Well, good morning. Can I ask you please to open your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 9. Isaiah chapter 9. And then would you stand with me while we read God's word. Isaiah chapter 9. I want to read verses 6 and 7.
[Scripture reading] "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." [End]
Let's pray.
[Prayer] Our Heavenly Father, we thank You that the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us. We thank You, Lord, that not only did He come and live amongst us, but He lived in a way that we could not. He was perfectly obedient. He did everything right. And yet also, Lord, He was the one, the lamb that took away the sin of the world, that He went to the cross, that He died on behalf of His people. That all past, present, and future who in faith would look to that perfect sacrifice would know that they are forgiven, would have the assurance that though their best deeds are as filthy rags in your sight, yet they have peace with God through the work of Jesus Christ. Lord, we thank You for all that we've been able to learn through slowing down and dwelling on each part of this four-part name. And we ask, Lord, in particular, for help once more as we come and dwell on the reality that that one that came was and is the Prince of Peace. And we ask, Lord, that You would help us to know Him better, that we would worship Him more. We thank You, Lord, that we get to close our service by remembering Him in the way that was appointed. And we ask, Lord, that even this time of study would prepare us for that great act of collective worship. For it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. [End]
Have a seat.
Well, happy Christmas. We're in that season, and in this particular time of year, people remember not, or at least they're not meant to simply think of a baby that was born, but rather a king that was born. And in other words, Jesus wasn't just a great character that was born that one day would be king. Rather, unlike any other ruler that ever has or will be on earth apart from Him, He came as the one already with the government upon His shoulders. The one with all authority at His fingertips.
In the Gospels, we read about how the disciples marveled, for even the wind and the waves obey Him. A power, a majesty, a rulership, unprecedented, unlike anything that has ever been seen before, and yet He came primarily to wage war. To wage war against sin, against the devil, against that great corrupting work, so that His people could be saved.
His rule that he has exercised and continues to exercise is unlike any other we've seen already in just this one verse, in just this part of a verse, in just this fourfold name, that He is a Wonderful Counselor. He is altogether different in the way He is able to assess the needs and the issues of this world, and especially those of His people, and He offers perfect counsel. Not like a counselor that asks you, how does that make you feel? But one in the courts, one in the highest government offices that is able to discern the right way forward for the people that He rules over.
Also, we learn that He is the Mighty God, or we could say the Warrior God, one who insists on actually fighting for His people. He is not passive. So often as Christians, we have such a soft Jesus in our head, but He is not soft. He is a warrior. Strong, mighty, to save absolutely, but also to war against the enemies of His people, to squash them and to put them in place, that nothing would harm those He has set His affection upon.
It's true of Him, “the bruised reed he will not break, the smouldering wick He will not snuff out, and anybody else that would dare try to break or snuff out His people, He will crush.”
We also learned that He was the everlasting. He is the Everlasting Father. This rule is not passive; it's not a season; it's not a four-year term. Rather, here is one who will sit on His throne forever, who will have all authority and governorship over His people for eternity. But His disposition towards those He rules over, we're told, is fatherlike. All other rulers, they have their subjects. He has his children, those He cares with, with a particular intimate affection. Again, unlike any other ruler the world has ever seen.
And today we come to the last part of that four-part name. He is also called the Prince of Peace. And I'm worried today. Matt and Mark should be worried today. There's a whole much that could be said about the Prince of Peace. And one of the struggles over the last few weeks has been because we are dwelling on the person of Jesus Christ, He is inexhaustible. And even these names, I feel all we've been able to do is scratch at the surface. And it's because for eternity, this King who will rule over us is one who will be worshiped by us, for He is altogether exponentially greater than anything we could ever think or imagine. And His Word is inexhaustible, but especially when it comes to the revelation of the eternal Son, Jesus Christ, we could sit and think about this one verse for the next 10 years of the church, and we would still have much more to find out and much more to discover and much more to know.
So, all that to say, buckle your seatbelts. Let's think about this Prince of Peace. In particular, I want you to recognize that the prince we're talking about is one with a prince-like authority. All these terms are terms about a king, a ruler, a mighty one, and a, authority, and sometimes when we read the word prince, we have weakness in mind. We have somebody who's waiting to govern, waiting to rule, waiting to do something. You think of Prince Charles there in the UK, now finally King Charles, but for the majority, the significant majority of his life, he sat there as one waiting to take office. So, when we come across a term like this, the Prince of Peace, we have a tendency to read it simply as that, as a reference to one who is going to do something sometime.
