By Eugene Garner

ISAIAH - CHAPTER 9

DARKNESS BANISHED BY "THE LIGHT OF ISRAEL"
(A Message of Hope After Judgment)

   Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

    1. Here is a far-reaching ray of hope: Israel's gloom shall be forever banished.
    2. In former times God brought the land of Zebulun and Naphtali into humiliation - a light affliction in comparison with their sin, (2 Kings 15:20; 2 Chron. 16:4).
    3. In the latter time, however, "Galilee of the nations" (from which the Canaanites were not exterminated, Judg. 1:30-33) is made glorious; upon those who walked in darkness, and dwelt in the very shadow of death, the "Light of the world" has shined, (Matt. 4:12-16).
    4. To walk "in the light of the Lord" is to know the joy of His presence - the joy of growth, prosperity and victory over one's enemies, (vs. 3; 2:5; I Jn. 1:7; Isa. 26:15; 35:10; 65:14, 18-19; I Sam. 30:16).
    5. As obviously as the Lord gave victory to Gideon, in the day of Midian, so will He ultimately break the yoke of Israel's burden, the staff of his shoulder and the rod of his oppressors, (vs. 4; Judg. 7:16-25; Isa. 10:26-27; 14:25; 49:26; 54:14).
    6. Then shall warfare cease; the instruments of warfare shall be burned and a righteous government established such as this world has never known, (vs. 5; 2:4; cf. Psa. 46:9-10; Zech. 9:9-10).
    7. As a basis for such hope, the prophet forsees the birth of a unique man-child (who will be more than a man) with kingly authority, (11:1-2; 53:2; Mic. 5:2; Lk. 2:4, 11; Jn. 1:1-2, 14; Psa. 2:6-12).
    8. To the coming One is given a series of significant, divine titles:
      a. "Wonderful Counsellor" - whose purposes are unfathomably deep, (28:29; comp. I Pet. 1:12).
      b. "Mighty God" - whose power enables Him to accomplish His purposes, (10:21; Deut. 10:17; Neh. 9:32; cf. Rom. 1:4; Matt. 28:18).
      c. "Father of the Ages" - the Maker of all things, (63:16; 64:8; comp. John 1:1-2; Col. 1:16-18).
      d. "Prince of Peace", (26:3, 12; 53:5; 54:10; 66:12; Psa. 72:3, 7).
    9. His shall be a peaceable rule, upheld by justice and righteousness, from the re-established throne of David (11:4-5; 32:1; 42:3-4; 63:1; 16:5); and of His universal kingdom there will be no end, (Dan. 2:44; 7:13-14, 27; Mic. 4:7; Lk. 1:32-22; Rev. 11:15).
10. This will be accomplished by "the zeal of the LORD of Hosts", (comp. 37:32; 59:17; 37:32).

   The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Resin against him, and join his enemies together; The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

    1. Let it be understood that this is directed to the NORTHERN kingdom (composed of 10 tribes) - Jacob, Israel, Ephraim, Samaria.
    2. It is a rebuke of their attitude when a part of their territory has been wrested from them by Tiglath-Pileser, (2 Kings 15:29).
      a. That attitude is called "pride and stoutness of heart". (46:12; 48:4-5; Psa. 76:5; Zech. 7:11-12; Mal. 3:13).
      b. "The bricks are fallen", they say, "but we will (re) build with hewn stones" - better than ever!
    3. Thus, the Lord has set the adversaries of Rezin (king of Israel) against him, and has stirred his enemies to unite their efforts toward his defeat - Syria in front and the Philistine behind; together they will devour him with open mouth, (comp. Psa. 79:5-7; Jer. 10:25).
    4. The anger of the Lord is not yet turned away from this proud and rebellious nation, "but His hand is stretched out still"; they have not learned to fear Him.

   For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts. Therefore the LORD wilt cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. The ancient and honorable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not burned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

    1. In spite of the hand of God's judgment against them, the people of Israel have not turned to Him, (Jer. 5:3; Hos. 7:8-10) - nor even sought the Lord of Hosts, (comp. Isa. 31:1; Hos. 3:4-5).
    2. So, the Lord has cut off from Israel both "head and tail" (her respected leaders and lying prophets) in a single day, (3:1-3; 28:15; 30:9; Jer. 23:14, 32; comp. Isa. 19:15; Rev. 18:8).
    3. The false leaders have caused the people to err (comp. Amos - 2:4); thus, those whom they "call blessed" are swallowed up, (comp. Isa. 3:12; Matt. 15:14; 23:16).
    4. The Lord has no joy in their young men; nor will he show compassion toward the fatherless and widows of Israel, (Jer. 18:21; Amos 4:10); they are ALL hypocritical evil-doers whose mouths are filled with villainy, (comp. 10:6; 1:4; 14:20; 31:2; Mic. 7:2; Matt. 12:34).
    5. The Lord's anger is still not turned away, "but His hand is stretched out still!"

   For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shell devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the firs: no man shall spare his brother. And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

    1. Verse 18 pictures the burning anger of the Lord, by which the wicked are devoured, (1:7; Nahum 1:9-10; Mal. 4:1).
    2. It is through the wrath of "the Lord of hosts" (10:6) that:
      a. The land is darkened - burned and left desolate, (Joel 2:3).
      b. The people are as fuel for the fire, (1:31; 34:6).
      c. And in this situation "no man spares his brother"; each considers only himself, (Micah 7:2, 6; Jer. 5:26).
    3. There is no satisfaction or peace for such a rebellious people; but perpetual trouble so long as their stubbornness persists. God will send both famine and warfare, in an effort to turn them back to Himself.
    4. Still, the Lord's anger against them is not assuaged; "but His hand is stretched out still".