Is Isaiah 9:6 About Jesus? | Isaiah 9:6 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

For unto us, a child is born. To us, a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and he shall be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace. One of the most profound, precise, and paramount prophecies concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, and we hear it so much during this time of the year, do we not? Yes. Because it is treasured, and and it is important.

But I'm not certain how many believers understand why it belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why is Isaiah nine six attributed and exclusively belonging to Jesus of Nazareth? And that's what I wanna discuss with you in the opening moments of this service. I want you to consider first what may seem to be obvious, that this prophecy is granted to the Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament. You remember in Luke two eleven, where the angels appeared in glory before those shepherds at night, And they said to them in their declaration, for unto you, this day is born in the city of David, a savior, the Christ who is Lord.

Listen carefully to how the angels heralded this message. They borrowed the language from Isaiah the prophet to bring to mind how God kept his promise, even though he gave it seven centuries before the arrival of the very thing he prophesied. For unto us, a child is born. And then centuries pass, and the angels arrive on the scene and say, for unto you this day is born. And so it's very difficult to dispute how these angels are being very strategic in their choice of words.

They are clearly making a connection. This Jesus who was born this night is the Jesus who was defined in Isaiah nine six. The second thing that confirms this further is what Matthew says. And Matthew adds something and he quotes Isaiah, not necessarily verse six, but very close to verse six. And I think because we're not as familiar with the context of that awesome prophecy, people tend to miss how there's even more confirmation that Christ is indeed the fulfillment of that promise.

So Isaiah nine six, we all know it, but do you know Isaiah nine one? Do you know Isaiah nine two? Well, today you're gonna learn it. So turn with me to Isaiah nine verse one and consider the context of this prophecy. Isaiah nine beginning in verse one, 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. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shown. So notice that in preparation for Isaiah nine six, Isaiah is saying something to two specific tribes. Two out of the 12 tribes of Israel.

He mentions Zebulun. He mentions Naphtali. Those are tribes that most people are not very familiar with. They may be able to rehearse the names by memory, but there's not much given to us about these tribes in comparison to Judah or Benjamin, for example. But Isaiah mentioned something that happened historically with these regions.

They were found in the upper northern part of the promised land, and he doesn't get specific about their history, but he does say something about a gloominess, a dark past, something that essentially haunted them for many years. And though he is not specific, when you consider the wider testimony of the bible, you do discover that there is one block, there is one specific state that surely would have tormented them as a people. You find it in second Kings 15, you don't have to turn there. Let me just summarize it for you. When the Assyrians invaded this land, they took into captivity the very tribes that are mentioned here.

Zebulon and Naphtali, were taken from their homes and brought into a foreign place. And surely this would have been an embarrassing thing in their history. This would have been something that would have made them cringe, something that they wish would have been erased. And the Bible defines it as a gloominess. And yet, in the same breath that describes something that they would have known, even though he's not being specific, they would have known the reference.

The spirit through the prophet promises these particular tribes that whatever gloominess they knew would soon be eclipsed by a glory. That whatever dishonor they were haunted by would soon be dispelled by a great privilege. And that's why he says here that in the latter time, look at verse one, he has made glorious the way of the sea. He's speaking about the region there. They were by the water.

He has made glorious the way of the sea. And whatever glory was gonna come, evidently, it was gonna spill over into gentile territory because the last part of verse one is what? The land beyond the Jordan. Galilee of the nations. So something was going to take place that would affect more than just these two tribes, though they would be the center of this glory in a sense.

They would be the focus of it. It would have such a wide range of impact. And what is this glory that will come and sweep away this gloom? Well, the exciting answer again is found in verse two. The people who walked in darkness, the darkness of their past, the darkness of their current shame.

Because why did they go into exile? Their idolatry, their rebellion, their evil. Finally, God said, enough is enough. You're gonna disobey me then I'm gonna take you out of the thing that I promise is yours. At least for a time.

So that darkness, the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness on them a light has shown. And what is this light? Is it a metaphor? Is it a physical light?

Is it some kind of miraculous intervention? Verse six is the answer. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. Whoever this child is, this royal seed, would also be a light bearer. And his arrival is going to impact a specific region, the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.

And the same Holy Spirit who moved upon Isaiah to give this prophecy, moved the disciple Matthew to tell us and to affirm the fulfillment of it. So go to the New Testament now in Matthew chapter four, and I want you to see the fulfillment of this prophecy. Beginning in verse 12 of Matthew chapter four. And sound team, if you can help me with the buzzing again. Thank you so much.