But in this Old Testament world in particular, the word that is being spoken of here is one who is active. One who is using their rule in a significant way. The word sometimes is translated prince, sometimes it's translated captain, sometimes it's translated ruler. And the reason for that is, yes, there is a high hereditary office, but also the individual is one who is active in rulership. An administrator, one who is doing; whether it's leading the armies in war, or governing over a significant territory, or as the nation expands and subjugates other nations, he rules over them. So, this is a very active rule, and I want you to see that. I want you to see just how the word has been used in the book of Isaiah up to this point. It appears a few other times, just so that you get the flavor that what we are talking about is not one who will one day do something, but one who is active in his rule.
So, the first time it appears in the book of Isaiah is in chapter 1, verse 23. Chapter 1 verse 23, and it's a negative example. It's talking about the failures of rulers across the world. It says in chapter 1 verse 23, “your princes,” that's our word, “your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Why? It says everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless. And the widow's cause does not come to them." What does that imply? Well, if they were to do it right, they would bring justice. They would govern well in a way that protects the widow. They would not be influenced by bribes because they would be exercising judicial governorship well. So, the idea here is not a prince who will one day do something, but one who is active in executing, or in this example, not executing justice. It's a ruling rule that is being talked about.
Second time it appears is in chapter 3, verse 3. Chapter 3, verse 3. And actually, the word appears twice here. It says in chapter 3, the captain, that's our word, the captain of 50 and the man of rank. He has rulership over the army, over other people. They do his bidding. It says, “The captain of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor and skillful magician, and the expert in charms, and I will make their boys their princes, and infants shall rule over them." Again, a negative example there in verse 4, but the idea is the same. The prince was meant to rule. He was meant to govern. Whether it's over soldiers or whether it's over the people, they had a rulership, an active rule that they were to carry out.
If you look on down to verse 14 of chapter 3, “the Lord will enter into judgment with the elders and princes of his people.” The elders were those who were older and were meant to have wisdom, understanding, to offer advice, but the princes were those who made the decisions. The elders gave the advice, and the princes then made the decision, and that decision would either cause the flourishing of the people or the destitution of the people.
And then in chapter nine, verse six, we have our Prince of Peace. And actually, the very next chapter, we see the word again. Chapter 10, verse eight, it says, “for he says, are not my commanders, that's our word, commanders, all kings.” Those who govern, those who rule, aren't they all kings? In other words, even this term prince, we think of it as secondary to kingship. The prince could exercise foreign rule. He could exercise real kingship at the same time.
So, all that to say, we're not simply here to see Jesus as one who will one day do something. That one day He will sit on that throne up high. There may be some aspect of that, of a greater reign, and we'll talk about that in a moment, but this is an active rule. This term speaks in the context it's given of one who is engaged in the realm that He governs. One who is over the people. One who oversees. He is an overseer. There's an intimate awareness and engagement that is here.
And very simply, that's important to recognize because we need to be reminded here that our King Jesus, our Prince of Peace, is one who is engaged. It's not passive. It's not that one day He will return and then things will happen. Rather, here and now, He is actively engaged in the affairs of His people. He's engaged in the issues that affect you. It's not simply a future hope that the Christian holds onto. We have a wonderful future hope. And yet we have a present reality that we are living in that it is that our Prince of Peace is actively involved in all the affairs that affect us. So, His is an active rule.
The second thing as we think about this authority is He's a prince with authority in order to fulfill prophecy. In order to fulfill prophecy. Now, there is an element that is true, that when you hear the word prince, it makes you think of what? A king, or a hereditary line, a dynasty, a lineage. And this Prince is off a lineage. That's important. That is built into the idea of this name. And we can say that because of what it is proclaimed in the very next verse that we read.
