The Promise and the Problem - Isaiah 9:1-10:4

©Copyright 02/13/22 by Rev. Bruce Goettsche

I have some favorite pieces from Handel’s Messiah. The Hallelujah Chorus, of course is unequaled. Its praise to God for the victory and work of Christ is sung at both Christmas and Easter. My other favorite piece, because we sang it in our college choir, is based on this text: For unto us a child is born. It spotlights the words we read most every Christmas at some time. The words exalt the true nature of the child who was born in Bethlehem. These words declare that Jesus was more than a baby, He was God in human form who came to rescue us from our sin, from ourselves, and ultimately from the wrath of God.

This prophecy follows the prophecies of chapter 7 and 8 which were fulfilled when Syria and Israel were attacked by the Assyrians. It took a lot of money from Judah to keep from being swallowed up by the Assyrians. Isaiah’s point is Assyria was not Israel and Judah’s most serious problem. The biggest problem was the growing spiritual decay and darkness that was growing through the land. Their biggest problem was with God.

Isaiah repeatedly jumps back and forth (it seems) between God’s promise and Israel and Judah’s condemnation. Today we will see that contrast clearly between the promise and commitment of God to redemption, and the people’s ongoing resistance which was the reason for their judgment.

The Promise

The people who walk in darkness

will see a great light.

For those who live in a land of deep darkness,

a light will shine.

Isaiah is transitioning from the darkness of destruction to a promise of future life. Isaiah once again gives some images of a future prosperity when all will be at peace and war will no longer be necessary. How will God do this? Through the birth of a child. Over these first weeks in Isaiah I have said a couple of times that we need to expand our sense of wonder at the greatness of God and of our Lord Jesus. We need to hear and feel the sense of awe that this description of the Son brings.

6 For a child is born to us,

a son is given to us.

The government will rest on his shoulders.

And he will be called:

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 His government and its peace

will never end.

He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David

for all eternity.

The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies

will make this happen!

First, we are told “the government will rest on His shoulders.” This does not mean the Messiah was going to form a political entity. This is not the government of a particular country, it is the governing over all creation! He is the Sovereign King; the One who determines the times and seasons of all things. Even as other rulers rule now, the government is still on HIS shoulders.

Next, we are told the four titles of the one who would make this a reality. It is a picture of our Lord who came to us in Bethlehem. The first title is “Wonderful Counselor. Some people make this into two separate characteristics. Each of the other three titles is a couplet (two words) so it is likely this is combined as well.

There are good counselors and there are bad counselors. Some counselors tell you only what you want to hear (instead of what you need to hear). Others make judgments before they have the facts. Others seem to just like to tell other people what to do. The best counselors listen, reflect, and then try to help the counselee help themselves. They understand they do not see the entire picture so they must keep a very open mind. We are told Jesus is the best of counselors.

Having said this, what is being said about the Lord is much more than just this. The word “wonderful” in the Hebrew means “extraordinary to the point of being miraculous” it is refers to the supernatural work of God. “Counselor” does not mean “therapist” it means one who serves as a consultant to help and lead others. In other words, Jesus is our supernatural guide through the minefield we call life. He knows the way we should go, and always knows this with perfect knowledge (unlike the counselor who only gives advice on the basis of what they have been told.)

Our wonderful counselor always has a right assessment of our situation, and always gives the right prescription because He knows us better than we know ourselves. But like any counsel or advice we are given, it is only good advice is we take the advice and do what we have been prescribed.

The name Mighty God reveals that this One to come would be God in human form. Jesus is unique among those who have lived. He alone comes from the Father in a unique way. The title Mighty means a valiant warrior. He is the God who rules and controls all things. He is in charge.

I love the Television show The Chosen. The guy who plays Jesus, Jonathan Roumie, is wonderful in the role. But even with the Chosen, we need to be careful. Jesus was not just a smart, compassionate man with miraculous power, He is indeed the Mighty God. We must guard against viewing Jesus as our buddy. He is God and deserves our respect and worship.

