Latest / HBCWestminster / 12.5.21 Isaiah 9:1-7 Pastor Danny Gardner

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12.5.21 Isaiah 9:1-7 Pastor Danny Gardner · HBCWestminster

• 0:00
  From gloom to glory. Isaiah chapter 9, and you guys know that Christmas time is here. Happiness and cheer, fun for all that children call their favorite time of year. Snowflakes in the air, carols everywhere. Olden times and ancient rhymes of love and dreams to share. Sleigh bells in the air, beauty everywhere. You guys know this is from Charlie Brown, right? Yuletide by the fireside and joyful memories there. Christmas time is here. Families drawing near. Oh, that we could always see such...
• 0:33
  spirit through the year. Does the holiday season make any sense at all? The lights and tree, the presents, the nativity scenes, the traffic, the shopping, the tension, the desserts. Does it make any sense that our friends and relatives and neighbors, many of whom don't even know the Lord, celebrate a day devoted to the birth of a divine baby whom they don't believe in? From a strictly worldly sense,
• 1:05
  I think the only holiday tradition that makes any sense from the world's perspective might be the mistletoe. Like that, if you just erased all the rest of it, I'd say, well, yeah, I can see why people still do that, I guess. And not to get too Charlie Brown on it, but isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about? I feel like we need a little Linus with his blue blankie and his Bible open to come and explain things to us.
• 1:32
  In the early part of the 20th century, short mounds of rocks and small trenches were discovered in the deserts of Peru. Twisting and turning and going on for miles and miles with no apparent pattern or destination. Anthropologists began to study them. They determined that those mounds had been there for perhaps thousands of years and no one knew why the ancient indigenous Peruvians made them. Researchers speculated that perhaps they were used for some ancient mystic religious practice.
• 2:02
  Perhaps they were just used as canals for ancient waterways. They couldn't figure it out, these little trenches that would go on for miles. And so they remained a mystery until 1939, when that year, using the newly minted airplane, the mystery was quite easily solved. When a man named Paul Kosick was able to observe those mounds and trenches from the sky by plane for the very first time, he discovered something remarkable.
• 2:33
  as the first person in history to observe those same images from the heavens. Adam, I apologize, I forgot my clicker. He discovered that those lines, which nobody had been able to discern, actually made shapes. Here's one of them. You can see the shape there, the outline of a bird. Here's another one, the outline of a monkey. Do you guys see that? And these things would go on for miles. These trenches would go on for miles. Nobody knew from the ground what they were, but from the air he realized, oh, it makes a monkey. Here's another one.
• 3:05
  A spider. Incredible. And he got up there and he realized, no, these actually make shapes. They are discernible. They're called the Nazca lines. No doubt you guys have heard of those at this point in your schooling or other places. And only when he could get airborne could he make any sense of the lines and see what they formed. Only from heaven's perspective were the lines discernible. In the same way, church, in order to make sense of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, in order to make sense...
• 3:36
  of Christmas, it must be seen from heaven's perspective. A.W. Tozer once said that what comes into your mind when you think about Christ is the most important thing about you. In fact, his exact words were these, were we able to extract from any man a complete answer to the question, what comes into your mind when you think about God, we might predict with certainty the spiritual future of that man, right? Your theology
• 4:03
  determines your destination what you believe about god affects where your soul will spend eternity and for many of us even those of us who believe in and adore christ our image of him may not be wholly accurate it's almost undoubtedly too small it's almost undoubtedly too human what we believe about christ too human in other words we imagine christ sometimes just to be a glorified version of us
• 4:33
  Our version of Christ is almost undoubtedly too self-absorbed. A.W. Tozer, again, says there is a condition steadily growing worse in the church. The loss of the concept of majesty.
• 4:51
  The church has surrendered her once lofty concept of God and has substituted it for one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy of thinking, worshiping men. And with our loss of this sense of majesty has come the further loss of religious awe and consciousness of the divine presence. We've lost our spirit of worship.
• 5:15
  And this low view of God, entertained almost universally among Christians, has become the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere. That's an interesting idea. So why do we go and sin the way that Paul was described in Romans 7? Why does that happen to us? Because we have too low a view of God. Why is the church's influence diminishing? Because too low a view of God. And the higher, the more majestic we realize God is, the holier we will be compelled.
• 5:44
  To live, our study this month will obviously be on the person of Christ, but not the Christ that we've invented apart from Scripture, not the Christ of the pagans, the Christ who has been relegated to the nativity scene, the Christ who sits alongside Santa Claus at the City Hall Christmas display. Rather, we will study Christ from heaven's perspective as He is revealed in the Bible. Our sermon series is entitled, He Shall Be Called.
