Introduction
This week
while I was doing some studying in the Book of Isaiah—specifically some of Isaiah’s
messianic prophecies, a friend sent me a video link to watch with a group of
Chinese Christians receiving a very special gift. I wish I could show you the
video but the faces in the video are clearly visible and I am under no illusion
that Communist China doesn’t persecute Christians. Nevertheless, I was moved to
tears when I watched the video and saw the excitement when the room full of
Christians unzipped a suitcase that held stacks of still-wrapped Bibles. There
were shouts of joy, there was crying and there was something that many of them
did that spoke volumes—they kissed it and held the book to their faces like
they were kissing and embracing the Lord himself; they praised God because they
had received the written words of The
Promised One. Suffice it to say, I don’t do that with my Bible though it is
never far from me and very important to me both as a book that I will pass on
to my girls and as God’s Word to me. The video was a reminder of the many
things that many of us take for granted when it comes to our easy access to the
Scriptures. But Chinese Christians are not so fortunate. You see, Chinese
Communism has been persecuting Christians in that country for a very long time.
Let me share a story with you:
“‘There is
a book that tells how to get to heaven?’
“‘Yes, Yun. I have seen it with my
own eyes,’ answered the old man.
“‘Where is this book?’ asked Yun.
‘I must see it for myself!’
“‘It is far away—over 35 miles,’
the old man said sadly. ‘It is too far to walk, and you have no bicycle.’
“‘I will go!’ replied Yun. This
young man walked the 35 miles and met with the owner of the Bible. Eventually
he was able to get a Bible of his own.
“Yun then joined with another
Christian, and together they went from village to village telling about Jesus.
As this was illegal, the police would often come to stop them.
“Yun came up with a way around this
problem. He had read in 1 Samuel 21:13 that David once pretended to be crazy to
escape from his enemies. When the police came, Yun did the same thing; he made
a spectacle of himself. The police laughed at him and let him go. After they
were gone, he would become serious again and continued to speak to the people
about salvation.
“Before long, however, Yun was
cruelly beaten and put in prison for his faith. Afterwards, he had to stand
public trial in a marketplace.
“Yun was small and thin. He was
dressed in rags and barefoot, his face deformed from the beatings. The judge
said to him, ‘We will give you one last chance to save your life. If you leave
the underground church and join the Three-Self Patriotic Church, we will make
you one of its leaders.
“Yun remained silent. He knew the
government church worked closely with the Communists and often turned
house-church Christians in to be imprisoned or beaten.
“The judge brought in a doctor who
said to him sarcastically, ‘I will heal your dumbness!’ The doctor forced
needles under Yun’s fingernails.
“When Yun passed out, the policemen
walked on his body saying, ‘Your stubbornness led to this.’
“He was brought back to a cell
where other prisoners urinated on him. His only treasure was a tin cup on which
he had painted a cross. This was thrown in the toilet. Weeping, he fished it
out and pressed it to his heart.
“Yun fasted often, praying for the
Chinese churches, his fellow inmates, and himself. He was finally released
after ten years, still strong in faith and refusing any compromise with the
world or with the government-supported church.”—Yun, 16 years old, Mainland China[1]
I know what some of you are
thinking: “Interesting and amazing but what does that have to do with Isaiah?”
Well, what do you suppose is the reaction of someone who receives something
they have long awaited? Isn’t it exactly the reaction of the Chinese Christians
who saw a Bible for the first time? What they had been told about from someone
else, they could now see and read for themselves. Still not clear on the
connection? What if your life was desperately difficult; on the verge of being
hopeless, and I told you that someone was coming that could relieve your
struggle? This was the reality for the Jews and exactly what the more than 300 prophecies
of the messiah in the Old Testament were doing. And of those prophecies, nearly
35% of them can be found in the Book of Isaiah! Do you want to see what it
looked like when the Chinese Christians saw their first Bible? Take a look at
the reaction to the people in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday when Jesus rode in on
the back of a colt. They called out Hosanna (“please save,” or “save now,” or
possible “savior”). It is an expression of joy and adoration; The Promised One had arrived; The Promised One that Isaiah was talking
about! Let’s look:
Subject Text
Isaiah 9:1-7
1Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the
land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by
the way of the sea, along the Jordan. 2The people walking in
darkness have seen a great light; on those living
in the land of the shadow of death a light has
dawned. 3You have enlarged the nation and increased
their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the
harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. 4For as in the day of
Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor. 5Every warrior's boot
used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. 6For to us a child is
born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign
on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with
justice and righteousness from that time on and
forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will
accomplish this.
