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A brief bit of encouragement for your day from God’s Word
Well, here we are the end of yet another week, and I hope your week has gone well, and you're looking forward to the weekend. Looking forward to the Lord's Day Again this week where we are planning in person Sunday morning service only at 1030 and Those for those who feel comfortable gathering will will do so have those every other pews blocked off and all of that kind of thing.
But If you're not comfortable then of course catch us on live stream be broadcasting the service at 1030 Sunday morning. Well been talking this week about the some of the Old Testament prophecies related to the coming of Jesus in his birth at Christmastime.
And You think about the prophecy I'm reminded of I mentioned yesterday the Polster kind of prognosticator who got it right in 2016 regarding Trump getting elected and he said he was going to get elected again this year.
But then also saw some other Prophecies that he's gonna win in a landslide and this is even after you know the election day. He's still he's gonna win a landslide. He's gonna get into office. There will be a second term and and on and on.
The.
Prophecy of that Presidential authority is Yet to be realized isn't it? I mean still up in the air I I don't know when we're gonna see a resolution to that and that's neither here nor there. What is here and and is there is?
The 100 accuracy of the prophecy of the Lord related to divine authority and Specifically as it relates to Jesus this prophecy comes to us in Isaiah 9 verse 6 again another one of those very common well-known verses at the Christmas season.
Isaiah 9 6 says this. For unto us a child is born to us a son is given and The government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderful counselor mighty God Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace of the increase of his government and of peace.
There will be no end. Here is this divine authority prophesied long long before the birth of Christ and The context of that prophecy shows the need for divine authority. Back in chapter 8 of Isaiah verses 5 through 8.
I mentioned yesterday these two characters Reason and the son of Ramaliah. Well, they show up again here in this prophecy says the Lord spoke to me again. Isaiah says quote. Because this people speaking of his people Judah.
Because this people has refused to the waters of Shiloh that flow gently. In other words, they've refused my word and what I've given them to do and they rejoice over reason and the son of Ramaliah. Therefore behold the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the river mighty and many the king of Assyria and all his glory and It will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks and it will sweep on into Judah.
So.
Here is this Prophecy promise of destruction that's coming and With that destruction that's spoken of here. There's going to be the collapse of Judah's authority. She Judah will become subject to a foreign power.
But the prophecy in Isaiah 9 verse 6 related to Messiah the birth of Jesus prophesies an exercise of divine authority. He says a ruler will be established. This child that is to be born the government is going to be upon his shoulders and this ruler coming with divine authority Exercising divine authority will be a wise ruler.
He will be the wonderful counselor. Some Translations might put those as two different descriptions of of this child with the government on his shoulders. I tend to think that they go together to maintain the Balance and consistency of the verse.
All the rest of the descriptions are two-word descriptions. Wonderful counselor. He is a wise all-knowing Counselor. It also speaks of his power. He is the mighty God so he's not just a mighty king a mighty man.
Who is the king? He is the mighty God who is the ruler whose? Whose wisdom is immense and Immeasurable the wonderful counselor. He's also the mighty God and he is the wonderful counselor mighty God Who will establish peace?
He's the Prince of Peace. And verse 7 as The the prophecy continues about this child whose government will be on his shoulders He will also be sovereign of the increase of his government and of his of his peace.
There will be no end sovereign over all the nations of the earth sovereign over all of the earth. Do you think about this that the the prophecy related to this Christ child?
Whose.
Has on resting on him divine authority. He will establish global control global authority global peace. Now that's certainly something that's far lacking in our day. But it is something that is coming under the reign of Christ.
He will be Not merely a man who is ruling with divine authority, but he is God. Ruling with divine authority. He is the mighty God he is the everlasting father. This child born of a woman born of a virgin with a government resting on his shoulders is the everlasting Father though, so this is the prophecy related to him.
Well before the birth of Jesus. Well, then that prophecy is verified at the birth of Jesus and again, you remember the account of the Magi in Matthew chapter 2 as they come to Find this little baby they come into Jerusalem and they want to know where is he that is born the king of the Jews?
Not where is it? Where is this special baby that's born? But where is he that is born king of the Jews for we have come to worship him and Verse 11 tells us that when they come into the house where Jesus and Mary and Joseph were staying.
They saw the child with Mary his mother and they fell down and they worshiped him. And they opened their gifts and they presented unto him gold and frankincense and myrrh gifts worthy of a king. The visit of the Magi Verifies this divine authority prophesied in Isaiah chapter 9 and so does the declaration of Simeon in Luke chapter 2 in verses 30 and 32 30 to 32.
Again, Simeon takes up this little baby in his arms and he says my eyes he says let me go in peace. Let me die now in peace because my eyes have seen your salvation. That you have prepared in the presence of all peoples a light for revelation to the Gentiles and now listen glory.
Glory to your people Israel. How so is he glory to the people of Israel? Because he is the fulfillment of this prophecy.
That.
The government will rest upon his shoulders and He will be called the wonderful counselor the mighty God the everlasting father the prince of peace. Who will reign sovereignly and in peace over all the earth?
Well that divine authority was verified at his birth, but then it's also realized since his birth. This is a wonderful passage in Philippians chapter 2 that speaks of Christ and in verses 9 and 10 we read that God has highly exalted Jesus and Given him bestowed upon him the name that is above every name.
So that at the name of Jesus. Now, listen, here's the expression of divine authority at the name of Jesus. Every knee should bow of things in heaven and on earth and under the earth and Every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord He is Lord he is master he is ruler to the glory of God the Father.
And it is to the glory of God the Father because it is God the Father who prophesied hundreds of years before Jesus was born that one is coming. A child will be born. Who will be called a wonderful counselor the mighty God the everlasting father the prince of peace the child?
Upon whose shoulders the government will rest and whose authority will extend to all the earth and over all people.
Ultimately that divine authority will be realized before all things. But presently even now that divine authority is realized in the lives of his people. In the next chapter the next book in the Bible Colossians chapter 1 we read this in verses 16 through 18 Says.
For by Jesus all things were created in heaven and earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through him and for him for Him and he is before all things.
He is in front of all things. He is he is above all things and in him all things hold together and he is the head of the body. The church he is the beginning the firstborn from the dead that in everything He might have the preeminence that he might be preeminent.
So even in the lives of his people right now is realized the divine authority that is that rests upon the shoulders of.
This.
Child who was born in a manger who is God with us. Oh, I trust that you have Surrendered to that divine authority that you have claimed and named Jesus Christ as your Lord and master. So our Father in our God, we thank you for the fulfillment of these prophecies given long long ago but verified at the birth of Christ and Realized in this baby born in a manger who is God with us.
Thank you for them. Thank you for your word. It's 100 reliability and We would learn of it. We would learn of you through it and we would trust you all the more because of it. Bless these thoughts to our hearts in Jesus name.
Amen. All right. We'll have a good wonderful weekend. And if you can join us in God's house on Sunday Encourage you to do so either if in person fine, if not, at least by live stream. So have a good day.
God bless you. See you soon.