• 6:13
  It will be a study of just some of the names of Christ. Beginning this morning with the four-fold name found in chapter 9 and verse 6 of Isaiah. Next week, studying what it means that he was called Son of God and Son of Man. We'll look at the hypostatic union, the incarnation. The week following, we'll look at perhaps the two most important and common of Christ's names when he was called Emmanuel and Jesus.
• 6:38
  And then finally, the day after Christmas, we'll look at why he was called the Word of God from Revelation 19, and faithful and true. And so with that in mind, would you stand with me as I read Isaiah 9, verses 1-7, our text for this morning, and then we'll pray and begin. In verse 1, 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.
• 7:09
  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 have 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.
• 7:39
  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.
• 8:04
  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. And Lord, give us discernment by your Spirit to study your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you, church. Well, Isaiah lived and ministered more than 700 years. 700 years before Christ.
• 8:34
  He is considered by many to be the prince of the prophets of the Old Testament. The book which he authored and which bears his name is one of the most comprehensive theologies of the Old Testament. It covers creation, degradation, sin, redemption, the fall of Lucifer, the millennial reign of Christ, the ultimate creation of the new heavens and the new earth. And so comprehensive is the book of Isaiah that one has described it as the Bible in miniature.
• 9:04
  In fact, every major theme in Scripture can be found in Isaiah. The prophet describes God as the judge of rebellious people, but he also describes God as the redeemer of mankind who will not snuff out a smoldering wick, nor cast aside a bruised reed. In a word, the book of Isaiah is incredible. It is one of the greatest literary works in history, and not to mention, it is divinely inspired. And most of us probably...
• 9:35
  spend very little time in it although there is much that isaiah had to say about the coming christ we are going to narrow this morning our study to four names found in one verse four names which describe the nature of our lord and savior long before he entered the world as a baby four names which prayerfully will lift our eyes well beyond that of a baby in a manger but let's look first at the context in which these names were inspired
• 10:04
  A supernatural birth. Unexpectedly, the prophet actually describes the end result of the child's arrival before he even proclaims the child's coming. And in order to understand the now famous Christmas verses, we must understand their context in which they are set. We'll pick up in chapter 8 actually in verse 22 because you'll notice in chapter 9 in verse 1 it kind of starts in the middle of a sentence. You don't normally start with a conjunction.
• 10:34
  In fact, if you go back to your elementary school grammar, your teacher probably told you you cannot start sentences with a but. So let's go back one verse. Look at chapter 8 and verse 22. They will look to the earth, but behold distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish, and they will be thrust into thick darkness. Judgment was being pronounced on Israel. All was lost. All was despair.
• 11:03
  Judah, the southern portion of Israel during the time of Isaiah, was under threat from the Assyrian army. The Assyrians had already attacked the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, and the ten northern tribes of Israel had already fallen. What remained were two southern tribes, Judah and Benjamin, meager militarily at best. They were hanging on by a thread. And now, in an effort to defend against that Assyrian invasion,
• 11:33
  The nation of Israel was actually considering allying themselves with foreign powers. It says they will look to the earth. Look to the earth for what? For help. For help. Assyria is on their doorstep. They know that they cannot stand against Assyria's army.
• 11:54
  This is the million-man army from Assyria. There's no way they can stand against them. And so they're looking to the earth for help, but behold, all they find is distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. But we find in chapter 9, verse 1, that God is greater than Assyria. He gave His people a promise in the form of a series of prophecies about the birth of a child who would redeem them.
• 12:22
  starting in chapter 7 and verse 14 that the virgin would conceive chapter 8 verse 3 chapter 9 verse 6 that a child called emmanuel literally god with us and i don't want to steal our thunder from two sundays from now because we'll look at what that means god with us emmanuel but emmanuel would come god with us a child would be born who is god very
• 12:47
  and go back in chapter 8 and verse 9 and notice here the promise of the coming of this Emmanuel. Chapter 8 and verse 9, right above verse 9, you see, O Emmanuel. So that's who it's talking about. You guys all see that? Look at the promise. Be broken, you peoples. Be shattered. Give ear, all you far countries. Strap on your armor and be shattered. So in other words, gird up your loins. The Lord is coming at you.
• 13:16
  And you will not stand. So you can imagine these Assyrians, and now the Lord is prophesying against them. Stand in there with their spears, and their swords, and their armor, the breastplates, the helmets. And he says, I'm going to shatter you. Strap on your armor and be shattered. Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing. Speak a word, but it will not stand for what? God is with us. Emmanuel. For God is with us, and you cannot stand against him.
• 13:47
  In fact, verse 1 of chapter 9 describes this as the former time. You look at verse 1, but there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time, he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun, the land of Naphtali. The former time, the days when the king of Assyria carried the people away, those ten northern tribes, into captivity. In fact, 2 Kings...
