
For to 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, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 9:6-7
We often quote these verses at Christmastime. Earlier in the passage, we are told that the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. And indeed, as believers in Jesus, we have. Our sin was deep and inescapable. It separated us from God. It was a problem we could not solve alone. But God provided a rescuer in Jesus Christ (I’m no pastor. I just like to read. And I’d feel guilty if I didn’t credit this idea to Tim Keller, and maybe a little to Sally Lloyd-Jones.).He gave us a son. He looked like us, talked like us, walked like us, and ate like us, but he was in one very important way not like us at all. He was without sin. He was the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. He came in love to die for our sins, to pay the debt we had before God that we could not. To restore peace between God and his children. To show us that God’s government—the way the world really works—is not like the governments of men at all. In his government, peace reigns, not division. Citizens—those who believe this good news about Jesus Christ—do not hold any exalted position or credit they are due with a closed hand. They are instead free to consider others better than themselves. They are not served, but instead, serve others (Philippians 2). They obey God because they love him.
And Isaiah tells us that there will be no end to the increase of this government. In the whole world the good news of Jesus will bear fruit and grow, until Jesus’ return (Colossians 1:5-6). It is then that this true government will be revealed, along with his true kingship. It is a government that will be upheld forever. We who are citizens of it have a life that is hidden with Christ in God at the present. It isn’t always easy to see. But when Christ, who is our life, appears, so also we will appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4). We will be revealed for who we really are, too. We are sons and daughters of the true king, who, by what Christ has done and that alone, have been brought into this kingdom.
Jesus rescued us. He is sitting at the right hand of God. He will return. Can we then, set our minds on things above, and not on earthly things? Can we sing for joy to the Lord as Paul and Silas did in jail, victimized by an earthly government which treated them unfairly (Acts 16:16-34)? Can we offer this happy, free grace to those who do not believe? Paul and Silas did. Surely, we can, for the joy that is in Jesus Christ!