Present Darkness and Coming Light
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Isaiah
11. An expository study of Isaiah,
chapter 9
Do they offer a verse by verse Bible
study in the church, where you attend? So few do these days, yet it is so
important for believers to receive help one from another in something that is
as vast as the Word of God. Have you been with us in this Bible study from the
beginning? If not, I invite you to go back to the introduction to get a good
background on the history and events. This book is full of messianic prophecy,
as well as solid spiritual principle, pertinent for all times.
http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com.es/2015/10/introduction-to-isaiah.html
http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com.es/2015/10/introduction-to-isaiah.html
If you have studied with us up to
this point in Isaiah, let me inform you of last year’s study. Hopefully, you
have some reading time on your hands and, if so, you may want to include the
book of Zechariah in your study. Zechariah was a prophet, informed of the
coming Messiah, as was Isaiah, but perhaps Zechariah received more, concerning
the second coming of Christ. This is a day in which we must be informed,
because the signs of His coming are all around us and it would be tragic to
miss them.
http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com.es/2014/12/the-introduction-to-zechariah.html
http://calltocommitment.blogspot.com.es/2014/12/the-introduction-to-zechariah.html
Now it’s time to see some more of
Isaiah prophecies of the coming Messiah…
Light at the end of the tunnel
Our main purpose in studying the
Bible is to receive illumination on the person and nature of God Himself. We
are about to learn some vital lessons from the Holy Spirit about the ways of
God, as we launch chapter 9. Chapter 8 left us in a dark tunnel of gloom of
which, if you remember, Barnes said. “We almost feel that we are enveloped
by the gloom, and see objects of terror and alarm on every side.”
But now look, “There will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier
times He treated the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali with contempt,
but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other
side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.” We see there is light at the end
of God’s tunnel! Remember this always, child of God. There is no guarantee for
any believer that he will be kept from the most severe trials, or that his sins
will not bring on painful discipline. No good Bible scholar will tell you
anything different. However, the ones who let God write their biographies on
the fleshly tables of their heart will always, without exception, find glorious
light in the end! |That is what distinguishes God’s stories from the
unpredictable tales of this world.
The young cancer patient, after weakly
uttering tearful goodbyes to the dear ones around his bed, suddenly bursts into
unspeakable joy in the presence of his Savior and God. The one bound to a
wheelchair throughout life by cerebral palsy, in a flash explodes into laughter,
leaping down the main boulevard of Glory straight to his Father’s throne. A
scream, an awful sound of impact, the crunching of metal and shattering of
glass, is followed by unbearable pain that the accident victim never knew could
exist, and then, in the next moment, it disappears before wholeness and
tranquility in the arms of Jesus.
This is Immanuel’s land in the gospel of
Isaiah, about which we are now learning. Who ever praised the insignificant
tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon? The verse tells us that they were treated with
contempt, part of the northern kingdom under “distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish…”
But, that was not the end of the story. “The people who walk in darkness will see a
great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them” (vs.2).
This is the territory, in which the little village of Nazareth lay and nearby
is Capernaum in Galilee, bordering on the gentile nations. Here is where God
sent His only Son to tabernacle among mankind, raised as a child in Nazareth
and living during His ministerial years in Capernaum. Matthew quotes Isaiah’s
prophecy and speaks to us clearly of its fulfillment (Mt.4:12-17).
The Messiah is coming
Every true ray of light in the Old Testament
pointed straight to Jesus. In chapter six, Isaiah saw Him in His glory and now
we are in the third chapter since then, in which he prophesies of His coming to
earth. Isaiah cannot stop talking about Him!
There is no human language to describe this
light from heaven, but the prophet makes a great effort. It’s something like
the “gladness of harvest” or “as men rejoice when they divide the spoil”,
he tries to explain (v.3). The light is all the more glorious, because of
the darkness which precedes it. It “shall
break the yoke of their burden and the staff of their shoulders, the rod of
their oppressor” (v.4) That is the beauty and enchantment of the gospel: Since the beginning of time it had never been
heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind, but in John, chapter
9, we have a man, who rejoiced in a greater light than newly-created Adam,
because the yoke, the staff and the rod of his lifelong darkness were broken.
The enemy is broken (v.5), his battle boots
fall from his feet and his clothes are drenched in blood. In the end they are
fuel for the fire. Who will break their power? Who will make this become a reality? He will
be a child, a son born in a manger among animals. There was no room for Him in
the crowded inn. His mother was far from home and the help of friendly hands,
experiencing the pains of labor in the unsure atmosphere of a stable; in the
blackness of Bethlehem’s night, light broke forth, “and the glory of the Lord shone around” (Lk.2:8,9).
He became the humble carpenter of the little
hamlet of Nazareth. He was the servant, who washed the feet of those who ate
the Passover with Him. He went to a Roman cross to die a criminal’s death. This
is the child upon whose shoulders the government will rest. Those who hope in
Him will hope forever, because “there
will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace”. He will sit
upon David’s throne, rule over the earth for a thousand years and on into
eternity. He will establish justice and righteousness in this world. This is
fully assured by the last statement (v.6,7). The zeal of men can fail, but when
the Lord’s heart is set on any task, there can be no failure. What He has
purposed, that He will do.
