The 'New' Kingdom Of David (Isaiah 9:1-12)
Rev. William L. Barron, December 16, 2018Part of the Advent Series: Christ Coming To Build His Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
What government is the prophet talking about? God is sovereign over all governments, even wicked ones. This being the case, we are commanded to pray for governments and pay our taxes to them. Here in Isaiah, the prophet is referring to the eternal governance of the King of Kings, the one who sits on the throne of David. John the Baptist preached that the Kingdom is near. Jesus taught that the Kingdom is in your midst; that your King is here. We may ask now, if the Kingdom is here, or is it coming? The answer is both. It is here, but not yet fulfilled. Jesus promised to come back in triumph to reign. This is what the prophet was referring to. His government and peace will increase and have no end. It will not be fulfilled by force. The Kingdom of God and the church we see are not the same. The Kingdom of God and the true Church are the same. Jesus is the head of the true Church and also the Kingdom of God. In Matthew 16 we see that Jesus is building His Church. The Holy Spirit come in power to the Church at Pentecost. In 1 Corinthians 3 we see that God brings the increase to His Kingdom. There are two marks of the Kingdom of God: 1) it will increase and 2) it will be upheld with justice and righteousness. Believers, citizens of the Kingdom, will receive the imputation of Christ's righteousness. They will also enjoy the righteous rule of the King. Justice and righteousness are synonymous. They are attributes of the most holy God. Justice is a critical attribute. It is fulfilled in Christ, who meets the standard of God's justice and pays the price of the debt we have incurred through our sin. The true Church, the kingdom in our midst, is built through the proclamation of the Gospel. We are now between two advents of Christ. Is Satan in control? No--God is sovereign, including between the two advents. Satan is bound; he is limited or put on a leash, so to speak. We should be comforted by the fact that the second advent will come, and come suddenly in the fullness of time.
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
|---|---|---|
| « Rejoice, Your King Is Coming | None | This Child, What's His Name? » |
Isaiah 9:1–12 (Listen)
9:1 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.
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.
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.
(ESV)