If anybody is very uncomfortable about the weather or the temperature in here, there is a live stream feature up in the fellowship hall. There's two furnaces, so that furnace works. So if you're too chilly and you want to tune in, you can go upstairs and there will be a live stream feed there. So if anybody wants to, please go.

I was told to wait a minute in case anybody wants to go, but nobody's moving. But if you do decide to go up there, feel free to do so. Well, for our message this morning, you can turn with me to the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah chapter 9. Isaiah chapter 9, a very familiar passage of scripture at this time of the year, when we focus upon the Lord's incarnation, the coming of the second person of the Trinity into this world.

As John tells us in John 1.14, the Word became flesh. and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." And as we look at this particular passage, it's a promise of that Messianic King. So I want to read chapter 9, verses 1 to 7. Nevertheless, the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, as when at first he lightly esteemed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her. By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. You have multiplied the nation and increased its joy. They rejoice before you according to the joy of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For you have broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

For every warrior's sandal from the noisy battle and garments rolled in blood will be used for burning and fuel of fire. 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. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice. From that time forward, even forever, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Amen. Well, let us pray.

Opening Prayer

Our gracious God and Holy Father, we thank you for the written word of God. We thank you for the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and the saving of his people from their sins. We thank you for the glory of the incarnation. that the second person of the Trinity would take on our humanity in order to redeem our humanity. We give praise to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for this glorious redemption that you have wrought.

And we pray now that as we consider our blessed Savior in promised form, our hearts would be drawn out in worship and in praise and adoration. As well, God, we pray for those who are dead in their trespasses and sins, that You would awaken them by Your power, that Your Holy Spirit would bring that conviction for sin and set forth Christ in His offices to save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through Him. As well, Father, strengthen and sanctify and encourage each of our hearts, forgive us for all of our sin and transgression, and fill each one of us now with Your Holy Spirit. And we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen. Well, as I said,

Introduction

this is a very famous, popular, and obviously well-known passage of Scripture during December, typically every year. And the focus will be on verses 6 and 7, but first I want to look at the historical context, and then secondly, we'll look at the identification of the king, and then thirdly, the description of his kingdom. Because that is essentially what the prophet does in verses 6 and 7. He tells us, or he identifies for us, the coming king who will save his people from their sins, and then describes something concerning the kingdom that he will govern.

But

Historical Context of Isaiah 9

in terms of the historical context, Isaiah lived at an interesting time. He lived at the time when the northern kingdom was going to fall, and at a time when the southern kingdom needed to be encouraged, needed to be strengthened, and as well needed to be warned that they didn't follow suit along with the northern kingdom. And then we have this in chapter 8 in terms of the Assyrians and in terms of what they will render to the northern tribes. So on the heels of that, the Prophet then comes along and gives encouragement.

You'll find that often in the Prophets. You'll get a testimony, a promise of some destruction or some judgment. But always appended to that is a promise of blessing and mercy and a reality that God will not forsake His people. God will not forget His people. but God will vindicate, God remembers, and God visits with blessing.

So that's how chapter 9 verses 1 to 7 function. There's going to be bad, the northern kingdom's going to fall. There's going to be bad, eventually the southern kingdom's going to fall. But there's going to be blessing and good in a reunification of both houses of Israel under Messiah and a worldwide campaign of gospel preaching to the uttermost parts of the earth for the inclusion of sinners from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation.

So background, bad, but this in the foreground is a promise of good. So

Promise of Hope: Verses 1–2

notice this promise of hope for Israel in chapter 9 verses 1 to 2. Notice, nevertheless, this is on the heels of having been reminded that there is judgment coming. Nevertheless, the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, as when at first he lightly esteemed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. Those two places are very much important in the context.

When the Assyrians descended into Israel, these two tribes, these tribal allotments, would have been the first in the wake of the devastation and the decimation. So Zebulun and Naphtali, by virtue of where they're at geographically, would suffer this Assyrian incursion. And then notice, and afterward more heavily oppressed her by the way of the sea beyond the Jordan in Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. So the prophet says, though there has been bad or there will be bad, he oftentimes uses different verbal tenses. He speaks in the past and in the future, but he says, though the Northern tribes will fall, there is a day coming when they will be blessed. There is a day coming when the North and the South will be blessed in the Messiah.

Now that day is in the arrival of the Lord Jesus Christ. You can turn to Matthew chapter four. Matthew chapter 4, at the outset of our Lord's ministry, there is a direct fulfillment of this particular passage. It's imperative that we understand that the champion of verses 6 and 7 is the Lord Jesus.

It wasn't Hezekiah, it wasn't some other earthly king at the time of the monarchy, but it's rather a reference to the Messiah. As one man says, Isaiah is looking beyond the limits of historical kingship, since the exalted language used in 1-7 rules out any earthly king. The prophet looks forward to the ultimate king of Davidic line, the royal Messiah. So look at Matthew 4 at verse 12.

Now, when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region in shadow of death, light has dawned. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

So going back to the prophet in chapter 9, specifically verses 1 and 2, promise blessing after the decimation of the northern and southern tribes. And then

Reasons for Israel's Joy: Verses 3–5

notice that the prophet prophesies good things in verses three to five. Notice, he says, you have multiplied and increased its joy. They rejoice before you according to the joy of harvest as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. Again, in the context, and this is all going to help us as we move through a description of the kingdom and the identification of the king, there is this promise that there will be joy.

