To Us A Son Is Given, Ron Ward
THE PRINCE OF PEACE
Passage: Isaiah 9:1~21  
Key verse: 6
9 [a]Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom(A) for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,(B) but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
2 The people walking in darkness(C)
have seen a great light;(D)
on those living in the land of deep darkness(E)
a light has dawned.(F)
3 You have enlarged the nation(G)
and increased their joy;(H)
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.(I)
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,(J)
you have shattered(K)
the yoke(L) that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,(M)
the rod of their oppressor.(N)
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,(O)
will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,(P)
to us a son is given,(Q)
and the government(R) will be on his shoulders.(S)
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,(T) Mighty God,(U)
Everlasting(V) Father,(W) Prince of Peace.(X)
7 Of the greatness of his government(Y) and peace(Z)
there will be no end.(AA)
He will reign(AB) on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice(AC) and righteousness(AD)
from that time on and forever.(AE)
The zeal(AF) of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
The Lord’s Anger Against Israel8 The Lord has sent a message(AG) against Jacob;
it will fall on Israel.
9 All the people will know it—
Ephraim(AH) and the inhabitants of Samaria(AI)—
who say with pride
and arrogance(AJ) of heart,
10 “The bricks have fallen down,
but we will rebuild with dressed stone;(AK)
the fig(AL) trees have been felled,
but we will replace them with cedars.(AM)”
11 But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s(AN) foes against them
and has spurred their enemies on.
12 Arameans(AO) from the east and Philistines(AP) from the west
have devoured(AQ) Israel with open mouth.
13 But the people have not returned(AT) to him who struck(AU) them,
nor have they sought(AV) the Lord Almighty.
14 So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
both palm branch and reed(AW) in a single day;(AX)
15 the elders(AY) and dignitaries(AZ) are the head,
the prophets(BA) who teach lies(BB) are the tail.
16 Those who guide(BC) this people mislead them,
and those who are guided are led astray.(BD)
17 Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,(BE)
nor will he pity(BF) the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly(BG) and wicked,(BH)
every mouth speaks folly.(BI)
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.(BJ)
18 Surely wickedness burns like a fire;(BK)
it consumes briers and thorns,(BL)
it sets the forest thickets ablaze,(BM)
so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke.
19 By the wrath(BN) of the Lord Almighty
the land will be scorched(BO)
and the people will be fuel for the fire;(BP)
they will not spare one another.(BQ)
20 On the right they will devour,
but still be hungry;(BR)
on the left they will eat,(BS)
but not be satisfied.
Each will feed on the flesh of their own offspring[b]:
21 Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh;(BT)
together they will turn against Judah.(BU)
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.(BV)
8 The Lord has sent a message(AG) against Jacob;
it will fall on Israel.
9 All the people will know it—
Ephraim(AH) and the inhabitants of Samaria(AI)—
who say with pride
and arrogance(AJ) of heart,
10 “The bricks have fallen down,
but we will rebuild with dressed stone;(AK)
the fig(AL) trees have been felled,
but we will replace them with cedars.(AM)”
11 But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s(AN) foes against them
and has spurred their enemies on.
12 Arameans(AO) from the east and Philistines(AP) from the west
have devoured(AQ) Israel with open mouth.
13 But the people have not returned(AT) to him who struck(AU) them,
nor have they sought(AV) the Lord Almighty.
14 So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
both palm branch and reed(AW) in a single day;(AX)
15 the elders(AY) and dignitaries(AZ) are the head,
the prophets(BA) who teach lies(BB) are the tail.
16 Those who guide(BC) this people mislead them,
and those who are guided are led astray.(BD)
17 Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,(BE)
nor will he pity(BF) the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly(BG) and wicked,(BH)
every mouth speaks folly.(BI)
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.(BJ)
18 Surely wickedness burns like a fire;(BK)
it consumes briers and thorns,(BL)
it sets the forest thickets ablaze,(BM)
so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke.
19 By the wrath(BN) of the Lord Almighty
the land will be scorched(BO)
and the people will be fuel for the fire;(BP)
they will not spare one another.(BQ)
20 On the right they will devour,
but still be hungry;(BR)
on the left they will eat,(BS)
but not be satisfied.
Each will feed on the flesh of their own offspring[b]:
21 Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh;(BT)
together they will turn against Judah.(BU)
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.(BV)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1 is numbered 8:23, and 9:2-21 is numbered 9:1-20.