Matthew four twelve. Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he being Jesus withdrew into Galilee and leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea. In the territory of what? 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. Jesus is that light. And he, in fact, intentionally moved and relocated his headquarters into Galilee. Why?

In order to fulfill this very prophecy. And not just to fulfill the prophecy that was given, but to also give a preview of what he would do on a larger scale. So Jesus intentionally moves into this region that was historically known of being dark with their history, their past, their behavior, in a sense, their record before God. And the same Jesus who moved into that darkness is willing to move into the darkness of any heart that is willing to receive him. Here is Christ Messiah willing to make his ministry hub in this place among tribes that are often overlooked and not really considered, as I mentioned earlier.

And additionally, tribes that were notoriously known of rebelling in their sin against God. Teaching you and I that he's willing to move into the life that has a despicable past, perhaps, or sin that they are ashamed of. The same Christ who moved there physically is the same Christ who's willing to move in spiritually. That's the Christmas message. And so we find Jesus here fulfilling this.

And what would this produce exactly? Well, let me finish Isaiah nine, where we read here in verse three, 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. So what would this light produce as it came and it enveloped this darkness? Joy.

That's why you should be happy around this time. Not because things are cozier, not because merely we're gonna be gathered together with people that we love hopefully, but because we are remembering the Christ, the holy one who is willing to move in to a place that is dark. And I hope you have that joy. If you don't, then perhaps Christ hasn't moved in yet. You know about him, you could probably quote Isaiah nine six, but does he live in you?

And does he minister in you as he ministered in Galilee? Does he minister through you? If not, I pray to God that today would be the day where you would accept him, not just as a tradition, but as your treasure. So it's clear. The New Testament testifies that Isaiah nine, including six, belongs to Jesus of Nazareth.

Now let me give you the second and final reason why it does. Because no one in all of human history can fulfill the role that Isaiah describes. Nobody can walk in the shoes that Isaiah defines concerning this child. The reason why I bring that up is because in recent years, this prophecy about Jesus Christ of Nazareth has been challenged by skeptics, has been challenged by unbelievers, has been propagated and preached by those who deny that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. And this is, predominantly come from Jewish rabbis who have made a case that Isaiah nine six cannot be of this Jesus of Nazareth, but someone else.

And I want to spend this time, though we're gonna get and we're gonna conclude in a message of hope, I wanna spend this time to teach if that's okay. I wanna teach about these objections so that if you hear anybody daring to come to you and saying, Jesus is not in Isaiah nine six. You put him there. You can say, no, God put him there. So this is a time of equipping now.

This is a time of growing and learning about our faith. So I want Isaiah nine six to become more precious to you than just something you hear quoted around Christmas time. I want you to see it as a profound testament of the accuracy and the supernatural authorship of the Bible. So how are you going to do that? Well, I'm gonna present you some of these objections.

And I remember hearing it for the first time, not from the mouth of a Jewish person, but through the mouth of a Muslim man who had an online platform and invited people to challenge him and him challenged Christians. And so I had a conversation with them, and for the first time years ago that I hear the things that I'm gonna present to you. So it's not just those who are Jews that are echoing these statements, but many people who deny Christ as the Messiah. So do you know how to defend it? Do you know how to say with confidence, no no no no no, you got it wrong, this is indeed about my master.

What's the argument? Here's the first one. The first argument that comes to us is about how Christian translators have deceptively changed the tense of Isaiah nine six to make it appear as though it is something to come, when in reality, in the original language, it says that it's already happened. So I wanna read to you Isaiah nine five, That's the Jewish quotation and reference for Isaiah nine six in our Bibles. So in the Tanakh, it's not Isaiah nine six.

It's gonna say Isaiah nine five. And I'm gonna quote you from the JPS, the Jewish Publication Society translation, the newest rendition of it, the newest revised version from 2023. Listen to the language and tell me if it sounds different. Isaiah nine five from the JPS. For a child has been born to us, A son has been given us, and authority has settled on his shoulders.

He has been named the mighty goddess planning grace, the eternal father, a peaceable ruler. Has, has, has. It already happened. So who are you talking about? And I'll be honest, I think most people when they are discussing this and the original languages are brought up, they feel helpless and almost as though they take the word of the one who knows those languages at face value because you don't speak Hebrew or you don't know Greek.

But I want you to be comforted because you don't necessarily have to know Hebrew in order to engage in this conversation or to make sense of this apparent conundrum. What are we dealing with here? Well, here's an answer. What you'll find in the old testament on more than one occasion is that the prophets of God often refer to future events as though they had already occurred. This is a consistent pattern.

