Isaiah-9

Isaiah 9:1-2 (ESV)
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.
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 Galileans knew slavery and despair. But God turned invasion into mission by making the people of Galilee the first ones to see the light of Jesus (Matthew 4:12–17).

We made no contribution to it. The ones walking in darkness suddenly found themselves blinking under a new light they had never seen before.

Point: They deserved what had happened to them. But God was not satisfied with that. His zeal brought a Savior.

Isaiah 9:3-7 (ESV)
³  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.
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.
⁷  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.

 V.3 – YOU – is GOD  –  He is spreading his light to more and more people and multiplying a remnant as promised that a great nation would be formed from all tribes and people.

V.4, 5, 6 –   FOR used three times…

V.4 – ‘have broken as on the day of Midiam.”    –  Time of Gideon when God broke the power of the Midianite hordes with a chosen 300 of Gideon’s men.  God threw the enemy into a panic.

V.5 –  Our Liberator will not only defeat all the forces of evil, he will put a final end to conflict itself.  We step into the battle field AFTER the factory is won.

V.6 – “For us a child is born – … called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”   The gospel must be true.  God does not need our strength or brains.  Jesus Christ is the only Savior and King of the world.

V.7 – “there will be no end” … “the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

What is the wrath of God?  That day is already scheduled according to

Romans 2:5 (ESV)
⁵  But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

It is opposition to evil and provoked by the defiance of his creatures.  His LOVE will never make peace with evil.

Accomplished:

• God destroyed the guilt of sinners at the cross of Jesus.
  1. He will destroy all remaining sin in the hearts of those who take refuge in Jesus.
  2. He will destroy all injustice and suffering here in this world when the kingdom of Jesus creates a world better than our sentimentality could imagine.

His wrath works in two ways:

1. His anger condemns those who finally reject him. They prefer Hell, and they get what they prefer
2. God’s anger purifies all who love him. His fatherly discipline enriches us in everything we long for in our own deepest intentions.
   1. This remedial anger does not afflict us as we deserve, but only as we need (Hebrews 12:5–13).

Hebrews 12:5-6, 10-11 (ESV)
⁵  And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.
⁶  For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
¹⁰  For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
¹¹  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Isaiah 9:8-12 (ESV) –  Israel’s basic problem is identified by Iaiah.

⁸  The Lord has sent a word against Jacob, and it will fall on Israel;
⁹  and all the people will know, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and in arrogance of heart:
¹⁰  “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.”
¹¹  But the LORD raises the adversaries of Rezin against him, and stirs up his enemies.
¹²  The Syrians on the east and the Philistines on the west devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.
They were laughing at the setbacks and was convinced they could rebuild and do it even better than the present.

V.11 – the Assyrians

Isaiah 9:13-17 (ESV)  An unrepentant heart led them to be irresponsible leaders   
¹³  The people did not turn to him who struck them, nor inquire of the LORD of hosts.
¹⁴  So the LORD cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed in one day—
¹⁵  the elder and honored man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail;
¹⁶  for those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.
¹⁷  Therefore the Lord does not rejoice over their young men, and has no compassion on their fatherless and widows; for everyone is godless and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.

1. 13 – they did NOT turn to him who struck them.

When God disciplines us (strikes us) how do we respond?  Do we run to Him or away from Him?

Isaiah 9:18-21 (ESV)  –  Self-seeking leads to self-destruction….
¹⁸  For wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briers and thorns; it kindles the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke.
¹⁹  Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts the land is scorched, and the people are like fuel for the fire; no one spares another.
²⁰  They slice meat on the right, but are still hungry, and they devour on the left, but are not satisfied; each devours the flesh of his own arm,
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.

For example, self-seeking people are devouring one another (vv. 19–21). Of the last six kings of Israel, five came to the throne by assassination. Human sin was unleashing itself on humans. Does this address us?