There's this promise that there will be blessing. There will be celebration. And if we ask the question, why will there be joy? Why will there be blessing?

Why will there be celebration? The prophet answers with three particulars. Notice in verse four, The people of Israel will undergo victory over their enemies. There will be great blessing because the enemies of God, the enemies of Israel, will be denounced.

They will be decimated. Verse 5 underscores the same thing. That as a result of this judgment from God against their enemies, they will enjoy peace. And then notice in verse 6, it all hinges upon this child who is born.

So the reasons for Israel's joy are found in verses 4, 5, and 6. 4, 4, and 4. Notice how each verse, 4, 5, and 6, begins with that word 4. You're going to know this joy because God is going to destroy your enemies. You're going to know this joy because there's going to be an abundance of peace among you.

And you're going to know this joy because of this child. You're going to know this joy because of this son. You're going to know this joy because of the Messiah of God Most High, the champion of Israel, the victor, the triumphant one, the supreme one, the one we read of in John 1.1, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. That one from John 1.14, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory.

So Israel's blessedness is looked forward to in terms of the coming of the Messiah of God Almighty. So that's the context. Now let's look at the identification of the king and the description of his kingdom.

Identification of the King

In the first place, how does God deal with his enemies? How does God deliver the death blow with his enemies? He does it through the birth of a child. He does it through the birth of a child.

Notice in verse 6,

A Child Born

for unto us a child is born. We would think we need the biggest, most baddest, strongest, and most vicious warrior in order to combat our enemies. But when God comes to deal with His enemies, He sends the Son of His love. And that second person of the Trinity takes on our humanity such that He is a child born.

This reminds us of Genesis chapter 3. You can go back there. Genesis chapter 3 is the first promise given concerning Messiah. And it tells us that Messiah would be a man.

The Messiah would be a child. The Messiah would be born of a woman. In Genesis 3, 15, I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

So the promise given to Israel concerning their deliverer always included a man. It always included a man born from a woman, and it always included that that man would start off, like every man does, as a child. Now in Galatians 4.4 it tells us that in the fullness of the times, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law. The incarnation is glorious because it is the means by which God Most High makes peace.

It is the means by which God most high renders judgment upon his enemies. It is the means by which God most high blesses his people profusely. But when we go back to the prophet, we see that he's not only a child born, and I'm separating these two parts because I think both deserve emphasis. For unto us a child is born, but then it says unto us a son is given.

A Son Given

It's not just born, but he comes as a gift. Genesis 3.15, I will put enmity. There will be a son born of a woman. And that son born of a woman will crush the head of the devil himself.

John 3.16, we've been going through that glorious gospel in our Sunday morning services. God so loved the world that he did what? He gave his only begotten son. I don't think it's any accident that Jesus uses that language in John 3.16.

It evokes the memory of the anticipation concerning the coming King. He's given to us. We don't deserve Him. We didn't ask for Him.

We didn't say, Lord, we've really messed things up. Can you send the second person of the Trinity to take on our humanity? Man did not come up with the scheme of redemption. It is God.

It is divine initiative. And not only is a child born, but he is a son that has been given to us. a divine profusion of blessing for the people of God. He is not deserved by us. He's not esteemed by us, as the prophet will go on later to say in chapter 53, there's nothing about him that attracts us to him, but because of God's sovereign grace, because God chose us in him before the foundation of the world, such that when God deals with us and opens our eyes to behold not only our sin and the wickedness of it, but to see the savior and the beauty of him, We know it's not because we deserved it, but because God is a gracious God.

God is a giving God. God provides for needy sinners what needy sinners stand in need of. Now, having said that, if you're a needy sinner here this morning, listen to what God says. There is a son given, and that son is given for the salvation of sinners.

So the idea is that you have violated God's law. You have transgressed God's law. You have lacked conformity to God's law. God calls you to live in a particular way, and you don't.

You choose to live in the opposite way. to kill instead of live. You choose to engage in sexual perversion instead of do what God says. You choose to blaspheme instead of honor him. And I'm not saying you, we all did this until God opened our eyes to that reality and showed us the son that he gave, the son that he provided, the son that hung on that cross, the way that that serpent hung on that pole, such that everybody who looked to him lived.

That's the emphasis in the prophet here. He is a child born, he is a son given. But

Universal Sovereignty

notice thirdly, he has universal sovereignty. Look at the language. The government will be upon his shoulder. The government will be upon his shoulder.

The idea is very clear. He rules all things. He governs all His creatures and all their actions. There's nothing outside of His purview.

There's nothing that exists out there that is somehow a renegade thing. The Lord Christ Most High has ascended to the position of universal empire. In fact, turn to John's Gospel, later in John's Gospel, in John chapter 18, where, interestingly, Jesus does exactly what Isaiah does in Isaiah chapter 9. When Jesus is before Pontius Pilate, Jesus is asked concerning his identity, and Jesus underscores that he is in fact a king, and he describes something concerning his kingdom, just like we see in verses 6 and 7 in Isaiah chapter 9.

