A Major Problem (Isaiah 9:1-2) What was happening? We see in 2 Kings 15 that the Assyrians were fighting the Northern border areas of Galilee. Israel had suffered greatly! So gloom was upon them! The prophet Isaiah was giving them hope! A great Light, a great Deliver was coming! Isaiah, playing the role as a military Chaplain was encouraging the troops! The tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali had been given the land by God, but in their disobedience they had allowed sin to creep in and the land that was promised was now under battle with the mighty Assyrians. We even see this coming out in the New Testament as a fulfilled prophecy in Matthew 4:12-14 “12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:”

 

How does this apply today? It’s the 18^th year in the war on terror, continual battle! Many of us war in our homes, families’ war, we war in our workplaces, we war with ourselves, we war with sin! We desperately need a great Light to overcome the gloom of war! We need peace to cause a ceasefire! The major problem is the darkness of sin!

 

Henry W. Longfellow wrote this hymn “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” in the mist of the war between the states, the Civil War in the 1863. Longfellow, a professor at Harvard had just lost his wife in a fire and had found out that his son had been wounded in the war. Under great depression, he wrote this poem on Christmas Day 1863 after hearing the church bells ring. He knew that in the middle of man’s destruction only peace could be found in Christ! Listen to the fourth stanza of this poem that later became a hymn: “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, good will to men.”

 

Only the Light of Jesus Christ can bring peace. Listen to John 1:1-9 “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” You may have come this morning because a friend or family member wanted you to, but your opposed to the light. That’s natural! We, before Christ, loved darkness, we hated the light! That’s why Christ is so opposed! But once faith breaks in and you know that Christ is the light, you feel peace! You will not have peace until you have the light of Christ!

 

 

1. A Multiplication of God’s People v.3– There is a promise of multiplying the nation of God’s people, a promise of great joy.
2. A Movement of Freedom v.4– imagines of bondage, a yoke, a staff, all used by the Assyrians to oppress God’s people. All will be removed through the coming Messiah! The Messiah, Jesus broke the slavery of sin for all who place faith in Him!
3. A Mandate of Peace v. 5– The promise of fighting clothes being burned, no need for them, no more battle. We will no longer fear death! We have eternal life with Christ.
4. A Messiah v. 6– The promise of the Savior!

 

1. A Great Ruler “the government shall be upon his shoulder.”
2. A Guide “Wonderful Counselor,”
3. A God-Commanded Strength “Mighty God”
4. A Guarantee of Eternal Family “Everlasting Father”
5. A Granting of Peace “Prince of Peace” v.6 and v.7 “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end…” Micah 5:5 states “And he shall be their peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men;”