The qualities of the Messiah
His name describes His person and His office,
His nature and His qualities. I prefer Wonderful, as separate from Counselor. Although
many unite the two, we will not debate the point, I will only remind you that
when the father of Samson, Manoa, asked the mighty Angel of the Lord His name,
he replied, “It is wonderful” and
there in the presence of Manoa and his wife, He did wonders. For 3 ½ years He did wonders in
Zebulon and Naphtali and He is the same yesterday, today and forever. How can
He do any less than wonders, if that is His name?
His name is
Counselor. He told His
disciples that He would send them another parakletos to stand at their
right hand before the accuser at the awful court of eternal justice. Parakletos…
called to the side… was the classical Greek Word for defense counsel. The
word that Jesus used for another meant another of the same kind. He
would perform in the same office as Jesus, who is our Counselor.
His name is the mighty God… He is prophesied
as being divine. He is God in the flesh. Isaiah promised that God, as He
experienced His glory in chapter six, was coming to earth to reign on the
throne of David. This is not something that came into light in the New
Testament. It is already proven definitely in the Old Testament that the Word
of God is God, co-equal with the Father, God of gods, the eternal,
uncreated Son of God.
He is the everlasting Father, or the Father
of eternity. Though born as a child on this earth, yet He comes as the Master
of Eternity. He is the Creator of all things, therefore He is the Father of all
things. He is the source of holiness, therefore He is the Father of holiness.
In Him was life, therefore He is the Father of life. He is the Son in relation
to His Father, yet He is the Father in relation to everything and everyone
else.
He is the Prince of Peace. When He reigns,
there can be no storm and no tempest; the lion lays down by the lamb and the
child, without fear, plays by the hole of the adder. Nothing will disturb,
where the absolute Prince reigns. He brings peace into the believer’s life. “My peace I give to you,” He said. When
He reigns in the individual life, that life will be typified by peace.
The condition of Israel requires judgment
Verses 6 and 7 are mighty Scriptures and I
wanted to do the little that I am able to do, to try to expound on them. Now,
we must hurry to the rest of the chapter. From verse 8 onward to the end of
chapter 9, Isaiah turns back from his messianic prophecy to speak again of the
coming judgment against Israel, particularly against the north. Remember,
Ephraim is the largest and dominating tribe of the northern kingdom and Samaria
is the capital city.
The principle cause for judgment against them
is pride and arrogance (v.9). God has absolutely no tolerance for these
attitudes. Of all sins, these are on the top of the list of abominations before
God. No one will ever get into the Kingdom of God unless he humbles himself. I
believe, arrogance is a word that deserves more usage in our day. It is the
strongest form of pride. For that reason, it is given its separate name and
definition, because it is especially horrid. Arrogance is an unreasonable pride;
it is particularly illogical. It is bold to the point of stupidity; as the old
saying goes, ‘it rushes in where angels fear to tread’. Like the rich man in
hell, it argues from the place of eternal condemnation against the state of
eternal bliss. It has an undying love for its own opinion against all the truth
in the universe… and on and on. It will not and cannot repent. It represents
fallen man in his worst condition.
We hear it speak in verse 10 and from these
words we see its stubborn refusal to bow before the facts that lie before its
eyes: “The bricks have fallen down, but
we will rebuild with smooth stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we
will replace them with cedars.” The Lord of hosts has no alternative, but
to bring in His armies from all sides and “spur
their enemies on” (v.11,12). Even that is not enough to break the arrogance
and so the anger of the Lord continues and His arm brings in more judgment.
They will “not turn back”; that is synonymous with a lack of repentance
(v.13). Great and small alike resist His work. The head and the tail, the elder
and the false prophets, who abound, will be cut off, because they are leading
the people astray, away from the ways of God (v.14-16). What is the general
result of following man’s way? … confusion. The apostle tells us that God is
not the God of confusion (1 Co.14:33). When man takes over God’s business, then
man is the god of confusion. Therefore the second work of judgment is not
sufficient, from the young to the old, they cause Him displeasure and things,
then, cannot be left in this state; God will bring in more (v.17).
God is going to judge with fire and Isaiah
makes an effort to show the extreme danger and consequences of their sin, by
describing, in allegoric form, this third judgment. It crosses the plain and
enters into the forest. If anyone has ever seen a forest fire, he knows the awfulness
of its approach and it leaves nothing in its path. “The people are like fuel for the fire” (v.18-19). Yet, in the path
of destruction, sin survives and selfishness brings on self-destruction. Through
diabolical control, the fallen human race finally comes to this: “Each of them eats the flesh of his own arm”
(v.20).
Manasseh can only see the vision of Manasseh
and Ephraim can only see his purpose and program. Neither of them recognize
Judah and so, as their vision narrows, they oppose everything, except their own
tribe. In so doing, they lose sight of the purpose of God and quench every
spark that the Holy Spirit lights, because simply, they did not light it. The
whole of Israel is divided and destroyed (v.21). In this church age, we would
say that there is no recognition of the oneness of the true and universal body
of Christ. There is no appreciation for the unique and irreplaceable gift of
each member. They boast in self-sufficiency. More judgment is in store,
although Isaiah has already made the observation in the first chapter: “Where will you be stricken again, as you
continue in your rebellion? The whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint”
(1:5). All of this is evidence placed in the courtroom to justify the Lord’s
sentence against sin, “so that You are
justified when You speak and blameless when You judge” (Ps.51:4).
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