Isaiah 9:1–7
Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passages of Scripture. Reread them. From memory, determine the central points.
1. The passage begins with a word of hope. Despite the pressure from the alliance of Syria and Israel, and the even larger threat from Assyria, yet the word of the Lord looks ahead to something so very far better.
2. Isaiah is a prophet and a poet, giving out the most beautiful sets of parallelisms such as:
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
3. In verse 6 comes then the great promise of that which is to come, to that which had been declared in the 7th chapter:
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given” this child of the virgin will be supreme above all.
4. In typical Hebrew fashion Isaiah says “his name shall be called.” The name, more than a name, has to do with who this son is. The prophet now uses four unique phrases in an attempt to describe the nearly indescribable.
5. “Wonderful Counselor”–the all knowning one who comforts and consoles, and we are reminded of John 14:25–26.
Then “Mighty God”–Here we see that the son is God, the mighty God, a pre-shadowing of the Trinity.
6. Third then, “Everlasting Father,” and somewhat equivalent to the third title, “Mighty God,” and here the eternal nature of the God head is proclaimed. Also the word “Father” reveals a familial nature as to who this God is.
7. “Prince of Peace” and the word for “peace” in Hebrew is Shalom. And here it is that we see the foreshadowing of the cross where the prince of peace is crucified, thus reconciling the rebellious sinner with the Creator God.
8. And how will this come to pass? “The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this” Isaiah declares.