1 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:11,280 Front to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the 2 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:15,640 government shall be upon his shoulder, and he shall be called 3 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:25,400 wonderful counsellor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince 4 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:32,400 of Peace, one of the most profound, precise and paramount 5 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,440 prophecies concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. 6 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:38,800 And we hear it so much during this time of the year, do we 7 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,920 not? Yes, because it is treasured and 8 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:48,520 it is important, but I'm not certain how many believers 9 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:52,840 understand why it belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. 10 00:00:53,480 --> 00:01:00,160 Why is Isaiah 96 attributed and exclusively belonging to Jesus 11 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:03,360 of Nazareth? And that's what I want to 12 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:06,440 discuss with you in the opening moments of this service. 13 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:11,040 I want you to consider first, what may seem to be obvious, 14 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:17,280 that this prophecy is granted to the Lord Jesus Christ in the New 15 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:22,160 Testament. You remember in Luke 211 where 16 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:26,400 the angels appeared in glory before those shepherds at night, 17 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,720 and they said to them in their declaration, front to you, this 18 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:38,160 day is born in the city of David, a Savior, the Christ who 19 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:42,600 is Lord. Listen carefully to how the 20 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:46,720 angels heralded this message. They borrowed the language from 21 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:52,800 Isaiah the prophet to bring to mind how God kept His promise 22 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:56,000 even though he gave it 7 centuries before the arrival of 23 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:01,600 the very thing he prophesied. For unto us a child is born, and 24 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:05,760 in centuries pass, and the angels arrive on the scene and 25 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,479 say, for unto you this day is born. 26 00:02:10,759 --> 00:02:13,920 And so it's very difficult to dispute how these angels are 27 00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:16,840 being very strategic in their choice of words. 28 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:19,440 They are clearly making a connection. 29 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:24,240 This Jesus who was born this night is the Jesus who was 30 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:30,120 defined in Isaiah 96. The second thing that confirms 31 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:35,320 this further is what Matthew says, and Matthew adds something 32 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:39,320 and he quotes Isaiah, not necessarily verse 6, but very 33 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,360 close to verse 6. And I think because we're not as 34 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:46,800 familiar with the context of that awesome prophecy, people 35 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,680 tend to miss how there's even more confirmation that Christ is 36 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:52,720 indeed the fulfillment of that promise. 37 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:56,960 So Isaiah 96, we all know it, but do you know Isaiah 91? 38 00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:01,400 Do you know Isaiah 9/2? Well today you're going to learn 39 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,000 it. So turn with me to Isaiah 9, 40 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:14,760 verse one, and consider the context of this prophecy, Isaiah 41 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:19,080 9, beginning in verse one. But there will be no gloom for 42 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:22,480 her who was in anguish in the former time. 43 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,360 He brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of 44 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:31,160 Naftali, but in the latter time He has made glorious the way of 45 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:36,480 the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 46 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:39,560 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great 47 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,280 light. Those who dwelt in a land of 48 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:46,040 deep darkness, On them has light shone. 49 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:51,200 So notice that in preparation for Isaiah 96, Isaiah is saying 50 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:55,760 something to two specific tribes, two out of the 12 tribes 51 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:59,560 of Israel. He mentions Zebulun, he mentions 52 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:02,280 Naftali. Those are tribes that most 53 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:03,560 people are not very familiar with. 54 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,400 They may be able to rehearse the names by memory, but there's not 55 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:11,880 much given to us about these tribes in comparison to Judah or 56 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:16,079 Benjamin, for example. But Isaiah mentioned something 57 00:04:16,079 --> 00:04:18,360 that happened historically with these regions. 58 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,760 They were found in the upper northern part of the Promised 59 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:24,440 Land. And he doesn't get specific 60 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:27,960 about their history, but he does say something about a 61 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:32,600 gloominess, a dark past, something that essentially 62 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:37,920 haunted them for many years. And though he is not specific, 63 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,480 when you consider the wider testimony of the Bible, you do 64 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:45,160 discover that there is one blot, there is one specific state that 65 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:48,880 surely would have tormented them as a people. 66 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:52,440 You find it in Second Kings 15. You don't have to turn there. 67 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:53,960 Let me just summarize it for you. 68 00:04:54,240 --> 00:05:00,560 When the Assyrians invaded this land, they took into captivity 69 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,720 the very tribes that are mentioned here, Zebulun and 70 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:08,040 Naftali, were taken from their homes and brought into a foreign 71 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:10,920 place. And surely this would have been 72 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,360 an embarrassing thing in their history. 73 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:15,120 This would have been something that would have made them 74 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,320 cringe, something that they wish would have been erased. 75 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:20,800 And the Bible defines it as a gloominess. 76 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,240 And yet in the same breath that describes something that they 77 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,200 would have known, even though he's not being specific, they 78 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:30,200 would have known the reference. The Spirit through the prophet 79 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:34,080 promises these particular tribes that whatever gloominess they 80 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:39,280 knew would soon be eclipsed by a glory, that whatever dishonor 81 00:05:39,280 --> 00:05:44,960 they were haunted by would soon be dispelled by a great 82 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:49,320 privilege. And that's why He says here that 83 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,040 in the latter time, look at verse 1. 84 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:53,720 He has made glorious the way of the sea. 85 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:57,160 He's speaking about the region there they were by the water. 86 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:00,640 He has made glorious the way of the sea. 87 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:04,720 And whatever glory was going to come, evidently it was going to 88 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:07,080 spill over into Gentile territory. 89 00:06:07,280 --> 00:06:08,920 Because the last part of verse 1 is what? 90 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,840 The land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 91 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,880 So something was going to take place that would affect more 92 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:19,720 than just these two tribes, though they would be the center 93 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:23,360 of this glory in a sense. They would be the focus of it. 94 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,360 It would have such a wide range of impact. 95 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:31,840 And what is this glory that will come and sweep away this gloom? 96 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:35,080 While the exciting answer again is found in verse 2, The people 97 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:38,520 who walked in darkness, the darkness of their past, the 98 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:41,240 darkness of their current shame. Because why did they go into 99 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,840 exile? Their idolatry, they're 100 00:06:43,840 --> 00:06:48,160 rebellion, they're evil. Finally God said enough is 101 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:49,760 enough. You're going to disobey me, Then 102 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:52,200 I'm going to take you out of the things that I promise is yours, 103 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:56,880 at least for a time. So that darkness, the people who 104 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:00,440 walked in darkness have seen a great light. 105 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:03,920 Those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness. 106 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:08,480 On them a light has shone. And what is this light? 