He SHALL BE CALLED…. Part 1 – The Longing for Christmas
open your Bibles to Isaiah 9:1-8.
Passage:
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 9:6-8)
Prayer:
Intro:
the story of Christmas isn’t a story to distract us from the darkness that is in the world – The story of Christmas is God’s answer to that darkness –
That’s what this passage in Isaiah is all about –
- This is written in a DARK time of Israel’s history
It’s into this longing culture – that God speaks – through the prophet Isaiah that Redemption is coming – Christmas is coming – that out of the rubble – Out of the darkness of the situation where everyone thinks – this is it – a redeemer is coming.
- Three important details of Christmas
- The Messiah reaches the darkest places (1-2)
- The Messiah will do the healing (3-5)
- The Messiah has an Identity (6-8)
The Messiah reaches the darkest places:
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. 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. (1-2)
- Isaiah is speaking prophetically here – using poetic language to illustrate something that is happening
- what Isaiah says here – is that these people – the ones in the darkest part of it – the people of Galilee will be the first to experience relief from the coming messiah -the text says, The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shown
The Messiah will do the healing:
You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. 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. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. (3-5)
- Isaiah is saying not only does the light pierce the deepest darkness – but the source of that light and salvation is God. mankind may have caused the problem – but mankind is not fixing the problem – God is.
And after he says this – he shows us how God is going to bring this about – by showing us what the messiah going to look like –
The Messiah has an Identity
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. (6-8)
Isaiah says here that hope – IS COMING – A child is going to be born – and he is going to make things right –
- And to give us a clue what this savior this messiah is going to be like – he describes him by what he will be called through four titles –
The first title he says is that the messiah will be a Wonderful Counselor
second he says Mighty God –
Next he says Everlasting Father
Finally he says Prince of Peace