A son is given
‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulders.’ Isaiah 9.6
Isaiah was writing 700 years Before Christ. Amazing isn’t it?! At the time Israel needed a new governor because it was being threatened by a huge army. Israel’s enemy was going to invade, and devastate the country so Israel needed a deliverer who could save them from their enemy. They must have been delighted with this prophetic message about a saviour: “To us a child is born, to us a son is given.”
Probably, they would have preferred Isaiah to promise a fully grown warrior but at least they had the promise of a child – a son who would one day sit on the throne of great king David and rescue them from invasion.
King David had been Israel’s greatest king and the people always hoped for someone as good as him – someone upon whose shoulders the government of Israel could be placed.
But Isaiah was prophesying way into the future. He was predicting a governor or king who would come hundreds of years later. Because ultimately it is Jesus Christ who governs the prophesied kingdom.
His kingdom is like no other in the world. It is not found on any map. It does not have boundaries or borders. You can enter his kingdom anywhere in the world and many people do. Its ruler is Jesus Christ – the government of the kingdom of God is on his shoulders (verse 6).
Any of us can enter God’s kingdom. You do it by submitting to Jesus so that he becomes your governor. You need to rely on his death for you personally. He died in your place to take your punishment, which we tend to remember at Easter time. But we can never separate Christmas from Easter. Jesus was born (at Christmas) so as he could save us (at Easter). His death was a payment in full for all our sins and when we accept that, then we enter his kingdom.
As governor of the kingdom, Jesus has also been appointed judge of the whole world. He will return one day and judge us for the way we have lived our lives and the way we have treated God. It is the natural human condition to rebel against and ignore the ruler of the world – God. But when we rely on Jesus’ death, believing that he died for us as a payment for our rebellion, then the judge will forgive us. What good news!
Also, when we enter his kingdom Jesus also becomes our governor in this life. And so, submitting to him today is not just life insurance for when you die. Rather it means living day by day under his authority and governorship. You now live with Jesus as your ruler.
It is a big step to take. It is a life transforming step – for the better. And it is a costly step because it means giving the reigns over to him. You are not living life for yourself any more but living it for him. The coming of God’s Son into this world at Christmas has far reaching implications for everyone.
With love and good wishes at Christmas,
Bill
