From Isaiah to You Merry Christmas
Government
America is divided
The one half has refused to acknowledge Trump as their President
The other half refuses to acknowledge Biden as their President
Isaiah says the government will be on the shoulders of a Child, a Son
The world knows Him as Jesus
But who will want and submit to His government?
Five times Isaiah says
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised. Isaiah 9:12, 17, 21; 5:25; 10:4
Are you ready for Christmas?
The government shall be on His shoulders
Are you ready to yield to that government?
Government
2020 is an election year.
(I know you have to be
dead not to know that.)
From the beginning of President Trump’s
election in 2016, there have been those
who would not accept him as President
and fought him with impeachment.
At this time, in 2020, the election
results for Biden are contested.
There are those who will
not accept Biden as President.
America is divided.
America is like oil and water,
it cannot be united.
The issue of Government divides.
The polarization of the right and
left have never been more divided.
Hate for one another fills the hearts of Americans.
Isaiah 9 starts out with…
Nevertheless, there will be no more
gloom for those who were in distress.
Isaiah 9:1
Why did Isaiah say…
Never the less?
Because of the verses right before Nevertheless…
Distressed and hungry,
they will roam through the land;
when they are famished,
they will become enraged and,
looking upward,
will curse their king and their God.
Then they will look toward the earth and
see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom,
and they will be thrust into utter darkness.
Isaiah 8:21-22
I can’t help but see how the words
of Isaiah describe America.
Isaiah in verses 1-7, gives us hope.
But what is that hope?
Isaiah 9:2-3 says…
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.
You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy
Will the increase of the nation’s joy be because
the person you voted for becomes President?
No! Isaiah says…
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
Isaiah 9:6
We know that the Child,
the Son is Jesus Christ…
And the government will be on his shoulders.
V6
We have to ask ourselves the question…
“What type of government will that be?”
We are given four descriptions that help us
see what His government will look like…
Wonderful Counselor
Mighty God
Everlasting Father
Prince of Peace
Wonderful Counselor…
The word Counselor means to deliberate or resolve.
The word Wonderful comes from the word Miracle.
Sadly, the majority of America’s legal
attorneys, “counselors”, are more concerned
with winning than righteousness and justice.
But we need to ask ourselves the question…
Do we really want the “Wonderful Counselor” who
upholds righteousness and justice with all wisdom,
knowledge, understanding, and discernment?
How would our lives look sitting
in the courtroom with Him?
Are you willing to allow Him to
expose the dark areas in your life?
Mighty God…
Mighty, powerful, able to
control fight like a warrior.
I want the biggest guy on my team,
but what if he won’t join my team.
“My concern is not whether God is on our side;
my greatest concern is to be on God’s side,
for God is always
right.”
Abraham Lincoln
Everlasting Father…
This type of government is so powerful.
It is the government of family.
This Father is not limited to our earthly life span.
He is an eternal Father and His children had
to be born again into an eternal family.
Family bonding time is essential.
Look at the more than 20 times the
Father gives us “one another” commands.
You cannot be isolated.
Jesus prayed that we be one
as He and the Father are one.
Prince of Peace…
Peace has to be rules.
Why? Because it is so easily stolen.
We are robbed of our peace all the time.
Jesus modeled peace in the midst of the storm.
Jesus modeled peace in the Garden
of Gethsemane where He prayed…
“Not My will, but Thy will”.
Isaiah goes on to say…
Of 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.
Isaiah 9:7
We must ask ourselves the question…
Do we want the government
to be on Jesus’ shoulders?
Maybe this is why verse 8 and following
turns back to the fall of His people.
In Chapter 9, three times it says…
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.
Isaiah 9:12, 17, 21
Again in Isaiah 5:25 and 10:4 he says…
His hand is still upraised.
If we are to enjoy the peace and joy
of the government on Jesus’ shoulders…
We will have to recognize His upraised hand.
It may be easy for us to appreciate Psalms 82:8…
Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
for all the nations are your inheritance.
But Peter says…
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God;
and if it begins with us, what will the outcome
be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"
1 Peter 4:17-18
Are you ready for Christmas?
The government shall be on His shoulders.
Are you ready to yield to that government?
Scripture Reading
Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV
6 For 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.
7 Of 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.
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