It's a literary device to convey of an event to come that it is so certain it's as though it already took place. It's an idiom. It's an artistic way of communicating the certainty of a matter. And this is commonly known as the prophetic perfect or the prophetic past tense. So you're saying something that is to come but you're speaking as though it already took place.

Why? To communicate, this is so going to happen, just consider it a done deal. And that's not only found here in Isaiah nine six, let me just give you two quotations from the same prophet, the same book to make this matter clear. So turn to Isaiah five and look at verse 13. I hope you're taking notes.

It's important to remember these things. Isaiah five thirteen. Here's the prophet saying, therefore, my people go into exile for lack of knowledge. Their honored men go hungry and their multitude is parched with thirst. This is even more clear if you have a New King James version or a King James version.

Here's how the New King James would read it. Therefore, my people have gone into captivity. Or the King James, therefore, my people are gone into captivity. How does the ESV render it? My people go into exile.

What's amazing about this? The people didn't go into exile yet when Isaiah prophesied this. It was still to come. But what is he implying? That same literary device.

As though it already happened, my people go into exile. They have gone into exile. It's going to happen. Judgment is sure to arrive, oh people of God. It's not just there.

Look at Isaiah chapter 10, beginning in verse 28. What you're about to read is a description of the movements of the Assyrian army as they're encroaching upon Jerusalem. So this is almost like a chartering of the movements of the Assyrian invasion that is to come. And excuse me if I don't get all these names right as I read these verses. Isaiah ten twenty eight.

Look what the prophet says. He has come to Ayat. He has passed through Migron. At Mikmash, he stores his baggage. They have crossed over the past.

Notice the tense. At Geba, they lodge for the night. Ramah trembles. Gibeah of Saul has fled. Cry aloud, oh daughter of Gallim.

Give attention, O Laxha. Oh poor Anathoth. Madmina is in flight. The inhabitants of Gibim flee for safety. This very day, he will halt at Nob.

He will shake his fist at the mount of the daughter of Zion, the Hill Of Jerusalem. So notice, he's giving a play by play. Every movement of the Assyrians as they come closer and closer to the holy city, but notice the language that he uses. He has come. He has passed.

They have crossed over. It didn't happen yet. There's still generations that need to come to pass before this is realized, but he's speaking as though it already took place. Why? Because prophets would do this.

To convey something as though it has already taken place. And I wanna also mention while we're here that this is a message of hope, by the way. The reason why Isaiah is telling this to the people of God is because he wants to let the people of God know, as God, I'm aware of every move of the enemy. It's true spiritually as well. I know the playbook of the enemy.

I know what he's thinking next. I know his next move. I know his every angle. And so I'm letting you know that I have this knowledge. Even before it happens, I know where he's gonna be, where he's gonna rest, how he's gonna come, but I also wanna let you know that I already took care of it.

So notice, as the Assyrians are coming closer and closer to Jerusalem, he also lets the people know, I know where they're gonna stop because I'm gonna make them stop. They're not gonna be able to come and invade. They're not gonna take one soul away from you. Why? What's the extent of what they're gonna do?

Look at verse 32 again. This very day he will halt that knob, he will shake his fist at the mount of the daughter of Zion, the Hill Of Jerusalem. That's the most he's gonna do. Shake his fist. And I'm gonna take care of him right there and then.

And we read of it later on where a 185,000 Assyrians were slaughtered in one night. So this is a truth for us to be relieved by as well. God knows everything. And if you belong to him, then you have nothing to fear. Any scheme is already understood and registered by your protector.

And we can look at more examples, but I think the point is clear. Right? Isaiah nine six is not about something that has already happened. It is something that will come to pass with absolute certainty. However, apologist, they need to bank on this and they will fight for this and they will try to cast doubt, especially on those who don't know these things.

To make it seem as though, no, no, no, this is already history. And the reason for that is because they need to make a case based on that. Everything falls if if that's not laid out. And so, the argument continues. Let's just suppose that you hear this and you don't know how to answer.

How would they follow it up? They will follow it up with this. After determining the past tense, they will go on to say that the names ascribed to the king are simply representative titles. Like many names of kings or prophets that communicate a characteristic of God. Right?

So you think of the prophet Isaiah. What does his name mean? Salvation is of the Lord or God saves. That's what Isaiah means. What about what about Joel?

Yahweh is God. And we can give example after example. In short, the argument is that in the same way that these names do not imply the deity of the ones who bear them, so it is with this child. It's not that this child is everlasting father. It's not that this child is mighty God.

He is just holding these titles as a testament of what God will do and who God is. Just like Isaiah, just like Joel, just like Daniel. You've made too much of this child. Here's the problem. If we just take the title, which is usually the most contested part of this prophecy, mighty God, what you'll discover is that it is mentioned more than once, though very few times in the old testament, and every time just mighty God is brought up, it always refers to God himself.