But notice in John 18, specifically at verse 35, well, verse 36, Jesus, oh, back to verse 34. Sorry about that. Jesus answered him, are you speaking for yourself about this? Or did others tell you this concerning name?

Pilate answered, am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you to me. What have you done? Now notice what Jesus responds.

He starts first with his kingdom. and then with himself as king. So let's just invert the order that we find in the prophet for a moment. Notice he says, my kingdom is not of this world. My brethren, I think there's a lot of faulty understanding in this statement.

Because some will say, well, Jesus is Lord of the church, but the state is sovereign in her prerogative. And you just have to do whatever she says. No, Christ is not in terms of this world. In other words, my kingdom is not of this world.

It didn't originate from the world. I wasn't voted into office. I didn't run a campaign. It wasn't dynastic in terms of the way men conduct earthly kingdoms.

My kingdom is not of this world, but it certainly includes this world. in the mediatorial reign of our Lord Jesus. In Matthew 28, 18 to 20, he says, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. So when he says, my kingdom is not of this world, he doesn't mean that his kingdom doesn't involve this world. It doesn't originate from the world.

Now notice, he says, if my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight. Jesus authorizes or legitimizes the use of violence in a sin-cursed world. He does that. He may not do it in some sort of an ethical treatise, but he says, if my kingdom did originate from this world, if I was a competitor to Pontius Pilate, if I was a competitor to Caesar, if I was a competitor in the earthly sense, know this, my servants would fight.

And what's the implication? My servants would win. In other words, Pilate, you have no authority except what has been given to you from on high, and what you're engaged in right now is according to my purpose and to my plan. But then notice what he goes on to say, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now my kingdom is not from here.

Now notice the question. Pilate therefore said to him, are you a king then? Jesus answered, you say rightly that I am a king, for this cause I was born. The only mention of the birth of Jesus in John's gospel, and it's a royal purpose.

John deals with the incarnation. John deals with theology in John 1, 1 to 18. As I mentioned before, in the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God and the Word was God.

That Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. But where do Matthew and Luke start? They start in Bethlehem. They start with a baby born.

They start with that child that is born. The only reference to Jesus' birth in John's gospel is before Pontius Pilate, and it's a royal purpose. The thing that ought to disturb us at Christmas time is that everybody likes to have gentle Jesus, meek and mild, in his infantile state, in a manger, in a position that is non-threatening. in a position that is absolutely tamable, in a position that is absolutely manipulated by us. The Bible tells us that with reference to the royal reign of Jesus Christ, it is the purpose for which he was born.

That's what he says to Pontius Pilate. This is the same thought or concept in Isaiah 9, 6. The government will be upon his shoulders. Isn't that encouraging?

The government isn't on our shoulders. The government isn't on Justin Trudeau's shoulders. The government isn't on Joe Biden's shoulders. If all there is is what we see, this is far more messed up than you and I had ever even imagined.

But Christ at the right hand of God Most High rules. He reigns. He's sovereign. He has universal empire.

That's the emphasis in Matthew 28. That's the emphasis in Ephesians chapter 1, 19 to 23. He's exalted at the right hand of God, far above all principality and power and dominion and every name that is named in this age and in that which is to come. When John the Apostle comes to write his letter to the churches of Asia Minor that were suffering for the cause of Jesus Christ, he starts off with a Trinitarian greeting in Revelation chapter one.

And he mentions that Jesus Christ now, right now, at the time that he wrote, is the ruler over the kings of the earth. I think the church needs a fresh dose of that medicine because these are discouraging times in which we live. These are troubling times in which we experience. And yet Christ is over all these things presently.

He's ruler over the kings of the earth. And you might say, well, you know, you mentioned a couple of guys that are over us and it wasn't that bad back then. Nero was no friend of the church of Jesus, brethren. The earthly rulers and political leaders that obtained at the time of the Roman Empire weren't godly upright men.

If you read about that period in history, it was wicked, it was debauched, it was wretched. I mean, we decry the sin, the crime of abortion. We think that this is the only time that we've ever experienced. Abortion's always been.

In the first century, the Church of Jesus Christ lived in a pagan environment where abortion was more often rendered by infanticide. If you had a baby girl, they weren't as helpful to the family unit, so you basically just threw it out with the trash. If the dogs got it, or if pimps or persons that came to prostitute people got it, well, that's just the way it happened. It was a wicked season in the history of the world.

And yet, what was the anthem for the early church? Yahweh said to my Lord, sit at my right hand till I make all of your enemies your footstool. In other words, the thought of Christ being a universal sovereign steeled the blood of the saints in the early church. They were not cowards.

They were not wimps. They were not ones that ran from the various issues that faced them, but they preached King Jesus in the midst of it. They preach the glory of this universal empire resting upon the Son of God's love. And then notice, back in verse 37, you say rightly that I am a king.

For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice. How does Christ conquer? He does it through His Word.

In Revelation 19, you have that description of the rider on the white horse. And there's a sword that does what? It proceeds from His mouth. It is the Word of God by which He saves enemies.

It is the Word of God by which He damns enemies. It is the Word of God by which He rules the nations at this particular time. but Christ has universal empire. Spurgeon said, Our Lord, in effect, tells us that truth is the preeminent characteristic of His kingdom and that His royal power over men's hearts is through the truth. We sing with Watts, He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness.