The title, Everlasting Father does not just denote the royal father of His people. This is not a statement about the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). The adjective Eternalspeaks to the idea of one who is forever or eternal. He is the “Father of eternity,” indicating that He is the author or creator of time. As a Father, He gives us life, He protects us, and He provides for us.

The last title (in this passage) is Prince of Peace. Everywhere we turn, people clamor for peace. They long for peace on the inside, peace with God, and peace with the people in the world around us. Jesus is the only one who can bring the depth of peace we need.

First, He makes it possible for us to at peace with God. He paid for our sin so we are no longer God’s enemies, but part of His family. Second, He brings peace in the trials of our lives. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27) Our peace comes from knowing we are in God’s hands and He knows what He is doing. And Third, He makes it possible for us to be reconciled with each other. He gives us the strength and the desire to forgive, to truly listen and to understand each other. The “barrier wall of hostility” has been removed. Enemies now become fellow members of God’s family.

Isaiah tells us the rule of Christ and its peace will never end. There are no elections, term limits, or even rival opponents. This is His position, and He has held it through all of eternity. Why? Because the passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s armies will make it happen. Do you see that His rule and the peace that comes from Him has nothing to do with our human plans, our diligent marketing programs, our protests, lobbying, or any earthly schemes? This is going to happen IN SPITE OF us. And this takes us from the promise to the problem in Isaiah 9.

The Problem

9 And the people of Israel and Samaria,

who spoke with such pride and arrogance,

will soon know it.

10 They said, “We will replace the broken bricks of our ruins with finished stone,

and replant the felled sycamore-fig trees with cedars.”

11 But the Lord will bring Rezin’s enemies against Israel

and stir up all their foes.

12 The Syrians from the east and the Philistines from the west

will bare their fangs and devour Israel.

But even then the Lord’s anger will not be satisfied.

His fist is still poised to strike.

13 For after all this punishment, the people will still not repent.

They will not seek the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

In verses 9-13 we hear what will happen to Israel (the Northern Tribes). Judgment will fall on them. Assyria would take them captive and intermarry with them and dilute them as a nation. Even Syria who they thought was an ally, would rise up against them. But even then, the Lord’s anger will not end.

In these verses, we see powerful images of what God will do to the people who refused Him. Their real offense was not against Assyria, it is against the Lord. They were spending all their time worrying about the nations to the north when they should have been giving attention to the God of Creation and life.

Do you think that ever happens to us? Do you think we are ever caught up in addressing the problems of this world while neglecting the greater issue of our relationship with Him? Sure. We do it all the time. We sometimes bang our head against the wall instead of putting our hope and trust in Him. And this is where idolatry begins. In case people don’t understand the reason for the Lord’s anger he lays out the indictment.

Arrogance. In verses 9-10, 13 we see how the people made light of the punishment that had come upon them. In their mind they would simply rebuild. They declare they will overcome this time of crisis! There is no repentance, no appeal to God. There is only the confidence that they can overcome whatever obstacles stand in front of them. They believe in the resiliency of the human spirit. The message is simple: you cannot fight that way against the Lord. Human confidence is no match for divine wrath. Their arrogance however (v. 13) will not allow them to repent.

Doesn’t this sound like the way we as Americans face times of crisis? We declare, “We are Americans! We will work together and overcome any foe. That may seem true until the problem becomes spiritual (as it is now in our land). When it is a spiritual issue, you are fighting against God rather than against men. All the resolve in the world will not overcome Him.

The Lord continues the list in verses 16-17

16 For the leaders of the people have misled them.

They have led them down the path of destruction.

17 That is why the Lord takes no pleasure in the young men

and shows no mercy even to the widows and orphans.

For they are all wicked hypocrites,

and they all speak foolishness.

But even then the Lord’s anger will not be satisfied.

His fist is still poised to strike.

Trusting Men Rather than the Lord The people trusted their leaders rather than the Lord Himself and the leaders led them astray. The leaders may not have meant to lead them astray, but they all inevitably will because only the God can lead us on a straight path.