Always. So you're in Isaiah. Right? Go to Isaiah 10. Look at verse 21.

A remnant will return the remnant of Jacob to the mighty God. El Gibbor, the mighty God. That same phrase is found in another prophet's writings. You don't have to turn there. Let me quote it to you.

Write it down if you need to remember it. In Jeremiah thirty two eighteen. Jeremiah thirty two eighteen. You show steadfast love to thousands, but you will pray the guilt of fathers to their children after them. Oh great and mighty God, El Gibbor, whose name is the Lord of hosts.

If you wanna use another one though not exactly spelled out like these two references, it's found in Deuteronomy. Listen to this language in Deuteronomy ten seventeen, for the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. So it's clear, mighty God alone is purely and exclusively ascribed to God himself. But no no no no, they're just titles. They're just titles given to a human king.

And which king do people agree that this is about, if it's not about Jesus? You ready for this one? Hezekiah. This is about King Hezekiah. It's not about Jesus of Nazareth.

Where did you get that silly idea from? I have a question. Where did you get the idea that it's Hezekiah? And there's reason for it. There's reason for it because when you dig in, you see here that there is images and there's a there's a wording and there are certain phrases that are found in Isaiah nine and Isaiah 10 that are repeated and are mirrored later on in Isaiah 36 and Isaiah 37.

And what's happening in Isaiah thirty six and thirty seven? Well, we have a record of the Assyrians invading and surrounding Jerusalem and God giving them victory. So I don't have time now in one single message to go through all these evidences of the claim that this is in connection to Isaiah 36, Isaiah 37, where Assyria was overthrown under the reign of Hezekiah, but that's where they're gonna go. That's what you're gonna hear. And it seems compelling.

Yeah. I see that. I see that there is there's correlation and there is an overlap here. There is something that is connected. Hezekiah.

Why not Josiah? Well, because the context suggests that it is about him. And as convincing as these cross references may be, it still doesn't satisfy the demands of Isaiah's descriptions of this king. If everything that I've shared up to this point has been a little overwhelming or difficult to retain, one, take comfort it's recorded. You can revisit it.

But two, all you really need to do is remember this one point that I'm about to share. If you can remember what I'm about to share, it's enough for you, one, to be confident, and also to perhaps convince somebody else who is honestly skeptical about this being Jesus. Isaiah nine six is not just a prophecy about a king. It's also prophecy about a kingdom. It's not just about a person, it's about a government.

And when you consider the government that will be ushered in and established by this child, you'll realize that it doesn't fit with Hezekiah. So we read verse six, look at verse seven, you know it well, but let's refresh our memory. 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.

Hezekiah was one of the holiest kings in all of Judah's history. Hezekiah was a man of God. Hezekiah accomplished much, but Hezekiah falls short of what is said here about this administration. Because even after Hezekiah, yes, was used, his faith connected with the power of God and the Syrians were expelled. Yes.

And yes, Hezekiah, though he was on his bed sick, received the miracle, an addition of several years on his life. After his healing, Hezekiah fell into pride. The Babylonians came to to kind of check up on him and he decided in his pride to show him all that he had. And Isaiah condemns him for that. Hezekiah would also have a successor named Manasseh, his son.

And Manasseh would be realized as one of the most wicked kings in Judah's history, though he repented and was restored by God. And if Hezekiah really fulfills Isaiah nine six, then why was it that other prophets anticipated a king to come? A king far after Hezekiah's reign and even his life. You remember the prophet Zechariah? What did he say?

Long after Hezekiah, long after the temple was destroyed. You usually hear this one around Easter time. And there is no argument that this is about Messiah, even among Jews. I'm sure there are some who would argue against it, but listen to that. Zechariah nine nine, rejoice greatly, oh daughter of Zion.

Shout aloud, oh daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, your king is coming to you. Righteous and having salvation is he, Humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Why are you looking for another king if Hezekiah was a fulfillment of this perfect perpetual kingdom? Does argument make sense?

I hope it does. Zechariah tells of the people, tells the people there's another king coming. Well, if if there's this increase of the government of peace with no end, why are we looking for another king who's gonna usher in another kingdom? It should have happened already. So you're left with only two conclusions about Isaiah nine six.

If it's not about Jesus, then it's failed prophecy. It's failed prophecy because Hezekiah didn't usher in this kind of government. So you either deal with a God who lied or a God who fulfilled his promise but in another person. And we believe that he kept his word and that is it was realized in Jesus of Nazareth. I hope that makes you excited.