So going back to the prophet Isaiah, This one promised to Israel is a child born. This one promised to Israel is a son given. And this one promised to Israel is one upon whose shoulders the government of the universe is placed. If you cannot find solace, comfort, joy, and encouragement there, then you need to repent.

Your King, your Savior, your Lord is in absolute control. He is in absolute charge. Everything that happens, happens according to His plan, His purpose, and His will. And as the people of God, instead of complaining, instead of murmuring, instead of grumbling, we ought to rejoice in the triumph of our blessed Savior and in His position of royal authority at the right hand of the Father.

But then notice,

The Names of the King

the prophet now gives us specific descriptions or identifiers of our blessed Savior. So back to Isaiah 9, 6, after the government will be upon his shoulder, he then says his name will be called Wonderful Counselor. Wonderful Counselor. I hope you see the connection that the one upon whose shoulders the government of all things has been entrusted actually has the ability to carry out the task.

Right? If he wasn't wonderful counselor, and he had this authority, we might be in a sad state. Again, go back to our own places of political rule. They have lots of authority.

But when mixed with incompetence, that doesn't prove blessing for the people. But when you have royal authority and power, and absolute omnicompetence, Then the children of God can sleep peaceably at night. Notice the emphasis on wonderful counselor. What does he mean by wonderful counselor?

I think we all get the counselor. He speaks good things to us by his word. In John 14, six, he says, I am the way, the truth and the life. In John 18, we've just seen that he advances his kingdom by the truth so that counselor aspect is very obvious, but what's wonderful about it?

Ralph Davis makes the observation that wonderful here is probably something like divine. He is deity. And the wonder element, I'm just quoting Davis, implies deity. It is really equivalent to supernatural.

He gives us a few parallel uses. Genesis 18, 14. Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? The New King James renders it hard, but the same sort of idea.

Psalm 139. The psalmist says, such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high. I cannot attain it.

Yeah, it's good in terms of quality, but it's good in terms of its divine characteristic. And then as well in Isaiah 28-29, this also comes from the Lord of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance. Davis summarizes the use of the same kind of terminology here in verse 6, points to the child's deity. He's wonderful counselor.

He's divine. He's both God and man according to Genesis 3, 15, according to Isaiah 9, 6, according to John 1, 1 to 18. The blessed hypostatic union wasn't an invention in the New Testament. You see it alluded to here.

You see the two natures in the one person. He's a child born. He's a son given, but he's wonderful counselor. And I almost call him the apostle.

The prophet doesn't stop there. He continues to predicate concerning this particular Savior, His divinity. Alec Mottier makes this observation concerning the connection. He says, the decisions of a king make or break a kingdom, and a kingdom designed to be everlasting demands a wisdom like that of the everlasting God.

And then when we turn to the New Testament scriptures, is Jesus a wonderful counselor? Certainly he's divine. Is he a great counselor? In Colossians 2, the apostle tells us that all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden where?

They're hidden in Christ. Believer, you have access to the mind of Christ. You have the word of the living and true God. You have the ability for counsel.

You have the ability for stability. You have the ability to be instructed and encouraged for this wayward world. You have everything that comes from this child, this son, this one who has universal empire, this one who is God, and this one who gives counsel to his needy people. But then notice what he goes on to say.

Wonderful counselor. And then he says, mighty God. Has anybody ever engaged in Jehovah's Witnesses at this text? What do they say?

They say, well, he's mighty God, but it doesn't call him almighty God. You know what that demonstrates? They're dumb. The Bible refers to Yahweh of Israel as mighty God.

It does so in the prophet Isaiah, specifically in chapter 10, a whole chapter over in verse 21. The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob to the what? to the mighty God. Yahweh is referred to as mighty God in Deuteronomy 10 at verse 21. He's referred to mighty God in Jeremiah 32 at verse 18.

So the fact that he's mighty God does not invalidate the doctrine of the triune God. Rather, it underscores it, it highlights it, it demonstrates His consubstantiality with the Father. As the Father is divine, so is the Son. They have the same divinity, three subsistences in the one divine essence.

But back to the text. Notice, mighty God. John Calvin says he is therefore called the mighty God for the same reason that he was formerly called Emmanuel in Isaiah 7, 14. He says, for if we find in Christ nothing but the flesh and nature of man, our glorying will be foolish and vain, and our hope will rest on an uncertain and insecure foundation.

But if he shows himself to be to us God and the mighty God, we may now rely on him with safety. Now because we're in John's gospel, because we've recently gone through chapter 2 in our confession study, and we have rehearsed the multiplicity of texts that demonstrate that Christ is in fact the second person of the triune God, we won't duplicate that here. But look at John 1, look at John 20, look at Romans 9, look at Titus 2. Look at 2 Peter 1, look at how the New Testament authors refer to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Yes, according to his true humanity, he sorrowed, he wept, he bled, he suffered, he died. But according to his divinity as well, he's the creator, John 1, 3. He is the sustainer, Colossians 1, 17. And he certainly is the redeemer as we find all throughout the New Testament.

Divine works are predicated of our blessed Savior. He is God. He is almighty God. But then notice next, he says, everlasting Father.

Everlasting Father. Now, I think this confuses persons at times, but let me just try to explain it. The Son is not the Father, and the Father is not the Son. Brethren, we are not Sibelians.