“For thus a child is born, thus a son is given. The government shall be upon his shoulder. His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” And then it says immediately, “of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end. On the throne of David and over his kingdom.” Why mention David? Why mention his throne? Why talk about David's kingdom? Well, this is a theme that drums all the way through Scripture. Back in 2 Samuel chapter 7, God reveals to David that through his line would come one who would sit upon his throne forever. In fact, especially verse 16, “your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me. Your throne will be established forever.” There is going to be one from the line of David the Old Testament proclaims that we'll come, and he will sit on the throne of David. He will come through that line, and he will sit on that throne and reign in a way that is superior to all that has come before. And so, the Old Testament looks ahead, and the New Testament proclaims that King David's greater son has indeed come.
Matthew chapter one, verse one. Do you remember the genealogy? Chapter one's all this long list of names, but it begins by indicating something important. It says, as it announces the genealogy itself, “the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,” and then immediately it says, “the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Well, Abraham was the father of the Jews. It makes sense that he would be there near the beginning. but the son of David. Because again, the Old Testament was eagerly anticipating that greater son to come.
Mark chapter 1 verse 32, it is more about this child is revealed. It says, “He will be great and will be called son of the most high and the Lord will give,” it says, “to Him the throne of his father, David.” He's a prince because we've got to recognize He's a fulfillment of prophecy. And that's important for us because as Christians living here and now, we have a tendency, we're going to think about it later, to focus on the death of Jesus Christ. That amazing act of atonement. And at one level that is right, and that is appropriate. But the Bible doesn't stop with just the cross work. Christians are not just people who look back. We are a people who also look ahead to the reign of the greater son of David.
2 Timothy 2 verse 8 proclaims, “remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, and then it adds, descended from David. This is my gospel for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal.” What is the good news? What is the gospel? Well, yes, Jesus was raised from the dead, victorious, absolutely, but also, he is descended of David. In other words, He's still a king to rule. He's one who is the fulfillment, one who has established a kingdom. This good name, Prince of Peace, reminds us in part that the child that was born and the child that continues to reign and will reign in an even fuller way in the future, He is amazing. He is good news because He has come as the greater son of David to sit on that throne forever, forever.
And the Prince will also be one with authority to point to the rule of another, to point to the rule of another. Now, that word that is used there, translated prince, in verse 6, it has, as we already said, that clear idea of active service, of active rule, of active leadership. But it also has in it the idea of an active rule under another. With another who is also there, a significant keenly rule but with one that He serves under. It's a great reminder of what makes the incarnation so baffling. It's Philippians 2, isn't it? 5 to 11. That's one, who is fully equal with God, possesses the whole form of God, yet would take to Himself the form of a servant, and the great Almighty, Philippians 2 verse 8, would be obedient. Obedient to death, even death on a cross.
Well, who is he obedient to? Well, His Father. Jesus was fully equal with the Father in every way, and yet in the incarnation, He took to Himself the form of a servant, the office of a servant, and He has exercised in the incarnation, in His humanness, perfect obedience, submission to the rule of the Father. It's amazing isn't it whenever Jesus lives on earth and He's already lived around 30 years. I don't know those of you who are 30 in the room, I'm sure those of you who are 30 have done a few things wrong up to this point. We don't just start sinning after 30. Except there was one who never sinned. And at 30, He gets baptized. And so unique is his life to that point that heaven can't keep quiet. And it yells out; “this is my Son in whom I am well pleased.” Perfectly obedient in every way to the rule of another, even on earth.
And then I think as well this term Prince is used, a term full of authority, but the term prince is used to indicate a future aspect to his kingship. Princes do, if they live long enough, become kings. And here's one who will live forever. And most assuredly Scripture proclaims, while there is a sense that he rules here and now over His people, absolutely. He has full authority over this world, yet the Bible anticipates a fuller aspect of his kingship being established here on earth, a greater inauguration to take place a bigger rule, a clearer governorship that can be observed, that can be seen.
Jesus came at the incarnation already with the government upon His shoulders, all power. Even the wind and the waves obeyed Him, absolutely. And yet, they scoffed at Him. They spat upon Him. They mocked Him. It wasn't a lack of power in the point of Jesus. The only reason they were not crushed in that moment was His mercy. And yet a day is coming. A day is coming when all will behold Him in His splendor. Where every eye will see the grandeur of His rule.
