The Royal Birth Announcement

Matt Doane

Christmas at FBA • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

Isaiah 9:1–7

Jesus

Christmas

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Jesus birth announcement offers hope to a dark world.

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Introduction

I love surprises. I love watching Youtube videos of people getting surprised with important announcements or gifts, or visits from a family member who serves in the military

However, one of my favorite surprise videos are Birth Announcement videos. Maybe you’ve seen videos of people either revealing they are pregnant or revealing the gender of the baby to family and friends.

I enjoy seeing the excitement and joy on people’s faces when they receive the news that their loved one is with child.

There are even funny videos of birth announcements that have gone wrong. You can type in “Funny Birth Announcements” online and view some pretty hilarious ways people have revealed they are pregnant.

You will find video after video of people announcing either they are pregnant or the gender of the coming child in unique ways.

There are videos where the wife will toss a ball that is filled with powder to the husband to hit with a baseball bat and when he hits it the ball explodes with the color of the gender.

The only bad thing is, there is a video where the husband hits the ball and it hits the wife and it doesn’t burst. Or sometimes the wife will throw the ball for the husband to hit and he wiffs at it and the ball shatters on the ground and everyone finds out the gender that way.

As we begin our Christmas series, we are going to specifically look at the greatest Birth announcement of all time, in fact it’s not just the greatest Birth announcement, it’s the birth announcement of a coming King.

Turn to

9 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.

Isaiah is such a wonderful book of the OT to read and study. The genre of Isaiah is prophecy and the prophet Isaiah paints a beautiful picture of who God is and his plan of grace and glory for the world.

Taking a look at Scripture, God had promised Abraham that through his decedents the world would be blessed, and he promised David that his throne would lead the world into salvation, but during Isaiah’s time, the decedents of Abraham and the Dynasty of David no long trusted in those promises.

In fact, the people during this time were trusting in the promises of a pagan world. This led the people to experience fear and instability.

So we read throughout the book of Isaiah God’s plan to redeem sinners through grace and providing a coming King that would fulfill God’s plan of salvation.

The name Isaiah means “Salvation of the Lord”

I find it amazing that we can open up to Isaiah and see the prophet giving this prophecy of the coming King Jesus.

What’s interesting is the fact that this birth announcement came pretty early. Normally when people make a birth announcement they are already pregnant and they are revealing that to family and friends.

However, this birth announcement happened 700 years before Jesus was even born.

It’s important that we pay close attention to the details we read in this morning, because Isaiah gives us several important truths about the coming of a King. My prayer this morning is that we will see how the prophecy that Isaiah gives not only offered hope and joy for the people he was prophesying to, but it will give us hope and joy knowing that Jesus was the plan all along to redeem and save sinners.

I want us to look at three important truths of the Royal Birth Announcement this morning.

These three truths will give us a better understanding of what Isaiah is saying about the coming of a Royal King and the importance of Jesus being the one God would send to accomplish the mission of salvation.

Take notes, they will be on the screen this morning, so it will make it a little easier.

1. The Birth Announcement Promised Hope .

One of the first things we must understand about the announcement of a Savior is the fact that Isaiah’s prophecy offered hope in a powerful way.

To really appreciate the hope that Isaiah is writing about, we must understand a little background on what is going on.

To really appreciate the birth announcement that Isaiah is writing about, we must understand a little background on what is going on.

Look at

21 They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. 22 And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.

Isaiah is making a prophecy that Israel will experience major suffering due to rejecting God and living in sin.

Isaiah writes that those that will end up trusting in things other than God will be greatly distressed and hungry. We see this clear picture of people living in utter darkness because of their sin against God.

If you came to me and told me that you had good news and bad news, I would always ask you to tell me the bad news first. Personally, I would want to hear the good news last because the good news would help make the bad news a little less bad.

That’s what Isaiah is doing in this passage, he is highlighting the bad news of the people and their condition but then turns it to describing the glorious hope and joy found in the coming of a

I think it’s always important to understand the bad news before we can understand the good news.

offers the good news that there is hope in a Savior and that the coming of the Lord would bring people from darkness to light.

הַ

2 The people who walked in darkness

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

have seen a great light;

those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,

on them has light shone.

Notice in V. 2 the word “Light” is repeated. What do we know about light? It is the opposite of darkness.

So iIsaiah is describing this depressing time where people will be walking in darkness, but he also prophesies that they will see a great light and be exposed to the light which is translated hope.

