David’s Throne
By Pastor Matt Black
September
03, 2006
Lord's Day Evening
Isaiah 9:7
Introduction: Again we come to this text of Isaiah 9 tonight. Stand with me as we read verses 1-7. Tonight we are going to see how in the midst of nation rising up against nation, how Christ himself forms and governs His own kingdom. This kingdom is not in the earthly realm, but in the heavenly realm. The title of tonight’s message is “Jesus: Both Lord and Christ”.
Let’s look at the first seven verses of Isaiah 9, “Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. 2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. 3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. 5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. 6 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, Counsellor, 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.”
Review: Verse 1 teaches us that the darkness and fog of war would not “afflict the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali”, nor would it permanently remain “by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.”
What was going to happen? So Christ would come to this most despised part of Israel, “Galilee of the nations” where the pagans had intermarried with the 10 northern tribes. Now remember something great is going to happen at His birth. This is not at some future event, but something that happens at His birth.
Verse 2—These people who walked in not only the dimness and darkness of their war torn country were also torn in their souls. They were where they were because they committed spiritual adultery with the gods of other nations.
Ø They worshipped Baal, who by the NT times was know as Ba‘al Zebûb, or Lord of the flies. Christ calls Satan “Beelzebub the prince of the devils” (Matthew 12:27). Baal was the male fertility god often in close association with Asherah, the female fertility goddess. Look at Judges 2:13, “And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.”
Ø So these people were worshipping Baal and the fertility goddess Asherah. When ever you see in your Bible talking about the “groves”, this is the Asherah and Baal worship. They would take a number of trees and carve this exotic goddess and worship this demonic deity. Promiscuous immorality was always present with this wicked practice. It was a worship of their own lusts, and nothing more. We have Asherah worship going on in the houses of America today! It’s the cult of immorality and pleasure that we worship. Look on the internet. People don’t need Asherah trees—they can worship this goddess on most any billboard—any commercial—any advertisement in the mail—all the magazines in the grocery store—every fashion designer worships her. Sin is not new. We give it a new name, we try to cover up our pagan heathen hearts, but it’s nothing new!
Ø The parents of Israel were also sacrificing their children to this false Ammonite god Molech. Molech was a calf or bull god. This was warned against way back in Leviticus 18:21, “And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.” But what did they do? Jeremiah 23:25, “And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech.” How did Molech worship transpire? A fire was lit inside a metal calf idol, heated until the idol was extremely hot, and then a baby would be placed in the arms of the idol or slid inside the idol and burned to death.
You need to understand what brought on this idolatry. These people were not living clean lives and then offering the babies of their husbands into the idols. They would commit all sorts of immorality mixed with drunkenness. Memories were probably short, and these women would offer these children conceived in the lust of their flesh to this god. Ashterah was also very mush a part of this. It was just another reason to lust and commit immorality. Then they could take the precious life conceived among this iniquity, and try to do away with all evidence, all the while calling it religious devotion. I’ll tell you who these people were devoted to. They were devoted to themselves.
This is nothing but cheap immorality and a tidy way to clean up their sin mess. The abortion industry today is set up on the same pillars as Baal and Ashterah and Molech. It offers so-called guilt free immorality.
Application: God saw every one of the sins of these people. They were people addicted to lust and did not wanted to do away with their own personal responsibility. Now we can’t be too judgmental, because this is the type of people we are at the core apart from the grace of God. We want to do things our way. We want to fulfill our desires with no consequences. We want to call the destruction of families no-fault divorce. We want to call promiscuous immorality and the murder of children family planning. We thought we could literally get away with it all. That’s how these people were.
Now before we get too high and mighty thinking that we could never commit such sin. Remember the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
As I say, don’t lift your proud heart too high. God says—it’s these type of people that I am coming for. I’m coming to save them. I’m coming to bring them out of this darkness. Isaiah 9:2, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” The stench of death was around. The death of their own children in the valley of Hinnon where the Molech god was. The stench of the death of their family and loved ones killed by the invasion of the Assyrians was in the air. It was a dark, dark time. It was here, in this place, among these people
Verse 3 tells us that through the birth of the Messiah, God would enlarge the nation of Israel. God is going to take the heathen and make them holy. Think about how one was added to the nation. We talked about this last week. To be added to God’s covenant through circumcision was to be added to the nation. Remember what Paul said so clearly in Romans 2:29, “But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”
The Jews were an outward people. Hebrews 10:12 tells us that all of the outward institutions in the Old Testament were just “a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things”.
