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. Of the greatness 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.
Isaiah 9:6-7
Notes
Before reaching the famous prophetic verse, Isaiah shares the turmoil of those who have been taken captive. He speaks of the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali (sons of Jacob) and their portion of land surrounding the northern part of the Sea of Galilee. The town of Nazareth is also within this boundary. These lands were the first hit by Assyrian invaders, and other nations would conquer the lands after them.
Isaiah speaks of a time in the future when this same region will be brought into glory once again. The darkness and anguish at the time would be dismantled, and the light would be returned in the form of a child. The child would be more than the awaited king; he would be the Messiah. Keep in mind that it took several hundred years for this to transpire.
Where there was once war and slavery, there will be freedom and peace. This will happen through the humble, fragile being of a child. A human being born of a woman. A child who would become a refugee and then be held under Roman rule. Not acting like a god as portrayed for centuries by each nation on its own. He grew from a child to an adolescent, then into a man, and was executed for a crime he did not commit.
Yet we read that the government will rest on His shoulders. The statement is symbolic of the crowning of a king, anointed by God, and given lordship over the land. This is not one nation or even just Israel. God’s kingdom will encompass the whole earth regardless of rulers and kings who rule their individual nations. His kingdom will last forever.
And the Lord will be King over all the earth; on that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.
Zechariah 14:9
But what kind of kingdom are we to expect? What separates God’s kingdom from nations and kingdoms here on earth? We are given four characteristics that will make Christ’s kingdom different from earthly governments:
WONDERFUL COUNSELOR
His kingdom will be without confusion
He is wise, thoughtful, and a guide toward the future. There is no trouble with deciding which side we are on or what is really true. Jesus Christ is the only source of truth. (Lk. 17:20–21, Isa. 40:13-15)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6
MIGHTY GOD
His kingdom will be free of chaos
He is the One in the beginning who spoke, and creation brought order to the chaos of the world. Although He is mighty, he is also compassionate and just. (Ps. 103:13-14, Isa. 30:18)
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.
Deuteronomy 10:17-18
EVERLASTING FATHER
His kingdom will be without complexity
For all the things that seem beyond our comprehension or loom large and seem impossible to solve, God will sift through our earthly complexities with ease. For not only is he the Creator, but He is also the Beginning and the End. He knows the beginning from the end and understands the complexities of time and people. He is the Father of Eternity. (Ps. 102:25-27, Isa. 63:16)
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Hebrews 1:3
PRINCE OF PEACE
His Kingdom will be without conflict
Upon his birth, Jesus is proclaimed to be the bringer of peace (Luke 2:14). He offers peace from God (Rom. 1:1-7), peace with God (Rom. 5:1-2) and peace of God (Col. 3:15-16)
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7
Where earthly kingdoms rise, peak, and then fall, Christ’s kingdom will have no end but will forever increase in peace (Lk. 1:32-33). We do not need to fear destruction but instead can rest our hope on Christ Jesus. He will occupy David’s glorious throne not with cruelty or greed but with justice and righteousness (Jer. 23:5).
God is passionate in his commitment to bring about his purpose of redemption and salvation. Since the creation of the earth and the fall of man, He has been waiting to save his children. He will do so with his great power and his gentle compassion. We can trust in Him, knowing He will never leave us nor forsake us. God sent his son to be the fulfillment of not just prophecy but the bringer of certainty, order, forthrightness, and peace. In this Christmas season, let us turn our minds and hearts to the true King and be at peace that he will reign forever and ever.
What do you think of when you read the different characteristics of Jesus?
What earthly kingdom issues distract you from the mission of the growth of the Kingdom of Christ?
How can you pursue God’s Kingdom here on earth rather than your own pursuits?
MEMORY VERses
Rembrandt van Rijn. The angel appearing to the shepherds, 1634. The Rijksmuseum
Related Verses
More verses about fulfillment of a promise:
PRAYER INVITATION
“The message of Christmas is not that we can make peace. Or that we can make love, make light, make gifts, or make this world save itself. The message of Christmas is that this world’s a mess and we can never save ourselves from ourselves and we need a Messiah.“
—Ann Voskamp
MANÁ 
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