Isaiah 9:6 - Gift of All Gifts; for unto us a Son is given.
Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) 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.
Isaiah 9:6 (NIV) For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given, and the government will
be on his shoulders. And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 (NLT) For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us. The government will rest
on his shoulders. And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
COMMENTARY PEARL
The Supreme Gift
The Christmas tree is decorated, and
stockings are hung. Carols waft through the air,
joining the scent of holiday baking to create a
sense of home and love. And giving.
Every year, I look forward to this
season. I enjoy selecting presents that speak to the
loved ones in my life, letting them know how much
they mean to me. The gratitude I see in their
eyes is priceless. And when I give something
thats especially dear to me, it makes the moment
even more precious.
This Christmas, hidden among the pile of
boxes and bags beneath the tree is a tiny package
for my daughter. Its a gold ring set with a
semiprecious stone I gave my mother long ago. Mom wore it
for special occasions until she went to be with
Jesus. Its time for me to invite my daughter
into the circle of love this bit of jewelry
represents. I know shell cry. I will too.
Long ago, God considered me and my
hopeless situation. He saw past my sin and knew
exactly what I needed. Surrendering this baby, His
Son, would hurt Him more than I can imagine. But
He did it, so I could enter their circle of
love. Through Jesus, He gave us eternal life and
life abundant. Its a gift. Open it. And try
not to cry. by Heidi Gaul
Faith Step: Remember the Gift you were
given. What special item can you let go of to
welcome someone into your circle of love? If its
a gift, wrap it. If theyre words, speak
them. [Mornings With Jesus 2018 Devotional by
Guideposts and Zondervan]
INTRODUCTION
In the Teacher sent from God, heaven gave
to men its best and greatest. He who had stood
in the councils of the Most High, who had dwelt
in the innermost sanctuary of the Eternal, was
the One chosen to reveal in person to humanity
the knowledge of God.
Through Christ had been communicated
every ray of divine light that had ever reached
our fallen world. It was He who had spoken
through everyone that throughout the ages had
declared Gods word to man. Of Him all the
excellences manifest in the earths greatest and
noblest souls were reflections. The purity and
beneficence of Joseph, the faith and meekness and
long-suffering of Moses, the steadfastness of Elisha, the
noble integrity and firmness of Daniel, the ardor
and self-sacrifice of Paul, the mental and
spiritual power manifest in all these men, and in all
others who had ever dwelt on the earth, were but
gleams from the shining of His glory. In Him was
found the perfect ideal.
To reveal this ideal as the only true
standard for attainment; to show what every human
being might become; what, through the indwelling
of humanity by divinity, all who received Him
would become"for this, Christ came to the world.
He came to show how men are to be trained as
befits the sons of God; how on earth they are to
practice the principles and to live the life of
heaven.
Gods greatest gift was bestowed to
meet mans greatest need. The Light appeared
when the worlds darkness was deepest. Through
false teaching the minds of men had long been
turned away from God. In the prevailing systems of
education, human philosophy had taken the place of
divine revelation. Instead of the heaven-given
standard of truth, men had accepted a standard of
their own devising. From the Light of life they
had turned aside to walk in the sparks of the
fire which they had kindled. Ed73-74
WORD STUDY
Shalom
When Abraham went out to battle and came
back victorious, recovering all that the invading
kings had taken, he encountered a man named
Melchizedek, "king of righteousness" (Hebrews 7:2, NIV),
who is also identified as the king of Salem -
literally, king of shalom. David's son Solomon, whose
name comes from the same word shalom, was lauded
for establishing "peace on every side" (1 Kings
5:4) - the golden age, and a brief one, in
Israel's history. Now, many centuries later, Isaiah
speaks of a future ruler - a son who is a Father, a
wonderful counselor, and a mighty God, who will be
called Prince of Shalom.
What is this shalom that seems so elusive
yet so desired? It's the fullness of life, the
abundance of God's blessings, that state of being in
which all is well and life is as it should be. We
all long for it but see only brief glimpses of
it in our lives - those fleeting moments when
everything on the to-do list is done, those vacations
that seem so idyllic, those times of joy when
everything seems to fall into place or our desires are
fulfilled. This shalom is an aftertaste of the Garden
of Eden and a foretaste of the City of God, and
it stirs us deeply. This is what life is all
about. Deep down inside, we just know it.
This is what Jesus came to offer. The
King is all about shalom. When He promised a more
abundant life (John 10:10), this is what He was
talking about. When He told His disciples that His
words would give them fullness of joy (John
15:11), this is the picture. He comes for our
shalom, a characteristic of the Kingdom we will
always be stepping into more deeply and fully. And
we can begin now.
How? By completely releasing our concerns
into the hands of this Prince of Shalom. Living
in His Kingdom means fully trusting in the
King, knowing that everything He has designed for
our lives, every aspect of His government in
heaven and on earth, is for our good and our
ultimate fulfillment. His shalom is the overflow of
His goodness to us. And He invites us to taste
and see it even now. [The One Year Heaven On
Earth Devotional by Chris Tiegreen]
COMMENTARY
Prince of Peace
Many of us find it hard to read those
words without hearing Handel's Messiah in our
mind. That magnificent music beautifully captures
the glorious promise and rich truth of these
ancient words. Israel hoped for, longed for, waited
for a messiah who would prove victorious over
her military oppressors. Israel anticipated a
messiah who would bring peace on earth.
