Isaiah 9:1-7 Word to Judah, Glorious Hope
The remnant, the people of hope, now see their hope rewarded, fulfilled. The gloom of 8:22 is mentioned one final time here in 9:1 (8:23) and will be no more. Just as people talk about the darkest hour being right before dawn—when despair and worry and fear are at their greatest—only for it to be broken by the sunrise, the remnant will see God’s glorious grace free them from their gloom.
This is not something that the remnant, the people of God, accomplish. God will intervene in history. As He freed the people from Egypt, and Midian, and every other oppression the people subjected themselves to in their rebellion, He will gracefully intervene again for His people, and His name’s sake.
He will appear as the dawn, and His light will overcome the world’s darkness. He will bless His people and the Earth, and they will rejoice. Three things are highlighted:
The yoke of oppression and bondage is broken.
The threat and terror of war will be consumed and obliterated.
The new king—the messiah—will come and reign forever.
This new king is never called a king, even though He is clearly the best king Israel will ever see. He is king in reality rather than title. He does have titles, though. He is the culmination of Isaiah’s references to a child coming to solve all the nation’s (and nations’) problems. The child of the virgin, He will be:
Wonderful Counselor. God’s wisdom is repeatedly seen as better than any of the world’s meager attempts to solve our self-inflicted problems.
Mighty God. This is a title reserved for God Himself, YHWH. So, this child will be God.
Everlasting Father. God as heavenly Father is our ultimate and only source of security, safety, goodness, blessing, etc. and as our Everlasting Father, the Messiah is this with no end.
Prince of Peace. Shalom is more than the absence of conflict. This is not a peace achieved as the world knows, where a might stifles any resistance and grants a “peace” of no resistance. The Prince of Peace brings true well-being. Peace that is not oppressive, but thriving.
This glorious hope will have no end. Our future is secure and eternal. In this passage, Isaiah has shown us God’s action (vv.1,4), the way we as His people benefit (vv.2,5), and the resulting glorious hope the world awaits (vv.3,6-7).
This is not something that the remnant, the people of God, accomplish. God will intervene in history. As He freed the people from Egypt, and Midian, and every other oppression the people subjected themselves to in their rebellion, He will gracefully intervene again for His people, and His name’s sake.
He will appear as the dawn, and His light will overcome the world’s darkness. He will bless His people and the Earth, and they will rejoice. Three things are highlighted:
The yoke of oppression and bondage is broken.
The threat and terror of war will be consumed and obliterated.
The new king—the messiah—will come and reign forever.
This new king is never called a king, even though He is clearly the best king Israel will ever see. He is king in reality rather than title. He does have titles, though. He is the culmination of Isaiah’s references to a child coming to solve all the nation’s (and nations’) problems. The child of the virgin, He will be:
Wonderful Counselor. God’s wisdom is repeatedly seen as better than any of the world’s meager attempts to solve our self-inflicted problems.
Mighty God. This is a title reserved for God Himself, YHWH. So, this child will be God.
Everlasting Father. God as heavenly Father is our ultimate and only source of security, safety, goodness, blessing, etc. and as our Everlasting Father, the Messiah is this with no end.
Prince of Peace. Shalom is more than the absence of conflict. This is not a peace achieved as the world knows, where a might stifles any resistance and grants a “peace” of no resistance. The Prince of Peace brings true well-being. Peace that is not oppressive, but thriving.
This glorious hope will have no end. Our future is secure and eternal. In this passage, Isaiah has shown us God’s action (vv.1,4), the way we as His people benefit (vv.2,5), and the resulting glorious hope the world awaits (vv.3,6-7).
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