• 14:13
  And chapter 15 and verse 29, 2 Kings 15 says this, in the days of Pekah, king of Israel, Tiglath-Pilesar, king of Assyria, came and captured Ejon, Abel, Bethmaca, Genoa, Kadesh, Hatzor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and he carried the people captive to Assyria. So it's describing these former days, this former time, a time of...
• 14:40
  captivity now we know that the northern tribes of israel were conquered they were taken captive in 722 bc by the assyrian army those 10 northern tribes were devastated in fact the 10 northern tribes were never really heard from again they were hauled off into captivity and they disappeared they eventually intermarried with the assyrians vanished from history the closest thing we ever find to the northern tribes in the new testament
• 15:11
  is the Samaritans. The Samaritans were considered half-breeds by the Judeans. They were from the ten northern tribes who were carried away into Assyria, intermarried, had kids with the Assyrians, and then came back and resettled in Samaria. And so they were looked down upon by the Judeans. That's the closest you can find to the ten northern tribes. These were the former times. The times when the land of Zebulun and Naphtali
• 15:40
  We're brought into contempt. You get to chapter 9 and verse 1. And verse 1 begins with what word? But. A conjunction of contrast. There will be, but there will be no gloom. Because in the latter times, you find in verse 1, he has made glorious the way of the sea. The land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. Don't forget church, this is written 700 years.
• 16:12
  before Jesus would be born. Galilee will turn the world upside down. A child, we find in verse 6, would be born, who would bring glory to Galilee. Nazareth, where Jesus is from, is in Galilee. The positive tone of verse 1, predicting the end of gloom, shows that hope for the nation, and by extension, hope for all nations, was not far off. The author portrayed vividly that the nations would go
• 16:43
  from gloomy darkness to glorious light. And church, this is the exact same language that is used of every individual who comes to Christ, every single person who knows the Lord. That is the same language that's used. In fact, look at Colossians 1 and verse 13. He has delivered us.
• 17:07
  from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 1 Peter 2 and verse 9, But you are a people for his own possession, that you proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness, you see that, and into his marvelous light. It's the same wording. Ephesians 5, 8, For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, and so walk as children.
• 17:36
  of light and church if your life seems gloomy if you are fumbling around in the dark then come to the light we celebrate every christmas eve with a candlelight service a service where we sing we read scripture and we light candles and those candles are significant it's not just a custom it's not just something we do the candles remind us that the world apart from christ is dark
• 18:10
  But when Christ came, heaven's light shone brightly from gloom, gloomy darkness to glorious light. It's probably the best thing I'm going to say this morning. So if you guys want to zone out, there you go. Verses 2 through 7 kind of recite a song. You'll notice it's a little bit different in your Bibles. It's written more in prose, right, rather than in kind of a narrative paragraph form. They recite a song. It's a poetic royal birth announcement.
• 18:42
  which clearly showed that God had not given up on his people. In fact, Matthew's gospel in Matthew chapter 4 quotes this song in order to establish beyond doubt that Isaiah was referring not to anyone other than Christ himself. Verse 2 states that a great light will shine forth in the darkness. Look at verse 2. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them the light.
• 19:06
  has shown verse one has already stated its location it will be galilee of the nations or galilee of the gentiles verses three to five give the result of this light shining look at verse three you have multiplied the nation 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 the staff for his shoulder the rod of his oppressor you have broken as on the day of midian
• 19:36
  For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult, every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. You can imagine the people on the brink of war with the Assyrians hearing this good news. They will not conquer you. Their soldiers will be powerless against you. And then asking the question, what will bring this about? What is it? Is it another army? Will the Lord raise up a great warrior? And then notice verse 6 says for us, to us.
• 20:04
  a child is born for to us a son is given but what is he going to give a baby a baby will do this the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called you see verses three to five describing the result of this baby's birth armies being conquered rejoicing among the people of god ease and rest and the casting off of every yoke of slavery in other words this baby will bring
• 20:36
  liberation but who is he who is he and for this we look at the four famous names the four titles exclude the child being anything but a divine king when it says wonderful counselor mighty god everlasting father and prince of peace who will this redeemer be this fourfold description has been used for centuries regarding the messiah in fact
• 21:08
  You've no doubt heard it sung every Christmas season in the background of malls and office buildings and churches, put to the music of Handel and his heavenly work entitled The Messiah. If you're looking for an idea for an evening well spent, I would encourage you to print out the lyrics of Handel's Messiah. It's long. Cast it to your TV using YouTube or Spotify or whatever it is that you use. In fact, there is a YouTube version of it that I like.
