Isaiah 9:6-7
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.
Those are the words that God gave to the prophet Isaiah to encourage the people of Judah that one day God was going to send a Messiah - one day there would be a king that would change the scene forever - one day . . . Isaiah went on in the remainder of chapter 9 to tell about the impending judgment that was coming on Israel because of their refusal to repent . . . but one day the kingdom is going to look vastly different!
We understand that Isaiah was foretelling the birth of Jesus Christ the Son of God – and the birth of the “Kingdom of God” that will never end. Thank God that we are part of that kingdom!
This morning’s Daily News has an article on the “religion” page called Voices of Faith. The headline of the article is the question, “Is God punishing the United States?” Then there are two sub articles - one entitled God Doesn’t Punish Nations, the other, Disasters Are Not Sent By God. The authors of the two articles have obviously not been reading along with us through Isaiah and Jeremiah. Today’s reading in Jeremiah makes it very clear that God indeed uses one nation to punish another. God used Babylon to bring judgment on Judah for her idolatry. Then God used the Medes and the Persians to punish Babylon for her arrogance and ungodliness . . . and on and on it goes. . .
I am clearly reminded today that there is a God in heaven who is in charge of the governments of this world. I am clearly reminded that there is no power that is above him. History is infallible proof that nations who forget God do not continue to prosper . .. And some even cease to exist.
The rabbi writing in the Daily News article makes a statement that has a great deal of truth to it. He wrote, “ What we have learned is that the miracle of divine intervention is dependent upon human action.” Isaiah and Jeremiah wanted the people of their day to know that if they would truly repent and put God in the proper place in their lives and their culture the hand of God’s judgment could be stayed . . . but if they continued to live they way they were living judgment was coming. I believe that the same message is true for us today here in the United States of America. We are in desperate need of a revival that touches the very core of our culture. And for that to happen Christians must pray – we must speak the Word of God into the culture - we must live the Word of God!
New laws cannot fix our nation. More money in everyone’s pocket will not solve our problems. The only thing that will save our nation is to acknowledge the kingship of Jesus Christ and his righteousness.
Suggested Readings To Read Through The Bible In A Year
Saturday October 9, 2010 Jeremiah 50-52 and Isaiah 9
Sunday October 10, 2010 1 John 1-3 and Isaiah 10
Monday October 11, 2010 1 John 4-5 and Isaiah 11
Tuesday October 12, 2010 Lamentations 1-3 and Isaiah 12
Wednesday October 13, 2010 Lamentations 4-5 and Isaiah 13
Thursday October 14, 2010 2 & 3 John and Isaiah 14
Friday October 15, 2010 1 Peter 1-3 and Isaiah 15
