Thursday, December 18, 2008

The Birth of the King: Isaiah 9:1-7 - Part VII

The King brings light because he fulfills the messianic promise, and because he fits the messianic profile. The King also brings light because he finishes the messianic program. God gave his King a messianic program to finish, and that program is his kingdom or his government. Isaiah says, “…and the government shall be upon his shoulder” (verse 6). He also says, “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 righteousness from this time forth and forevermore” (verse 7).

Let’s make three brief observations about the kingdom of this coming King.

It is a progressive kingdom. Isaiah speaks about “the increase of his government,” which means that the kingdom grows. It does not come overnight. There is development. There is progression. Jesus said it was like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds but grows to become the biggest of all plants. Jesus also said it was like a little leaven that leavens throughout the whole lump of bread.

It is a perpetual kingdom. Isaiah says that “of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end,” and he says that he will establish his kingdom “from this time forth and forevermore.” It is perpetual. It is eternal. The kingdom is the unstoppable rule and reign of God through his anointed King. “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill” (Psalm 2:6).

“Jesus shall reign where’er the sun does his successive journies run; his kingdom stretch from shore to shore till moons shall wax and wane no more!” (Isaac Watts, 1719)

It is a perfect kingdom. I suppose there are a hundred reasons why this kingdom is a perfect kingdom. One of the many reasons is that it rests on the shoulders of a perfect Messiah. “And the government shall be upon his shoulder.” It is also perfect because it is established and upheld with justice and righteousness. It is also a kingdom of perfect peace and happiness.

So when the King comes, he will bring light because he will finish the messianic program. He will establish and uphold a progressive, perpetual, and perfect kingdom. And I must say that although this includes our personal salvation, it is much greater than our individual salvation. In the words of Isaac Watts, “he comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found” (“Joy to the Word,” 1719).

You see – a King is coming who shall finish the messianic program. He shall crush the serpent’s head, defeating sin and death and reversing the effects of Adam’s original sin. He shall restore the whole earth to its original creation design. He shall lift the curse (Revelation 22:3), and God himself will dwell again with his people, and they shall be his people, and he shall be their God (Revelation 21:3). In that day, we will no longer need the sun because the Sun of Righteousness will have come in his fullness, and when he comes, he brings light (Revelation 22:5).

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