Context
As always, it is important to understand the context for
the Book of Isaiah in order to fully grasp the gravity of
Isaiah’s warnings and the magnificence of his prophetic message. Isaiah’s
ministry spanned the period when Israel was a divided kingdom with Israel in
the north and Judah in the south. Isaiah’s prophetic ministry covered the reign
of at least 4 kings of Judah, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah according to
Isaiah 1:1. However, Isaiah’s ministry must have continued beyond the reign of
King Hezekiah since he records the death of the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, who
was assassinated by his sons in 681 BC and Hezekiah died and was succeeded by
his evil son, Manasseh in 686 BC. This places Isaiah’s ministry within the
reign of a fifth king and overall in the approximate period of 760 BC—673 BC.
Isaiah wrote during a dark period of expansion of the brutal Assyrian empire
and the decline of Israel. Under the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III (745-727
BC) the Assyrians roared into Aram (Syria) and Canaan (Israel). The kings of
Aram and Israel tried to pressure Ahaz, then king of Judah, into joining a
coalition against Assyria. Instead, in an act condemned by Isaiah, Ahaz chose
to become allied with Tiglath-Pileser in opposition to Israel and together they
conquered the northern kingdom of Israel. However, Judah’s sin invited evil
right to their own doorstep and in 701BC King Sennacherib of Assyria turned his
attention to the conquest of Judah and threatened Jerusalem itself. Facing the
possibility of being conquered by Assyria, King Hezekiah prayed earnestly for
God’s intervention. Isaiah predicted that God would force the Assyrians to
withdraw from the city.
Nevertheless, Isaiah warned Judah
that her sin would bring captivity at the hands of Babylon who would conquer
Assyria. After Babylon’s envoy visits Hezekiah, the stage is set for Isaiah’s
prediction. Although the fall of Jerusalem would not take place until 586 BC,
Isaiah assumes the destruction of Judah and predicts the restoration of the
people from captivity. Like the days of old when God rescued his people from
Egypt, He would redeem his people from Babylon. Isaiah predicts the rise of
Cyrus the Persian. Under the leadership of Cyrus, the Medes and Persians would
conquer Babylon in 539 BC. A decree by Cyrus would allow the Jews to return
home. It would be a deliverance that prefigured the coming salvation from sin
through Christ.
Text Analysis
Isaiah begins in v. 1 with the word
“Nevertheless” so we have to first look at what Isaiah is referring to
immediately preceding our subject text. Given the overall context as I outlined
above, the Jews had been conquered and were obviously in deep distress. According
to the end of chapter 8, the severe distress led the Jews to look for answers
and relief from mediums and spiritists. They didn’t seek the only One who could
comfort them in their profound misery or perhaps even deliver them from their
oppressor(s). Instead, when distress reached its pinnacle, they cursed the king
and God. Isaiah 8:22 says they experienced only “distress, and darkness and
fearful gloom.” But that wouldn’t be the worst. The text says they would
experience “utter darkness.” In modern vernacular, they were going to hit rock
bottom. Life was awful! Life was terrible! Life seemed hopeless! I know some of
you out there know this life. I know you have experienced the “utter darkness.”
You know what it’s like when life seems hopeless. And I know what many of you
found in that place—The Promised One!
And that’s exactly what Isaiah is talking about in v. 1. Isaiah is saying that
the “utter darkness” they had been and are currently experiencing is not the
end; help is on the way.
We can understand Naphtali and Zebulun as being
representative of the northern kingdom of Israel. But how will Galilee be
honored; especially Galilee of the Gentiles (or in Gk. “Nations”)? That’s
right, Galilee (Nazareth in Galilee specifically) would be the home of Jesus!