107 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:11,360 It is a metaphor. Is it a physical light? 108 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:13,640 Is it some kind of miraculous intervention? 109 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:21,960 Verse 6 is the answer for to us a child is born, to us a son is 110 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:25,600 given. Whoever this child is, this 111 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:31,800 royal seed would also be a light bearer, and his arrival is going 112 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:36,520 to impact a specific region, the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 113 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:40,720 And the same Holy Spirit who moved upon Isaiah to give this 114 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:45,480 prophecy move the disciple Matthew to tell us and to affirm 115 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,040 the fulfillment of it. So go to the New Testament now 116 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:52,240 in Matthew chapter 4, and I want you to see the fulfillment of 117 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:56,560 this prophecy beginning in verse 12 of Matthew chapter 4. 118 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:08,840 And sound team, if you can help me with the buzzing again, thank 119 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:12,240 you so much. Matthew 412 Now when he heard 120 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:17,000 that John had been arrested, he, being Jesus, withdrew into 121 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:21,120 Galilee, and leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum 122 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:25,720 by the sea in the territory of what? 123 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:31,160 Zebulun and Naftali, so that what was spoken by the prophet 124 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:34,240 Isaiah might be fulfilled. The land of Zebulun and the land 125 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:37,240 of NAFTA lead the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of 126 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,960 the Gentiles. The people dwelling in darkness 127 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,600 have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and 128 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:47,160 shadow of death on them a light has dawned. 129 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:54,400 Jesus is that light, and He in fact intentionally moved and 130 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,240 relocated his headquarters into Galilee. 131 00:08:57,360 --> 00:08:59,840 Why? In order to fulfill this very 132 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:04,160 prophecy, and not just to fulfill the prophecy that was 133 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:09,080 given, but to also give a preview of what he would do on a 134 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:13,120 larger scale. So Jesus intentionally moves 135 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:17,080 into this region that was historically known as being dark 136 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:22,240 with their history, their past, their behavior in a sense their 137 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:26,000 record before God. And the same Jesus who moved 138 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,040 into that darkness is willing to move into the darkness of any 139 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:31,720 heart that is willing to receive him. 140 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:40,640 Here is Christ's Messiah willing to make his ministry hub in this 141 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:44,160 place among tribes that are often overlooked and not really 142 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:45,920 considered, as I mentioned earlier. 143 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:50,560 And additionally, tribes that we're notoriously known of 144 00:09:50,560 --> 00:09:56,120 rebelling in their sin against God, teaching you and I that 145 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:00,720 he's willing to move into the life that has a despicable past 146 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,920 perhaps, or sin that they are ashamed of. 147 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,840 The same Christ who moved there physically is the same Christ as 148 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:11,240 willing to move in spiritually. That's the Christmas message. 149 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:14,920 And so we find Jesus here fulfilling this. 150 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:17,120 And what would this produce exactly? 151 00:10:17,560 --> 00:10:21,120 Well, let me finish Isaiah 9, where we read here in verse 152 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:23,840 three. You have multiplied the nation, 153 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:30,080 you have increased its joy. They rejoice before you as with 154 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:34,440 joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. 155 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:38,480 So what would this light produce as it came in an envelope, this 156 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:42,840 darkness Joy. That's why you should be happy 157 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:47,320 around this time, not because things are cozier, nothing, 158 00:10:47,560 --> 00:10:49,360 because merely we're going to be gathered together with people 159 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:53,120 that we love, hopefully, but because we are remembering the 160 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:57,760 Christ, the Holy One who is willing to move into a place 161 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:03,760 that is dark. And I hope you have that joy. 162 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:07,280 If you don't, then perhaps Christ hasn't moved in yet. 163 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:10,240 You know about him. You can probably quote Isaiah 164 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:14,280 96, but does he live in you, and does he minister in you as he 165 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:17,240 ministered in Galilee? Does he minister through you? 166 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:22,480 If not, I pray to God that today would be the day where you would 167 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:26,560 accept Him not just as a tradition, but as your treasure. 168 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:33,720 So it's clear the New Testament testifies that Isaiah 9, 169 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:37,360 including six, belongs to Jesus of Nazareth. 170 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:40,040 Now let me give you the second and final reason why he does 171 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:45,280 because no one in all of human history can fulfill the role 172 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:48,720 that Isaiah describes. Nobody can walk in the shoes 173 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:51,920 that Isaiah defines concerning this child. 174 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:56,240 The reason why I bring that up is because in recent years, this 175 00:11:56,240 --> 00:12:00,920 prophecy about Jesus Christ of Nazareth has been challenged by 176 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:07,400 skeptics, has been challenged by unbelievers, has been propagated 177 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:12,520 and preached by those who deny that Jesus Christ is the 178 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:16,600 Messiah. And this is predominantly come 179 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:22,240 from Jewish rabbis who have made a case that Isaiah 96 cannot be 180 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:24,720 of this Jesus of Nazareth, but someone else. 181 00:12:25,560 --> 00:12:28,800 And I want to spend this time though we're going to get, and 182 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:30,400 we're going to conclude in a message of hope. 183 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:32,680 I want to spend this time to teach, if that's OK. 184 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:37,040 I want to teach about these objections so that if you hear 185 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:41,240 anybody daring to come to you and saying Jesus is not in 186 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:45,200 Isaiah 96, you put him there. You can say no, God put him 187 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,720 there. So this is a time of equipping 188 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:50,880 now. This is a time of growing and 189 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:54,760 learning about our faith. So I want Isaiah 96 to become 190 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:57,720 more precious to you than just something you hear quoted around 191 00:12:57,720 --> 00:12:59,920 Christmas time. I want you to see it as a 192 00:12:59,920 --> 00:13:03,680 profound testament of the accuracy and the supernatural 193 00:13:03,680 --> 00:13:07,000 authorship of the Bible. So how are we going to do that? 194 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:08,880 Well, I'm going to present to you some of these objections. 195 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:11,280 And I remember hearing it for the first time, not from the 196 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,600 mouth of a Jewish person, but through the mouth of a Muslim 197 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:19,000 man who had an online platform and invited people to challenge 198 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:20,640 him and him challenge Christians. 199 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:23,680 And so I had a conversation with them and for the first time 200 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:26,720 years ago that I hear the things that I'm going to present to 201 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:29,600 you. So it's not just those who are 202 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:33,040 Jews that are echoing these statements, but many people who 203 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:36,640 deny Christ as the Messiah. So do you know how to defend it? 204 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:38,840 Do you know how to say with confidence? 205 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:40,680 No, no, no, no, no, you got it wrong. 206 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:45,320 This is indeed about my master. What's the argument? 207 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:49,160 Here's the first one. The first argument that comes to 208 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:53,400 us is about how Christian translators have deceptively 209 00:13:55,000 --> 00:14:00,080 changed the tense of Isaiah 96 to make it appear as though it 210 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:04,240 is something to come, when in reality, in the original 211 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:07,400 language it says that it's already happened. 