Think about how we fight about political elections. We cheer if our candidate gets in and groan (even to the point of despair) if they don’t. We believe our candidate can fix what is wrong and lead us aright. But here’s the thing, every human leader has a measure of personal agenda in what they are doing . . . it comes with being human. Therefore, we must know the Word of God so we can see when leaders are leading us away from what is godly and true.

And it isn’t just in the world or in politics. It is also happening in Christianity (at least in America). People want to hear the popular singer or want to be part of the church that has the biggest crowd because it makes them feel more significant. God warns teachers that they will incur a strict judgment if they lead people away from His truth. But sometimes, to keep a crowd people may make their preaching more tepid to avoid offending anyone.

People are warned to be discerning with those they listen to lest they be led astray. It is distressing all the times I’ve heard someone say they go to a certain church because they have a great band, or they like the fun programs, or they think the teacher is “cool.” Sadly, I seldom hear someone say, “I am looking for a church that systematically is teaching the Word of God rather than using God’s Word to reinforce their own ideas.”

The insights of any teacher will NEVER compare to the wisdom of God’s Word. It does not matter how much you “enjoy” worship! What matters is whether your heart is open to hear and understand God’s Word. And friends, if we stop teaching the Word of God here . . . you ought to leave!

Verses 20-21 gives one more indictment,

20 They will attack their neighbor on the right

but will still be hungry.

They will devour their neighbor on the left

but will not be satisfied.

In the end they will even eat their own children.

21 Manasseh will feed on Ephraim,

Ephraim will feed on Manasseh,

and both will devour Judah.

But even then the Lord’s anger will not be satisfied.

His fist is still poised to strike.

They lacked social justice and brotherly love. They were not treating those in need fairly. They had abandoned brotherly love. They were only concerned with what was best for them. They had become selfish. In times of crisis they were not helping each other, they were climbing over each other.

Throughout the Bible, we are told of the importance of caring for those around us. We are to show we belong to God by living unselfishly and generously. If everything we do is only for US, we will never be God’s people! We must stop looking at the world as if it revolves around us. We also need to stop seeing the people around us as rivals and see begin to see people as our brothers and sisters.

Application

1. We must not think God’s anger is only Old Testament thing. God cares very deeply about what we do to ourselves, just as any good and responsible father cares about what his children do to themselves. He does get angry when people destroy their own potential and violate the personhood of those around them. When people turn away from Him, they are hurting themselves in drastic ways. They make life less valuable; they treat others as obstacles rather than gifts; they drift further and further from him. It is like an astronaut who keeps pushing the limits on his spacewalk until His line breaks and the astronaut floats.

2. In a world of personality clashes and celebrity mania (even in the church) we are to be people singularly focused on God and His Word. We must never elevate the person over the Savior. That position of preeminence belongs only to our Lord.

3. Finally, we return to the promise of the light that still shines in the darkness. Jesus is still the One who alone can lead us out of the mess and sin of our lives. It doesn’t matter if people say they offended by the exclusive claims of Christ. He is the only way to find forgiveness, contentment, joy, and life beyond the grave. We must tell people the truth. He is he wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father and the prince of peace. It is essential we share this message with everyone.

People may be offended by the exclusivity of the gospel message (saying the only way to be saved is through Christ). This leads us to a dilemma: do you try not to ruffle feathers and water down the gospel or simply be quiet? Or, do you tell them the truth that will save them for eternity? I guess the right answer depends on the answer to another question: Do you really care about the other person? If you do, how do you NOT tell them the truth?

If some kids were on a two-story building and said they were going to fly, would you refrain from telling them they cannot fly and to back away from the ledge? Would you be afraid of bruising their ego? Of course not, out of love you would seek to get them off the roof to save their lives!

The danger our friends and family members are facing is much worse than falling to the ground and hurting themselves (or even dying). This is a forever issue. Backing down from the truth about God’s offer of forgiveness and new life is a failure to love.

God wants to bless us. And if we aren’t feeling blessed if may be because there are some problems that are serving as a dam keeping His blessings from us. Remove the dam by repenting of sin, restoring our trust in Him, and let His love, strength, and peace, flow once again.