Isaiah 9

The previous chapter ends by saying: don’t think it isn’t going to happen; the day of trouble, darkness and gloom is coming.  Ch. 9 begins by saying, Nevertheless!  The gloom is not the end of the story.  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light!  Again, words used in the New Testament to speak of the significance of the Incarnation (Matt. 4:13-16).

Ch. 9 is divided between the great Messianic prophecy of 9:1-7 and the strong pronouncement of judgment on Samaria in 9:8-21.  Notice how the promise of God’s wrath is punctuated by the couplet we saw in Isa. 5:25: For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still (in 9:12,17,21; 10:4).

The nevertheless in v1 is followed by references to Zebulun and Naphtali, two of Israel’s tribes in the area of Galilee.  Of course Jesus’ followers knew this was fulfilled when Jesus moves His operation from Nazareth to Capernaum, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.  These tribes and this area is part of Israel, Samaria, the Northern Kingdom which is scheduled for destruction.  Initially Zebulun and Naphtali were lightly esteemed (in the North Ephraim, Dan, Manasseh were more spoken of.  And then later they were heavily oppressed.  But God is extending hope to them.  They will be at the center of Immanuel’s life on earth.

We must take time to meditate on 9:6-7 and what is revealed about the Child.  This is the Child of 7:14 (the virgin shall give birth).  This is the Child who, unlike Ahaz, will reign gloriously from David’s throne.  But in addition He is …

·        Wonder Counsellor (Pele Yoetz).  Wonder is a noun, not an adjective.  It’s significance is rooted in Judges 13:17-18,22 when the Angel of the Lord spoke of Himself as wonderful.  It speaks of Him as God who did wonders in Israel and is known for His wonderful works.  It speaks of something only God can do.  This is the Child who is Messiah.

·        Mighty God (El Gibbor).  This term is used elsewhere of God (Isa. 10:21; Jer. 32:18).  Here it is referred to Messiah, affirming His deity.

·        Everlasting Father (Abhi Ad).  Literally the Father of eternity, this again connects Messiah with Godin His role as Father (e.g. Ps. 103:13).  The Messiah is both eternal and paternal in His relationship with people.

·        The Prince of Peace (Sar Shalom).  In Isa. 11 we will see that the kingdom of Messiah is one of universal peace, meaning not just absence of war but the experience of prosperity which is what shalom means.

These titles give deep meaning to Immanuel and the fact that it means literally that this Child will be God living among us.  Buksbazen points out (p163f) that ancient Jewish Rabbis acknowledged this.  Only in more recent times, when Rabbis sought to avoid the Christian application of this to Jesus, did they seek to restate the passage.  But it is very clear and cannot be avoided.  The Messiah is God-among-us and God makes His appearance as a Child, born of a virgin.