Isaiah 9 confirms
the divinity of Messiah. The critics work Isaiah 7 over with their opposition to
the Virgin Birth, passing by “God with us” – Immanuel – as if insignificant. However,
there is method in their mad pursuit of almah – they distract people from
the contradictions of their traditional birth advocacy. Even better, they do
not argue both points, almah and Immanuel, but the trigger on the death
trap - those who doubt the harmony of God’s Word and God’s will.
Isaiah
9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the
government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of
the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne
of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment
and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of
hosts will perform this.
So
much can be said about these grand titles; the first one parallels the Virgin
Birth of Isaiah 7:14 and the Immanuel name. In Isaiah 9:6-7, a child is to be
born, a son. He is human but the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace. Jesus said in
John’s Gospel, “I give you peace, but not the peace the world gives you.” The
apostles moved out into the world’s wrath with the peace of forgiveness and
salvation, leading people into the peace Christ established with His
resurrection. Thus He is both human and divine, as the two passages so clearly
show.
But there is more. God promised
Abraham an everlasting and ever growing kingdom, greater than the stars in the
sky. But no earthly kingdom has fit that description. Portugal owned the maps
and ruled the seas. Hardly anyone could name its capital today. Rome withered
down to Italy only after the city-states were united in 1861 by Victor Emmanuel
II. The Byzantine Empire, 1100 years in existence, dwindled to become Turkey
and Constantinople became Istanbul. The present proves the past was true in
Isaiah 9 – “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end,
upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish
it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.” there is no
end to the government and peace of the Kingdom of God, governed with the
righteousness of faith, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “The zeal of the Lord of
hosts will perform this.”
The Forerunner and the Uniting Shepherd Theme
The first part of Isaiah has 39 chapters
and the second part 27, which parallel the numbers of Old Testament books (39)
and the New Testament books (27). The Bible has a total of 66 books, the same
as the number of Isaiah chapters, 66. The second part of Isaiah begins at
chapter 40, and the rest of the book is consistently joyous and triumphant.
Given this decided change of tone, the beginning of Isaiah 40 has always been
significant, a warning or blessing, the announcement of one who would serve as
the forerunner of the Messiah promised in Isaiah 7 and 9.
The first 10 verses give us
goosebumps, an involuntary reaction to the truth of the news being announced, a
truth so powerful that no nation, no ecclesiastical power can dampen, shade, or
hide it –
Isaiah 40 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith
your God. 2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her
warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received
of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. 3 The voice of him that crieth
in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert
a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain
and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the
rough places plain: 5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all
flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. 6 The
voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the
goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: 7 The grass withereth, the
flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the
people is grass. 8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our
God shall stand for ever. 9 O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up
into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy
voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah,
Behold your God! 10 Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his
arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before
him.
When John the Baptist identified with this passage, it meant he was
announcing the immediate advent of the Messiah. This alerted the entire region
to the upcoming event, which had been discussed since the miraculous appearance
of the Star of Bethlehem. From the Star appearing before them all, to the boy
Jesus talking to the elders at the Temple, which was a second presentation
after His circumcision, people hoped. The nation, captive to Rome, felt the
divine energy of the Tanakh coming true – the arrival of the Virgin’s son, the Son
of David, the Messiah, the Prince of Peace!
This event is not
condensed into verses on war, slaughter, strength, and victory, but
shepherding.
Isaiah 40:10
Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for
him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. 11 He shall feed
his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry
them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
This continues the Two Natures of Christ theme. The Almighty God will come, as promised, His work before Him, as the Good Shepherd. Parallel to Psalm 23 and John 10, He will feed His flock, the way a shepherd does, providing protection from enemies, food, and pure water. He will watch over the lambs, carry the newborns close to Him, and gently lead those still nursing. Jesus Christ will reveal His Messianic role by attacking the enemies of the Gospel with His Word and by protecting those who trust in Him and need His guidance, nurture, and safety.