Listen to what says’

8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

The coming of a Savior would provide light to those walking in the dark.

This is huge for us today because the only true light that will take us out of darkness if Jesus Christ. He provides new life and a hope that nothing else will ever offer.

Isaiah’s prophecy offered hope because people needed light and as we read in V. 2, the light would eventually come and people who have walked in darkness will not only see the great light but will have the light shone on them.

I personally love Christmas lights. I really don’t get around to putting up lights around my house but one of my favorite traditions around this time of year is driving around and looking at all the pretty lights.

Maybe you do the same thing, but the question I have for you is: When do you drive around to look at lights? At night, right? No one drives around during the day to look at Christmas lights because there is nothing special about them.

The beautiful Christmas lights we see at night because they illuminate and are bright and we can see the full effect.

We can’t overlook the significance that Jesus came to a dark world and offered hope to a world that was walking in darkness.

I want you to think of how important the light of Christ is for us?

We are hopeless and helpless without the light of Christ.

We are no different from the people Isaiah was describing in Chapter 8:21-22. Before we were walking with Christ in the light, we were hopeless sinners walking in darkness in our sin and our shame.

The hope that Isaiah is talking about in the light of Christ is the hope we get to enjoy today because of King Jesus.

The coming hope of Jesus that Isaiah promised would be hope for all people that would trust in Him.

We no longer have to be defined by our sin or our failures, but we can be confident that we can walk in the light and have hope through a relationship with Jesus.

I find it so amazing that God chose to reveal His plan of sending his son to earth so early.

The birth announcement promised hope.

The Birth Announcement Described Royalty.

Another truth about the Birth Announcement is that this birth announcement was different from any birth announcement the Bible has recorded so far to this point. This was a royal birth announcement.

The Birth Announcement Described Royalty.

When we receive a birth announcement, it is always life changing. If you currently do not have children and you find out you are pregnant, it makes you a mother or a Father. If your children announce that they are expecting, it turns you into a grandfather or a grandmother.

The birth announcement we read in Isaiah is no different, it is life changing. The birth announcement Isaiah records is life changing in the sense that it will provide a King that will rule forever.

Let’s read V. 6-7 again:

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.

We have seen Isaiah explain that Hope and light are coming. Now he turns to discussing the glorious truth of why this child will provide hope and light.

Isaiah is promising the people that this child who is from God will be a King or a Ruler.

In fact, Isaiah was prophesying that this child would reign forever and he would be a King of peace and justice.

This is in direct contrast to the horrible conditions the people were in. They were in a time of war, distress, and darkness. They were placing their faith in a world that only led to destruction. Their worship of God had turned into the worship of false hope.

You can imagine that Isaiah was speaking to people who wanted peace and wanted a just King. This would have been a life changing truth for the people.

Luke 1:23–33 ESV

And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Luke 1:32 ESV

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,

Luke 1:32–33 ESV

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

I want to pay close attention to the phrase in V. 6 “the government shall be upon his shoulder”

It was God’s will for his son Jesus to take the throne and become King. Jesus would ultimately be the prefect King and the Perfect Savior.

Jesus as King would have no end. His rule would not have a term limit and he would never be dethroned. He would rule forever.

Notice the phrase in V. 7 “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end”

V. 7 also says that the King will establish his Kingdom with justice with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.

Not only does Isaiah prophecy the coming of a good and perfect King, but this King would be eternal and have no term limits.

We read of many rulers and Kings in Scripture and read how many of them abused their leadership and did not honor or fear God, but instead led the people they were ruling into sin and darkness. The King Isaiah is prophesying would be direct opposite of those kings.

Jesus was prophesied to be the King to take authority that God his father gave to him and be the perfect ruler.

Daniel 7:13–14 ESV

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

The OT gives us a clear description of Jesus as being the coming King and being the King that was worthy of worship from all peoples, nations, and languages.

Revelation 16

The King that was prophesied in Isaiah is still ruling today, Listen to Revelation.

Revelation 19:16 ESV

On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

The birth announcement described Royalty.

The Birth Announcement Provided accurate details.

We see that the Birth Announcement promised hope, and we see that it described royalty, now we are going to look at V. 6 and see that the birth announcement gave accurate details.

When Katherine was pregnant with our son would go to her ultrasound visits because I was so excited to see what my son would look like.