212 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:10,800 So I want to read to you Isaiah 95. 213 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:15,720 That's the Jewish quotation and reference for Isaiah 96 in our 214 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:18,000 Bibles. So in the Tanakh, it's not 215 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,520 Isaiah 96, it's going to say Isaiah 95. 216 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,440 And I'm going to quote to you from the JPS, the Jewish 217 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:27,160 Publication Society translation, the newest rendition of it, the 218 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:30,120 newest revised version from 2023. 219 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:32,680 Listen to the language and tell me if it sounds different. 220 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:38,840 Isaiah 9, five from the JPS. For a child has been born to us, 221 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:46,120 a son has been given us, and authority has settled on his 222 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:50,280 shoulders. He has been named the mighty 223 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:54,800 Goddess, planning grace, the eternal Father, a peaceable 224 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:59,920 ruler Has has has it already happened? 225 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:06,040 So who are you talking about? And I'll be honest, I think most 226 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:09,880 people, when they are discussing this and the original languages 227 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:12,880 are brought up, they feel helpless and almost as though 228 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:15,080 they take the word of the one who knows those languages at 229 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:17,200 face value. Because you don't speak Hebrew 230 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,920 or you don't know Greek. But I want you to be comforted 231 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:24,720 because you don't necessarily have to know Hebrew in order to 232 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:28,520 engage in this conversation or to make sense of this apparent 233 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:32,600 conundrum. What are we dealing with here? 234 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,560 Well, here's an answer. What you'll find in the Old 235 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:38,400 Testament on more than one occasion is that the prophets of 236 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:42,880 God often refer to future events as though they had already 237 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:46,720 occurred. This is a consistent pattern. 238 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:53,560 It's a literary device to convey of an event to come that it is 239 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:56,520 so certain it's as though it already took place. 240 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:00,680 It's an idiom. It's an artistic way of 241 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:04,800 communicating the certainty of a matter, and this is commonly 242 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:10,240 known as the prophetic perfect or the prophetic past tense. 243 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:13,920 So you're saying something that is to come, but you're speaking 244 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:16,040 as though it already took place. Why? 245 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:19,200 To communicate. This is so going to happen. 246 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:23,840 Just consider it a done deal. And that's not only found here 247 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:26,000 in Isaiah 96. Let me just give you 2 248 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,160 quotations from the same prophet, the same book to make 249 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:32,480 this matter clear. So turn to Isaiah 5 and look at 250 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:34,600 verse 13. I hope you're taking notes. 251 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:37,720 It's important to remember these things. 252 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:44,400 Isaiah 513. Here's the prophet saying. 253 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:52,080 Therefore, my people go into exile for lack of knowledge. 254 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:57,120 Their honored men go hungry, and their multitude is parched with 255 00:16:57,120 --> 00:16:59,280 thirst. This is even more clear if you 256 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:01,760 have a new King James Version or King James Version. 257 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:03,520 Here's how the new King James would read it. 258 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:08,319 Therefore, my people have gone into captivity or the King 259 00:17:08,319 --> 00:17:10,599 James. Therefore, my people are gone 260 00:17:10,599 --> 00:17:12,480 into captivity. How does the ESB render it? 261 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:17,680 My people go into exile. What's amazing about this? 262 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:20,839 The people didn't go into exile yet when Isaiah prophesied this, 263 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:26,000 it was still to come. But what is he implying? 264 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,760 The same literary device as though it already happened? 265 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:33,280 My people go into exile. They have gone into exile. 266 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:37,480 It's going to happen. Judgment is sure to arrive. 267 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:41,080 O people of God, It's not just there. 268 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:44,720 Look at Isaiah chapter 10, beginning in verse 28. 269 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:50,040 What you're about to read is a description of the movements of 270 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:54,760 the Assyrian army as they're encroaching upon Jerusalem. 271 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:57,480 So this is almost like a chartering of the movements of 272 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,320 the Assyrian invasion that is to come. 273 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:02,800 And excuse me if I don't get all these names right as I read 274 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:04,360 these verses. Isaiah 1028. 275 00:18:04,360 --> 00:18:07,520 Look what the prophet says. He has come to Ayat. 276 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:10,600 He has passed through me grown at Mick Mash. 277 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:14,280 He stores his baggage. They have crossed over the past. 278 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:18,080 Notice the tense at Giba. They lodge for the night. 279 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:22,560 Rama trembles. Gibeah of Saul has fled. 280 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:25,400 Cry aloud. O daughter of Galim, give 281 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:29,400 attention. O Laksha, O poor Anatot, Madmina 282 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:31,840 is in flight. The inhabitants of Gabim flee 283 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,920 for safety. This very day he will halt at 284 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:37,800 Nob. He will shake his first at the 285 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:40,960 mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. 286 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:44,760 So notice he's giving a play by play every movement of the 287 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:48,120 Assyrians as they come closer and closer to the holy city. 288 00:18:48,120 --> 00:18:49,960 But notice the language that he uses. 289 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:54,440 He has come, He has passed. They have crossed over. 290 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:59,680 It didn't happen yet. There's still generations that 291 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,440 need to come to pass before this is realized. 292 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:04,720 But he's speaking as though it already took place. 293 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:07,240 Why? Because prophets would do this 294 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:11,560 to convey something as though it has already taken place. 295 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:15,320 And I want to also mention while we're here that this is a 296 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:18,120 message of hope. By the way, the reason why 297 00:19:18,120 --> 00:19:21,760 Isaiah is telling this to the people of God is because he 298 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,240 wants to let the people of God know. 299 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:28,560 As God, I'm aware of every move of the enemy. 300 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:34,800 It's true spiritually as well. I know the playbook of the 301 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,440 enemy. I know what he's thinking next. 302 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:40,040 I know his next move. I know his every angle. 303 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:43,960 And so I'm letting you know that I have this knowledge even 304 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:45,960 before it happens. I know where he's going to be, 305 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:47,960 where he's going to rest, how he's going to come. 306 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:50,480 But I also want to let you know that I already took care of it. 307 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,560 So notice, as the Assyrians are coming closer and closer to 308 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:58,160 Jerusalem, he also lets the people know I know where they're 309 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:00,080 going to stop because I'm going to make them stop. 310 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:02,440 They're not going to be able to come and invade. 311 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:04,920 They're not going to take one soul away from you. 312 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:06,400 Why? What's the extent of what 313 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,520 they're going to do? Look at verse 32 again. 314 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:11,280 This very day. He will halt that knob. 315 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:15,520 He will shake his first at the mount of the daughter of Zion, 316 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:17,240 the hill of Jerusalem. That's the most he's going to 317 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:22,280 do, shake his first. And I'm going to take care of 318 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:26,080 him right there and then. And we read of it later on where 319 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:29,880 185,000 Assyrians were slaughtered in one night. 