God's Messiah - Jesus, His Son - would
prove victorious over a greater enemy: sin. God's
Messiah would also bring a much greater peace:
reconciliation between God and man.
Christ can indeed bring peace to any
situation. The most difficult circumstance, the most
ruthless enemy, the deepest pain - none of these is
beyond Christ's reach. He can calm your heart and
mind. No one brings peace like Jesus.
What do you need from the Messiah right
now? A counselor? A mighty God? A Prince of
peace? The Messiah will be all those in your life
and much more. He is God's answer to every need
in your life. [Being Still With God Every Day
by Henry Blackaby]
The Jewish people of Jesus's day who
lived under the tyranny of Rome longed for when
real peace - true cessation of enemy control -
would come. And that's what they thought when they
heard Isaiah's prophecy of a soon arriving Prince
of Peace.
Naturally when Jesus was born, they
thought He would usher in that peace. Hadn't the
angelic message heard by some shepherds included the
words, "Peace on earth, and good will toward men?"
But the events that followed didn't measure up
for many people. Only those who understood the
real peace that Jesus came to bring experienced
it. But they did so in their hearts, and it
wasn't necessarily reflected in their government.
Is it really any different today? I long
for wars to cease around the world and for
confused and burdened lives to grasp the only kind of
peace that lasts. It won't come from our
government or from world leaders. "It" already came
over two thousand years ago. "It" was - and is -
Jesus (Ephesians 2:14). This Prince of Peace is
the One Who made it possible for us to know true
peace - not a temporary cease fire - but a
permanent truce with God. Only through Jesus can we
find both peace with God - a joyful, loving
relationship with Him - and the peace of God, the kind of
reassurance that puts complete trust in Jesus
(Philippians 4:7). Christmas is a great place to begin to
understand that kind of lasting peace. by Rebecca
Barlow Jordan
Faith Step: Has Jesus's peace found a
place in your heart? If so, write a letter
expressing how much that peace means to you. Leave it
under the tree for Jesus. [Mornings With Jesus
2018 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]
CLOSING THOUGHT
What do you call Jesus Christ? What you
say about him influences the way you relate to
him. Is he your Wonderful Counselor, the one who
guides you in how to live your life? Is he your
Mighty God, the one you turn to for strength? Is he
your Everlasting Father, the head of your family
who gives you your identity? Is he your Prince
of Peace, your source of safety and wholeness?
Can you say to him, "Mighty God, here I am. I'm
yours. I want to have complete faith in you. Help
me to see you for all you are."
Pastor Rick Warren says, "You take the
wheel from here, Lord; you call the shots. Be the
CEO of my life, become the chairman of the
board. I'm putting a sign up that says I am under
new management." Let Jesus be in charge of your
life.
God longs for us to draw near to him and
know him as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. [The Daniel
Plan 365-Day Devotional]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
I am the Prince Of Peace. As I said to My
disciples, I say also to you: Peace be with you. Since
I am your constant Companion, My Peace is
steadfastly with you. When you keep your focus on Me,
you experience both My Presence and My Peace.
Worship Me as King of kings, Lord of lords, and
Prince of Peace.
You need My Peace each moment to
accomplish My purposes in your life. Sometimes you are
tempted to take shortcuts, in order to reach your
goal as quickly as possible. But if the shortcut
requires turning your back on My peaceful Presence,
you must choose the longer route. Walk with Me
along paths of Peace; enjoy the journey in My
Presence. (Isa. 9:6; John 20:19-21; Psa. 25:4) [Jesus
Calling by Sarah Young]
As this year draws to a close, receive My
Peace. This is still your deepest need and I, your
Prince of Peace, long to pour Myself into your
neediness. My abundance and your emptiness are a
perfect match. I designed you to have no sufficiency
of your own. I created you as a jar of clay,
set apart for sacred use. I want you to be
filled with My very Being, permeated through and
through with Peace.
Thank Me for My peaceful Presence,
regardless of your feelings. Whisper My Name in loving
tenderness. My Peace, which lives continually in your
spirit, will gradually work its way through your
entire being. (Isa. 9:6; 2 Cor. 4:7; John 14:26)
[Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
In Isaiah's prophecy about my birth, he
referred to Me as Eternal Father. There is unity of
essence in the Trinity, even though it is comprised
of three Persons. When the Jews were
questioning Me in the temple, I went so far as to say:
"I and the Father are one." Later, when Philip
asked Me to show the Father to the disciples, I
said: "Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.
"So never think of Me as just a great teacher. I
am God, and the Father and I live in perfect
unity.
As you come to know Me in greater depth
and breadth, realize that you are also growing
closer to the Father. Don't let the mysterious
richness of the Trinity confuse you. Simply come to
Me, recognizing that I am everything you could
ever need Me to be. I - your only Savior - am
sufficient for you.
In the midst of this busy Advent season,
keep bringing your focus back to My holy
Presence. Remember that Immanuel has come, and
rejoice! (Isa. 9:6; John 10:30; 14:9; Mat. 1:23)
[Jesus Always by Sarah Young]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC
https://wheelsms.wordpress.com/2015/09/08/the-incomparable-christ/
https://gracequotes.org/quote/he-is-the-first-and-last-/
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor
(recent): https://www.revelationnow.com/
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio (recent):
https://bible.awr.org/en/the-signs/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