But Jesus of Nazareth did not bring in world peace. That's the argument that you'll usually hear if you quote Isaiah nine six or Zechariah nine nine among other scriptures. Okay. If Jesus is who you say he is, then where all the weapons of war being turned into farming equipment? And where is Jerusalem being the headquarters of the world?

And where are the kings and and the governors and the mayors, flooding to Jerusalem to receive counsel from the Lord? Where is that? How do you make sense of that? And I say, it's coming. Because what you fail to understand, my dear friend, is the same misunderstanding that the Jews and Jesus' day had.

That you are so focused on the prophecies of a conquering Messiah that you miss the ones of the suffering Messiah. So who fulfills those ones? Because Messiah would come and establish a kingdom, yes, but Messiah must also die for the sins of his people. So my Messiah came to accomplish not some prophecy, but all prophecy. And in his first advent, he came to be a sacrifice, and in his second advent, he will come to be the ruling king forever.

That's my Messiah. And so we believe the prophecies of a suffering Messiah and a ruling Messiah are found in one person. And because of the New Testament and the Christian movement, sometime after Jesus arrived on the scene and the church emerges, you had Jewish people now trying to wrestle with these prophecies as they are brought to the surface of the suffering messiah. So here's here's what some have concluded. So you have these prophecies of a suffering Messiah and a ruling Messiah.

Christians say it's one person. No no no. It can't be Jesus of Nazareth, so they have to be two Messiahs. There's gonna be a suffering Messiah and there's gonna be Messiah, son of David. Okay.

So you think it's two, we believe it's one. Big difference. And so I lay this before you for you to be confident that this is indeed about Jesus. Can I can I put a cherry on the top of this before we move on? So the accusation from the beginning is, you Christians, not you personally, the church massaged Isaiah nine six to the degree that it makes it be something that it's not.

And you have manipulated translations as though it is a future thing, and as though it's about Messiah when it's about one king out of the roster of the kings of Judah. And here's how you can respond. The idea of Isaiah nine six being about Messiah, not just any ordinary king, but about the King of Kings, the ultimate seed of David who is to come, didn't originate with Christians necessarily. You're Saying, what do you mean? I'm saying that ancient Jewish writers, teachers, rabbis, commentators also believe that this is about Messiah.

So I have three sources here. I'm just gonna read one of them to you. This is from one who is known as Rambam. Rambam was one of the most influential Jewish philosophers from the Middle Ages legal scholar. He was a physician and he is considered one of the greatest Jewish thinkers of all time.

And I want you to hear what he said in his epistle to Yemen. There was these Jews who were in Yemen who were really struggling with their faith. And one of the struggles that they had was about Messiah, their expectation of the Messiah, when the Messiah would come, who the Messiah would be. And so in this epistle to Yemen, we read here what I'm about to quote to you, beginning with this. Quote, the Messiah indeed ranks after Moses in eminence and distinction.

And God has bestowed some gifts upon him, which he did not bestow upon Moses, as may be gathered from the verses. So what is he what is Rambam saying here? He's saying, I want to prove to you how Messiah is greater than Moses. And I'm about to quote you some verses to show how he is superior even to that great man of God. So I continue.

His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. Isaiah eleven three. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. Isaiah eleven two. And righteousness shall be girdle on his loins.

Isaiah eleven five. Six appellations were divinely conferred upon him as the following passage indicates, for a child is born unto us. And a son is given to us and the government is upon his shoulder and he is called and he quotes what we know to be Isaiah nine six. Then he goes on to Psalm two verse seven, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. And he finishes with this.

All these statements demonstrate the preeminence of the Messiah. That is from one of the greatest most influential Jewish writers in all of history. He's saying that this is about Messiah. So don't go and point fingers at the church. And I have a quotation here from the Targum, I have a quotation here from the Talmud Sanhedrin, showing that this is about Messiah.

Not saying that they think this is about Jesus as Messiah, but about Messiah nonetheless. Because the argument again is, this is about Hezekiah, and Hezekiah is not Messiah. Strange arguments. But I present this to you. Be fortified in your faith, and now give me the last few minutes of this afternoon in this church service to talk about Jesus.

Can I do that? This is about Jesus, precious Jesus, and I wanna quickly glance over four titles that we see here. He is wonderful counselor. He is mighty God. He is everlasting Father.

He is prince of Peace. Some divide wonderful and counselor, so he is wonderful in one place, counselor in another. We'll merge them together. Wonderful counselor. Indeed, he is wonderful.