320 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:35,160 So this is a truth for us to be relieved by as well. 321 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:38,880 God knows everything and if you belong to Him, then you have 322 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:43,320 nothing to fear. Any scheme is already understood 323 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:47,440 and registered by your protector and we can look at more 324 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:49,360 examples, but I think the point is clear, right? 325 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:54,680 Isaiah 96 is not about something that has already happened, is 326 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:58,200 something that will come to pass with absolute certainty. 327 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:03,600 However, apologists, they need to bank on this and they will 328 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:06,720 fight for this and they will try to cast doubt, especially on 329 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,480 those who don't know these things to make it seem as though 330 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:12,680 no, no, no, this is already history. 331 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:16,400 And the reason for that is because they need to make a case 332 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:20,680 based on that. Everything falls if if that's 333 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:24,280 not laid out. And so the argument continues. 334 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:26,760 Let's just suppose that you hear this and you don't know how to 335 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:28,360 answer. How would they follow it up? 336 00:21:28,360 --> 00:21:29,360 They will. They will follow it up with 337 00:21:29,360 --> 00:21:31,320 this. After determining the past 338 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:33,520 tense, they will go on to say that the names ascribed to the 339 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:38,840 king are simply representative titles, like many names of kings 340 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:42,480 or prophets that communicate a characteristic of God. 341 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:44,640 Right. So you think of the prophet 342 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:45,960 Isaiah. What does his name mean? 343 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:49,160 Salvation is of the Lord or God saves. 344 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:52,840 That's what Isaiah means. What about what about Joel? 345 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:56,840 Yahweh is God and we can give example after example. 346 00:21:56,840 --> 00:22:00,680 In short, the argument is that in the same way that these names 347 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:06,680 do not imply the deity of the ones who bear them, so it is 348 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:11,200 with this child. It's not that this child is 349 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:13,480 everlasting Father. It's not that this child is 350 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:16,840 Mighty God. He is just holding these titles 351 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:20,760 as a testament of what God will do and who God is. 352 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:24,480 Just like Isaiah, just like Joel, just like Daniel. 353 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:28,000 You've made too much of this child. 354 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:34,240 Here's the problem. If we just take the title, which 355 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,720 is usually the most contested part of this prophecy, Mighty 356 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:41,960 God, what you'll discover is that it is mentioned more than 357 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:44,680 once the very few times in the Old Testament. 358 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:49,800 And every time just Mighty God is brought up, it always refers 359 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,480 to God himself. Always. 360 00:22:53,120 --> 00:22:55,440 So you're in Isaiah, right? Go to Isaiah 10. 361 00:22:55,720 --> 00:23:05,140 Look at verse 21. A remnant will return, the 362 00:23:05,140 --> 00:23:10,940 remnant of Jacob to the mighty God al Gabor, the mighty God. 363 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:14,400 That same phrase is found in another prophet's writings. 364 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:15,960 You don't have to turn there. Let me quote it to you. 365 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:17,880 Write it down if you need to remember it. 366 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:21,960 And Jeremiah 3218, Jeremiah 3218. 367 00:23:22,360 --> 00:23:25,720 You show steadfast love to thousands, but you will pray the 368 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:28,120 guilt of fathers to their children after them. 369 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:34,720 Oh great and mighty God El Gabor, whose name is the Lord of 370 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:37,360 Hosts. If you want to use another one, 371 00:23:37,360 --> 00:23:40,640 though not exactly spelled out like these two references, it's 372 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:43,200 found in Deuteronomy. Listen to this language in 373 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:46,960 Deuteronomy 10/17. For the Lord your God is God of 374 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:50,400 Gods and Lord of Lords, the great, the mighty and the 375 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:54,960 awesome God who is not partial and takes no bribe. 376 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:02,600 So it's clear Mighty God alone is purely and exclusively 377 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:07,520 ascribed to God Himself. But no, no, no, no, they're just 378 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:10,040 titles. They're just titles given to a 379 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:13,960 human king. And which king do people agree 380 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:15,880 that this is about if it's not about Jesus? 381 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:17,960 You ready for this one? Hezekiah? 382 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:22,800 This is about King Hezekiah. This is not about Jesus of 383 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:25,040 Nazareth. Where did you get that silly 384 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:27,320 idea from? I have a question. 385 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:31,120 Where do you get the idea that it's a Hezekiah and there's 386 00:24:31,120 --> 00:24:33,840 reason for it? There's reason for it because 387 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:37,920 when you dig in, you see here that there is images and there's 388 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,560 a there's a wording and there are certain phrases that are 389 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:47,080 found in Isaiah 9 and Isaiah 10 that are repeated and are 390 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:51,320 mirrored later on in Isaiah 36 and Isaiah 37. 391 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:54,560 And what's happening on Isaiah 36 and 37? 392 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:57,400 Well, we have a record of the Assyrians invading and 393 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:00,760 surrounding Jerusalem and God giving them victory. 394 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:04,200 So I don't have time now in one single message to go through all 395 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:08,160 these evidences of the claim that this is in connection to 396 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:12,840 Isaiah 36, Isaiah 37, where Assyria was overthrown under the 397 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:15,120 reign of Hezekiah. But that's where they're going 398 00:25:15,120 --> 00:25:16,840 to go. That's what you're going to 399 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,160 hear. And it seems compelling. 400 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:22,280 Yeah, I see that. I see that there is, there is 401 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:24,800 correlation and there is an overlap here. 402 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:27,080 There's something that is connected. 403 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:31,600 Hezekiah. Why not Josiah? 404 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:34,920 Well, because the context suggests that it is about him. 405 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:39,200 And as convincing as these cross references may be, it still 406 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:43,640 doesn't satisfy the demands of Isaiah's descriptions of this 407 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:46,560 king. If everything that I've shared 408 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:49,720 up to this point has been a little overwhelming or difficult 409 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:53,160 to retain one, take comfort. It's recorded. 410 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:57,720 You can revisit it, but 2 all you really need to do is 411 00:25:57,720 --> 00:25:59,600 remember this one point that I'm about to share. 412 00:25:59,960 --> 00:26:03,600 If you can remember what I'm about to share, it's enough for 413 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:06,160 you. Want to be confident and also to 414 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:09,760 perhaps convince somebody else who is honestly skeptical about 415 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:15,000 this being Jesus? Isaiah 96 is not just a prophecy 416 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,040 about a king. It's also prophecy about a 417 00:26:18,040 --> 00:26:21,440 Kingdom. It's not just about a person, 418 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:24,440 it's about a government. And when you consider the 419 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:27,560 government that will be ushered in and established by this 420 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:31,400 child, you'll realize that it doesn't fit with Hezekiah. 421 00:26:32,120 --> 00:26:33,920 So we read verse six. Look at verse 7. 422 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:37,880 You know it well, but let's refresh our memory of the 423 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:40,240 increase of His government and of peace. 424 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:44,600 There will be no end on the throne of David and over his 425 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:48,080 Kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with 426 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:50,400 righteousness. From this time forth and 427 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:53,720 forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts 428 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:58,880 will do this. Hezekiah was one of the holiest 429 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:04,360 kings in all of Judah's history. Hezekiah was a man of God. 430 00:27:04,360 --> 00:27:10,560 Hezekiah accomplished much, but Hezekiah falls short of what is 431 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:14,280 said here about this administration, because even 432 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:17,640 after Hezekiah, yes, was used, his faith connected with the 433 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:20,320 power of God and the Syrians were expelled. 