Revelation 19, 11. “Then I saw heaven open, and behold, a white horse. The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but Himself. He is clothed in a robe dripped in blood, and the name by which He is called is the Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following Him on a white horse. From His mouth comes a sharp sword,” speaking of that picture of Jesus back in Revelation chapter 1. “From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
There's a day coming when it will be seen, when it will be recognized, when even the enemy nations will be smashed under that rod of iron. And then it continues, Revelation 20 verse 4, “then I saw thrones and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. And I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God and those who had not worshipped the beast or its image. And had not received its mark on their forehead or their hands, they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
Here coming a visible expression of His authority and kinship, so all will have to recognize He is King of kings and Lord of lords. In other words, today, right now, this is not the best it is to be. There's greater to come. Christian, there's nothing better than knowing you're part of the Lord's family today. That is absolutely true, and yet you need to realize Christmas is still to come at one level. You know, there's presents under the tree yet to be opened. And there's an anticipation in this name, Prince, that there is a greater fulfillment yet to come.
Yes, He came, and yes, He did a great work, and yes, He already rose, and yet that term Prince reminds us that there is a fuller expression of that rule and kinship yet to be. A prince-like authority to administrate, to fulfill prophecy, to point to the rule of another, to indicate a future kingship. I also want you to see that this is a peace-causing authority. A peace-causing authority. When I would think of the term Prince of Peace when I was younger, I imagined that fatherly figure that would take us up on his lap and give us a cuddle. That's a misunderstanding of the term. Everlasting Father may have more of that affectionate idea, but here is one who is not a peaceful prince, but a mighty warrior who ensures the peace. That's the idea. He's a prince that ensures or keeps the peace.
I was watching the news the other night and the commentator in the news was talking and said, “well, the key to peace in the Middle East is a strong government in Lebanon.” And whether that's true or not, you understand the idea. If there's an understanding that there is one with strength, other people behave. Kids mess about in the house when they think mom and dad aren't looking. They don't mess about when mom and dad are looking. We understand this.
And what we're being told here in Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6 is that there is One who will bring peace, but it comes through His strength. He has a peace-causing authority that defeats all enemies, crushes them. Human threats, absolutely. Remember the world that this prophecy was first proclaimed in? There were threats from all sides. There were the vultures that kind of hovered around, trying to take what they could get, like the Edomites. There was Syria and northern Israel that were wanting to crush Judah, crush Jerusalem. And then even more significant, a separate force, not Syria, but Assyria, a whole other kingdom. A war machine was growing, and it was breathing down the necks of the people.
And here in this term we are reminded there is no human threat too great for this King. They're all smashed apart, but not just human threats. They're the greatest threats we could think of. Satan himself, that one 1 Peter 5, 8 describes as he who prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Under King Jesus, Romans 16, 20 says, “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” He's able.
When the gospel first went to Scotland, it was under a man called Columba from Ireland. With some notable people in the past. And Columba was the first to bring the gospel to the unreached pagans of what would later be called Scotland. And every time he marched into a territory, he would have on a huge staff a cross. It's where the kind of tradition in the modern Roman Catholic Church or in the Anglican Church or other Eastern Orthodox churches came from, the idea of a high cross, one that was on a post held high. And the idea was, it was symbolic that already the cross work of Jesus Christ had so decimated the prince of the powers of the air, that's why the cross was up high, that now the gospel could march forward with confidence.
So, Columba would march first with this reminder that the prince of the air has already been defeated through the cross work of Jesus Christ, and now the good news is to be heard by all people from every tribe, kindred, and tongue. Why? Because the enemy has been defeated. Friends, we're on the side of victory. We're on the side of the Prince of Peace. That mighty warrior God is our Prince, and He ensures peace. We're not saying that life doesn't have its difficulties, that there aren't hard aspects to our existence, that there isn't persecution, that there isn't hardship. Of course there is. The testimony of Scripture proclaims that clearly. But we are saying that all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. Why? Because He's a Prince of Peace. And He ensures the defeat of the enemies of his people.
Secondly, He's a peace-causing authority by making payment to our greatest enemy. By making payment to our greatest enemy. You remember the king in Jerusalem at the time was that man, King Ahaz, and he was an absolute mess. Everything he did, he did wrong. And at one point in his kingship, he came up with this great plan in his head. I'm not going to align with Syria and northern Israel against Assyria because Assyria clearly is the strongest. And I need Assyria to be my friend. And so, he went into the temple, and he stripped the temple of all gold. And he taxed the people. And he took from them all wealth too. And then he carted it all off to the king of Assyria. He tried to buy peace. He tried to purchase the safety of his kingdom. Well, it didn't work. It all fell apart. But our Prince of Peace has made a payment that has worked, a payment that satisfies not the king of Assyria, but our greatest enemy.