• 21:40
  It was recorded live from the Sydney Opera House in December 2019. If you're interested in doing this, Sydney Opera House, December 2019. It's on YouTube. It takes about two and a half hours total. Cast it to your TV, crank up the sound, turn down the lights, and read along to the entire gospel set to what is, in my opinion, the greatest musical work of all time. Handel's Messiah.
• 22:10
  It is not Michael Jackson. It is not Johnny Cash. It is not U2. It is not James Taylor, whose music will be sung 400 years from now. They may be musical greats. They ain't Handel's Messiah. In fact, nobody on earth will be singing Justin Bieber's songs in 400 years. And yet 400 years. You guys, it's been around for 400 years. Here we all still singing the same songs.
• 22:42
  For to us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor. You know, I hate to oversimplify this point, but this coming child Messiah will give good advice. A Wonderful Counselor, that's what he says. He will give good advice. More than that, his counsel will produce wonder.
• 23:15
  Consider for a moment the sermons of Jesus and the people's response. When He gave that Sermon on the Mount, which we talked about last week, when He gave the Sermon on the Mount, the people left astonished. Blown away is the wording. Blown away. Why? Because they'd never heard teaching like this before. The word for wonder is the same idea as miraculous. In other words, this Son, born unto us,
• 23:42
  will not just give good advice, he will give heavenly advice. He will understand this world as only God can. He will understand our lives as only God can. And he, as only God does, will have our best interest in mind. You know, I've heard people say, follow your heart. You are your own best counselor. I've heard people say that. It's absolute nonsense. Your heart, church, is deceitfully wicked. It's beyond...
• 24:17
  cure you ever heard the expression be careful what you wish for we don't always church know what is best for us we don't always pray for what's best for us is anyone else glad that the lord didn't answer every one of your prayers now looking back i mean you were playing in earnest in the moment you were quoting john 15 whatever i ask in the lord's name this will be done for me
• 24:45
  And now with 10 years perspective, you look back and you think, whoa, I'm so glad the Lord spared me from my own prayer. Anybody else thankful you didn't marry your elementary school girlfriend? Look back at that and you're like, what a nightmare. What in the world? I'm so thankful the Lord spared me from my own heart. Proverbs 16 and verse 9 says, the heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Praise God that he does.
• 25:19
  In our hearts, we make our plans, but the Lord establishes our steps. He knows what's best for us. Proverbs 14, 12, there's a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Consider again what this text says. God will work in and through this child to plan wonderful, miraculous events, which will become the theme for much of the remainder of Isaiah's work, including Isaiah 53.
• 25:49
  He will be a wonderful counselor. But notice also, he will be mighty God. Mighty God. Unlike the gods of the nations, this God will not be impotent. What he sets out to accomplish will be done. What he speaks will be fulfilled. His plan will come to pass. Isaiah doesn't mean merely that this God will be powerful. More than powerful. All might will belong to him. His very name is power.
• 26:18
  His name is might. Isaiah 26 and verse 3, trust in the Lord forever. For the Lord God is an everlasting rock. You've probably seen those posters and billboards and t-shirts which say something like, and it's really big right now, I don't know why, but there's like a t-shirt that says, fate whispers to the warrior, you're not strong enough to withstand the storm. And the warrior whispers back, I am the storm. No, you're not.
• 26:52
  The storm is going to knock your house down unless it's built upon the mighty rock. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7, everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house. But it did not fall because it had been founded on the rock. The mighty God. Notice it continues. Wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father.
• 27:24
  Everlasting father. This son born unto us would be the father of eternity. The fact that he is everlasting means that the throne that he establishes will never be vacated. There will never be a royal succession. There will never be an election year. He will never turn out. He's everlasting. He will forever be on that throne. And he concludes by calling him the prince of peace. The prince of peace who will bring an end.
• 27:58
  War there will be a day when he slams his scepter down upon the earth and declares peace and War will have no choice but to bend the knee war will be finished and combined with that last title everlasting father and Prince of peace that his kingdom would be established for all eternity means that his people would never be oppressed again the treaty that he establishes
• 28:31
  Will be forever you notice finally what will it be like when he reigns? Here's what his government will be like verse 7 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 with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this an increase of peace Fulfillment of God's promises justice and righteousness forevermore. That sounds pretty good
• 29:05
  You know, I hope that each of us is challenged to raise our views of Christ this Christmas to see the Christmas season from heaven's perspective. He is more than a pasty baby laying next to Santa over at City Hall. He is a wonderful counselor, mighty God, his everlasting father, and he is the Prince of Peace. And Lord, I pray that this would be our view as we anticipate.
• 29:40
  Christmas Eve, the light is coming and Christmas Day as we celebrate the birth of your son. Lord, make this the theme of the birthday party that we have as we celebrate his coming. Lord, we thank you for the incarnation and what it means for our souls and it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.