434 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:22,680 Yes and yes. Hezekiah, though he was on his 435 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:27,280 bed sick, received a miracle in addition of several years on his 436 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:29,960 life. After his healing, Hezekiah fell 437 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:34,040 into pride. The Babylonians came to to kind 438 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:37,360 of check up on him, and he decided in his pride to show him 439 00:27:37,360 --> 00:27:41,440 all that he had, and Isaiah condemns him for that. 440 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:47,680 Hezekiah would also have a successor named Manessa his son, 441 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:51,160 and Manessa would be realized as one of the most wicked kings in 442 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:54,120 Judah's history, though he repented and was restored by 443 00:27:54,120 --> 00:27:58,280 God. And if Hezekiah really fulfills 444 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:04,040 Isaiah 96, then why was it that other prophets anticipated a 445 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:08,280 king to come? A king far after Hezekiah's 446 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:12,200 reign and even his life? You remember the prophet 447 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:15,040 Zechariah. What did he say long after 448 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:17,640 Hezekiah, long after the temple was destroyed? 449 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:20,920 You usually hear this one around Easter time. 450 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:24,800 And there is no argument that this is about Messiah. 451 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:27,480 Even among Jews. I'm sure there are some who 452 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:30,560 would argue against it. But listen to Zechariah 99. 453 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:33,760 Rejoice, great Leo, daughter of Zion, shout aloud. 454 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,400 O daughter of Jerusalem, behold, your king is coming to you 455 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:40,520 righteous and having salvation. Is he humble and mounted on a 456 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:43,200 donkey? On a colt, the full of a donkey? 457 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:45,600 Why are you looking for another king? 458 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:50,560 If Hezekiah was a fulfillment of this perfect perpetual Kingdom, 459 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:54,920 this argument makes sense. I hope it does. 460 00:28:55,720 --> 00:28:58,880 Zechariah tells of the people, tells the people there's another 461 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,320 king coming. Well, if if there's this 462 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:04,080 increase of the government of peace with no end, why are we 463 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:06,320 looking for another king who's going to usher in another 464 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:08,240 Kingdom? It should have happened already. 465 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:12,600 So you're left with only two conclusions about Isaiah 96. 466 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:17,640 If it's not about Jesus, then it's failed prophecy. 467 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:22,680 It's failed prophecy because Hezekiah didn't usher in this 468 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:26,800 kind of government. So you either deal with a God 469 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:29,720 who lied or a God who fulfilled His promise, but in another 470 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:32,160 person. And we believe that He kept His 471 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:33,840 word. And that is where it was, 472 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:37,960 realizing Jesus of Nazareth. I hope that makes you excited. 473 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:42,040 But Jesus of Nazareth did not bring in World Peace. 474 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:45,880 That's the argument that you'll usually hear if you quote Isaiah 475 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:49,200 9/6 or Zechariah 99, among other scriptures. 476 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:54,840 OK, if Jesus is who you say he is, then where all the weapons 477 00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:56,760 of war being turned into farming equipment? 478 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:01,720 And where is Jerusalem being the headquarters of the world? 479 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:05,400 And where are the kings and and the governors and the mayors 480 00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:08,520 flooding to Jerusalem to receive counsel from the Lord? 481 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:10,360 Where is that? How do you make sense of that? 482 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:16,280 And I say it's coming because what you fail to understand, my 483 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:19,480 dear friend, is the same misunderstanding that the Jews 484 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:24,240 and Jesus they had, that you are so focused on the prophecies of 485 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:26,840 a conquering Messiah that you miss the ones of the suffering 486 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:30,720 Messiah. So who fulfills those ones? 487 00:30:31,040 --> 00:30:33,960 Because Messiah would come and establish a Kingdom, yes, but 488 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:37,920 Messiah must also die for the sins of his people. 489 00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:44,160 So my Messiah came to accomplish not some prophecy, but all 490 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:46,720 prophecy. And in his first advent he came 491 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:49,280 to be a sacrifice. And in his second advent, he 492 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:51,080 will come to be the ruling king forever. 493 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:56,320 That's my Messiah. And so we believe the prophecies 494 00:30:56,320 --> 00:31:00,440 of a suffering Messiah and a ruling Messiah are found in one 495 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:05,320 person. And because of the New Testament 496 00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:09,840 and the Christian movement, sometime after Jesus arrived on 497 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:13,040 the scene and the church emerges, you had Jewish people 498 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:15,480 now trying to wrestle with these prophecies as they are brought 499 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:17,360 to the surface of the suffering Messiah. 500 00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:19,480 So here's here's what some have concluded. 501 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:22,960 So you have these prophecies of a suffering Messiah and a ruling 502 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:24,840 Messiah. Christians say it's one person. 503 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:26,960 No, no, no, it can't be Jesus of Nazareth. 504 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:31,280 So they have to be two messiahs. There's going to be a suffering 505 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:35,040 Messiah and there's going to be Messiah, son of David. 506 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:39,840 OK, so you think it's two We believe it's one big difference. 507 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:44,480 And so I lay this before you for you to be confident that this is 508 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:48,000 indeed about Jesus. Can I, can I put a cherry on the 509 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:52,280 top of this before we move on? So the accusation from the 510 00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:55,840 beginning is you Christians, not you personally. 511 00:31:56,640 --> 00:32:02,680 The church massaged Isaiah 9/6 to the degree that it makes it 512 00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:05,040 be something that it's not. And you have manipulated 513 00:32:05,040 --> 00:32:08,560 translations as though it is a future thing and as though it's 514 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:12,720 about Messiah when it's about 1 king out of the roster of the 515 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:16,240 kings of Judah. And here's how you can respond. 516 00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:21,920 The idea of Isaiah 96 being about Messiah, not just any 517 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:26,400 ordinary king, but about the King of kings, the ultimate seed 518 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:30,800 of David who is to come, didn't originate with Christians 519 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:33,720 necessarily saying, what do you mean? 520 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:37,600 I'm saying that ancient Jewish writers, teachers, rabbis, 521 00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:41,120 commentators also believe that this is about Messiah. 522 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:45,840 So I have three sources here. I'm just going to read one of 523 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:51,360 them to you. This is from one who is known as 524 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:53,640 Rambam. Rambam was one of the most 525 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:59,560 influential Jewish philosophers from the Middle Ages, legal 526 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:01,960 scholar. He was a physician, and he is 527 00:33:01,960 --> 00:33:05,840 considered one of the greatest Jewish thinkers of all time. 528 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:10,160 And I want you to hear what he said in his epistle to Yemen. 529 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:12,800 There was these Jews who were in Yemen who were really struggling 530 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:14,880 with their faith. And one of the struggles that 531 00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:18,400 they had was about Messiah, their expectation of the 532 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:21,440 Messiah, when the Messiah would come, who the Messiah would be. 533 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:25,800 And so in this epistle to Yemen, we read here what I'm about to 534 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:28,240 quote to you, beginning with this quote. 