There is distinction between the persons. The Father is unbegotten, the Son is begotten from the Father, and the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. It is those eternal relations of origin that distinguish the persons of the triune God, each person having the whole divine essence. All of that is Trinitarian theology.

I think the movement here has to do with Christ's relation to his people. Christ's relation to his people. He's a child born, he's a son given, he has universal empire, and he is, in fact, wonderful counselor and mighty God, which underscore, again, his divinity. But it's not this cold, far-removed, distant, machine-like divinity.

He's an everlasting Father to us. He is the God who is able, as the Apostle says in Hebrews chapter 4, to sympathize with us in our infirmities. He is our everlasting father in a redemptive sense, in a relational sense. He is the head of the church.

He is the one to whom we go in times of need. He is that blessed one who affords protection and provision and kindness and love. The emphasis here is on that connection that he bears with his people. Turretin says he is a child born in time as man, but also a son who is the father of eternity, as God.

And then look at the last statement that he makes concerning the identification of the king. He calls him Prince of Peace. We're just saying that, didn't we? Prince of peace.

And what do you think about when you think about peace? Don't answer, but you think about the absence of chaos, right? You think about the absence of issue. You think about the absence of tension.

You think about the absence of disruption. Peace is that wholeness and that completeness, that shalom that the Hebrews really emphasized and really wanted and really wanted to enjoy. But in terms of this prophecy concerning him as Prince of Peace, we're not to think of Jesus as a hippie. The way that peace is gained and garnered is through strength and power.

Go back for just a moment to verse 4. For you have broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder. I think that's probably a referent to the Exodus. The way that God has dealt with enemies in the past is the way that you can expect God to deal with enemies in the future, right?

The way that God broke the back of Egyptian oppression was through 10 plagues, which culminated in the death of the firstborn in Egypt. Now when Israel marched with boldness out of the confines of Egypt, the Egyptian army gave chase. What happened to them? The Lord God Most High opened the Red Sea so that the children of Israel could peacefully walk through there.

And then the army of Pharaoh went in behind them, their chariot wheels fell off. They had, at least for a moment, a recognition that things aren't gonna go well for us today. And then those waters of water or walls of water collapsed upon them. That's how peace is achieved.

Then notice what he goes on to say in verse four. He says, the rot of his oppressor as in the day of Midian, most likely a reference to Judges 6 to 8. Remember the Midianites were the foe, the resistance, the opposers rather of the nation of Israel. And in Judges chapter six to eight, God raised up a judge, a deliverer, a savior by the name of Gideon.

And remember the Lord tells Gideon to whittle down the troops. You need only 300. When it comes time to battle though, you know how peace was achieved? It wasn't through an exchange of watches and chocolates in Geneva.

It was exchanged through bloodshed. In Judges chapter eight specifically, you had the Israelites with the sword of the Lord and Gideon. Do you know what Yahweh did to the enemies? That were more numerous than locusts, the text tells us.

He turned them against each other. He confused them in such a way that Midianites killed Midianites. Amalekites killed Amalekites. Midianites likely killed Amalekites.

Amalekites likely killed Midianites. You get the point. You had 300 Israelites against all of these enemies and peace was the end game. Well, brethren, I know that it's not sort of politically savvy or correct to say this today, but peace is gained through strength.

Peace is gained through victory. Peace is gained through power. And as New Testament Christians, we shouldn't be surprised by that. In Romans 5.1, it says, therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God.

But how did that peace come along? That peace came along through the life, the death, and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, it was a hard fought peace. As well, you have that statement in Colossians chapter 1.

You can turn there to see that peace comes through victory. Peace comes through strength. Peace comes through power. The Prince of Peace, again, isn't Jesus the hippie that says, let's drink chamomile tea and dialogue.

Christ reigns with a rod of iron. Christ shatters his enemies. Christ decimates those opposers. Notice in Colossians 1, at verse 19, for it pleased the Father that in him all the fullness should dwell, and by him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Notice, having made peace through what? The blood. of his cross. Gordon Clark says, when we pause to consider, this is staggering, the preceding verses have described Christ in transcendent terms. He was the creator in whom all the fullness dwells, the heir of the universe for which it was created.

Now when the creator of heaven and earth, the creator himself voluntarily suffered on the cross for our sins, we can only stand in awe and worship. So this idea, or moniker, or nomenclature of Christ as Prince of Peace, again, we received the benefit, we received the blessing, we received the goodness from it, but it was a fought-for peace. It was a blood-shed-gotten peace. And not just in the spiritual realm.

Turn over to Revelation chapter 6. Revelation chapter 6. My view of revelation is that the object of judgment in this book is Jerusalem. Now, various persons will disagree with that proposition, and that's fine.

I think we can all go to heaven, well, not all of us, but those in Christ, believing that or not. But the purpose or the idea is that somebody is a target of destruction. Somebody is an object of judgment. Whatever you may see that to be, whatever you may perceive that to be, it should be within the realms, obviously, of exegetical responsibility and theological consistency and that sort of thing.

Again, I think the book of Revelation is the big apocalypse. I think it's Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, expanded and commented on, and developed, and theologized, and its application given to the churches. But again, persons don't always agree with that, but somebody, somehow, at some time, is getting judged, according to the book of Revelation. So let's pick up in Revelation 6, at the opening of the sixth seal.