“Although the inclusion of the Gentiles (‘nations’) is present in Isaiah, it
certainly is not its major theme. However, in the NT it is one of the most
important topics discussed. Thus, Matthew understands the promise of better
times for the ‘land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali’ to be fulfilled when
Jesus settles in Galilee, no doubt prompted by the expression ‘Galilee of the
nations’ (Mt 4:15-16).”[2]
The grammatical sense of v. 2 makes
it sound like an event that has already occurred. However, we must remember
that v. 1 places the text firmly in context of events yet to occur when it says
“there will be.” As such, v. 2 should be read as though the day of “there will
be” had arrived even though it hadn’t; a future event described in present
tense language. Additionally, light is an oft used metaphor in both the Old and
New Testaments. “In the prophetic literature (and especially in Isaiah), light
becomes a characteristic of Israel’s future hope, applicable to both the
Messianic kingdom and the work of the Suffering Servant (Isa 42:6; 49:6;
53:11). God’s light will replace not only darkness but also every physical form
of light on earth (Isa 30:26; 42:16; 51:4). It will culminate in a permanent
theophany when Yahweh will reveal himself as everlasting light, so establishing
a new world order in which all suffering will be banished (Isa 60:1-2, 19-20).”[3]
V. 3 is an obscure verse even if we
understand the context of our subject text. Remember we’re talking about a time
when “there will be.” It is also important to remember that the kingdom was
divided between north and south. Also, as much as God wanted to be the one and
only King of the Jews instead of them being ruled by an earthly king, he
definitely didn’t want the kingdom to be divided in any event. But if we take a
peak ahead to v. 7 we get a glimpse into what Isaiah might be referring to—a
kingdom under the reign of God as King, and God won’t rule over a divided
kingdom. “In retrospect, the people
walking in darkness (2a) must include both northerners and southerners, but
in verse 3 they are simply the nation.
Thus the oracle subtly anticipates the reunification of Israel and Judah under
a single, ideal, Davidic ruler of the future.”[4]
Of course, for the people living during Isaiah’s day this was simply a hope of
things to come. However, we’ve seen the partial fulfillment of this prophecy in
the New Testament. Let me show you in case you’ve forgotten:
Luke 19:35-38
{The disciples have just brought Jesus a young colt to ride as he enters
Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.}
35They brought it to
Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 37When he came near the place where the road goes down the
Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in
loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest!”
The reference to “the day of Midian’s
defeat” in v. 4 takes the reader back to Gideon’s defeat of the Midianites
recorded in Judges 6-7. The Midianites, oddly enough, descended from Abraham’s
second wife, Keturah (Gen 25:1, 2). They were desert people who were constantly
in conflict with the Israelite people. In fact, the Midianites became so
oppressive that the Israelites had to make shelters for themselves in the
mountain clefts and caves. Whenever they planted crops, the Midianites would
set up their camps in the planted fields and destroy all the crops. Eventually
God would raise up a warrior, Gideon, and defeat the Midianites and end the
oppression.
Now, whether the oppression comes
from the Assyrians or the Babylonians, Isaiah foretells of a time when the
oppression, like a yoke or bar across their shoulders that is shattered, will
come to an end. “The yoke, bar, and rod were instruments used to dominate
people and force them to work physically, or they could be used as metaphors to
describe a heavy burden put on people through increased taxation or domineering
rule.”[5]
V. 5 tells them what the day will
look like when the military oppression comes to an end. It is, however,
important to understand the customs of Isaiah’s day for this verse to make
sense. In this verse, the Hebrew word for “burning” can be used in the sense
that “The conventional punishment in the ANE [Ancient Near East] for breach of
treaty was the destruction by fire of the offender’s city.”[6]
However, here in Isaiah “It refers to the burning of the former oppressor’s
military equipment, which is the prelude to the inauguration of an era of
idyllic justice, righteousness, peace, and prosperity.”[7]
V. 6 is the treasured verse of our
subject text. It means so much to us today as Christians because we know exactly
what Isaiah was talking about. We know he was writing about the Messiah; we
know he was writing about Jesus; we know he was writing about The Promised One! But you have to
remember that Isaiah was writing this more than 700 years before the child would be born; before God
would give his Son. And the day is yet to come when Jesus will be recognized by
all and will take his rightful place as the ruler of the world (Phil 2:10). However,
for those of us who recognize Jesus as The
Promised One, we see in him the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting
Father, and the Prince of Peace. “The titles underscore the ultimate deity of
this child-deliverer. Although some commentators have expended a great deal of
energy attempting to make these titles appear normal, they are not…It is an
expression of a belief that the one who would be born to rule over Israel in
justice and righteousness would be possessed of divine attributes. All of this
points to a remarkable congruence with the Immanuel [“God with us”] prophecy.