535 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:33,240 The Messiah indeed ranks after Moses and eminence and 536 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:36,600 distinction. And God has bestowed some gifts 537 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:41,360 upon him which he did not bestow upon Moses, as may be gathered 538 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:43,440 from the verses. So what is he, What is Rambam 539 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:45,880 saying here? He's saying, I want to prove to 540 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:49,160 you how Messiah is greater than Moses, and I'm about to quote 541 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:52,760 you some verses to show how He is superior even to that great 542 00:33:52,760 --> 00:33:56,760 man of God. So I continue, his delight shall 543 00:33:56,760 --> 00:33:59,040 be in the fear of the Lord. Isaiah 11/3. 544 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:01,320 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. 545 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:04,000 Isaiah 11. Two, and righteousness shall be 546 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:07,880 girdle on his loins. Isaiah 1156. 547 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:10,280 Appalachians were divinely conferred upon him, as the 548 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:16,560 following passage indicates. For a child is born unto us, and 549 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:21,880 his Son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder, 550 00:34:22,199 --> 00:34:25,560 and he is called, and he quotes what we know to be Isaiah 96. 551 00:34:26,199 --> 00:34:28,159 Then he goes on to Psalm 2, verse 7. 552 00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:31,800 Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. 553 00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:35,120 And he finishes with this. All these statements demonstrate 554 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:39,840 the preeminence of the Messiah. That is from one of the 555 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:42,760 greatest, most influential Jewish writers in all of 556 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:45,040 history. He's saying that this is about 557 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:48,719 Messiah, so don't go and point fingers at the church. 558 00:34:49,760 --> 00:34:52,120 And I have a quotation here from the Targum. 559 00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:56,320 I have the quotation here from the Talmud, Sanhedrin showing 560 00:34:56,320 --> 00:34:58,880 that this is about Messiah. Not saying that they think this 561 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:03,480 is about Jesus as Messiah, but about Messiah nonetheless. 562 00:35:03,480 --> 00:35:06,480 Because the argument again is this is about Hezekiah and 563 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:12,720 Hezekiah is not Messiah. Strange arguments, but I present 564 00:35:12,720 --> 00:35:15,240 this to you. Be fortified in your faith. 565 00:35:15,680 --> 00:35:18,560 And now give me the last few minutes of this afternoon in 566 00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:20,720 this church service to talk about Jesus. 567 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:25,720 Can I do that? This is about Jesus, precious 568 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:28,440 Jesus. And I want to quickly glance 569 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:30,520 over four titles that we see here. 570 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:34,680 He is wonderful counselor. He is mighty God. 571 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:40,760 He is everlasting Father. He is Prince of Peace, some 572 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:44,640 divide wonderful and counselor. So he is wonderful in one place, 573 00:35:44,640 --> 00:35:46,720 counselor in another. We'll merge them together. 574 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:52,960 Wonderful counselor indeed. He is wonderful. 575 00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:57,200 And what's so beautiful about this is that in Isaiah 28, nine, 576 00:35:57,200 --> 00:35:59,600 we read that he is wonderful in counsel. 577 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:05,920 It's impossible to look at Jesus in the gospels and be bored. 578 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:12,760 There's something staggeringly wrong if you can look at Jesus 579 00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:20,400 and read his words, see his actions, trace his love, and not 580 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:23,400 come to the conclusion he is amazing. 581 00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:29,760 Don't you find it amazing how almost every world religion, 582 00:36:30,240 --> 00:36:35,280 even cults, want to claim Jesus? Have you ever noticed that 583 00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:39,840 everybody wants Jesus? Nobody's fighting for these 584 00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:44,160 other supposed messengers or teachers, but everybody wants to 585 00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:47,120 claim Jesus. Why? 586 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:51,360 Because he's wonderful. And he is wonderful in His 587 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:55,600 person, and he is wonderful in the manifestation of his 588 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:59,320 counsel. When Christ comes to rule and 589 00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:02,880 reign forever, the world will be solved by his counsel. 590 00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:06,800 It's amazing in this past election how so many feel a 591 00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:11,240 sense of relief that hopefully problems are going to be solved. 592 00:37:12,240 --> 00:37:16,000 Can you imagine the relief when the perfect Son of God comes to 593 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:21,120 fix everything and the world is going to flock to his counsel to 594 00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:22,760 receive his instruction, his guidance. 595 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:25,080 He's actually going to do something that's never been 596 00:37:25,080 --> 00:37:26,600 known since the beginning of time. 597 00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:30,120 No more war for 1000 years. No more war. 598 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:31,480 People are going to be like, what do we do? 599 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:32,800 What do we do with all these weapons? 600 00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:35,440 What do we do with all our training programs? 601 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:38,280 Or what do we do about our national security, all the tax 602 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:40,920 money that went into that? It's going to be futile. 603 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:43,200 It's going to be nothing because of the Prince of Peace. 604 00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:46,560 But he's not just going to be wonderful in this council when 605 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:48,960 he comes, He's wonderful in this council now. 606 00:37:50,160 --> 00:37:57,040 Today he's given us the manual for life in his word and and the 607 00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:00,320 book of Proverbs talks about how when this word is is tied around 608 00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:03,840 your neck and it's bound around your heart, it will speak to 609 00:38:03,840 --> 00:38:07,000 you. And I'm telling you when you get 610 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:09,760 the living word in you. Oh, the counsel that you 611 00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:13,400 receive. It's amazing how in in life 612 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:16,760 events or circumstances that you can't find chapter and verse 613 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:20,920 about how the wisdom of the word, the character of God, 614 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:25,040 examples and stories come to the surface and give you wisdom to 615 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:27,960 know how to deal with this situation, how to comfort you. 616 00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:31,840 The greatest counsel I've ever received were from people who 617 00:38:31,840 --> 00:38:35,560 knew the word of God so well that they could effortlessly not 618 00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:38,040 just bring references to promises, but examples, things 619 00:38:38,040 --> 00:38:41,320 that you wouldn't necessarily see at face value and just bring 620 00:38:41,320 --> 00:38:45,000 counsel to my life. And it originates with Christ, 621 00:38:45,240 --> 00:38:49,000 the word who became flesh. He's wonderful and counsel 622 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:53,240 reminds me of the passage in Judges chapter 13 or we're told 623 00:38:53,240 --> 00:38:55,880 of Samson's parents. We don't know the name of his 624 00:38:55,880 --> 00:38:57,080 mother. We know the name of his father 625 00:38:57,080 --> 00:38:59,440 Manoa. And the Angel of the Lord 626 00:38:59,440 --> 00:39:02,480 appears, right? And he comes before the wife and 627 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:05,480 tells her of the supernatural birth that's going to happen 628 00:39:05,480 --> 00:39:09,000 this this pregnancy, right? A judge is going to come for 629 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:10,840 Israel. She runs to her husband and the 630 00:39:10,840 --> 00:39:13,440 husband asks the Lord in prayer, Oh bring that man back so that 631 00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:15,480 we can receive clarity what we're supposed to do with this 632 00:39:15,480 --> 00:39:19,960 child and the prayers answered and finally after he received 633 00:39:19,960 --> 00:39:23,920 some kind of instruction. Manoa asked him in Judges 1317, 634 00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:27,560 What is your name so that when your words come true, we may 635 00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:30,840 honor you. And what is the Angel of the 636 00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:32,400 Lord? Reply with in verse 18. 637 00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:34,880 And the Angel of the Lord said to him, Why do you ask my name, 638 00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:44,400 seeing it is wonderful. Angels are powerful, angels are 639 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:48,080 splendid in their own way. But for an Angel to say, Why do 640 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:50,400 you ask my name, seeing that it is wonderful. 641 00:39:51,160 --> 00:39:53,160 I have a hunch this is no ordinary Angel. 642 00:39:55,480 --> 00:39:58,080 And if you're skeptical about this being something more, 643 00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:01,440 someone more than an Angel, listen to what they say. 644 00:40:01,440 --> 00:40:05,360 After this encounter in Judges 1322 and Manoah said to his 645 00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:08,160 wife, We shall surely die, for we have seen God. 646 00:40:10,920 --> 00:40:14,160 So here's one of the many previews for those who are very 647 00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:16,200 stumped by the idea of God becoming flesh. 