A CHILD IS BORN

INTRODUCTION.

1. Read Isa. 7:14

2. In the midst of prophecies concerning coming oppressions and desolations, the Lord also gives His word of consolation.

3. He gives His promise of a future time when a child would be given. The Messiah would come to redeem His people.

4. In this lesson we will study two of those prophecies of hope.

I. IMMANUEL (Isaiah 7)

A. Vss. 1-9.

1. Isaiah assured King Ahaz of Judah, threatened by the kings of Syria and Israel, that he had nothing to fear from those two “stubs of smoldering firebrands” (vss. 1-3).

2. Isaiah urged Ahaz to trust in the Lord. “Take care be calm, have no fear…” (vs. 4). Put your confidence in the Lord, not your own strength. Let your spirit be tranquil and wait on the Lord to provide deliverance. Ahaz must believe if the Lord is to establish the king and give deliverance to the people.

B. Vss. 10-11.

1. To give assurance to Ahaz, Isaiah told him to ask for a sign from the Lord. The king’s refusal was rejection of God. His reply was hypocritical and unbelieving. He pretended to respect God’s word (cf. Deut. 6:16). In reality he rejected God and refused to trust Him.

C. Vss. 12-16

1. Now the prophet turns his attention from the king to the whole house of David and the nation. A sign would be given for them: “a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel” (vs. 14).

2. His coming was to serve as a sign from the Lord. In the length of time “between the conception of the child in his mother’s womb and his coming to years of discretion, the land of Israel and of Syria shall be forsaken” (Machen, quoted by Young). In other words, the infancy of the promised child is made the measure of the time that Judah will be in danger from her two enemies. The affliction from the two enemy kings will be relatively short-lived. So Ahaz should not fear.

D. The promised child would be the coming Messiah, who would bring salvation and deliverance. The fulfillment was in the birth of Jesus (Matt. 1:18-25).

E. His entrance into the world would be miraculous. A virgin would give birth to the child (Luke 1:26-31).

F. He will be called Immanuel, “God with us.” At times of crisis God was present with His people.

1. He was with Abraham and Isaac (Gen. 26:3) and Jacob (Gen. 28:15).

2. He was with Joseph, and Joseph prospered (Gen. 39:2).

3. He was with Joshua, and Joshua’s fame spread abroad.

4. He was with David when Saul wanted to kill him (1 Sam. 18:14).

5. He was with David the king (2 Sam. 7:9), and so he would be with Solomon (1 Kings. 1:37).

6. The very presence of the Child brings God to be His people, for He is God (John 1:1).

II. PRINCE OF PEACE (Isaiah 9)

A. Vss. 1-3.

1. Dark days followed the prophecies spoken to Ahaz. The king of Assyria, Tiglath-Pileser, devastated the land.

2. But times of light would come. Their joy would be increased. Isaiah through the Spirit could see that which Matthew states was fulfilled in Jesus at the beginning of His ministry (Matt. 4:12-16). Jesus was the light of the world (John 8:12), the true light that lights every man (John 1:4).

B. Vss. 4-7. Three reasons are given for this outbreak of joy.

1. The burden of bondage will have been removed (vs. 4). Under the Christ they would walk in freedom (John 8:31-36).

2. The armor of the soldier will be needed no more.

3. A child – Immanuel – will be born.

C. This child will be a ruler who brings salvation and deliverance to His people. He is the One who will possess the government. With authority He will rule (Matt. 28:18; Rev. 3:7).

D. The glory of the Child is again indicated by the names by which He will be called.

1. Wonderful – He is marvelous in His power and His person and His works.

2. Counselor – He is the true Counselor in whom we may find words of wisdom and guidance for living (Col. 2:3).

3. Mighty God – He is Deity. He is equal with God. He is God.

4. Everlasting Father – He is the eternal One, the Creator. He existed before all things (John 1:1; Col. 1:16-17).

5. Prince of Peace – His conquest and His rule are accomplished, not by the sword, but by the gospel of peace. “He shall speak peace unto the nations” (Zech. 9:10). “He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near” (Eph. 2:17).

E. This Child is the One who now sits on the throne of David, ruling over His kingdom in justice and righteousness (Luke 1:31-35; Acts 2:29-36).