Christmas Meditation: Isaiah 9:6-7

The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts Will do This

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” Isaiah 9:6-7

When you think of Christmas do you think of the blessings of being ruled by a righteous and perfect King? Do you think of the government being upon Christ’s shoulders and the increase of that government and of its peace never ending? Do you think of the throne of David and His kingdom? Do you think of our great King adjudicating and mediating and bringing forth justice and righteousness forevermore? There is a reason why we celebrate Christmas, and what stands gloriously behind all of it is the zeal of the Lord of hosts.

A couple of the most important questions we should ask ourselves at this time of year are, why was this child born and why was this son given? And not just any particular child and not just any particular son, but this one, and why was this one given for us and to us?

Now, if man’s true oppressor is sin and he can do nothing to save himself, which it is, and he can’t, then how in the world can man ever be saved? We have a tendency to minimize this question thinking in terms if degrees. That is, in our sinfulness, we know we’re not as good as we could be, but we think that God will be impressed with us if we do more good things than bad things. And because we all grade ourselves on a curve, we are all convinced that we’ve done more good than bad. Therefore, God, the Judge of all things and the source of all righteousness must be pretty impressed with our resumes.

Not only is this stupid, it’s the heart of all sin. Even if this was the case, God as a just Judge would still condemn each and every single one of us. Good deeds do not cancel out bad deeds. My wife would not be impressed if I was faithful ninety-eight percent of the time. That two percent would still have to be accounted for. But here in lies the problem. That is, not with bad deeds that flow from a neutral nature, but rather, that disobedience and even indifference to God flow from a corrupted nature. There is none righteous no not one. This doesn’t mean that we are all as bad as we can be, however, it does mean that our hearts are corrupted and that is the source from which all streams flow. And man can no more change his nature than a leopard can change its spots.

All of this invokes the obvious response of, “that’s sucks,” and indeed it does. However, if we don’t start there we will minimize and sentimentalize the incarnation of the Son of God. God is holy and just and He does not overlook or forget an offense. Man has sinned against God and therefore has a debt to pay. “For to us a children is born, to us a son is given.” Jesus was born. Jesus took on flesh. Jesus added to His deity, humanity. Isaiah also tells us that He was “given.”

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

Jesus is the Son from the Father full of grace and truth, begotten not made, co-equal, co-eternal, in every attribute, very God of very God. The 1689 Confession of Faith says it this way in chapter eight section two:

“The Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, is truly and eternally God. He is the brightness of the Father’s glory, the same in substance and equal with him. He made the world and sustains and governs everything he has made. When the fullness of time came, he took upon himself human nature, with all the essential properties and common weaknesses of it but without sin.  He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit came down upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowed her. Thus, he was born of a woman from the tribe of Judah, a descendant of Abraham and David in fulfillment of the Scriptures. Two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without converting one into the other or mixing them together to produce a different or blended nature. This person is truly God and truly man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and humanity.”

The Son who created all things and holds them together took on flesh, in order to vindicate and reveal and glorify the Father and to redeem man, and fulfill all of God’s promises which are yes and amen in Him.

“Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” 1 Timothy 3:16

As a man, Jesus can represent man as Adam did. He is the last Adam and our New Covenant Head. And yet, where Adam & all others failed, Jesus succeeded in that He was without sin. He was obedient in every way. Therefore, Jesus alone can intercede for man because He alone is without sin. Given that He is eternal God, He alone can pay an eternal debt due for our sins…How can that be?  

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 

He gave Himself, ands stood condemned in our place and was obedient even to the point of death on the cross.

“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phillipians 2:8-10.

Upon His ascension into glory, King Jesus was given the throne of David where He currently sits ruling and reigning as the perfect God-man. The government is upon His shoulders as the God-man now and of its increase there will be no end. He came to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found. Justice and Righteousness will fill the earth as leaven leavens the lump and as a mustard seed grows.

At His coming Jesus drew the line in the sand, and put all tyrants on notice. He established His kingdom and He has sent out His saints to claim what rightly belongs to Him and to offer terms of surrender and peace which is submission to His will. His ruling and reigning is the source of all peace, because that is the source of all righteousness. Therefore, as Christians, it should go without saying so let me say it, we should desire to see all forms of government whether the home or the church or the state to be subservient to and reflective of King Jesus’.

The elect will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea and then Jesus will return and destroy our last enemy, death. It is the zeal of the Lord of Hosts that will do this! He is wonderful in His coming. He is wonderful in His life. He is wonderful in His death. He is wonderful in His resurrection. He is wonderful in His ascension. And He is wonderful in His reign.

He is Mighty God who is Sovereign over all things and rules in justice and righteousness. There is no greater conceivable form of government than to be ruled by One who is all powerful and altogether holy. None can thwart His purposes. None can stay His hand, and none can slow His advance. He is Everlasting Father for He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.

“And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” Colossians 1:18-20

And He is the Prince of Peace for His blood speaks a better word, bringing eternal satisfaction and reconciling God to man.

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Jesus is Lord and no one and nothing else is. Merry Christmas.