Isaiah 9:3,6,12,18

Isaiah 9 is one of great contrast. The first part of the chapter is immensely joyous and praiseful. The second part is full of anger and judgment. The first part of the chapter contains the wonderful passage that was used in the 'Messiah' by Handel:

    

'For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.' (Isaiah 9:6)

 

Here is the answer to Israel's many woes! Imagine you are Isaiah, receiving this prophecy and recording it. You are caught up in this nation's abysmal denial of God and its impending punishment. You feel for each and every one of the inhabitants of the land though they deny what you say about the coming judgment. And here God tells you, 'Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed,' and then continues on to the verse above. Here is the answer! What joy must have filled Isaiah's heart!

 

And so, as the chapter continues on, and says things such as 'The Syrians before and the Philistines behind; And they shall devour Israel with an open mouth.' And 'For wickedness burns as the fire; It shall devour the briers and thorns, And kindle in the thickets of the forest;' (Isaiah 9:12,18), Isaiah writes in the knowledge that though this will happen (and rightfully so says he, see chapter 2), the Saviour is yet to come and He will be the answer to their worsening problems.

 

Look at the world today. Is it any better than Israel was? No, I think you might have to say it is much worse. Idolatry is such a part of life now that people don't even know it is idolatry. Pride and arrogance (verse 9) are commonplace, and even encouraged as a source of self-belief often times. Wickedness burns as the fire! Everywhere there is evil, everywhere you look there is some sin carrying on. And God says that judgment of this world is much worse than that predicted by Isaiah for Israel. Indeed, the world receives eternal death in the fires of hell for its gross sin. And rightly so, say we. And yet, does your heart not feel for all these people, bound for death eternal? And just like Isaiah, we hold the answer. God has revealed to us the beauty His glory. He has shown Himself to us to be 'Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace'. We have the message that can save the multitudes. Is this not joyous to us?! Is it not the utmost privilege to be entrusted with the glorious truth of God?

 

'You have multiplied the nation

And increased its joy;

They rejoice before You

According to the joy of the harvest,

As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.' (Isaiah 9:3)