- Isaiah 9:20 Or arm
Cross references
- Isaiah 9:1 : S Job 15:24
- Isaiah 9:1 : S 2Ki 15:29
- Isaiah 9:2 : S Ps 82:5; S 107:10, 14; S Isa 8:20
- Isaiah 9:2 : S Ps 36:9; Isa 42:6; 49:6; 60:19; Mal 4:2; Eph 5:8
- Isaiah 9:2 : S Lk 1:79
- Isaiah 9:2 : Isa 58:8; Mt 4:15-16*
- Isaiah 9:3 : S Job 12:23
- Isaiah 9:3 : S Ps 4:7; S Isa 25:9
- Isaiah 9:3 : S Ex 15:9; S Jos 22:8; S Ps 119:162
- Isaiah 9:4 : S Jdg 7:25
- Isaiah 9:4 : S Job 34:24; Isa 37:36-38
- Isaiah 9:4 : Isa 14:25; 58:6, 9; Jer 2:20; 30:8; Eze 30:18; Na 1:13; Mt 11:30
- Isaiah 9:4 : S Ps 81:6; S Isa 10:27
- Isaiah 9:4 : Isa 14:4; 16:4; 29:5, 20; 49:26; 51:13; 54:14; 60:18
- Isaiah 9:5 : S Isa 2:4
- Isaiah 9:6 : S Ge 3:15; Isa 53:2; Lk 2:11
- Isaiah 9:6 : Jn 3:16
- Isaiah 9:6 : S Mt 28:18
- Isaiah 9:6 : Isa 22:22
- Isaiah 9:6 : S Job 15:8; Isa 28:29
- Isaiah 9:6 : S Dt 7:21; Ps 24:8; Isa 10:21; 11:2; 42:13
- Isaiah 9:6 : S Ps 90:2
- Isaiah 9:6 : S Ex 4:22; Isa 64:8; Jn 14:9-10
- Isaiah 9:6 : Isa 26:3, 12; 53:5; 66:12; Jer 33:6; Mic 5:5; S Lk 2:14
- Isaiah 9:7 : S Isa 2:4
- Isaiah 9:7 : S Ps 85:8; 119:165; Isa 11:9; 26:3, 12; 32:17; 48:18
- Isaiah 9:7 : Da 2:44; 4:3; S Lk 1:33; Jn 12:34
- Isaiah 9:7 : Isa 1:26; 32:1; 60:17; 1Co 15:25
- Isaiah 9:7 : Isa 11:4; 16:5; 32:1, 16; 33:5; 42:1; Jer 23:5; 33:14
- Isaiah 9:7 : S Ps 72:2
- Isaiah 9:7 : S 2Sa 7:13
- Isaiah 9:7 : 2Ki 19:31; Isa 26:11; 37:32; 42:13; 59:17; 63:15
- Isaiah 9:8 : S Dt 32:2
- Isaiah 9:9 : S Isa 7:2
- Isaiah 9:9 : S Isa 7:9
- Isaiah 9:9 : Isa 46:12; 48:4; Eze 2:4; Zec 7:11
- Isaiah 9:10 : S Ge 11:3
- Isaiah 9:10 : Am 7:14; Lk 19:4
- Isaiah 9:10 : 1Ki 7:2-3
- Isaiah 9:11 : S Isa 7:8
- Isaiah 9:12 : 2Ki 16:6
- Isaiah 9:12 : S 2Ch 28:18
- Isaiah 9:12 : S Ps 79:7
- Isaiah 9:12 : S Job 40:11
- Isaiah 9:12 : S Isa 5:25
- Isaiah 9:13 : S 2Ch 28:22; Am 4:9; Zep 3:7; Hag 2:17
- Isaiah 9:13 : Jer 5:3; Eze 7:9
- Isaiah 9:13 : Isa 2:3; 17:7; 31:1; 55:6; Jer 50:4; Da 9:13; Hos 3:5; 7:7, 10; Am 4:6, 10; Zep 1:6
- Isaiah 9:14 : ver 14-15; Isa 19:15
- Isaiah 9:14 : Rev 18:8
- Isaiah 9:15 : Isa 3:2-3
- Isaiah 9:15 : S Isa 5:13
- Isaiah 9:15 : Isa 28:7; Eze 13:2
- Isaiah 9:15 : S Job 13:4; S Isa 3:8; 44:20; Eze 13:22; Mt 24:24
- Isaiah 9:16 : Mt 15:14; 23:16, 24
- Isaiah 9:16 : S Isa 3:12
- Isaiah 9:17 : Jer 9:21; 11:22; 18:21; 48:15; 49:26; Am 4:10; 8:13
- Isaiah 9:17 : S Job 5:4; Isa 27:11; Jer 13:14
- Isaiah 9:17 : Isa 10:6; 32:6; Mic 7:2
- Isaiah 9:17 : S Isa 1:4
- Isaiah 9:17 : S Isa 3:8; Mt 12:34; Ro 3:13-14
- Isaiah 9:17 : S Isa 5:25
- Isaiah 9:18 : S Dt 29:23; S Isa 1:31
- Isaiah 9:18 : S Isa 5:6
- Isaiah 9:18 : S Ps 83:14
- Isaiah 9:19 : S Job 40:11; Isa 13:9, 13
- Isaiah 9:19 : Jer 17:27
- Isaiah 9:19 : S Ps 97:3; S Isa 1:31
- Isaiah 9:19 : S Isa 3:5
- Isaiah 9:20 : S Lev 26:26; S Job 18:12
- Isaiah 9:20 : Isa 49:26; Zec 11:9
- Isaiah 9:21 : S Jdg 7:22; S 12:4
- Isaiah 9:21 : S 2Ch 28:6
- Isaiah 9:21 : S Isa 5:25
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. A Child is born (1-7)
Isaiah saw that his nation was rushing headlong toward disaster. Because of their sins, the people sat in darkness, burdened by the yoke of guilt and fear. But God promised a Child who would break the yoke. His name is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is the Christ, the promised descendant of David and Son of God who breaks the yoke of sin and guilt.
2. The people have not returned (8-21)
When God disciplined Israel, she did not repent. She rebelled against God. The people were godless; they were proud and arrogant. When God punished them, they confidently said, 'We'll build back better houses and plant better trees.' They did not humble themselves and turn to God. God's punishment is meant to lead his people to repentance, but when people do not repent, his wrath burns hot, and his hand of judgment is upraised.
Prayer: Lord, give me a repentant heart and simple faith to welcome the Prince of Peace.
One Word: Jesus is the Prince of Peace