648 00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:20,120 God appeared in human like form many times in the Old Testament, 649 00:40:20,560 --> 00:40:23,680 including this one. And you're saying, well he 650 00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:25,960 appeared as an Angel? No, no, the Hebrew word and the 651 00:40:25,960 --> 00:40:28,160 Greek word is very simple, simply means messenger. 652 00:40:28,720 --> 00:40:30,520 So it's not the cartoony version with wings. 653 00:40:30,520 --> 00:40:34,720 That's not an Angel. A messenger with human like 654 00:40:34,720 --> 00:40:38,000 appearance comes on the scene. His name is ass. 655 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:42,120 Why do you ask my name? Seeing it as wonderful, but 656 00:40:42,120 --> 00:40:44,760 Noah's think this is strange. And then he realizes we've seen 657 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:50,000 the face of God, and Israel would in fact see the face of 658 00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:53,200 God again when this child would be born in Bethlehem. 659 00:40:54,200 --> 00:40:57,360 Wonderful counselor, but he's also mighty God. 660 00:40:58,400 --> 00:41:01,720 So he has this infinite wisdom, but he's going to have this 661 00:41:01,720 --> 00:41:04,840 infinite power to execute his counsel. 662 00:41:06,440 --> 00:41:09,000 But as we heard earlier, he's not just mighty, He is mighty 663 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:12,560 God. And the detail, this detail is 664 00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:14,800 so important because it really transforms the entirety of the 665 00:41:14,800 --> 00:41:17,360 message and carries massive implications. 666 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:22,840 What I mean, OK, how do you have mighty God as a child? 667 00:41:23,920 --> 00:41:28,720 And how do you have God who is by nature eternal, being born? 668 00:41:29,880 --> 00:41:35,040 So look back at Isaiah 96 again. For to us, a child is born, to 669 00:41:35,040 --> 00:41:41,320 us, a son is given. Whenever in the Hebrew there 670 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:43,080 wants to be an emphasis. The author wants to make 671 00:41:43,080 --> 00:41:45,680 something, he wants to under score, highlight something. 672 00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:48,000 It's happening through emphasis, right? 673 00:41:48,000 --> 00:41:49,080 And you can say that's the case here. 674 00:41:49,080 --> 00:41:51,160 There's an emphasis, a child is going to be born, a son's going 675 00:41:51,160 --> 00:41:52,880 to be given. But I think it's more deep than 676 00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:56,120 that. This is a very specific choice 677 00:41:56,120 --> 00:41:58,920 of words to convey a deep theological truth. 678 00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:02,840 How do you make sense that mighty God will become a child? 679 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:05,640 How do you make sense that mighty God will be born? 680 00:42:05,640 --> 00:42:08,760 He has no beginning. And the only answer that you can 681 00:42:08,760 --> 00:42:12,360 find that will bring a sense of clarity and conclusion is the 682 00:42:12,360 --> 00:42:16,840 dual nature of Christ. So notice the language, for to 683 00:42:16,840 --> 00:42:21,400 us a child is born. The humanity of Jesus had a 684 00:42:21,400 --> 00:42:24,400 beginning. Jesus wasn't always human from 685 00:42:24,400 --> 00:42:28,880 eternity past, but he would add humanity to Himself. 686 00:42:29,960 --> 00:42:32,640 But more than that, he's not just man. 687 00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:35,160 And that's why we're told a son is given. 688 00:42:35,720 --> 00:42:37,320 Here's my question. Whose son is he? 689 00:42:38,000 --> 00:42:40,040 You say he's the Son of David. That's what the prophecy is 690 00:42:40,040 --> 00:42:41,160 about. From the lineage of David, a 691 00:42:41,160 --> 00:42:43,360 son's going to come, but he's mighty God. 692 00:42:44,240 --> 00:42:47,880 So he's not just the Son of David, He's the Son of God. 693 00:42:48,880 --> 00:42:53,400 And the Son of God by nature doesn't have a beginning. 694 00:42:54,800 --> 00:42:59,240 That's why he's given. The Son isn't born, The Son of 695 00:42:59,240 --> 00:43:03,480 God is given, but the child is born because the Son who would 696 00:43:03,480 --> 00:43:07,840 come from eternity would add flesh, would add humanity. 697 00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:12,560 So his humanity had a beginning, but as the eternal Son he always 698 00:43:12,560 --> 00:43:18,080 was, a child would be born. A son is given humanity and 699 00:43:18,080 --> 00:43:23,120 deity, one person, Jesus Christ. He's saying, well, this is 700 00:43:23,120 --> 00:43:28,120 wonderful, and this is confirmed by another prophet, Micah 5 Two, 701 00:43:28,200 --> 00:43:32,120 let me read it. But you, O Bethlehem Efrata, who 702 00:43:32,120 --> 00:43:35,640 are too little to be among the clans of Judah, for you shall 703 00:43:35,640 --> 00:43:40,560 come forth for me, one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming 704 00:43:40,560 --> 00:43:44,280 forth is from old, from ancient days. 705 00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:49,280 So whoever this ruler who'll be born in Bethlehem is, we're told 706 00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:54,000 where he's actually coming from from, of old, from ancient days. 707 00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:57,000 Ancient days is a phrase that's synonymous with eternity, 708 00:43:58,360 --> 00:44:01,080 synonymous with everlasting. That's why in the King James and 709 00:44:01,080 --> 00:44:03,200 new King James, it reads from everlasting. 710 00:44:03,400 --> 00:44:08,480 Whoever this ruler is, he's going to come from eternity, son 711 00:44:08,800 --> 00:44:14,160 given child born son of God, always was taking on humanity 712 00:44:14,160 --> 00:44:19,440 and flesh 2000 years ago. Which leads us to possibly the 713 00:44:19,440 --> 00:44:23,880 most controversial part of of these titles concerning Christ. 714 00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:31,560 Wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, hold on. 715 00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:35,200 We believe in the Godhead. We believe that God is one in 716 00:44:35,200 --> 00:44:38,040 being but three in persons, Father, Son, Holy Spirit. 717 00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:43,600 How is it then that you have Jesus, who is the Son, given 718 00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:47,960 this title that should belong to the Father alone? 719 00:44:49,360 --> 00:44:53,320 And here's what we have to make sure that we're clear on. 720 00:44:53,600 --> 00:44:57,960 This is not describing the roles within the Trinity. 721 00:44:58,320 --> 00:45:01,520 This prophecy is not about describing the different roles 722 00:45:01,520 --> 00:45:04,960 in the Godhead more than it is talking about the character of 723 00:45:04,960 --> 00:45:06,680 the coming Messiah toward his people. 724 00:45:07,320 --> 00:45:09,520 That's what this is conveying more than anything else. 725 00:45:10,080 --> 00:45:12,600 And So what this means is that Jesus is not only going to be 726 00:45:12,600 --> 00:45:14,360 infinitely wise, wonderful counselor. 727 00:45:14,600 --> 00:45:20,040 Jesus is not only isn't going to be infinitely powerful, but 728 00:45:20,040 --> 00:45:26,680 Jesus is going to be infinitely caring and protective as a 729 00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:30,440 father would be. Another way to understand this 730 00:45:30,440 --> 00:45:34,280 is that the Messiah is going to be fatherly. 731 00:45:34,920 --> 00:45:39,240 The Messiah is going to be caring and loving and protective 732 00:45:39,240 --> 00:45:42,400 and compassionate as a good father would be to his children. 733 00:45:42,400 --> 00:45:45,080 And why is that comforting? Because we're not just learning 734 00:45:45,080 --> 00:45:48,000 about a governor who's going to rule a Kingdom that's going to 735 00:45:48,640 --> 00:45:51,720 dominate the universe. You're talking about a king who 736 00:45:51,720 --> 00:45:55,240 actually cares everlasting father. 737 00:45:55,480 --> 00:46:01,120 And as much as the Father is exclusive in that title, the 738 00:46:01,120 --> 00:46:05,520 idea of the Son having certain qualities about him that are 739 00:46:05,520 --> 00:46:09,000 father like it is not foreign in the Scriptures. 740 00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:11,400 It's everywhere. So can I show you a couple 741 00:46:11,400 --> 00:46:14,600 places in John? Turn with me to John and notice 742 00:46:14,600 --> 00:46:20,760 this with me. This title does not dismiss the 743 00:46:20,760 --> 00:46:23,480 unique position of the Father, but it does confirm something 744 00:46:23,480 --> 00:46:26,040 about the heart of Christ for those that he brings into the 745 00:46:26,040 --> 00:46:28,840 family of God. Look at John 14 verse 8. 746 00:46:38,720 --> 00:46:42,000 John 14, eight. Philip said to him, Lord, show 747 00:46:42,000 --> 00:46:44,960 us the Father, and it is enough for us. 748 00:46:45,960 --> 00:46:49,080 Jesus said to him, have I been with you so long and you still 749 00:46:49,080 --> 00:46:50,480 do not know me? Philip pause. 750 00:46:50,480 --> 00:46:53,120 Can I say something? What he said to Philip can be 751 00:46:53,120 --> 00:46:55,400 said by many and too many Christians today. 752 00:46:56,120 --> 00:46:58,280 Has it been so long you still don't get it yet? 753 00:47:00,920 --> 00:47:02,520 Maybe somebody needed to hear that. 754 00:47:03,240 --> 00:47:05,360 Have I been with you so long and you still do not know me? 755 00:47:05,360 --> 00:47:09,960 Philip, whoever has seen me has seen the Father. 756 00:47:10,480 --> 00:47:12,480 How can you say show us the Father? 757 00:47:13,040 --> 00:47:15,560 What's Jesus saying here? If you want to know what the 758 00:47:15,560 --> 00:47:18,640 Father is like, who the Father's like, look no further than me. 759 00:47:19,400 --> 00:47:22,280 I'm the exact representation of His being. 760 00:47:22,400 --> 00:47:24,680 I'm the exact imprint of His nature. 761 00:47:25,120 --> 00:47:27,720 You don't have to guess or wonder about distinctions. 762 00:47:27,760 --> 00:47:32,480 I am exactly a copy paste of the heart, the mind, the will of the 763 00:47:33,080 --> 00:47:36,160 Father. So what you can expect from the 764 00:47:36,160 --> 00:47:39,160 Father, you can see an experience in the sun. 765 00:47:40,720 --> 00:47:42,920 Scroll down and notice what he says in verse 18. 766 00:47:44,080 --> 00:47:50,960 I, Jesus is speaking, I will not leave you as orphans, I will 767 00:47:50,960 --> 00:47:53,880 come to you. Another way of understanding 768 00:47:53,880 --> 00:47:56,760 this. I will not leave you fatherless. 769 00:47:57,400 --> 00:48:01,120 I will come to you. Jesus will come to you. 770 00:48:01,960 --> 00:48:05,920 So he is implementing parental language here, parental care, 771 00:48:05,920 --> 00:48:08,800 parental protection, parental supervision. 772 00:48:08,960 --> 00:48:11,000 I'm not going to leave you here without a father. 773 00:48:11,160 --> 00:48:14,800 I will come to you. Not that he is the same person 774 00:48:14,800 --> 00:48:18,720 as the Father, but he is father like He is fatherly. 775 00:48:21,200 --> 00:48:26,480 And we see here that it's shown in the title, Everlasting 776 00:48:26,480 --> 00:48:29,040 Father. And here's how it applies to us 777 00:48:29,040 --> 00:48:32,080 as we anticipate the return of Christ. 778 00:48:32,400 --> 00:48:37,840 So unto us a child is born, a son is given, and upon his 779 00:48:37,840 --> 00:48:42,200 shoulder shall rest. What government? 780 00:48:43,280 --> 00:48:46,200 So the shoulders represent strength in the Bible, right? 