is given.”

“For to us a child is born” It is a not the picture of ruthless, raw power, but of gentle humility.

A newborn child is completely helpless. He/she can’t even burp without help. In the ancient world, children were disregarded, not counted.

Take a look at this conquering King.

He is born in a barn, hangs around blue-collar fishermen, corrupt tax collectors and unsavory prostitutes, enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey, washes His disciples’ feet, is shamefully and tortuously executed. Even in Revelations, He is pictured as a lamb, a lamb that was slain.

And what did he teach?

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Mt 5:3-5)

So the last will be first, and the first will be last. (Mt 20:16, and others)

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mk 10:45)

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Cor 8:9)

Christ conquers not be destroying. In fact, He conquers by being destroyed.

He is unlike any other King. We worship a Humble King.

We have hope in the context of failure.

Most of chapter 7 and 8 are urging King Ahaz to trust God not Assyria and warning that Judah would be destroyed if he failed. And in the end, King Ahaz failed to trust God, and judgment is pronounced.

Chapter 9 is a picture of grace.

In darkness and gloom, a light has dawned, a child is given.

They had no power to produce this light, they had no ability to secure this child—it was given. It was given in the midst of unfaithfulness and failure.

Yes there is judgment, but God will not abandon His people. There is restoration after judgment, there is light after darkness.

There is also a word of hope to Israel. Isaiah 9:1 points to the area of Zebulun and Naphtali—that the northern part of Israel.

Israel was the more unfaithful nation. Judah had some better king and continued a little longer. But Israel was very idolatrous and unfaithful to God, and so she was conquered 130 years earlier than Judah.

King Ahaz had failed. Israel is a picture of great failure.

But a light has dawn and a child is given . . . not when they had been faithful, but when they had failed.

For those of us who recognize that we’ve failed. We have our failures and regrets. Maybe 2005 has a lot of things you’d rather forget, things for which you are ashamed. Perhaps you, like King Ahaz, have failed to seek and worship God. You did not listen to His call, you failed Him yet again.

It is in that context that God offers hope.

Trust in the King, not yourself.

This was King Ahaz’s sin/problem. God had assured Ahaz that He would protect and defend him. But instead of relying on God, Ahaz relied on Assyria, and God was not pleased.

A light has dawned, a child is given. King Jesus has come to fix our broken world and our broken lives.

Some people still choose to trust themselves. They feel they have to use their resources and abilities, their effort, their connections to fix their problems.

God’s call is, put your trust in Jesus. I have given you a child, a King, a ruler.

A light has dawned, a child is born. There is hope. God has not abandoned us. Turn to Jesus. Put your trust in Him.