Isaiah 9

For to Us a Child Is Born

9 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

  The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
  those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
    on them has light shone.
  You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;
  they rejoice before you
    as with joy at the harvest,
    as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
  For the yoke of his burden,
    and the staff for his shoulder,
    the rod of his oppressor,
    you have broken as on the day of Midian.
  For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
    and every garment rolled in blood
    will be burned as fuel for the fire.
  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.

Judgment on Arrogance and Oppression

  The Lord has sent a word against Jacob,
    and it will fall on Israel;
  and all the people will know,
    Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria,
    who say in pride and in arrogance of heart:
  “The bricks have fallen,
    but we will build with dressed stones;
  the sycamores have been cut down,
    but we will put cedars in their place.”
  But the LORD raises the adversaries of Rezin against him,
    and stirs up his enemies.
  The Syrians on the east and the Philistines on the west
    devour Israel with open mouth.
  For all this his anger has not turned away,
    and his hand is stretched out still.
  The people did not turn to him who struck them,
    nor inquire of the LORD of hosts.
  So the LORD cut off from Israel head and tail,
    palm branch and reed in one day—
  the elder and honored man is the head,
    and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail;
  for those who guide this people have been leading them astray,
    and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.
  Therefore the Lord does not rejoice over their young men,
    and has no compassion on their fatherless and widows;
  for everyone is godless and an evildoer,
    and every mouth speaks folly.
  For all this his anger has not turned away,
    and his hand is stretched out still.
  For wickedness burns like a fire;
    it consumes briers and thorns;
  it kindles the thickets of the forest,
    and they roll upward in a column of smoke.
  Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts
    the land is scorched,
  and the people are like fuel for the fire;
    no one spares another.
  They slice meat on the right, but are still hungry,
    and they devour on the left, but are not satisfied;
  each devours the flesh of his own arm,
  Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim devours Manasseh;
    together they are against Judah.
  For all this his anger has not turned away,
    and his hand is stretched out still.

(ESV)

Isaiah 9 Commentary

by Brad Boyles

Here we get a description of Jesus as a child, son, and eventually, prince. He is called the Prince of Peace. He follows in His Father’s footsteps.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Romans 16:20 NASB

It’s interesting when you scour The Word to find all the ways in which Jesus and peace overlap.

• He was brought from Heaven with a song of peace; (Luke 2:14)
• He forgave sin and become our peace (Eph 2:14)
• Ascending to Heaven, He granted peace to His followers (John 14:27)
• He preached the Gospel of peace (Eph 2:17) and gave Christians armor containing peace (Eph 6:15)
• He commissioned messengers of peace (Rom 10:15) and children of peace (Luke 10:6-9)

Jesus makes it clear that His peace is not like the world’s. It’s the peace the surpasses all understanding. The unbeliever cannot possess it. It’s what gives us composure during horrific times, melts away fear, and bonds God’s people together in perfect harmony. It’s the peace that will be complete upon entry to the New Heaven and New Earth when all believers from every tongue, nation and tribe will join together worshiping the Father in blissful peace.

Do you have peace in your life right now? Do you know the Prince of Peace? Think practically about your life right now and where you have allowed circumstances to steal your peace.