For Unto Us A Son Is Given

Isaiah 9:1-7

Our Old Testament reading from the Christmas Lectionary takes a passage from the Prophet Isaiah that should be familiar to those who love Handel’s Oratorio, The Messiah.  One of the most beautiful parts of that oratorio is the singing of verse 6.

As our passage opens, Isaiah speaks of how the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali, both territories in the far northern part of Israel, in the area known as Galilee, are in spiritual darkness (vs. 1-2).  They are also the first to be attacked from enemy nations from the north. Isaiah prophesies that to these Galilean tribes a great light will come, and they will no longer be in darkness.  This would happen when God’s Son, the Lord Jesus would come to these people.  Many of the people of Judah, southern Israel, in Jesus’s day, looked down on Galileans, considering them more backwards, less sophisticated. But it was to them that most of the light of Jesus’s ministry was focused. Jesus is the Light, as we read in John 1:9 and John 8:12.

Galilee certainly was not the only place that was in great darkness. The whole world is in darkness.  It was back in the time of Isaiah, also at the time of Jesus, and certainly is today at the close of 2017. This darkness caused by sin and rejection of God goes down deep into the souls of all mankind.  God, though, has not left us in this darkness.  He sent His Son to redeem us from the darkness of sin, and bring us into His Light.

We read about this Son of God in verses 6 and 7 of our passage. Jesus, the second Person of the Trinity, came to earth, born as a baby.  He is God incarnate - taking on flesh and blood as a human. Verse 6 gives us some of the names that Isaiah prophesied of Him. The first is “wonderful”.  The coming of God, incarnate, to redeem mankind is something wonderful and marvelous.  It is a miracle of God’s love for us.

The second name given is “Counsellor”, which means an advisor, someone who gives us good guidance and direction.  Jesus does that for us believers today through the Holy Spirit.  Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit, as One who comes alongside of us to give us aid, counsel, and help. (John 14:16-18; 15:26; and 16:7-15).  We can trust that God will always give us the right advice and guidance, and lead us in the right direction.

The next name is “Mighty God”.  This verse proclaims that Jesus wasn’t just a good man who lived a good life and gave philosophical advice.  No, He was God Himself.  The angel Gabriel told Mary that the son she would bear is Emmanuel, meaning “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).   Jesus told His disciples that He and the Father are one.  To see Him was to see the Father (John 14:9). We read in Hebrews that Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory and the image of His person (Hebrews 1:1-3).

Another name that Isaiah gives the Messiah Jesus is “Everlasting Father”. Again, another statement in Scripture that Jesus and the Father are one.  Jesus was not a created being, but was eternal, everlasting, one with the Father (Colossians 1:15-19).  He was there as God in the beginning of all creation, and will remain God for all eternity.

The final name Isaiah gives is “Prince of Peace”.  One of the last things Jesus said to His disciples the night before He died was that He gives us, His believers, peace (John 14:27).  If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, follow and obey Him, and turn all of our cares and troubles over to Him, Jesus gives us peace (Philippians 4:6-7).

When Jesus returns, He will rule the world, and His government and dominion will be one of justice and peace (vs. 7).  Physically, Jesus was a descendant of King David, and as such, He has a right to his throne, from which He will rule.

This was the special gift that God gave to us many years ago on that first Christmas day.  Have you personally accepted that gift, and asked Jesus to come into your heart as your Savior?  If not, I urge you to accept that Christmas gift from God to you.  That Child, who is the Son of God, was sent for you!