Isaiah 9:6-7 Devotional

The season of Advent is a season of preparation, waiting, & hope. It is a time when we prepare our homes, hearts, communities, & churches for the arrival of the King, the Messiah, the Baby in the Manger. But we are not just preparing for the King that came over 2,000 years ago; we are preparing for His coming again, His Second Coming. Today, I share with you some of the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6-7 and what it says to us about the Return of Jesus.

Isaiah’s prophecies about Jesus, born decades after he wrote about Him, amaze me. God blessed Isaiah with beautiful words of prophecy and wisdom that we still cherish and hold dear. It’s incredible to me that so often, when Isaiah writes, he speaks of both Jesus’ first coming and His second coming, just as in this passage of scripture.

Prayerfully, this passage is not unfamiliar to you, but if it is, I hope it sinks into your heart this Advent season. This passage is about Jesus, the baby boy born to the Virgin Mary, presented to us Luke 2. It’s also about much more than that. It’s about His Kingdom, His namesake, His throne. The child, who would become the Messiah, is the deliverer. Chapter 9 opens up with Isaiah referencing light in a darkened world, a theme Matthew also references regarding Jesus’ ministry in Matthew 4:15-16. John also refers to Jesus as the ‘true light’ in John 1:9, and Jesus refers to himself as the ‘light of the world’ in John 8:12. This metaphor of light should also remind us of creation, where the first thing that God created, was light in Genesis 1:3 and called it good.

In God sending His Son (John 3:16), He gave Him total control resting on His shoulders, as told to us in today’s scripture. Isaiah mentions to us 4 distinct names or titles given to Jesus: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Wonderful Counselor, as used in Isa. 28:29, tells us that God Himself is ‘wonderful in counsel’, so our Messiah is exceptional, distinguished, and one who gives perfect advice, & wisdom. Mighty God is used identically in Isa. 10:21 alongside ‘the Lord, Holy one of Israel’ – This is God Himself, God Incarnate. Everlasting Father, eternality, without beginning and without end, timeless; He is God, our Father. And finally, Prince of Peace, where His government is one of justice, peace, and righteousness. In Hebrew peace means both prosperity as well as tranquility, ushering in the line of David, where his Kingdom had both prosperity and tranquility.

And in case you needed the reminder, Isaiah wants us to know that His government we have never felt, heard, or seen. His government will reset on his shoulders and have no end. I have so many thoughts on this … I shared just a few in the video above, so please take a few minutes and watch it for a brief reminder of the power that Jesus, our living Savior had and the power the Coming Messiah will have. A few are His refusal to quiet the crowds on His entry to Jerusalem and the quieting of the storm. You cannot contain the power Jesus has on His creation.

May you be blessed and refreshed this Advent season.