The Prince of Peace
Isaiah 9:1-7
From their first king, Saul, to their last king, Hoshea, the nation of Israel experienced the reigns of 42 kings and 1 queen. Apart from David and Solomon, only 8 other kings were considered generally good, and even those kings had some serious problems. Most importantly, none of these kings brough lasting, real peace to their people, not to mention the entire world.
The same is true in our own nation, the United States of America. Altogether, we’ve been governed by 45 different men as President. Depending upon your perspective and values, we grade them differently, but all tend to view some as better than others, some as good presidents and others as bad ones. No matter who you are, you will probably agree that the list of good presidents is shorter than the list of bad ones. It’s also true that no matter how good a President may have been, none have left our nation with lasting, real peace.
As the nation of Israel entered a period of foreign invasion and captivity to the Assyrian Empire, they longed for a king who would save them and a king who would lead them into real, lasting peace, just as our own hearts desire the same today. As political leaders come and go, none can provide the real, lasting peace that our hearts deeply desire. It’s with this deep longing in mind that Isaiah told us that such a king will come, and he would first come as a child.
As we’ve learned, this child would be God himself come as a human being. According to Isa 7:14, he would be Emmanuel, “God with us,” and he would save his people from the bondage and captivity not only of their failed, corrupt, unreliable political rulers, but of their own failed, corrupt, unreliable hearts. He would “save his people from their sins.”
To all of this, Isaiah adds one more guarantee about this coming child and king when he calls him “the Prince of Peace.” What more does this tell us about our wonderful Savior?
This child will carry full governing power.
This special title calls this child “the prince.” The title refers to a top governing official and representative in a kingdom and the leading, chief commander of its armies. This is a royal title of superiority and preeminence in the government of a kingdom.
In this prophecy, Isaiah says, “the government will be upon his shoulder.” This claim envisions this coming child and king as carrying full governing power, meaning he will have all authority to make all decisions for the kingdom and he will have the obligation and responsibility to do so. The behavior, care, direction, guidance, policies, and programs of his government and kingdom will be entirely his responsibility to determine and carry out.
At this point, let me ask you, what is the best form of government? Options include: (1) democracy (direct rule of the people), (2) republic (rule by representatives of the people), (3) democratic republic (rule of people through representatives), (4) constitutional democratic republic (a democratic republic accountable to a predetermined written document), (5) absolute monarchy (rule by a king/queen descended from royalty), (6) constitutional monarchy (rule by a king/queen limited by set, written laws), (7) ecclesiastical theocracy (rule by a religious figure or church), (8) oligarchy (rule by an elite group of people), (9) individual dictatorship (self-declared single leader), (10) military dictatorship (rule by the military), (11) party dictatorship (rule by a single political party), and (12) anarchy (no government at all).
The answer to this question is a benevolent monarchy, in which a truly caring, noble, reliable, selfless, and wise king takes full responsibility for the government of a kingdom. This king must be entirely reliable and selfless, which is why monarchies and dictatorships are so difficult otherwise. And the same is true of all other forms of government as well. No matter what kind of government you experience, it is directed and governed by sinful, selfish people. Even in a constitutional democratic republic, such as the United States, we are know that our constitution – as good as it is – is limited and flawed, our representatives and government officials are sinful and selfish, and our voters (including you) are also sinful and selfish by nature.
This is why we need a king who can save, care for, and govern us in a godly, reliable, and selfless way. That king is Emmanuel, this child and king whom Isaiah prophesied.
His reign will ensure harmony and wellbeing …
This child and king would be not only a governing, royal king but one whose nature, policies, and way of governing is characterized by peace. And what is peace?
Peace today normally means something basic and simple, whether that be “the end of conflict, fighting, and war,” “a quiet day at the lake,” or “serene inner thoughts and feelings.” But in Scripture, esp. the OT, peace (called “shalom”) is a broad range of things which all go together. This concept of peace includes emotional serenity, personal safety, prosperity, health, celebration, and happiness in every way. The concept of peace includes abundant material wealth, complete physical and emotional health, genuine, deep comfort and rest, the complete absence of conflict and danger, personal happiness and satisfaction, stable, thriving relationships, and so much more.
Isaiah speaks about the peace that God provides later on in Isa 26:3. Where our English translations say something like “perfect peace,” Isaiah actually said “peace, peace.” By repeating the word twice, he emphasized the complete, perfect, all-encompassing nature of the peace that God brings. Does this sound wonderful or what?
