From Gloom to Glory, Darkness to Light
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Isaiah 9:1-7
Isaiah 9:1-7
700 Years Prior, hightenened political tensions bringing theats of war and subjugation, captive to assyria, the nation had turned to selfishness immorality and ijustice, in this time of uncertainty and fear that he saw hope peace and joy to thee world
The prophecies of Isaiah took place during the rise of the Assyrian Empire. Assyria posed a great threat to Israel and Judah as well as the entire Near East.
God’s rebellious people craving worldly security
The question forced upon Judah by this threat was one of trust: in what will God’s people trust for salvation—in human strategies of self-rescue, or in prophetic promises of divine grace?
Isaiah actual fortells this fall into assyria and evntually babylon and the exile of God’s people
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.
And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.
Judgement was pronounced upon Israel,
Often once we hear judgement despair all is lost, we see the word But
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.
Land of Zebulun and Naphtali, two tribes of israel, sons of Jacob and the land that had been given to them
Not being to particular about time, formerly gloom and later glory
In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and he carried the people captive to Assyria.
- Former gloom Isaiah is talking about
Now comes the later times
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.
Glory is going to come instead of gloom, doesn’t say how yet but hes going to
Not just for the Jews but for all, and this was a place where the border was porous, the promise of Glory is not just for Israel but for the Nations
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.
Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
- Jesus knowing the prophesies and fulfilling them
Jesus is the light here
IF you want to be a part of the light, REpent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
The point is the prophets searched and inquired what person and time the
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light and unto us a son is born” Isaiah knows somehow this stuff is going to happen, he did not know too much.
Verse: On him the iniquity of man will be laid.
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.
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
The Nation in Isaiah 9:3 is so much more than the Jews, he has multiplied the nation
Increase Joy: Rejoices as with Joy at Harvest AND glad when they divid spoil
At harvest we are glad our needs are met
We are glad when the enemy is defeated
Gladness at Harvest and Victory
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.
He has broken the back of our enemies.
And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts in abundance, and their camels were without number, as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance.
Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled. When they blew the 300 trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.
You broke our enemies, you did it in such a way only the lord could have done it, miraculous
Stunning victory… COMPLETE victory
For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
They aren’t just defeated but super defeated and become useful even in their death for God’s people.
Example of this:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
God has broken the back off all the things shall tribulation...
IN breaking the back and removing the rod, but he keeps these things here so has the victory not been won? NO we are MORE than conqurers.
BURNED FOR FUEL AS THE FIRE
They become fuel for the fire, they actually serve to strengthen christians deepen our faith and make us more united to Christ. God get’s a great victory.
EVen though there will still be battle, the victory is won and even in the battle God is using these things for our good, they will be useful for us.
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.
So we see the oppressor become the fuel, the oppressor becomes the servant so who becomes the oppressor, the one in charge.
Wise
Strong
Caring
Bringer of Peace/Shalom
Wise, Strong, Caring, Governance that leads to peace
The child that is born and is going to govern
This also comes from the Lord of hosts;
he is wonderful in counsel
and excellent in wisdom.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
God is a counselor, before he does anything he takes counsel in his own will:
How does this apply to us?
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
The point is God’s counsel is never improved upon by us, we have no business telling God what is wise. We are not his counselor, he is ours.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
That fatherly counsel is coming to us
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
He is a wonderful counselor, both in counseling himself as to his will and how he leads us
Mighty God, he is a strong governor
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
This SON is God.
Everlasting Father, the son is called the father, what are we to make of that?
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
When Jesus dies for sinners and produces a family, even though God the father is the uniquely the father of all this, Jesus becomes a kind father of those who he brings into being as new forgiven creatures of God
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
Jesus becomes the parent, so there is a sense in which whil God is THE Father, JEsus is Father’Like in significant ways.
Prince of Peace: Isaiah 11:6-9
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
Peace at EVERY level
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
That brought us peace. a Healing peace that comes through christ.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
Peace both vertically and horizontally
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
So there is such violence in this surrounding context when God is done defeating our enemies and takes the government upon the shoulder of this child what kind of government will it be? This answers that question
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.
More about this government:
1. A pervasive government. The expanse of his government no end, no pockets of rebellion but it will all be under his peace last forever
2. It is the throne promised throughout all of time. It is the fulfillment of all of these promises.
Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
Fulfilling these promises to David. The best of all. When this fufillment of David’s throne come it will be for everyone not just David
“Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
You in Christ will be loved the way I love the son of David, Jesus
3. This kingdom will be established and sustained by God. God is the one who is bringing about this government. You can count on this kingdom because God will uphold it
4. It will be Just and Righteous. No injustice or unrighteousmess.
5. It will last forever.
6. The zeal (jealousy) of the Lord of hosts will take his son and put him on the throne of david and surround him with a kingdom of people who are included in the love he has for his son
Infinite zeal, infinite Jealousy is behind God’s passion to enthrone his son on the universe which happens to be the throne of David. From there forever and ever he will rule with Justice and Rightousess etc.