I remember the first few weeks feeling so discouraged because we would look at the ultrasounds and I just could not figure out where anything was. To be honest, I just saw a glob. The ultrasound tech would say “Look at the feet” or “look at the nose” and I honestly could not see what she was seeing.

Then we had the ultrasound picture and it was even more confusing at first but I knew that there was a baby and that was something to be excited about.

I remember looking at that picture for the the longest time trying to figure out what this child looked like and being frustrated because I honestly had no idea.

I wanted details. I wanted to see a clear picture of what he would look like and I knew that I would really only know until he was born.

The prophet Isaiah provides accurate details for the people on how this child would lead and what would make him different from any other ruler.

V. 6 states: And His name shall be called, also meaning the words that followed would describe who Jesus would be.

I want to look at the four words used to describe Jesus in V. 6: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.

Wonderful Counselor: The phrase wonderful counselor combines two ideas. The first is that God had already done many miraculous things. The coming of this child would be a continuation of his miraculous deeds. The word counselor would point to the fact that Jesus would have wisdom from above unlike King’s before who had made decisions that led people into destruction.

Mighty God: This would describe the Savior’s power. The fact that he is described as being Mighty God means that he will be a mighty warrior and the fact that the word “God” is used in this name is huge because it shows that there is something very special about this coming King.

Everlasting Father: Unlike a King that will have an end to his reign, this King would be everlasting. His kingdom will be everlasting and he is also called the “Father of eternity” Salvation belongs to Him and the salvation he will offer will be eternal.

Prince of Peace: The final description of the coming King was used to describe the king as a leader that would provide peace for his people. This is the promise we read about in

10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.

This Prince of Peace would protect his people from their enemies and they will have true peace knowing that their enemies could hurt them no more.

Reading those names: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace are all descriptions of the perfect Savior that would come and establish his rule on the earth.

These are all descriptions of Jesus and Jesus exemplified all of these when he walked this earth.

What I love about these four descriptions is that all of them point to a perfect King and a perfect savior in jesus Christ.

Isaiah’s description and prophecy of Jesus was spot on because as we read God’s word and read the account of Jesus, He was exactly who Isaiah had described. He accomplished peace and righteousness just as God’s Word says he will.

The birth announcement that Isaiah gave in 9:1-7 took place 700 years later, but this child was born. The Birth happened the exact way it was foretold in the Old Testament and Jesus was the exact King that says he would be.

Notice some other details of Jesus Birth we read about in the Old Testament:

The town Jesus would be born in:

Micah 5:2 ESV

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

Jesus being born of a virgin.

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Jesus would be visited by Kings and given gifts.

Psalm 72:10–11 ESV

May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!

My point in all of this is that Jesus was not a random act. He was not this morally good man who all the sudden one day chose to die on a cross to save us from our sin.

Jesus was the plan of God all along and God’s word is perfect in giving us evidence and descriptions of who Jesus is and what he would do and every single one of the prophecies about Jesus were fulfilled.

We can trust in the hope and salvation in Jesus this morning because He is our perfect King.

I want to ask you though, What or who are you trusting in this Christmas season? Are you walking around in the dark searching for things that will not satisfy you?

Many people try to find joy and light and many things around this time of year only to come up empty because the only person that can bring hope to us this Christmas is Jesus.

Jesus is the perfect King and is on his throne and has all authority.

Matthew 28:18 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Maybe you are struggling with a dark season in your life right now, I want to encourage you: Come to the light.

The birth announcement of Jesus changes everything. We know for certain that we have a King who is perfect and who offers peace on earth.

King Jesus will rule forever and nothing can throw him off the throne. We can experience true life through what Jesus accomplished by his death and resurrection, but the life we enjoy with him is eternal.

My prayer for you and I this Christmas is that we will be reminded who the ruler of our life is. That we would remember we are serving a King who is a perfect King.

My prayer is that if you have not called on Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, you will do that this Christmas season. What an incredible gift we have in Jesus.

Isaiah’s Royal Birth announcement promised Hope, Described Royalty, and Provided accurate details. All three of those things are life changing for us this Christmas.

Don’t allow anyone or anything to rule your life besides Jesus this Christmas. Don’t buy into the lie that hope will come through anything else.

We must bow our lives’ before our King and celebrate the fact that He is exactly who was foretold and he accomplished salvation for us so that we no longer have to walk in darkness but get to walk in the light and have hope in a dark world.