And what's so beautiful about this is that in Isaiah twenty eight nine, we read that he is wonderful in counsel. It's impossible to look at Jesus in the gospels and be bored. There's something staggeringly wrong. If you can look at Jesus and read his words, see his actions, trace his love, and not come to the conclusion he is amazing. Don't you find it amazing how almost every world religion, even cults, want to claim Jesus?

Have you ever noticed that? Everybody wants Jesus. Nobody's fighting for these other supposed messengers or teachers, but everybody wants to claim Jesus. Why? Because he's wonderful.

And he is wonderful in his person, and he is wonderful in the manifestation of his counsel. When Christ comes to rule and reign forever, the world will be solved by his counsel. It's amazing in this past election how so many feel a sense of relief that hopefully problems are gonna be solved. Can you imagine the relief when the perfect son of God comes to fix everything? And the world is gonna flock to his counsel, to receive his instruction, his guidance.

He's actually gonna do something that's never been known since the beginning of time. No more war for a thousand years. No more war. People are gonna be like, what do we do? What do we do with all these weapons?

What do we do with all our training programs? Or what do we do about our national security, all the tax money that went into that? It's gonna be futile. It's gonna mean nothing because of the Prince of Peace. But he's not just gonna be wonderful in his counsel when he comes.

He's wonderful in his counsel now, today. He's given us the manual for life in his word. And and the book of Proverbs talks about how when this word is is tied around your neck and it's bound around your heart, it will speak to you. And I'm telling you, when you get the living word in you, oh, the counsel that you receive. It's amazing how in life events or circumstances that you can't find chapter and verse about how the wisdom of the word, the character of God, examples and stories come to the surface and give you wisdom to know how to deal with the situation, how to comfort you.

The greatest counsel I've ever received were from people who knew the word of God so well that they could effortlessly, not just bring references to promises, but examples, things that you wouldn't necessarily see at face value, and just bring counsel to my life. And it originates with Christ, the word, who became flesh. He's wonderful in counsel. It reminds me of the passage in Judges chapter 13 where we're told of Samson's parents. We don't know the name of his mother.

We know the name of his father, Manoah. And the angel of the Lord appears. Right? He comes before the wife and tells her of the supernatural birth that's gonna happen. This this pregnancy.

Right? A judge is gonna come for Israel. She runs to her husband and the husband asked the Lord in prayer, oh, bring that man back so that we can receive clarity what we're supposed to do with this child. And the prayers answered. And finally after he received some kind of instruction, Manoah asked him in Judges thirteen seventeen, what is your name so that when your words come true, we may honor you.

And what does the angel of the Lord reply with? In verse 18, and the angel of the Lord said to him, why do you ask my name seeing it is wonderful? Angels are powerful. Angels are splendid in their own way. But for an angel to say, why do you ask my name seeing that it is wonderful?

I have a hunch this is no ordinary angel. And if you're skeptical about this being something more, someone more than an angel, listen to what they say after this encounter in Judges thirteen twenty two, and Manoah said to his wife, we shall surely die for we have seen God. So here's one of the many previews for those who are very stumped by the idea of God becoming flesh. God appeared in human like form many times in the old testament, including this one. And you're saying, well, he appeared as an angel.

No. No. The Hebrew word and the Greek word is very simple. Simply means messenger. So it's not the cartoony version with wings, that's not an angel.

A messenger with human like appearance comes on the scene. His name is asked. Why did he ask my name seeing it as wonderful? But Noah thinks this is strange, and then he realizes we've seen the face of God. And Israel would, in fact, see the face of God again when this child would be born in Bethlehem.

Wonderful counselor, but he's also mighty God. So he has this infinite wisdom, but he's gonna have this infinite power to execute his counsel. But as we heard earlier, he's not just mighty, he is mighty God. And the detail this detail is so important because it really transforms the entirety of the message and carries massive implications. What do I mean?

Okay. How do you have mighty God as a child? And how do you have God who is by nature eternal being born? So look back at Isaiah nine six again. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.

Whenever in the Hebrew, there wants to be an emphasis. The author wants to make something, he wants to underscore highlight something. It's happening through emphasis. Right? And you can say that's the case here.

There's an emphasis. A child is gonna be born, a son's gonna be given, but I think it's more deep than that. This is a very specific choice of words to convey a deep theological truth. How do you make sense that mighty God will become a child? How do you make sense that mighty God will be born?

He has no beginning. And the only answer that you can find that will bring a sense of clarity and conclusion is the dual nature of Christ. So notice the language. For to us, a child is born. The humanity of Jesus had a beginning.

Jesus wasn't always human from eternity past, but he would add humanity to himself. But But more than that, he's not just man and that's why we're told a son is given. Here's my question, whose son is he? You say, he's the son of David. That's what the prophecy is about.

