Audio of Sermon: 

Isaiah 9:6-7 (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, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 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

In the darkest night the Light of God shines the brightest.

Isaiah lived in a day where there was nothing but corruption in government. The nation had wandered from God. Even God’s Church no longer seemed to love the Lord nor His Word. But God was not giving up. God never gives up on us. The L ord said:

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this

Anytime you see “LORD of hosts” in the Bible you see the title God takes as the Commander in Chief of the Angelic Armies. The “Lord of hosts” is a war title of God. It is like saying “The Five Star General”. What does a Five Star General do? He leads His troops to conquer the enemy. God is the “Lord of hosts”, and it is with “zeal” that He shall “do this”. What is “zeal”?

The definition of “Zeal” is “enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal, and tireless diligence in its furtherance”. A “Zealot” was passionate about what he did, and would do anything … ANYTHING … to accomplish his goal. ZEAL is something you see among humanity.

When God created the worlds and all that is in it, the universe and countless galaxies there is no mention of “Zeal”. When God rescued Israel from Egypt by a mighty hand, parting the Red Sea and crushing the enemy, there is no mention of “Zeal”.

What is it that God will do with “Zeal”? What is it that will cause the Maker to:

Isaiah 59:17 (KJV) …. put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.

It is with ZEAL that God reaches out to humanity to save us. It is with ZEAL that God – the LORD of hosts – comes to do battle with evil, Satan, and sin. It is with ZEAL that God enters humanity, broken humanity.

Unto US A Child Is Born

Consider the zeal of the Lord, His great passion for “us”. Who is the “us” for whom the Child was born? Jesus Christ was born into this world for every person who would receive Him. He was born for the broken, the blind, the deaf, the crippled. Jesus was born into this world of the Holy Spirit, born if a Virgin, God with us.

He Who is holy, without sin, enthrone in Heaven even now came to this earth to seek and save that which was lost. We are all born apart from God. We are all born broken. Whether red, yellow, black, or white, the Bible says …

Romans 3:9-10 … both Jews and Gentiles, that THEY ARE ALL UNDER SIN; 10 As it is written, There is NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE …

Jesus Christ came unto US, both Jews and Gentiles. We are all sinners in need of the Savior. There is no one that stands before God pure and clean. The Lord says of us all that

Romans 3:22-23 …. there is no difference: 23 For ALL HAVE SINNED, AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD;

When Jesus entered this world through Mary He Himself was without sin. But God came to earth to save us. Unto us a Child was born. Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God, the …

Colossians 1:15-17 … image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Very God of Very Gods came to this earth in zeal, in passion. He was born in a manger in Bethlehem so that He could go to a Cross on Calvary.

Philippians 2:6-7 {Jesus} being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

God became child for US. God lowered Himself FOR US. God cared FOR US. God’s passion was FOR US. He gave up everything and came to this earth, writing Himself into His own creation. He lowered Himself to be like us in every way but in sin. Our Christ never sinned. This Child never sinned, from cradle to grave. Though tempted as we are tempted:

Hebrews 4:15 ^(ESV2011) {Jesus} who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

It was with zeal that God the Son became the Son of Man, because He wished to bring us to Himself. Satan robbed us and continues to rob humanity of the glory of God. Christ came as a Child because only by becoming like us could He pay for our sins. The Scripture declares:

Hebrews 2:14-17 ^(KJV) Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took not on [him the nature of] angels; but he took on [him] the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to MAKE RECONCILIATION FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE.

Romans 5:19 ^(KJV) For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

By Adam’s sin the world fell into sin. Jesus Christ came and, in the fullness of time He was born of a woman (Galatians 4:4) so that He could make payment for your sins and mine.

Galatians 1:4 Who GAVE HIMSELF FOR OUR SINS, THAT HE MIGHT DELIVER US FROM THIS PRESENT EVIL WORLD, according to the will of God and our Father:

Praise Him! Praise Him for His zeal. Be zealous for Him, for He is surely zealous for you!

Unto US A Son Is Given

Notice that the CHILD is BORN, but the SON is GIVEN. As the Son of God Jesus Christ the Messiah has no beginning or end. He entered humanity through a virgin birth, but as God He has no beginning nor end. God the Father gave the Son to us all. As the well known verse states:

John 3:16-17 ^(KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

We are promised “everlasting life” in Jesus because He is the Source of Life. He is God among us, God with us. The imminent R.G. Lee said:

“Jesus is the only one born with no earthly father but an earthly mother. He had no heavenly mother but a heavenly Father. He was older than His mother and yet as old as His Father”.

The Child was born but the Son of God GIVEN. Christ is – by His declaration –

Revelation 1:8 (KJV)   I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Revelation 22:12-13 (KJV)   And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.   [13]   I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

The one who receives Christ receives God and God’s Promise. The one who receives Christ comes under the care of Christ.

