Lord’s Day, Vol. 3 No. 51

For Unto Us A Child Is Born 

Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto 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, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

The prophet Isaiah was one of the first to preach the Christmas message – the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, more than 700 years before the eventful day. The holy Child, Jesus, came as a light shining in a time of great spiritual darkness in Israel (Isa. 9:1-2; Matt. 4:15-16). Men found forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God, their Maker, through Jesus (Matt. 1:21).

Luke 2:10-11 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

The birth of Jesus Christ was God’s gift to save the world.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus is described as Wonderful, Counsellor. The Child grew up a ‘distinguished’ Teacher who taught and acted with divine authority. Matthew 7:28-29 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Mark 1:27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

Isaiah described the holy Child as “The mighty God”. Though Jesus in His incarnation is fully man yet He is also fully God, divinely powerful. Jesus subdued evil spirits, the wind and the seas were at His command, the lame walked, the blind could see, the deaf could hear and the dead were raised to life.

The Child Jesus is called, “The Everlasting Father” describing His eternality. He is not constrained by time, existing before the universe was created, in a delightful relationship with the Father.

Proverbs 8:23-31 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. 27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: 28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; 31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

Jesus is God, the Father of all the living in that He created all things including man. John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Jesus is called “The Prince of Peace” because He would bring true peace to the world in His millennia rule at His Second Coming.

Isaiah 2:2-4 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

In Jesus’ first coming, He brought God’s peace to all who trusted in Him. John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

In Matthew 2:3-6, the wise men from the East came to Jerusalem looking for the “King of the Jews”.The Hebrew Scriptures delineating God’s promise of an everlasting Davidic kingdom (2 Samuel 7) were carried to the East during Israel’s Babylonian Captivity.

Zechariah 14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

In Isaiah’s time and also in Jesus’ time, the leaders were spiritually weak and incapable of leading the people in the way righteousness. Jesus’ rule as King will be fulfilled in His Second Coming when He would defeat the Antichrist and establish His kingdom on earth to rule for a thousand years (Rev. 20:1-6).

The angel announced that Jesus is the promised Son of David who will sit on his throne forever (Matt. 1:1), the answer to the mystery of the God-King who will rule over Israel for a future eternity¹. Luke 1:31-33 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

A blessed Christmas to all readers! Amen.

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee

¹ Louis F. DeBoer, The Divine Covenants, (The American Presbyterian Press, 2000, 109)