Isaiah’s majestic description of the Messiah in 9:6-7 is awe inspiring and still shakes the earth. As I read his words again for the first time, they explode from Scripture directly into the heart.    In just a few phrases, Isaiah foretells the Messiah from Infant Child to the future King in all his regal splendor, power and righteousness who will come to rule the world. The illuminating vision he has of Messiah is like the comet over Bethlehem   shining in the dark night sky. He would be called by royal titles: : Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. No earthly ruler has ever been honored with such magnificent appellations.

Genesis declares that In the beginning of time God spoke and there was Light. The Light pierced the formless void and Creation began. As the prophet receives the messianic vision of the One who would come into the darkness for Israel, it is Jesus, “the Light of the world”   and first fruit of the new creation whom Isaiah   sees .   John   declares that Jesus is the Word of God, who was with God and was God in the beginning. Under the divine power of the Holy Spirit, Isaiah prophesies the Word through royal throne names of the Messiah and in doing so , he calls forth the Name and Character of the Godhead Himself. For it is the Lord God who with the Son and the Holy Spirit is the Mighty God, the Eternal Father, the Wonderful Counselor, and the Prince of Peace. What Isaiah speaks of in 9:7 describes  God manifested in the Holy Trinity.

Isaiah 9:6-7 is often used as a Christmas message because it builds on the Immanuel prophesy and points to the birth of Jesus in the New Testament.   I believe it is much more than that. Taken in its entirety, it is the full message of the Gospel of the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. There is the very familiar connection of “ unto us a Child is born” which describes Christ’s Incarnation as a human child.  “Son of Man” was Jesus favorite description of Himself because He was one of us, born as a little child.

But is not “unto us a Son is given” also the prophetic message of the cross? Is it not pointing to the Messiah as not only one of us, but also as God’s only Son freely given to mankind as the price of redemption? Is it not the Son, come as the Suffering Servant who would   die for all  our sin and  take on our  punishment?  Isaiah sees dimly what John reveals fully:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16

Isaiah’s vision of the Messiah ends in the glory of His kingly power and reign. It is the resurrected and glorified Jesus whom we see. He will come as “Prince of Peace” in all His power and divinity upon whom “the government   will be upon His shoulder.” At the end of Psalm 22 David speaks of when…

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations. Psalm 22:27-28

The Psalm quoted by Jesus on the cross wherein dying for our sin He calls out to Abba Father ends not in despair but in triumph and power.  We await in faith, hope and joy  the prophetic fulfillment of  these holy Scriptures.  There can be no greater Christmas Message than this!

EAG