We talked about these outward institutions being a picture of an inward reality.
So Christ is the “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). We don’t need to keep offering sacrifices continually. As Hebrews 10:10 says, “we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
Let’s ask ourselves:
Who are the children of Abraham? Galatians 3:7 has the only right answer. “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” So Abraham’s children—those that make up God’s people are those who have faith in Christ.
But what about all the promises to Israel in the Old Testament? Are they for the church? Are they for me? Paul says further down in Galatians 3:16 that the promises belong to “Abraham and his seed”. The promises concerning Christ in the Old Testament are directed to “Abraham and his seed”. That is clear. But who is “Abraham’s seed”? Is it physical Israel? Is it the physical descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Remember last we found a few verses down in that we, the church of Christ, the gathered people of Christ are Abraham’s seed. Look down at Galatians 3 and verse 29, “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Those who are Christ’s are “Abraham’s seed” and we are the heirs of all those promises.
As Romans 11:17 says, we become part of the Kingdom of God; we as Gentiles are “graffed in” to spiritual Israel.
Ok, having looked at how God will enlarge the nation through Christ’s birth, let us look at verse 4. Verse 4 tells us that Christ will conquer our enemies and oppressors “as in the day of Midian.” Again we learned that those Midianites were defeated not by sword and chariot, but by lanterns and trumpets. Three hundred scrawny men defeated the mighty Midianite army. This was a conquering via the Spirit of God. As Zechariah 4:6 says, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Verse 5 confirms that physical warfare for the people of God will cease. There was coming a day when there would no longer be need to go to battle with the heathen nations. They wouldn’t have to fight Assyria or Aram or Egypt! Verse 5 tells us that the noise of battle would disappear and all the weapons of warfare and the “garments rolled in blood” will all be thrown into the bonfire. They “shall be with burning and fuel of fire.” It is as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:4 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.”
Last week we saw in verse 6 that it is this Child that is born that is God in the flesh that will make all of this take place. The government is upon His shoulder! He is the head of the church! He has the preeminence! He rules with a rod of iron! He is the lawgiver!
Now we come to our text in verse 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.”
First we need to establish how Christ’s government increases.
“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.”
THE INCREASE OF CHRIST’S GOVERNMENT
“Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end”
--When did the Government of Messiah BEGIN?
Verse 6 gives us the answer: “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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
When He is born! Listen to the words of Jesus when He begins His ministry!
Turn over to Matthew 4:23.
The Gospel of the Kingdom
When Jesus came to earth he preached the Gospel. It is called the gospel, or good news of the kingdom. Look at Matthew 4:23, “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.”
Look at Matthew 13. We see two parables here about the increase of Christ’s government:
The Parable of the Mustard Seed: It would grow BIG
verse 31, “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
The Parable of Leaven: it would spread RAPIDLY
Verse 33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.”
So Isaiah says in verse 7, ““Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.: Remember Pentecost? Peter preached. What happened when God opened all these people’s eyes to the truth of Jesus Christ? Acts 2:41, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” Christ increased His government.
Jesus said in Mark 16:15, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
What does Jesus say in Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
That is the government of Messiah will increase! People will be saved. Then the end will come!
So we have seen the increase of Christ’s government. Now we have to establish when Christ sat on the throne of David.
Turn over to Acts 2:29-35, “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, [SO WHAT IS THE OATH OR PROMISE?] that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” What does Peter mean when he says he makes Jesus “both Lord and Christ”. He is saying that Christ has assumed his throne. The throne of David is Christ’s exalted throne. Christ sitting on the right hand of God making his enemies his footstool is the present reign of Christ. Christ conquers all, whether by conversion or condemnation on the last day, He makes all His enemies (all the human race) His footstool.
So when Isaiah says about Christ: “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.” He is talking about the Church.
Turn over to Genesis 49:8. This is the prophecy of Judah. Of course you know Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5). Jacob called his sons together before he died, and he gave a prophecy of the twelve tribes of Israel. What we are looking at is Judah’s prophecy. It is directly referring to the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at Genesis 49 and beginning with verse 8, “Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. 9 Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”
Here is a direct prophecy of Christ. The scepter shall be Christ’s. Here we see the prediction of Shiloh, which is “the gathering of the people”. This is of course a prophecy of the church. What is the church? A called out assembly. God has gathered us together as a people in Christ. Shiloh has come. Christ is ruling and reigning over His kingdom.
Conclusion: Turn to Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”
Are you living for the kingdom? Are you seeking first the kingdom?
Closing Hymn: 491 Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God