781 00:48:46,200 --> 00:48:50,800 So the government of the world is going to rest on the strength 782 00:48:51,320 --> 00:48:54,720 of Jesus Christ the Messiah. And I love how the Bible uses 783 00:48:54,720 --> 00:48:58,880 the word shoulder because there's one place in the New 784 00:48:58,880 --> 00:49:02,560 Testament where we read Messiah concerning his shoulder. 785 00:49:03,520 --> 00:49:06,480 You know the story very well. Listen carefully to the parable 786 00:49:06,520 --> 00:49:10,240 of the lost sheep, Luke 15, Three. 787 00:49:10,600 --> 00:49:14,240 So he told them, being Jesus, this parable, what man of you 788 00:49:14,240 --> 00:49:17,840 having 100 sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the 789 00:49:17,840 --> 00:49:21,320 99 in the open country and go after the one that is lost until 790 00:49:21,320 --> 00:49:24,360 he finds it. And when he has found it, he 791 00:49:24,360 --> 00:49:27,480 lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 792 00:49:29,640 --> 00:49:33,480 So not only is Messiah going to have the strength to uphold this 793 00:49:33,640 --> 00:49:38,280 universal government, but this Messiah will also have the love 794 00:49:38,440 --> 00:49:41,640 to take sinners and care for them and protect them. 795 00:49:41,960 --> 00:49:44,440 And what's so beautiful about this is that if you consider 796 00:49:44,440 --> 00:49:47,280 this in the plural, then you have even a deeper thought. 797 00:49:47,480 --> 00:49:51,440 The government shall rest upon His shoulder, one shoulder. 798 00:49:51,560 --> 00:49:55,080 But when it comes to redeeming and securing sinners shoulders, 799 00:49:55,080 --> 00:49:59,200 both shoulders. So in his caring, his love, 800 00:49:59,200 --> 00:50:02,560 there is a specific type of grace and strength that's 801 00:50:02,560 --> 00:50:04,720 implemented towards those that belong to him. 802 00:50:05,720 --> 00:50:08,560 So this Messiah is not just concerned about the eternal 803 00:50:08,560 --> 00:50:11,240 reign of a government. He's concerned for every single 804 00:50:11,240 --> 00:50:13,640 one of his subjects were ultimately his children that he 805 00:50:13,640 --> 00:50:16,840 knows by name. That's what Isaiah is trying to 806 00:50:16,840 --> 00:50:18,720 convey. He's a mighty king. 807 00:50:18,720 --> 00:50:21,840 He's wonderful in counsel, but he cares about those that belong 808 00:50:21,840 --> 00:50:24,000 to his Kingdom. He's not just carrying a 809 00:50:24,000 --> 00:50:28,920 government, He's carrying you and carrying me on those mighty 810 00:50:28,920 --> 00:50:35,440 shoulders, everlasting Father. And I hope you have a whole new 811 00:50:35,440 --> 00:50:38,960 understanding of this, because not only will His Kingdom be 812 00:50:38,960 --> 00:50:42,200 eternal, but those who become a child of God will belong to him 813 00:50:42,200 --> 00:50:44,360 forever. He will forever be your Father. 814 00:50:45,440 --> 00:50:48,520 He will forever be yours. He will forever care for you and 815 00:50:48,520 --> 00:50:52,240 love you and keep you. He's not just eternal, He's 816 00:50:52,280 --> 00:50:57,080 eternal in His love. And some are troubled by this 817 00:50:57,080 --> 00:50:58,600 title, so they go a different direction. 818 00:50:58,600 --> 00:51:00,680 They say this doesn't really mean everlasting father, it 819 00:51:00,680 --> 00:51:04,080 means father of eternity. You can go there too. 820 00:51:04,360 --> 00:51:06,160 And the argument is father of eternity. 821 00:51:06,360 --> 00:51:09,720 In the Jewish mind, Father doesn't just mean you're a dad. 822 00:51:09,720 --> 00:51:11,240 It also means you're the source of something. 823 00:51:11,240 --> 00:51:13,360 So Satan is called the father of lies. 824 00:51:14,080 --> 00:51:16,640 It's not like he's the a dad of lies. 825 00:51:17,160 --> 00:51:20,360 He's the source of lies. So some would say, no, this is 826 00:51:20,360 --> 00:51:24,480 just saying that Jesus is really the possessor of time, that 827 00:51:24,480 --> 00:51:30,480 Jesus is the supervisor of all things as he is eternal, which 828 00:51:30,480 --> 00:51:36,800 leads to the final thing. Prince of Peace, you heard it so 829 00:51:36,800 --> 00:51:38,560 many times. So I'm not going to be redundant 830 00:51:38,560 --> 00:51:40,520 here. He's going to bring peace in a 831 00:51:40,520 --> 00:51:42,160 way that this world can only dream of. 832 00:51:43,080 --> 00:51:44,240 But I want to present to you this thought. 833 00:51:44,240 --> 00:51:45,440 Perhaps you haven't considered it. 834 00:51:45,760 --> 00:51:48,360 I don't think it's an accident that out of the titles mentioned 835 00:51:48,360 --> 00:51:50,680 here, Prince of Peace is brought up last. 836 00:51:51,640 --> 00:51:57,840 Why is it brought up last? Because there's an equation that 837 00:51:57,840 --> 00:52:00,320 before the world can ever know peace, it first has to 838 00:52:00,320 --> 00:52:03,640 acknowledge and submit to the reality that He alone is 839 00:52:03,640 --> 00:52:08,960 wonderful in counsel, that He alone is mighty in power, and 840 00:52:08,960 --> 00:52:13,520 that He alone is everlasting Father and His care. 841 00:52:13,560 --> 00:52:18,040 Until you acknowledge and submit to His counsel, His power, His 842 00:52:18,040 --> 00:52:20,680 fatherly love, you will never know peace. 843 00:52:21,920 --> 00:52:23,360 This world will never know peace. 844 00:52:23,760 --> 00:52:26,800 And, and, and let's just put that aside now, never mind 845 00:52:26,800 --> 00:52:29,240 what's going to come. Let's talk about your life and 846 00:52:29,240 --> 00:52:32,000 mine. As I conclude, you will never 847 00:52:32,000 --> 00:52:35,800 know supernatural peace until you personally make those same 848 00:52:36,080 --> 00:52:40,280 acknowledgments. Do you submit to His counsel and 849 00:52:40,280 --> 00:52:42,640 do you see it as wonderful? Or do you look at His word as 850 00:52:42,640 --> 00:52:45,880 options and suggestions? OK, you can do that. 851 00:52:46,080 --> 00:52:49,000 You'll never know peace, true peace. 852 00:52:50,200 --> 00:52:52,760 Do you believe in His mighty power that He can perform in 853 00:52:52,760 --> 00:52:54,880 your life? Intervene, protect, rescue, 854 00:52:54,880 --> 00:52:57,120 provide? How can you know peace if you 855 00:52:57,120 --> 00:52:58,440 don't believe that He's able to do that? 856 00:53:00,160 --> 00:53:05,120 Do you see Him as a loving God? Oh, you believe? 857 00:53:05,120 --> 00:53:08,240 You believe He's wonderful in His wisdom, wonderful in His 858 00:53:08,240 --> 00:53:10,080 power, mighty and all those things. 859 00:53:11,080 --> 00:53:13,120 But I don't know if He really loves me. 860 00:53:13,400 --> 00:53:15,680 I'm just trying to do my best so that when I'm graded for 861 00:53:15,680 --> 00:53:18,000 eternity, I just pass. I just want to get in. 862 00:53:19,240 --> 00:53:22,800 Oh, you. And you expect peace, thinking 863 00:53:22,800 --> 00:53:25,040 that God's temperament is so fickle. 864 00:53:26,840 --> 00:53:29,960 You'll never know peace until you understand Him as a loving 865 00:53:29,960 --> 00:53:35,200 God. And I hope that you would 866 00:53:35,200 --> 00:53:38,280 realize it today. He is Prince of peace. 867 00:53:38,720 --> 00:53:41,400 The world will know Him as such. But you can know it personally 868 00:53:41,400 --> 00:53:43,840 today. You just have to acknowledge Him 869 00:53:43,840 --> 00:53:46,800 as such. And how do you do that when you 870 00:53:46,800 --> 00:53:49,880 realize that Messiah has come to suffer and die in your place, 871 00:53:52,000 --> 00:53:54,680 and that He is waiting for you to respond to that news so that 872 00:53:54,680 --> 00:53:59,120 you can belong to Him? And when you belong to Him, He 873 00:53:59,120 --> 00:54:02,960 will take you up and put you on His shoulders, and nothing can 874 00:54:02,960 --> 00:54:05,560 RIP you out of His hands. Nothing. 875 00:54:08,600 --> 00:54:11,760 You know, when somebody announces that they have a child 876 00:54:11,760 --> 00:54:13,520 on the way, I've never heard anybody. 877 00:54:13,520 --> 00:54:16,200 As much as we celebrate babies here, I've never had anybody 878 00:54:16,200 --> 00:54:19,200 come through the doors and approach me or any of the 879 00:54:19,200 --> 00:54:22,360 leaders and say, I want to let you know that a child is coming 880 00:54:22,480 --> 00:54:26,760 to us. That 'd be a little strange. 881 00:54:30,240 --> 00:54:33,600 You say no, so and so and I, we're having a baby and we 882 00:54:33,600 --> 00:54:38,560 celebrate that. What did Isaiah say this child 883 00:54:38,560 --> 00:54:43,920 would be for us? He's God's gift to the world. 884 00:54:45,280 --> 00:54:50,640 He's God's gift to you. News flash, he's not a baby 885 00:54:50,640 --> 00:54:54,440 anymore. He's ascended on high and he's 886 00:54:54,440 --> 00:54:57,480 the ruling king. But you do have to believe that 887 00:54:57,480 --> 00:54:59,280 at one point he did come as a baby. 888 00:54:59,640 --> 00:55:05,720 He did live as a man perfectly. He did die on a cross to pay for 889 00:55:05,720 --> 00:55:08,080 your sin. He was buried in a tomb. 890 00:55:08,320 --> 00:55:12,120 He did conquer death, He did rise into the heavens, and He 891 00:55:12,120 --> 00:55:15,200 promised that in the same way He went up, He will come back down. 892 00:55:15,200 --> 00:55:18,160 And when He comes back down, it's no longer to deal with sin, 893 00:55:18,640 --> 00:55:20,680 but to redeem those who have repented of their sin and 894 00:55:20,680 --> 00:55:23,880 believed on His name. Today, this Christmas service, 895 00:55:23,880 --> 00:55:26,400 have you repented and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? 896 00:55:27,000 --> 00:55:31,120 If not, He is God's gift to you. Would you receive it? 897 00:55:31,680 --> 00:55:46,760 Let's pray. Father, we thank You that You've 898 00:55:46,760 --> 00:55:49,440 given us the ability to register all these things for the time 899 00:55:49,440 --> 00:55:52,080 being. We pray that by Your help they 900 00:55:52,080 --> 00:55:55,760 would be remembered. Thank You for instilling in US 901 00:55:55,760 --> 00:55:58,560 greater confidence in the sufficiency, the accuracy, the 902 00:55:58,560 --> 00:56:02,680 validity of Your Word. We ask that in times where Satan 903 00:56:02,720 --> 00:56:06,200 would try to make us doubt that You would remind us that Your 904 00:56:06,200 --> 00:56:08,480 Word is perfect. When those who don't believe in 905 00:56:08,480 --> 00:56:11,360 Jesus as Messiah, we would be gentle and kind to show them the 906 00:56:11,360 --> 00:56:14,760 truth and that You would give us the ability to communicate these 907 00:56:14,760 --> 00:56:17,960 things in a way that would help them embrace the Messiah. 908 00:56:18,920 --> 00:56:21,520 We ask, Lord, that if there's even one person here who does 909 00:56:21,520 --> 00:56:24,920 not know you, who has not experienced Christ Jesus as 910 00:56:24,920 --> 00:56:30,400 their Lord, that 2025 would be the beginning of a new walk with 911 00:56:30,400 --> 00:56:32,720 you. Only you can perform that by the 912 00:56:32,720 --> 00:56:35,480 power of your Spirit. And for those who have made that 913 00:56:35,480 --> 00:56:38,800 confession, for those who have been born again, may we never 914 00:56:38,800 --> 00:56:41,840 lose the wonder of who You are. May we never lose faith in the 915 00:56:41,840 --> 00:56:44,680 might of your power. May we never lose the sense of 916 00:56:44,680 --> 00:56:47,680 your tender, fatherly love. And may we remember that you 917 00:56:47,680 --> 00:56:51,600 offer peace, that no money, no health, no amount of children, 918 00:56:51,600 --> 00:56:56,200 no job can provide. Thank you for being our Prince. 919 00:56:56,520 --> 00:56:59,400 Thank you for being our Lord. Thank you because you're coming 920 00:56:59,400 --> 00:57:05,240 back again in Jesus name, Amen. What a mighty God we serve. 921 00:57:06,520 --> 00:57:08,520 Let's celebrate Him and rejoice in His goodness. 922 00:57:08,520 --> 00:57:12,680 As we stand in conclusion of this service, let's sing to the 923 00:57:12,680 --> 00:57:12,960 Lord.