Revelation 6 at verse 12. I looked when he opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.

And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave, and every free man, Notice what they do. They hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and the rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath, notice, of the lamb. You mean the prince of peace is also called the, there's wrath of the lamb? How do you think he gets peace?

How do you think peace is achieved? Do you think it's manufactured by Google and pumped out into society? Or do you think there is a child born, a son given, who has universal empire, who is wonderful counselor, who is mighty God, who is everlasting father, who is the prince of peace, that secures that peace by at times crushing heads. Notice.

And they said to the mountains and the rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb. For the great day of his wrath has come and who is able to stand? Great question. And a question that the church should take seriously and it should add something to our gospel preaching that Paul the apostle knew of in 2nd Corinthians.

He says, knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we do what? We persuade men. We preach a God without law, a God without judgment, a God who only ever promises happiness, and we wonder why persons aren't alarmed. Well, we've fashioned Jesus into an idol in the service of man in the Western world.

We need to preach the thunder of Sinai, the blessed balm of Gilead in the Gospel, and the reality that if you refuse, You reject, you resist, you will stand before this one who has wrath and who will consign his enemies to the lake of fire. So back to Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6, we have a robust identification of the king. Harman says, taken together, the terms speak of the child as one who will instruct with wisdom, which is divine, who will act in power as the mighty God, who will love and care for his children eternally, and whose coming will bring lasting peace and blessing. It's most glorious.

Description of the Kingdom

Now let's look thirdly and finally at the description of the kingdom. Four things that we can say here.

The Kingdom Is Everlasting

First, this kingdom is everlasting. His kingdom is everlasting. Again, a passage that comes up often in December time is Luke chapter 1. The promise concerning the Davidic son.

It says that of his kingdom there will be no end. You see that in verse 7 of the increase of his government and peace. There will be no end. We have by grace entered into an eternal kingdom.

We have by grace entered into something that is most glorious and most blessed. Brethren, I suggest when you read Revelation 21 and 22 and those glowing and glorious descriptions about the new Jerusalem, you realize that it's never gonna come to an end. Have you ever gone anywhere really good as a kid? It always comes to an end, doesn't it?

Have you ever gone anywhere really good as an adult? It always comes to an end. But when we enter into that blessed state, we'll know something of what Newton meant when he said, when we've been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing his praise than when we first begun. It is an everlasting kingdom.

Those words should steal our souls. It should give us courage. It should give us strength. It should give us meaning.

It should give us sense concerning all of the nonsense that we see around us. And it's not just a promise of its everlastingness, but there's a promise as well of its pervasiveness. of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. Search the Psalms and the Prophets and you'll see things like the knowledge of Yahweh will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Think about that language, the waters cover the sea.

Well, of course they do. Well, as profusive as waters covering the sea is, so will the knowledge of Yahweh. You get that in Psalm 72, a psalm that Canada has in its history that is absolutely rejected. The Canadian concept of Christ having dominion from sea to sea, which comes right out of Psalm 72 and has been utilized in Canadian history to sort of make things nice and noble in our country.

Brethren, it's high time that we return to that as a nation and confess the kingship and the glory of the Son of God. But with reference to the comprehensiveness of His kingdom, you have the promise of God. Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end.

The Kingdom Is Covenantal

Notice, secondly, the kingdom is covenantal. It says, upon the throne of David and all over his kingdom. I mentioned last week, we won't duplicate that effort here, but in 2 Samuel 7, there is what's called the Davidic Covenant, a promise of God or by God to David that from David's line, one would take David's throne, would sit upon that throne, and would reign in an everlasting manner. So this promise is connected to God's covenant, which means that it is absolutely true.

It is absolutely sure. When God appears to Moses via the burning bush, Moses asks, who do I say sent me? And God reveals the name, I am who I am. And then in verse 15 of Exodus chapter 3, he invokes the covenant.

I'm the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. What does that mean? It means any thought that you may have ever had that this won't come to fruition, banish it. Because the God of covenant is the God of absolute, absolute faithfulness. and integrity and veracity.

And we see that Jesus sits upon David's throne again in Luke 1 and then in Acts 2 at 30 and 31.

The Kingdom Is Just

The kingdom thirdly is just. The kingdom thirdly is just. Notice what he says, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward even forever. Don't we just long for justice?

I mean, we're righteous, right? I mean, we're not noble people. We've got, you know, a whole multitude of sins and enough in us to keep us in hell for an eternity of eternities, and yet there's something in us that is just upset about the The double standards that seem to be obtaining in life today, where somebody, if you're affiliated with the right political party, everything is golden. You're fine.

There'll be no, you know, recompense or no judgment, no nothing for anything you ever do. But if you're associated on the other side, you're treated like a demon. You're treated like a pariah. You're treated like something that is an unclean thing.

That bugs us, doesn't it? I think this would be a place in a black church down in LA, we'd say, can I get an amen? Yeah, it bugs us. We're created in the image of God.

We want righteousness. We want justice. We want God to beat God in terms of his enemies and of his friends. And we have the sure promise of God that he will.