Who was our greatest enemy? Not Satan. In our natural condition, our greatest enemy was God Himself. As sinners, fallen, sinners against God. We've declared God to be our greatest enemy. Colossians chapter 1 verse 21, “and you who were once alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds.” That's who we were. That's who every man and woman is in their natural state. Romans chapter 5 verse 10, “for if while we were enemies,” that's who we were, enemies of God. For if we were enemies, we were enemies of God, and yet here's the glory that through the Prince of Peace, Romans 5, 10 continues, “for while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.” That great sacrifice that brought peace between us and ultimately God. 1 Peter 2 verse 24, “He Himself bore our sins in his body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
Maybe you're here this morning, and Christmas has brought you out to church, and yet you know that you are not one with faith in Jesus Christ. You need to know the Bible does not describe you as neutral. The Bible describes you as an enemy of God, and you're a foolish enemy. You're like a field mouse shaking its fist at a giant. You're about to get crushed. And what you need is Christ. There is no other name in heaven or earth by which you may be saved. And the wonderful work of Jesus Christ is He has made a payment to the greatest enemy of natural man, so that actually we are brought through that cross work into the very family of God.
He has a peace-causing authority by defeating all enemies, by making payment to our greatest enemy, and thirdly, by the steadfast, never-ending nature of His rule. He has a steadfast, never-ending rule. Look at how this rule is immediately described. Verse 6 speaks of the Prince of Peace, and then it says in verse 7, “of the increase of his government and of peace. There will be no end. There will be no end.” And then it continues, “from the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.”
The implication here is this is a lasting rule. This rule to be anticipated is one that can be trusted; it's gonna be effective, but also it will last. We saw this last week as well in the idea of an Everlasting Father. His rule is one that is everlasting. His insistence on ensuring the peace for His people is everlasting in its longevity.
Sometimes people in America, they talk about their favorite president. You know, which one did you particularly think did a good job? And people have their debates. You know, is it George Washington? Is it somebody more modern like Ronald Reagan? Is it somebody even more recent? And the debates go on, and people wonder. But the reality is whoever it was; they served one or two terms, and they stopped. And the reason people have opinions about it is because they wonder what would have happened if it kept going. Well, here is a rule that will last. So perfect, absolutely, but it will last. And that should instill confidence in the hearts of the people.
Here is a prince-like authority, and it is a peace-causing authority. And so that brings us to our conclusion this morning, and it's very simply this; you need His authority. You need His authority in your life. Really, as we come to Christmas this week, as we think about that word that became flesh and dwelt amongst us, it's not meant to be a cute and cuddly picture. It's meant to be something that declares your need to surrender your arms and to submit to the King, the King that crushes His enemies to ensure the peace of His people. You're either for Him or against Him. There is no in between.
Most people become citizens of a country because they were born into it. Well, there is a sense with this King that the only way that you can be a citizen under his rule; it's not by earning it, it's not by paying your way in. It's not, there is no kind of visa or green card or any other process. You must be born in.
In John chapter three, verse three, Jesus said to that ruler Nicodemus, “truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” It's not a physical birth. Like we think of you, you are not a Christian because your parents were Christians. You can only truly know this King as your King. This Prince of Peace is your Prince of Peace. By God's gift, by His regenerative work upon the heart that grants life, new birth, an ability to see that which cannot be seen through any human effort.
This morning, if you sit outside Christ, you need to call upon God for mercy. To ask that He would renew the heart, that He would cause new birth, new life to grow within, to give you that gift of the new birth, that you may be a citizen under this great Prince of Peace.
Let's pray.
[Prayer] Heavenly Father, we love You, and we are so thankful that You so loved the world that You sent Your Son. We thank You that He who came is indeed one with all authority and whom we find a Wonderful Counselor, a Mighty God, an Everlasting Father, and a Prince of Peace. We thank you, Lord, for His commitment, not simply to rule well, but to pay that incredible price that we who were once Your enemies may be called children of God. We ask for the grace this Christmas season to worship the one who is worthy and the one who rules so well over His people. For it's in Jesus' name we pray, amen. [End]
