Isaiah 9

Isaiah mix in this chapter a number of panels, his own day (which should be interpreted preteristically but which comprises only a small section), the Second Coming results, the Messiah and His First coming, the problem with the Remnant weed, reason for God’s punishment in Isaiah’s days, the character of Isaiah’s God, the Executive Judgment. He started the chapter where he left off in the previous one, the Second Coming of Christ when “there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish” (v. 1). The remnant seed “He treated with contempt in earlier times” but it is said “later on [at the Second Coming of Christ] He shall make glorious” (v. 1c). The faithful ones who “walk in darkness [of global persecution] will see a great light” (v. 2a). The remnant seed “shall multiply” and “You shall increase their gladness, they will be glad in Your [Christ’s] presence” (v. 3a-c). The yoke and staff on their shoulders, the Lord shall break and during the Time of Trouble at the End-time the Lord shall break “the rod of their oppressor” (v. 4b). Every soldier “the booted warrior” and cloak rolled in blood [of violence] “will be for the burning, fuel for the fire” (v. 5a-b). The Second Coming of Christ is made possible by His First Coming between 4BCE to 31 CE. “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us and the government will rest on His shoulders and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (v. 6). It is another of Judaism’s greatest headaches, namely, what to do with this verse, for verse 7 says “there is no end to the increase of government or of peace” which is eternal benefits of the coming of this Individual which must be Divine not human. They are carried away with the idea of verse 8 “On the throne of David and over His kingdom [not David’s but the Divine Person involved, because if His government increase with no end then His kingdom is not human] to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore” (v. 7a-d). The zeal of the Lord of Hosts [angels] will accomplish this (v. 7e). There is no eternal kingdom of David after 70 CE. It can only continue in the Life and Work of Jesus Christ Who is from the bloodline of David but Who is Divine and eternal, but Judaism refuses to work with this scenario and rather change the text to fit their view instead of changing their view to fit the text. With the Messianic panel done, Isaiah then opened a panel on the Remnant weed and their sins and why God punished them and will eradicate them ultimately. The Lord “sends a message against Jacob” (v. 8) and it describes the problem of Samaria, namely the Lucifer syndrome “asserting in pride and in arrogance of heart” (v. 9) the very same disease that resulted in the origin of Satan and his Fall from heaven, being casted down by God. Even though the Lord punished Israel and the bricks have fallen down, they claim they will build it up again and the trees fell but they will plant again, bricks with stones and sycamores with cedars (v. 10). It is because of the Lucifer syndrome in the remnant weed of Isaiah’s day Israel, that the Lord “raises against them adversaries from Rezin” (shortly before 727 BCE 2 Kings 15:37) (v. 11). He also sent against them the Arameans on the east and the Philistines on the west and “they devour Israel with gaping jaws” but “in all this His anger does not turn away and His hand is still stretched out” (v. 12c-d). God remains compassionate and longing for a relationship although he is constantly rejected by the individual. This is the kind of God Isaiah knew. Despite this quality of God the people did not repent (v. 13) and they did not seek the Lord (v. 13b). So the Lord “cuts off head and tail from Israel” (v. 14). The head is the elder and honorable man and the tail is the false prophet (v. 15). The laymen elders rejected the ministry and because politics were brought into religion, the politicians run religion and the ministers were just playing politics to appease the laymen. “For those who guide this people are leading astray” (v. 16a). That is why the Lord is not pleased with them (v. 17a) and their orphans and widows are also not taken care of by the Lord because of this (v. 17b). Everyone of them, orphans, widows, elders, honorable men, prophets are all godless and evil (v. 17c). Their mouths are speaking foolishness (v. 17d). But, in spite of this nonsense situation of the remnant weed, God remained compassionate “His anger does not turn away and His hand is still stretched out” (v. 17e-f). Now Isaiah opens the panel of the ultimate destiny of the remnant weed and all evil “for wickedness burns like a fire, consumes briars and thorns, it even sets the thickets of the forest aflame” describing the Hell event at the end of the millennium when God will eradicate all evil (v. 18). It is the Day of the Lord and “by the fury of the Lord of hosts [angels] the land is burned up and the people are like fuel for the fire” (v. 19a-b). In verse 19c Isaiah started a new panel by saying “no man [in Isaiah’s day in 727 BCE] spares his brother”. The scene is one of hunger that cannot satisfy in which they eat their own arms (v. 20c). They are against one another so that the remnant weed of Manasseh is against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasseh and together they are against the remnant weed of Judah (v. 21a-b), but despite this God remained compassionate. “His anger does not turn away and His hand is still stretched out” (v. 21c-d).

Dear God

It is crucial for us to be established as Your seed. We thank you for making the Second Coming possible through the First Coming of Your son Immanuel, God with us. Forgive our sins, we pray. Amen.