From the lineage of David, a son's gonna come, but he's mighty God. So he's not just the son of David, he's the son of God. And the son of God, by nature, doesn't have a beginning. That's why he's given. The son isn't born.

The son of God is given. But the child is born because the son who would come from eternity would add flesh, would add humanity. So his humanity had a beginning, but as the eternal son, he always was. A child would be born. A son is given.

Humanity and deity, one person, Jesus Christ. You say, well, this is wonderful. And this is confirmed by another prophet, Micah five two. Let me read it. But you, oh, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, for you shall come forth for me, one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from old, from ancient days.

So whoever this ruler who will be born in Bethlehem is, we're told where he's actually coming from, from of old, from ancient days. Ancient days is a phrase that's synonymous with eternity. Synonymous with everlasting. That's why in the King James and New King James, it reads from everlasting. Whoever this ruler is, he's gonna come from eternity.

Son given, child born. Son of God always was taking on humanity in flesh two thousand years ago. Which leads us to possibly the most controversial part of these titles concerning Christ. Wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father? Hold on.

We believe in the Godhead. We believe that God is one in being, but three in persons, Father, Son, Holy Spirit. How is it then that you have Jesus, who is the Son, given this title that should belong to the father alone. And here's what we have to make sure that we're clear on. This is not describing the roles within the trinity.

This prophecy is not about describing the different roles in the Godhead, more than it is talking about the character of the coming Messiah toward his people. That's what this is conveying more than anything else. And so what this means is that Jesus is not only gonna be infinitely wise, wonderful counselor. Jesus is not only is and going to be infinitely powerful, but Jesus is going to be infinitely caring and protective as a father would be. Another way to understand this is that the Messiah is going to be fatherly.

The Messiah is going to be caring and loving and protective and compassionate as a good father would be to his children. Why is that comforting? Because we're not just learning about a governor who's going to rule a kingdom that's gonna dominate the universe. You're talking about a king who actually cares. Everlasting father.

And as much as the father is exclusive in that title, the idea of the son having certain qualities about him that are father like is not foreign in the scriptures. It's everywhere. So can I show you a couple places in John? Turn with me to John and notice this with me. This title does not dismiss the unique position of the father, but it does confirm something about the heart of Christ for those that he brings into the family of God.

Look at John 14 verse eight. John fourteen eight, Philip said to him, Lord, show us the father and it is enough for us. Jesus said to him, have I been with you so long and you still do not know me, Philip? Pause. Can I say something?

What he said to Philip can be said by many too many Christians today. Has it been so long you still don't get it yet? Maybe somebody needed to hear that. Have I been with you so long and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the father.

How can you say show us the father? What's Jesus saying here? If you wanna know what the father is like, who the father is like, look no further than me. I am the exact representation of his being. I am the exact imprint of his nature.

You don't have to guess or wonder about distinctions. I am exactly a copy paste of the heart, the mind, the will of the father. So what you can expect from the father, you can see and experience in the son. Scroll down and notice what he says in verse 18. I Jesus is speaking.

I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. Another way of understanding this, I will not leave you fatherless. I will come to you. Jesus will come to you.

So he is implementing parental language here. Parental care, parental protection, parental supervision. I'm not gonna leave you here without a father. I will come to you. Not that he is the same person as the father, but he is father like.

He is fatherly. And we see here that it's shown in the title, everlasting father. And here's how it applies to us as we anticipate the return of Christ. So, unto us a child is born, a son is given, and upon his shoulder shall rest what? Government.

So the shoulders represent strength in the Bible. Right? So the the government of the world is going to rest on the strength of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. And I love how the Bible uses the word shoulder because there's one place in the New Testament where we read Messiah concerning his shoulder. You know the story very well.

Listen carefully to the parable of the lost sheep. Luke fifteen three. So he told them, being Jesus, this parable, what man of you having a 100 sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the 99 in the open country and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. So not only is Messiah going to have the strength to uphold this universal government, but this Messiah will also have the love to take sinners and care for them and protect them.

And what's so beautiful about this is that if you consider this in the plural, then you have even a deeper thought. The government shall rest upon his shoulder, one shoulder, but when it comes to redeeming and securing sinners, shoulders. Both shoulders. So in his care and his love, there is a specific type of grace and strength that's implemented towards those that belong to him. So this messiah is not just concerned about the eternal reign of a government, he's concerned for every single one of his subjects who are ultimately his children that he knows by name.

