Looking Forward to Peace

Pharaoh Akhenaten (the “monotheistic Pharaoh”) became Pharaoh and reigned circa 1350 BC.  The Exodus took place some 50 or so years later, circa 1300 BC.  David’s and Solomon’s reign occurred some 300 years after that, circa 1000 BC to almost 930 BC.  Now some 200 years later in 734–732 BC, the kingdoms of Israel, Judah, and Syria were threatened by the Assyrian Empire, an ancient Mesopotamian empire of northern Iraq. Assyria arose into a superpower of the world reaching its peak from 800s to the 700s BC.  Its territories stretched from Egypt to the mountain ranges of Turkey, the Medes and the Persians. 

The kingdoms of Syria to the north of the kingdom of Israel, and Israel itself, planned to rebel against being incorporated into the Assyrian empire, but King Ahaz of Judah refused to join in the rebellion, instead choosing to side with the Assyrian King as a vassal.  As a result both Syria and Israel laid siege to Jerusalem in order to get Ahaz deposed from kingship.

Tiglath-Pileser I

The problem was that God, through Isaiah, told Ahaz that God would deliver Judah, but Ahaz chose to follow the politics he thought he knew rather than the God he didn't appear to trust. Ahaz sent gold and silver to the Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser and offered to be his vassal if he would rescue Judah. Because God had promised that he would deliver Judah, the plan worked for a time, but God informed Judah that because of their failure to trust God, Judah would ultimately fall under the power of the Assyrians and their successors.

In this study, in chapter 9, Isaiah foretells of a coming Prince of Peace who will sit on the throne of David and who would rule God’s people in righteousness and peace.  Something we can all look forward to.  The point of today's study is we have peace when we have Christ. The question is will we have faith in God's promises, or will we trust to our own knowledge?

Let's look at what Isaiah tells the people as we study Isaiah 8:20 to 9:7.

Isaiah 8:20-22 

20 Go to God’s instruction and testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, there will be no dawn for them.21 They will wander through the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged, and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. 22 They will look toward the earth and see only distress, darkness, and the gloom of affliction, and they will be driven into thick darkness.

When the soul has no peace, the mind will do almost anything to get a taste of it, even if it is cheap and fleeting peace.

In verse 19 Isaiah spoke of how instead of seeking answers of God, the people chose to “inquire of the mediums and the spiritists” who sought to communicate with or summon the spirits of the dead. 

I have often wondered what makes one desire to inquire of a lesser created-spirit when going straight to the creator spirit for a heart to heart communication is available to those who are willing. The Mosaic law forbade such practices and instead directed the people to turn to the living God, for God's instruction and word were the only true and reliable revelation concerning God's will.

  

The word testimony in this verse is a legal term meaning attestation, or witness.  The people were to go to God and to what God has attested to as true.  Words that are not from God don't have light and instead lead to wandering around in the darkness of the world rather than under the light of God.  Jesus called himself the light of the world in John and said "anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.  Jesus is the Word of God incarnate.

Isaiah relates God's words regarding not heeding his word.  He notes that they will wander – they will be directionless.  They will be dejected and hungry then they will become enraged, I.e. anxious, displeased, or angry, or stated simply, HANGRY!  They will look to their superiors, which should should have been directing them according to God's directions, but because neither royalty nor the religious institutions are directing them towards God's positive outcomes they can only curse their king, and by implication, their God.  This is to say that their leadership is looked upon with contempt or even with a desire for harmful conditions to inflict them.

Even if they should look towards the land to "go it on their own" in the country, they only find distress, darkness and the gloom of affliction.  Stated another way,  because they have no light, because they are wandering around in the darkness, because their national leadership is not leading them correctly, even the land suffered adverse effects resulting in the affliction of the people.  Perhaps an even more direct way of describing the situation might be when you aren't right with God, you aren't right with anyone or anything.  

They are driven to thick darkness.  More than just darkness, they are driven into thick darkness.  This is a darkness so devoid of light that it feels as if it has a weight to it. A darkness so devoid of energy, and so far removed from the light that it feels like death itself. Light and darkness are often used in relation to the presence or absence of God or God's will.  God, the creator used energy (light) to set creation into motion.  God said....it was so....and it was good (or very good).  

