The King Of The Eternal Kingdom (Isaiah 9:2-7)
Rev. William L. Barron, December 10, 2017Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
Advent also means looking forward to the second coming of Christ, His roles and His ministry. What is the significance of the first coming for us? The setting in Isaiah, who was seeing five centuries ahead. It was to become a land of darkness, centered in Zebulon and Naphtali, west of Galilee. This was the area of a great battlefield through the centuries. It was a place of gloom and despair, but which became Jesus' home base. As sons of Adam, we walk in darkness without Jesus. We cannot overcome sin ourselves. But, the light that came to the few tribes was to shine on all the nations. Seed time is a time of uncertainty, but harvest time is a time of celebration and great joy. God breaks the yoke of the oppressor, as he did to the Midianites in the time of Gideon. God uses a tiny force to defeat a mighty army. The light comes to a strange place in apparent weakness, using an unorthodox method. The light, the Savior, is born of a woman and the Holy Spirit, and it fully God and fully man. He fulfills the covenant. He applies His righteousness to hopeless sinners, enabling us to see the light of God. He is a baby boy but also the eternal Son of God. He dies, but is resurrected and is alive today, both as God and as man. We receive His life and His righteousness. He is also a king over a government that rules forever. Its increase and peace will have no end. This is the church. Jesus has four names, meaning ruling by means of absolute truth, with the power to carry it out with complete victory, being one with the Father with a love that has no end, with reconciliation between man and God, and man and man. The Kingdom has begun and will continue growing.
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
|---|---|---|
| « The Coming Of The King | None | The Shepherds' Dilemma » |
Isaiah 9:2–7 (Listen)
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.
(ESV)