The Baby who is the hope of this nation is born.

Isaiah 9:1-7

Key Verse 9:6 “ 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, [b] Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Dear most gracious heavenly Father, thank you so much for this wonderful time to prepare Sunday sermon and Bible study material for this Christmas season. May the Holy Spirit help all our family and your flocks to be born Jesus again through Christmas study. Heal my wounded heart by the power of your healing so that I may not be hurt by M. Mark Hong. May you inspire me to prepare this sermon and Bible study so that may I deeply accept Jesus newly as my wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father and Prince peace. Thank you. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.

What is fundamental matter in this world? –Sin matter. What was God’s solution? –Send one and only Son, as ordinary baby.

1. The most humiliated and darkest land, the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, will honor land.

2. The people walking in darkness and shadow of death have seen a great light because great light has dawned.

3. They will rejoice greatly as they rejoice at the harvest and when dividing the plunder.

4. You have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor. For to us a child is born.

1) He has all authorities in his shoulders. –sovereign ruler.

2) He is wonderful counselor.

3) He is mighty God.

4) He is everlasting Father

5) He is Prince of peace.

Today’s passage is the Christmas message toward Isaiah who lived 650 years ago before Jesus was born.

The background of this story is that South Judah encountered attack from the union of armies of N. Israel and Aram. So King Ahaz depended on Assyria instead of God. He was so afraid. The faith of Judah toward God was hypocrisy. The sense of sin became so dull. They were corrupted ethically. The leaders were filled with greed and physical pleasure. So God warned their judgment. It seemed hopeless and complete dark at that time. However, there was the solution. Today’s passage teach us the hope in God no matter how dark our situation is. Christmas message was that Messiah would send to the most humiliated place instead of the most religious city, Jerusalem. How is the solution of the matter of all darkness in our lives? The solution is the baby who came above. He is sovereign ruler, wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace.

· Jesus who came to this world as the great light

1. How does verse 1a declare for those who were in distress? (1a) How had the people of the land of Zebulun and Naphtali been living in dark and a humble state (2Ki 15:29, 2Ki 17:6) what was God’s comforting promise to them (1b, 2, Mt4:13-16) In what way would they rejoice? (3)

1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan- 2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.

29 In the time of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He took Gilead and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and deported the people to Assyria.

6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes.

13Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: 15"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

-Zebuln, Napthali- That location is located north side of Israel. It was invaded first when Assyria and Babylon attacked Israel.

-many gentile were lived due to Assyria’s deporting policy for the people of Zebuln, Napthali after they invaded. When they deported from Assyria, they also brought their religion of Idol.

-Think about the place of invasion from other gentile armies– they were killed and their heart would be crushed, the left would be as slaves. Family would be scattered due to their policy of deporting.

Moreover, Jews despised Galilean& Samarian. They didn’t treat them as their own people. They were greatly humiliated. They were humiliated by gentile, they were also humiliated by their own people. How pitiful they were!

-God’s promise –He would be not humiliated them any longer. He will honor Galilee of the Gentiles. When we are humble, God’s grace come in us.

How does the people who walk in darkness? –afraid, no peace, stress, looking for light,

How is the people living on the shadow of death? – Despair, hopelessness.

-in those days, people worry uncertain future. Many people worry about the economy and their future. People mostly wonder because they don’t know why they live and what purpose they live in.

The most fundamental matter is the matter of sin and death.

We were astray since Adam sinned. People lost the direction of life. Man lived under deep darkness.

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Great light –when sun raise up, all darkness is disappeared.

Messiah, Jesus who is great light would come there and he defeated the power of sin and death through his cross and resurrection.

2. What was the condition of the people of Israel under the power of the Midianites (Judges 6:1-6)? How did Gideon defeat them (Jdg 7)? What are the yokes and rod which oppress and burdens us? How would such a triumph come to God’s people (4, Jn 16:33)?

-it describes the messiah’s coming as the parable

4 For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.

33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

--oppression, fear of being taken away, no peace. Anger because of weakness,

-the 300 soliders of Gideon defeated the army of Midian. Likewise, Messiah defeated the authority of Satan by the power of his blood and resurrection to set his people free.

The most heavy yoke is the burden of sin

3. How would be the warrior’s boot and garment rolled in blood If God work for us? (5, Ps 46:9-10)

5 Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.

9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.

10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

-By God’s intervention, people can win without fight.

· Jesus who came to this world as an ordinary baby.

4. Who is it that would bring all these blessings (6a)? What is on his shoulders (6b, 7 ; Mt 28:18, Ep 1:19-22)

6 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, [b] Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church

-God sent an ordinary baby. He came into the manger. That is God’s solution. God’s way seems like stupid to solve all matters.

He has all authorities, power in his shoulders.

He is the wonderful counselor. All wisdom and knowledge is in Him hidden.

5. What are the four names all these blessings (6a)? Let’s share about each attributes of child’s name and each functions. ( Wonderful Counselor-Col 2:3, 1Co 1:24-25,Eph 1:17 Mighty God-Ge1:1, Jn 1:3, Everlasting Father- He is God, Prince of peace- Rom 5:1, Phi 4:7, Col 3:15)

6 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, [b] Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Wonderful counselor- when David fought against Amelek, he asked for God’s guidance. He followed according to God’s wisdom. –the pilot’s story-mouse came into the airplane. “go up”

Mighty God-He is the nature of God. He is creator.

Everlasting Father-Jesus is God. He is eternal our father who can care for us more than anyone else. physical father has limitation. But he is everlasting father. He knows us more than you know yourself.

Prince of peace- everyone wants to have peace. He came to this world to reconcile between man and God and between man and man through his redeeming work, cross and resurrection. There are so many conflicts. Nobody knows the solution. Mostly fundament matter is the matter of sin. sin is hostile against holy God. Jesus who is not sin at all, died on the horrible cross for cleaning all our penalty of sin and death and he rose from the dead and proclaims that he is the promised Messiah. In Jesus, there is answer.

6. What is the extent of his reign? (7a) What is his reign like? (7b, 2Sam 7:12-13) How could they be sure of the Christ’s coming and his eternal reign? (7c)

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

12 When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

-the reign of David is the example. Worldly king- there is unfair, corruption, and limit to govern. However Jesus rules over his kingdom with love, gentle, justice, righteousness and humility. His territory of governing is limitless.

In the darkest time, what kind of hope did the prophet Isaiah claim? What kind of hope can we have in God who sent Jesus as a child?