The Establishment of Jesus’ Kingdom
By Pastor Matt Black
September
10, 2006
Lord's Day Evening
Isaiah 9:6-7
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 “The Establishment of Jesus’ Kingdom”.
[Stand and read Isaiah 9:1-7]
Isaiah 9:6-7, “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.”
Last week we looked at the Increase of Christ’s government, and this week we
are looking at the Establishment of His government.
Review: Last week we saw the Increase of Christ’s government. We saw in the parable of the mustard seed that Christ’s Kingdom would be massive, it would be BIG! Some people say that since the way is narrow, that few people will actually enter heaven. I have a different view. Look over at Revelation 7:9. God is the God of the impossible, and when I read my Bible, I remember that John could see the full number of God’s elect people. He got to see the number of them. As our text here says, He will multiply the nation. We read in Revelation 7:9, “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands”.
We also saw from the parable of the leaven that it would spread RAPIDLY. Remember what those in Thessalonica said to Paul and Silas when they came to that city in Acts 17:6? “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also”! Amen! Christianity spread so rapidly that it turned the world upside down. And it is still spreading. Missionaries are spread across the globe! “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end”! (verse 7). Christ has the power to increase His Kingdom. “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Christ’s influence would be spread to every nation under heaven. As Revelation 7:9 says, “Of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues”.
So we saw the Increase of Jesus’ Kingdom. Now we see the Establishment of the Kingdom.
I. First we see Christ’s Kingdom is Inaugurated at His Incarnation.
We need to look first at the context (timing) of Christ’s inauguration. We must pay close attention to the wording of verse 6 and 7, and we ask ourselves, when did Christ’s reign begin? When was He inaugurated? The whole of chapter 9 is anticipating something spectacular happening. The scars of war will disappear—Israel will be multiplied and fruitful in amazing fashion (verse 3). There will be no more oppressors—no more captivities (verse 4). Verse 4 says that the yoke of burden and the rod of slavery will be broken! All the warriors who fought for Israel will no longer need to make the confused noise of battle (verse 5). When will this take place? The timing is given in verse 6. All of these wonderful things will happen because of the entrance of a Child into this world. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder”
The burden of Christ’s government in His humiliation.
The government shall be upon his shoulder. Even though he is a child, He inaugurates His kingdom as He enters this world from the virgin womb. The burden of the government of His kingdom is immediately upon His shoulders.He enters as an advocate and as a missionary on a mission to gather a people.
A. We see the burden begins at the incarnation. Christ’s first responsibility as the Governor of His Kingdom is to save His subjects. He enters into human misery and suffering and the burden of being in the body of limited humanity is immediately apparent. As God Christ was in no way limited, “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). This Baby makes his first cry and this burden of being incarnated as a weak and needy human is immediately apparent. The Creator of the universe has need of food and warm shelter. He allows Himself to be stripped of all dignity as Creator God. He is not even given the privilege of being born among men, but among beasts of burden. It is in an animal’s stable that this King is coronated. He is not coronated with gold and fanfare, but with the crown of a human body. He comes to save humanity, and in order to make humanity governable, He must save His people by becoming like one of them.
Why did Christ need to be made like us? 2 Corinthians 5:21 says it clearly, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him”. Christ had to be man so that He could substitute for us. A substitute must be like that which it is substituting for. We were commanded to fulfill all righteousness, or we would have to die. We were all born under the death sentence. “In sin did my mother conceive me”. “In Adam all die”. So then it behooved Christ to be made like us so that He could rescue us and bring us into His Kingdom. Hebrews 2:17, “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.” So the burden of how He would rule had to begin with His incarnation in being “made like unto His brethren.” So this Child is made flesh and dwells among us (John 1:14). As Isaiah says. “he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him”.
Not only do we see the burden of the incarnation, we see the burden increase at redemption.
B. The burden is increased in redemption. The bearing of our sins began in the Garden of Gethsemane. Turn to Luke 22:41-44. Christ moves deeper into the Garden and leaves His sleeping disciples. Look at verse 41, “And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” So the burden of bring people into His kingdom began to be upon His shoulder. For this Child King would not only rule over His disciples, but this is the Child that will “rule with a rod of iron” (Psalm 2:9). He breaks people in pieces who do not submit to His rule. His standard is absolute perfection. And so in order to bring us up to that standard, in order to bring us to Himself in utter perfection, He must take the burden of our sins and iniquities upon Himself. Philippians 2:7ff again says, He “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.” Also in Hebrews 12:2, we are told that Jesus is “the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Yet during the incarnation, Christ is not yet set down as ruling King. He is certainly ruling in a sense, and of course since He exists outside of time, there is a sense that Christ’s reign has always been and always will be. But in this entrance into the world, he is not seen as a King. Most certainly He is anointed. He is as David was
II. Second we see Christ’s Kingdom is Installed at His Resurrection.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder”
A. This was the hope of the people of Isreal. Barnes says, “The kingdom which was promised to David was to have no end; it was to be established for ever. Yet his descendants died, and all other kingdoms changed. The promise likewise stood by itself; it was not made to any other of the Jewish kings; nor were similar declarations made of surrounding kingdoms and nations. It came, therefore, gradually to be applied to that future King and kingdom which was the hope of the nation; and their eyes were anxiously fixed on the long-expected Messiah.”
B. This was the testimony of David. Psalm 2. Look at verse 7, “I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. 10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.” David here knew that this kind of Kingdom would be greater than any of His human descendents. That is way he says that those who put their faith in Him will be blessed! This is one to be worshipped—“Kiss the Son”!
C. This is the teaching of the Apostles. 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.
Christ “endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
Conclusion: Are you a vessel in the establishment of Christ’s kingdom? Are you yielded to Christ’s Kingship? Christ is sitting on the throne of David meaning He is subduing a people for Himself. Have you been subdued?