That's what Isaiah is trying to convey. He's a mighty king. He's wonderful in counsel, but he cares about those that belong to his kingdom. He's not just carrying a government, he's carrying you and carrying me on those mighty shoulders. Everlasting father, and I hope you have a whole new understanding of this, because not only will his kingdom be eternal, but those who become a child of God will belong to him forever.

He will forever be your father. He will forever be yours. He will forever care for you and love you and keep you. He's not just eternal, he's eternal in his love. And some are troubled by this title, so they go a different direction.

They say, this doesn't really mean everlasting father, it means father of eternity. You can go there too. And the argument is father of eternity, in the Jewish mind, father doesn't just mean you're a dad, it also means you're the source of something. So Satan is called the father of lies. It's not like he's the a dad of lies.

He's the source of lies. So some would say, no, this is just saying that Jesus is really the possessor of time. That Jesus is the supervisor of all things as he is eternal, which leads to the final thing, Prince of Peace. You You heard it so many times, so I'm not gonna be redundant here. He's gonna bring peace in a way that this world can only dream of.

But I wanna present to you this thought. Perhaps you haven't considered it. I don't think it's an accident that out of the titles mentioned here, prince of peace has brought a blast. Why is it brought up last? Because there's an equation.

That before the world can ever know peace, it first has to acknowledge and submit to the reality that he alone is wonderful in counsel, that he alone is mighty in power, and that he alone is everlasting father in his care. Until you acknowledge and submit to his counsel, his power, his fatherly love, you will never know peace. This world will never know peace. And and and let's just put that aside now. Never mind what's gonna come.

Let's talk about your life and mine as I conclude. You will never know supernatural peace until you personally make those same acknowledgments. Do you submit to his counsel, and do you see it as wonderful, or do you look at his word as options and suggestions? Okay. You can do that.

You'll never know peace. True peace. Do you believe in his mighty power that he can perform in your life, intervene, protect, rescue, provide? How can you know peace if you don't believe that he's able to do that? Do you see him as a loving God?

Oh, you believe you believe he's wonderful in his wisdom, wonderful in his power, mighty in all those things, but I don't know if he really loves me. I'm just trying to do my best so that when I'm graded for eternity, I just pass. I just wanna get in. Oh, you and you expect peace, thinking that God's temperament is so fickle. You'll never know peace until you understand him as a loving God.

And I hope that you would realize it today. He is prince of peace. The world will know him as such, but you can know it personally today. You just have to acknowledge him as such. And how do you do that?

When you realize that Messiah has come to suffer and die in your place, and that he is waiting for you to respond to that news so that you can belong to him. And when you belong to him, he will take you up and put you on his shoulders and nothing can rip you out of his hands. Nothing. You know, when somebody announces that they have a child on the way, I've never heard anybody as much as we celebrate babies here, I've never had anybody come through the doors and approach me or any of the leaders and say, I wanna let you know that a child is coming to us. That'd be a little strange.

You say, no. So and so and I, we're having a baby and we celebrate that. What did Isaiah say? This child would be for us. He's God's gift to the world.

He's God's gift to you. Newsflash, he's not a baby anymore. He's ascended on high and he's the ruling king. But you do have to believe that at one point, he did come as a baby. He did live as a man perfectly.

He did die on a cross to pay for your sin. He was buried in a tomb. He did conquer death. He did rise into the heavens, and he promised that in the same way he went up, he will come back down. And when he comes back down, it's no longer to deal with sin, but to redeem those who have repented of their sin and believed on his name.

Today, this Christmas service, have you repented and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? If not, he is God's gift to you. Would you receive it? Let's pray. Father, we thank you that you've given us the ability to register all these things for the time being.

We pray that by your help, they would be remembered. Thank you for instilling in us greater confidence in the sufficiency, the accuracy, the validity of your word. We ask that in times where Satan would try to make us doubt that you would remind us that your word is perfect. When those who don't believe in Jesus as Messiah, we would be gentle and kind to show them the truth and that you would give us the ability to communicate these things in a way that would help them embrace the Messiah. We ask, Lord, that if there's even one person here who does not know you, who has not experienced Christ Jesus as their Lord, that 2025 would be the beginning of a new walk with you.

Only you can perform that by the power of your spirit. And for those who have made that confession, for those who have been born again, may we never lose the wonder of who you are. May we never lose faith in the might of your power. May we never lose the sense of your tender fatherly love. And may we remember that you offer peace that no money, no health, no amount of children, no job can provide.

Thank you for being our prince. Thank you for being our Lord. Thank you because you're coming back again. In Jesus' name, amen. What a mighty God we serve.

Let's celebrate him and rejoice in his goodness as we stand in conclusion of this service. Let's sing to the Lord.