And The Government Shall Be Upon His Shoulder

The one who receives Christ receives a great blessing. Those who are His are under His control. He governs us. He watches over us. He loves and cares for us with an eternal zeal. We who are His live our lives following the Lord Jesus. We live our lives letting Him live through us. The “Government SHALL be upon HIS shoulder”. Jesus is big enough for anything that comes our way. He is greater than the Goliaths of life.

1 John 5:4-5 (CSB) …. everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith. 5 Who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Jesus Christ is the Son Given. Believing that God gave His Son for us, His Beloved Son, we believe that God’s overcoming love can never leave us nor forsake us. God sent His Son to this earth to bring us into His triumphal, always overcoming, family. Oh how short sighted the racist that does not understand that every Christ follower is my brother or sister. The declaration of Scripture is that there is …

Galatians 3:28 ^(KJV) … neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

We are not overcome of sin or of this world, but we are overcome by His love. He has promised:

Revelation 2:7 ^(KJV) … To him that OVERCOMETH will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

and again,

Revelation 2:11 ^(KJV) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that OVERCOMETH shall not be hurt of the second death.

Eight times in Revelation the Lord addresses His Church as an overcoming Church, and His people as overcoming people. Is that because we are to be strong in ourselves? Absolutely not! We are strong because the Son was given to us.

We will follow Him, not the world. We will heed His Word, not man’s word. We will obey Jesus Christ, bowing the knee to Him and Him alone! He will rule our lives. The government – the Kingdom – shall be upon His shoulder. Jesus Christ bears up those who bow down to Him! He is God, He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and He is worthy.

We Rest In The NAME Of Jesus

The NAME or AUTHORITY of Jesus has four distinct qualities.

Isaiah 9:6 …. and his NAME shall be called Wonderful Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Notice that it says “His name”, singular, not “His names” plural.

Dr. Danny Akin wrote:

“With more than 250 names and titles of our Lord scattered from Genesis to Revelation, Isaiah brings together 4 in a tight, concise package that appear no where else in the Bible. More names of Messiah are crowded together here than any where else in Holy Scripture. Taken together they encapsulate the totality of the person and work of Jesus, who He is and what He does.”

Jesus Is Our Wonderful Counselor

The King James incorrectly separates these two words with a comma. Jesus is wonderful, but the Hebrew tells us that He is “Wonderful Counselor”.

Human history and perhaps your life is filled with bad counselors.

Adam listened to the bad counsel of Satan.
(“You shall not surely die” – Genesis 3:5)

Cain listened to the bad counsel of pride (Genesis 4:7)
and murdered his brother.
A young girl will listen to the bad counsel of her friends,
and finds herself with child.
Another will listen to the bad counsel of his peers
and head down the road of drug addiction.

Too many people today listen to the bad counsel of the world, and die in their sins.

2 Corinthians 6:2 ^(KJV) …. behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

A good Counselor is someone we go to for advice and comfort. But Jesus Christ is more than a good Counselor – Jesus is a WONDERFUL Counselor. He never gives bad advice.

His Word is always just the right word. He gave Himself for my sins, so I know He has my best interests at heart. He loves me, and He loves you. As our Wonderful Counselor He directs our path.

John 14:6 (KJV) …. I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

He saved us by His Blood. He guides us by His Spirit. He gives us eternal life. He is the sure path we walk on. Jesus Christ is truly Wonderful Counselor.

Jesus Christ Is Our Mighty God

He doesn’t just listen to our needs, but He is able to respond and meet our every need. King David trusted Jesus, and said:

Psalms 40:2-5 …. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. 4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust

As our Wonderful Counselor we share our hearts with Him, but as our Mighty God we trust Him to meet our needs, to save us, to be our Hero. Christ is a Hero to His people. He loves and protects us.

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
A wonderful Savior to me;
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
Where rivers of pleasure I see.
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.

Jesus Christ Is Our Everlasting Father

Philip told Jesus one day ….

John 14:8-10 ^(KJV) …. Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

One of the mysteries of our faith is the Trinity of God. That God is One, but in Three Persons. Jesus Christ is God the Son, but He works so perfectly in harmony with the Father that He could say “I am in the Father and the Father is in Me”. When Jesus spoke of our salvation He said:

John 10:27-30 ^(KJV) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and [my] Father are one.

There is perfect agreement between God the Father and God the Son and God the Spirit. If you call on the name of Jesus, you shall be saved. If you repent, turn, and come to Christ, your salvation is assured. Blessed be the Name of Jesus.

Jesus Christ Is Our Prince Of Peace

Romans 5:1 ^(KJV) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

We only have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Once you come to Him you are no more sinners but Sons, destined to enter glory as a part of His Heavenly Family. Glory! Glory! Knowing this

Philippians 4:7 ^(KJV) … the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

The peace of God fills the hearts of those who love the Lord. Do you have that peace of God that guards the heart and mind? If not, repent. Turn from following yourself and come to follow Him.

May God touch your hearts with His Word.