So while earthly rulers, earthly kings, earthly magistrates, earthly governments may mess up and do, God most high doesn't. That ought to encourage the people of God, and it ought to terrify the non-people of God. You're not going to get by. He's not going to just wink and pretend he didn't see you do those things.

No. The earmark of God's throne is righteousness and justice. Psalm 97-2 tells us that. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.

Turn just over one, two chapters over to the book of Isaiah, chapter 11. Isaiah chapter 11. I've told you before that the Jews are the messianic expectation. Some actually believed a blind Messiah.

They actually believed that the Messiah would be blind. It was based on Isaiah 11. Look at what we find in verse 1. There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse. and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and he shall not judge by the sight of his eyes, nor decide by the hearing of his ears." I think it was not only that he would be blind, but he would be deaf. Again, it's connected to this text. What's the implication?

You've all seen Lady Justice holding her scales, What does Lady Justice have over her eyes? She's got a blindfold. What's the point? You do not judge based on appearance.

You judge based on facts. You judge based on evidence. You judge based on objectivity. The Old Testament prohibits judges from being partial to the poor.

Why is that? Because a judge isn't supposed to rule in the favor of somebody just because they're poor. He's supposed to rule in their favor because they're right. You see, that's what Messiah is committed to.

That is the foundation of his throne. So verse three, his delight is in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by the sight of his eyes nor decide by the hearing of his ears. But with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.

He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips, he shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his loins and faithfulness the belt of his waist. So going back to 9.7, of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. It is an everlasting covenant. an everlasting kingdom upon the throne of David and over his kingdom.

It's a covenantal establishment. And then notice the justice of it, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. Again, brethren, that ought to encourage us, it ought to strengthen us, and it ought to give us that hope and that blessed realization that whatever happens on this side of heaven, whatever goes on in this lower world, God is conscious of it. God understands, God knows, and God is over it and in control of it.

And if there has been a misuse in the justice system, we have this one thing sure, on that day of judgment, when we all stand before the Lord Christ to give an account of deeds done in the body, whether good or evil, it's not going to be lopsided. It's not gonna be two-tiered justice system. It's not gonna be He judges us based on feelings or emotions. It will be right, it will be just, and it will be most perfect. because it is consistent with the one who is described for us in verse 6.

And then finally,

The Kingdom Is Secure

notice that the kingdom is secure. It's everlasting, it's covenantal, it's just, and it's secure. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Notice, the zeal of the Church of Christ will make sure this happens.

That's not what it says. We do our best as the Bride of Christ to function in the way that He commands us and calls us, but it's His project. It's his endeavor. It's his kingdom.

It's his power. It's his reign. It's his rule. It's his government because it's been laid upon his shoulder.

And he is most worthy and most qualified and most excellent to carry this out. And we have the backing of heaven itself described by the prophet as the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Praise God Almighty.

Application

In conclusion, three thoughts and then we'll go. First, the glory of His person. The glory of His person, divine and human. He is a child born.

He was in a womb. He passed out of the womb. He took his first breath as a human. He ate, he suckled, he had all the things that were true of humanity, yet without sin.

So he is a child born, and then dropping down, he's mighty God. John Owen says that the same person should be the mighty God and a child born is neither conceivable or possible, nor can be true, but by the union of the divine and human natures in the same person. The glory of Christ is seen, obviously, in a whole host of ways. But at this time of the year, we reflect upon His incarnation.

We reflect upon the blessedness of John 1-1 and John 1-14. The one who was in the beginning with God, the one who was in the beginning distinct from God, and yet God, is the one who came among us, who tabernacled among us, who took on our humanity with all the essential properties, everything that is true of man, He took on. And all of the common infirmities, He hungered, He thirsted, He suffered, He died. and yet without sin. And he did that for us men and for our salvation.

Secondly, the nature of his kingdom. The nature of his kingdom, it is present. When I was a kid, peanuts was a big deal. The Charlie Brown cartoons.

I don't know if they're still around, but they had I know Charles Schultz isn't, obviously he went to be, I think with Jesus, he was a believer as far as I know. But Charlie Brown obviously had some psychoses and he needed to work out his issues and that sort of thing. And Lucy was his therapist, Lucy was his counselor and she had a little booth set up just for Charlie Brown and it would say, the doctor is in. If she wasn't in, it would cover that block.

And when she got into her little booth, she'd take that little placard off and it said, the doctor is in. I think that Christians today are living as if Lucy's not in the booth. They're living as if the doctor's not in. They're living as if we're waiting for Jesus to take His throne.

We're waiting, anticipating for Jesus to assume what the prophet Isaiah says that He's gonna assume in verse 7. We're anxiously hunkering down and hoping for that day. That day's upon us. That day is connected to the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ in Acts 2, verses 30 and 31.

At the resurrection and then the ascension, Jesus sat down on the throne of David. That's what Peter says on the day of Pentecost. The same is true in Revelation 1, I mentioned earlier. He is the ruler over the kings of the earth.

In other words, brethren, the king is in. We're not waiting for him to take his throne. We're not waiting in anticipation for him to occupy that position of power and judgment. He is there now.

And again, that should comfort us. It should encourage us. It should strengthen us. It should help us.