Darkness is the absence of light and indicates the presence or absence of God or God's will. John wrote "God IS light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him."  He also wrote that those who obey God "walk in the light".  Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness of a lost and sinful world.  Those who reject God's light have removed light from their world and walk in darkness.  They end up disoriented, dismayed, displaced and lost.  To choose to reject the wisdom of, or association with, God is to choose to remain in an uncharted and dark cave, going nowhere fast.

But Isaiah next points out that light is on the horizon for those who walk in darkness.

Isaiah 9:1-5  

1 Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times when he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in the future he will bring honor to the way of the sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to Galilee of the nations.2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.3 You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before you as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils.4 For you have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as you did on the day of Midian.5 For every trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire.

Zebulun and Naphtali were the northern-most tribes of Israel that had been the first to take the terrible humbling defeats from the Assyrians under Tiglath-pileser III in 734–732 BC. Because of their locations, these two tribes were probably influenced by foreign cultures and religious ideas. Zebulun was located in the land between the Sea of Galilee and Mount Carmel. Naphtali settled in the area north of the Sea of Galilee.  They were deported into Northern Iraq in the vicinity of what is now Mosul.  

Isaiah points out that there will be a reversal of fortune that would bring honor to the Sea of Galilee, the lands east of the Jordan and to Galilee of the Nations, where the Assyrians settled foreigners that they had conquered and displaced.  This honor we now know was the beginning of a new Messianic age.  Because the majority of these peoples were not Jewish, nor likely familiar with the Jewish religion or prophecies they were living life in the darkness of not knowing that they could have a relationship with the Creator.  But Isaiah notes that this people, the gentiles unfamiliar with Jewish practices, have seen a great light.  They were coming to know God, the single creator of EVERYTHING.

Isaiah even notes that this coming light of God will lead to a time of growth and expansion for Israel, those who struggle with God.  This will result in the widespread joy often enjoyed in the plenty of harvest or the victory of warfare. 

But more than just winning a war, next we will learn that the light would come to us as a child.  He will come as royalty responsible for the rule, safety and well-being of God's people.

Isaiah 9:6-7 

6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.7 The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.

Isaiah specifically notes how this light will come to us.  A boy child will be born, given by God as a gracious gift, and coming at God's direction.  This child will, however, be unlike any other king.  While Isaiah doesn't name the child he does give the description of the child's ruling characteristics.  Most of them are also characteristics of God himself.  

These include the words wonderful indicating that the kings actions will be marvelous or amazing.  He will be counselor, indicating that he is an advisor, a marvelous or amazing advisor.  He will be mighty, exceedingly or greatly divine.  While the Bible uses the word God, this is not necessarily the same title used to identify the creator.  The word god indicates deity, meaning shining one, which itself indicates light.  This king will be exceedingly or greatly shining light.  It suggests the coming king will be very closely associated with God and his omnipotent power.

He will be eternal indicating unending, continually, always.  He will be a father, a term rarely used to reference God.  Since the word eternal is only used in reference to the rule of a human being once, referring to the Davidic ruler who will reign on the throne of David "forever", and since this eternal father will also rule on David's throne forever, the two must be the same person.

The last characteristic, prince of peace suggests that this royalty will establish and reign over a kingdom that will experience the absence of war and the blessings of peace.  Peace translates the Hebrew word shalom which carries the concepts of completeness, soundness, wholeness, and unity.  This eternal ruler's domain will be limitless and no one is capable of opposing his authority, his reign, or the blessings of his rule.  He is the promised heir of King David who will fulfill God’s promises to David.  The Ruler’s kingdom will be established and sustained on the principles of justice andrighteousness. The King will be righteous and He will rule His people with perfect justice for all.

The passion and deep commitment of God to accomplish his will will bring this Davidic King and the restablishment of His kingdom about.  Because of all of this we can have peace when we have Christ in our lives and we can look forward to the peace that a world governed by this king will bring.

Reconstruction based upon Shroud of Turin