THE FULFILLMENT OF ISAIAH 9:2

Anita Clark – Pastor

Grace Chapel, Carbondale, Kansas

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined...For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this” Isaiah 9:2, 6-7.

This is one of the prophecies of the Son of God, who would come upon the earth. The people of the earth who were walking in the darkness of their sins would see a “great light.” This great light was Jesus Christ. He called Himself, “The Light of the World.” This light showed up sin to be the evil it definitely is, and then illuminated and made bright the path to forgiveness for the evil of sin by a loving God.

This light which shined down on the very spot where Jesus lay nestled in the hay of an ordinary manger, where lambs and sheep were feed, came from a magnificent star; a star that has had so called “wise men” puzzled about its origin ever since. Later in Jesus’ life as He entered His ministry, He declared that He Is “the Light of the world.” In Isaiah 8:22, it tells the opposite side of the story, “And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.” This is speaking of Israel in olden times when they had trouble with the Assyrians, but also shows how the unbelieving world finds themselves helpless in the darkness of their sin, as they walk away from the Light, the Lord Jesus Christ.

These beautiful names of our Savior Jesus Christ give such a wonderful description of our dear Lord. “His name shall be called Wonderful.” “Wonderful” in the Hebrew (the Old Testament was written in Hebrew) means “a miracle, a marvelous thing.” In Judges 13:18 a messenger of God appeared to Manoah, the father of Samson, the mighty and strong man. Manoah asked what the being’s name was and He answered, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is Secret.” This word, “secret” is the same word in the Hebrew as “wonderful” in Isa. 9:6. When we seek the Lord and inquire after Him, He reveals the secret treasures to us. For example Apostle Paul used the word “mystery” to describe truths that to the majority of people are “secret,” but they are revealed to those who diligently seek after Christ Jesus.

“Counsellor” is the next name of the Lord Jesus Christ mentioned here (V. 6). In our day this word is spelled, counselor. In the Hebrew it means, “an advisor, one who deliberates, consultant, guide.” How precious the thought that Jesus is all these things to us. As we consult Him for His direction and advise, we can’t go wrong. The Scripture tells us that Christ sits at the right hand of God as our Counselor or Advocate, making intercession for us. Psalms 1:1,2 states, “Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law does he meditate day and night.” Psalms 33:11 says, “The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations.” Also the blessed verse, “thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me up to glory,” Psalms 73:24.

“The Mighty God” is the next title given to Jesus the Son of God. “The Mighty God” is the name God called Himself when He appeared to Abraham in Genesis 17:1, where the Lord told Abraham “I am the Almighty God, walk before and be thou perfect.” The word “God” in Isa.9:6 and the word, “God” here are the same Hebrew word, meaning “strength, almighty, power.” The word “Almighty” or “Shaddai” in Genesis 17:1, means the “nourisher, sustainer or the breasted One.” He not only is the God of Miracles, but the God who “keeps us going,” sustaining us in trials and afflictions. John the Apostle learned to rest on Jesus breast, in close fellowship, when Jesus was here on earth. Some have said that this was because he was younger than the others, and needed to lean on someone older to sustain him. This place of fellowship brought a depth of understanding to John’s heart, which is seen in his work as he wrote by the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John, which is the deepest one of the four Gospels, - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We too need to learn to lean on Jesus. He has invited us to “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly and you will find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” Matthew 11;28-30. He is the Mighty God.

“The Everlasting Father,” is the next prophesied name of the Son of God. Although Jesus is the Son of God the Father, for 1,000 years He will reign as God Almighty and as “the Everlasting Father.” “Everlasting” in the Hebrew means “ in perpetuity (unending), everlasting, and eternity.” The word “Father” means the “paternal side, principal or chief.” Jesus will manifest that loving care as a father does his children, holding them, soothing them, loving them without reservation. That’s our beloved Lord Jesus. Enfolding us in His great arms of strength, soothing our fears, giving us courage to go on. Some of us never experienced this kind of tender care from our earthly dad, but this is certainly what we experience with our heavenly Father all the time. He loves us with an everlasting love. Jesus will take on this role during His reign of the millennium.

“The Prince of Peace,” The word “Prince” means “ the head person (of rank or class), chief, general, Lord, Ruler etc.” Colossians 1:17-10 tells us, “And He (Jesus) is before all things and by Him all things consist (are sustained), And He is the head of the church; Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness (completeness) dwell.” Being the Head of the Church is His official place right now during this Age of Grace. In the Age to come, He will be the Prince, Son of God, King of kings, and Lord of Lords. I Timothy 6:15-16 are some of my favorite Scriptures, “The Lord Jesus Christ, Which in His times He will show, Who is the blessed and only potentate, the Kings of Kings, and the Lord of Lords; Who only has immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto; whom no man Hath seen, nor can see; to whom be honor and power, everlasting. Amen.” We are eager to see our dear Lord Jesus take His rightful place as ruler. He will be crowned in the heavens and take His throne (Rev.4). He will be putting all principalities and powers under His feet during the seven years of tribulation and then He will rule in His peaceful millennial kingdom. The word “peace” is the Hebrew word “Shalom,” which means, “safe, well, happy, prosperous and rest, etc.”

Isaiah 9:7 tells of His kingdom. He will rule upon the throne of His father David, which will fulfill the prophecies. God planned all of this concerning Jesus Christ being born of the right ancestral line, descendant of King David, to fulfill the promise to David in II Samuel 7:8-17 that his seed would reign upon his (David’s) throne forever. How blessed is that! We might say, God moved “heaven and earth” to fulfill this promise. The right man to father the prophesied Son, the right woman to be His mother, not just anyone, but the exact ones to fulfill God’s prophetic word.
Does God do that for us too? Yes, He does. Each of us can look back and see the miraculous way God worked in our past to bring us into this glorious way of the Truth. All we need to do is to walk with Him and let Him lead us on in His perfect way and will.