But as well, that kingdom is powerful. Listen again to Calvin. He says, God not only protects and defends the kingdom, but also extends its boundaries far and wide, and then preserves and carries it forward in uninterrupted progression to eternity. We ought firmly to believe this, that the frequency of those shocks by which the church is shaken may not weaken our faith when we learn that amidst the mad outcry and violent attacks of the enemies, the kingdom of Christ stands firm through the invincible power of God.

So that though the whole world should oppose and resist, it will remain through all ages. We must not judge of its stability from the present appearances of things, but from the promise which assures us of its continuance and of its constant increase. Brethren, I could have never said that the way he said that. If you didn't get that, email me, you need it.

Write it on a 3x5 card, attach it to your head, and understand the implications of that. There are shocks. There are assaults. There is affliction in the church.

There are trials and tumults, both external and internal. Just like Israel, we face the Philistines and we face subversion. With reference to the church, Jesus never promised that it's going to be, you know, bluebirds and rose petals conducting you to heaven. There will be tribulation, John 16, but be of good cheer, I've overcome the world.

That's what Christ promises his people. And that's what Calvin points us to in terms of understanding the power of the kingdom. The glory of God most high is seen in the stability, the security and the advancement of Christ's kingdom. And then the final thought is the possession of that kingdom.

How do I possess? How do I own out? Do I have an interest in this? Well, by God's grace.

Colossians 1, the apostle says that the Father transferred us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of His love. It's by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. So that whenever a sinner looks onto the Lord Jesus, believes on him the way that Philippian jailer did in Acts 16. Remember that was Paul and Silas' instruction.

Sirs, what must I do to be saved? In essence, he's saying, sirs, what must I do to enter into this kingdom? Sirs, what must I do to possess this blessed reality that I've seen in Isaiah 9, 7? What do I do?

They said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. So entrance into this kingdom isn't based on your merit. It's not based on your good performance. It's not based on your law keeping because you have none of that.

It's based on the grace of God and the instrument of faith in Jesus. And this is your take home message today. If you are not a believer in Christ, if you are not a Christian today, if you are not baptized, if you are not a participant at the Lord's Supper, if you cannot say concerning Jesus that he loved me and he gave himself for me, listen to this word, believe on him. Look to him, listen to his words in John 3, 14.

Just as Moses lifted up the serpent, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. And we know the lesson from Numbers. When that serpent was lifted, the people that had been bitten by the fiery serpents, they looked at it and they lived. What's the take-home message?

Look to Jesus and you will live. Look to Jesus and you will be a possessor, not as the sovereign, of this kingdom that the prophet anticipates.

Closing Prayer

Well, let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for not only the King, but the kingdom, both described by the prophet in terms of promise and anticipation, and how we thank you that we live in that time of realization and fulfillment. And God, we know that Christ right now is at the right hand of the Father. We know that he has universal rule and reign over all things.

And we know that he exercises that for the good of the church, according to Paul in Ephesians 1. And Lord God, as we, in the Western world are starting to see a bit of a season of oppression, as many in other parts of the world have been going through great trial and great persecution. May you direct all of our minds and all of our hearts to the right hand of God Most High, where Christ rules and reigns over all things. May you strengthen us, may you build us up in our most holy faith, may you cause us to be courageous in terms of our testimony for this king and for his kingdom.

And God be merciful to any and all who are here this morning who have not believed the gospel. We pray that today would be the day of salvation, that you would open their hearts and grant them the graces of faith and repentance. And we ask through Jesus Christ, our Lord, amen. Well, you can stand and turn in your hymn books to 568. 568 will sing the doxology in praise to our triune God. ♪ Praise God from whom all blessings flow ♪ ♪ Praise He, all creatures here below ♪ ♪ Praise Him above the earth below ♪ And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth.

Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders. And the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice, worthy is the lamb who is slain to receive power and riches and wisdom. and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be to him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever. And the four living creatures said, Amen.

And the 24 elders fell down and worshiped him who lives forever and ever. Our blessed God, we thank you for your son. We thank you that he was a child born, that he is a son given, that the government has been laid upon his shoulder. And God, may this encourage and strengthen us as the church of the Lord Jesus in this lower world.

Give us grace and strength to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, and give us the boldness and the courage to hold forth your word of truth. And God, we pray that today, wherever this gospel is preached, sinners by grace would believe and be saved. And we ask in the name and for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen. You may be seated for a brief time of meditation.

Scripture References

• Genesis 3:15; 18:14
• Exodus 3:15
• Numbers 21:8-9
• Deuteronomy 10:21
• Judges 6-8
• 2 Samuel 7
• Psalms 72; 97:2; 139
• Isaiah 7:14; 9:1-7; 10:21; 11:1-5; 28:29; 53
• Jeremiah 32:18
• Matthew 4:12-17; 24; 28:18-20
• Mark 13
• Luke 1:33; 21
• John 1:1-18; 3:14; 3:16; 14:6; 16:33; 18:34-37; 20
• Acts 2:30-31; 16:30-31
• Romans 5:1; 9
• 2 Corinthians 5:11
• Galatians 4:4
• Ephesians 1:19-23
• Colossians 1:13; 1:17; 1:19-20; 2:3
• Titus 2
• Hebrews 4:15
• 2 Peter 1
• Revelation 1:5; 6:12-17; 19; 21-22