Somehow a virgin-born child would demonstrate that God is with us (Isa 7:14).
Now he says ‘to us a child is born’ (Isaiah including himself with his people
in their deliverance as he did in their sin [Isa 6:1]) and this child has those
traits which manifest the presence of God in our midst. Surely this child (also
described in Isa 11:1-5) is presented to us as the ultimate fulfillment of the
Immanuel sign.”[8]
V. 7 makes clear that the reference
in v. 6 to the government being on his shoulders is clearly an event that has
still not been realized in a literal sense, even if it has to a certain degree
in a spiritual sense. Although the text indicates that his government (his
rule) and peace will continue to grow, this is clearly not our current day
reality so we know that the complete fulfillment is yet to come. Nevertheless,
Isaiah’s prophetic message planted the seeds of hope for the Jews of his day
and for us in this day and for all people until The Promised One does, in fact, take his rightful place as the
Divine King who will rule all peoples with perfect justice and righteousness
that will perpetuate a peace that will never end. “With heavy losses of land,
king and temple during the Babylonian period, these failures also gave rise to
the hope of a future leader who would lead with righteousness and justice. For
Christians, this expectation was met in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.”[9]
Application
Hope is a powerful thing and the
fulfillment of a hope, even if it is only a partial fulfillment, usually
results in some type of an emotional celebration. The Jews lived with hopeful
expectation for hundreds of years for the fulfillment of Isaiah’s Messianic
prophecy; for the coming of The Promised
One. Isaiah’s prophecy re-energized the previous promises about an
everlasting Davidic dynasty and that God’s promise would be upheld despite their
dark and gloomy circumstances. And when a promise or hope is fulfilled, there
is celebration (cf. Lk 19:35-38; Chinese Christians). “God’s promise to bring
peace and justice to this world through the Messiah is also an encouraging
message that people can share today, because the political situation in modern
times is sometimes about as dark and hopeless as in the days of Isaiah. This
good news offers another opportunity for rebellious people to turn from
trusting in political alliances, mediums, and the spirits of the dead because
God is their only true source of hope. Neither Ahaz [one of Judah’s kings] nor
any modern political figure can ever hope to bring about an era of perfect
peace and justice. Only God’s wonderful plans will bring about these ideals,
not the plans of Ahaz (Isa 8:10) or any other fast talking politician. God’s
promises will only be accomplished through his chosen messianic ruler.”[10]
And God’s greatest promise of deliverance from sin and reconciliation for all
people can only be fulfilled by The
Promised One.
[1] dc
Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs, Jesus
Freaks, (Tulsa, OK: Albury Publishing, 1999), pp. 139-140.
[2]
Mark J. Boda and J. Gordon McConville, Dictionary
of the Old Testament Prophets, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press,
2012), p. 651.
[3]
Willem A. VanGemeren, New International
Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis, Vol. 1, (Grand Rapids,
MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997), pp. 327-328.
[4]
Barry G. Webb, The Message of Isaiah,
(Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), p. 68.
[5]
Gary V. Smith, Isaiah 1-39—The New
American Commentary, (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2007), p.
239.
[6]
VanGemeren, DOTTE, Vol. 3, p. 1291
[7]
Ibid.
[8]
John N. Oswalt, The Book of Isaiah,
Chapters 1-39—The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, (Grand
Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1986), pp. 246-247.
[9]
Boda and McConville, DOTP, p. 471.
[10]
Smith, Isaiah 1-39—TNAC, pp. 242-243.
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