Most importantly, this peace will not only be the peace “from God,” but the peace “of God.” In John 14:27, Jesus himself said this:
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
This peace comes not only in the form of physical, mental, and material peace and prosperity, but even more so as relationship peace with God himself. This peace that Christ provides is the removal of hostility between you and God. As sinners, we rebel against God and behave as his enemies who deserve his judgment and who prevent a close, loving, caring relationship with him. But this God himself became our peace. As the judge he took our place as the guilty and fully endured our punishment for us (Eph 2:14):
He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation …
This statement “he is our peace” may also be translated as “he is our peace offering,” meaning that he did what was required to resolve the hostility between us and himself. Rather than force us to pay for our crimes, he paid for our crimes in our place, making real, lasting peace between us and God possible. Not only this, but he made real, lasting peace between us and other people truly possible, too, since sin and injustice prevents peace between people, too.
As the Prince of Peace, this child and King – who is God himself – would govern the world in such a way that he would guarantee all the conditions and benefits of genuine peace, not only in a physical, material way, but in a relational, social way between people and in a spiritual way between God and man. Isaiah goes on to provide four specific descriptions of this peaceful kingdom.
… with a universal scope.
This king’s kingdom will be universal in scope. Isaiah says, “of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.” The word increase speaks of expansion and extent, so it describes how much territory and space it will include. This extent is described as being “without end,” which does not describe how long his kingdom will last but describes instead how large his kingdom will be. It will be so large that its borders will be immeasurable. So, Isaiah is announcing that this coming child and king would govern a kingdom not only the size of Israel but vastly larger. It would – at the very least – encompass the entire world and would (likely included) encompass the entire universe. This means that the entire world and universe will enjoy the peace that he brings.
… as the Davidic fulfillment.
This kingdom will also be a fulfillment of another promise God had made to King David centuries before through the prophet Nathan. (2 Sam 7:16)
Your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.
This is a significant promise because the kings of Israel were about to be taken captive into Assyria and Babylon and, to this day, this royal line has not been restored. That is, of course, except for Jesus Christ who was born as a direct descendant from the line of King David, and he is the one who will return to reign on the throne of David once and for all. God’s promise will be fulfilled.
… by means of perfect justice.
With this description, Isaiah assures God’s people that this coming child and king will govern his universal kingdom with perfect justice. The foundational principles and operating policies, principles, and procedures (“to order and establish”) will be characterized by perfect discernment and justice and by honest and just integrity. There will be no favoritism, no hypocrisy, no scandals, and no bribery. There will be no contradictory laws and policies, no unfair taxes and red tape. All law will be just, and all government activities will be honest and right.
… for an endless duration.
Finally, this kingdom – once it begins – will last forever. It will have no term limits, and this coming king will never be dethroned, replaced, overthrown, and will never die. His kingdom and reign of peace will last forever. Perhaps you’ve heard the famous, repeated line in Handel’s well-known Christmas cantata, “and he shall reign for ever and ever.” This refers to what Isaiah promises here and is a quotation from Rev 11:15, which says:
There were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
Later on, as the eventual captivity of Israel came to a close, the prophet Daniel recorded what King Darius said about God’s coming kingdom (Dan 3:17-18):
I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, And steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, And His dominion shall endure to the end.
Then to Mary, the mother of Jesus, the angel Gabriel said this (Lk 1:30-33):
Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.
In a world where leadership often falls short, Isaiah's prophecy of the Prince of Peace stands as a beacon of hope, a light that shines through the darkness. This child who was born will come to govern with divine wisdom and justice and is not just another ruler in the long line of human kings but is God Himself, come to establish a kingdom where peace reigns supreme, both everywhere and forever. This peace transcends the temporary calm of political stability; it is a complete and total shalom that affects and transforms every aspect of life. It promises not only the end of all conflict but the flourishing of all that is good, right, and beautiful.
As we reflect on the nature of earthly governments of all kinds, we realize our deep need for this coming king, whose reign will bring not only peace from God but the very peace of God, healing the rift not only between people and people, but between people and God, which exists due to our sin and rebellion against God. May we also realize that this king has made such peace possible not only by declaring it, but by becoming like us, living like us, living the good and righteous life we fail to live in our place, and dying the death that we deserve to die in our place. He became the peace offering for us, making genuine, lasting peace with God possible forever.
This prophecy invites us to turn our allegiance, hope, and reliance away from the flawed governmental systems and leaders of this world to the eternal king whose government rests completely on his shoulders. Let us apply this truth to our lives by anchoring our hope not in the changing, unreliable, temporary promises of political leaders but in the steadfast promise of Christ's eternal reign.
You may have a lot of optimism (or pessimism) about what a new presidential administration and a new year in 2025 may bring our way? But have no illusions that the years ahead will provide all that have been promised by political leaders or that our community, our nation, or our world will be finally made right and enter into perfect, lasting peace and prosperity because of our current and upcoming government officials and policies. Like so many governments and governing leaders before, they too will fall short and will fail to bring the peace that this coming king, Jesus Christ, alone can and will provide.
In our daily lives, we can strive to represent and look forward to this peace by trusting in Christ alone and completely as God and Savior, submitting to him now as Savior and King. We should also, then, as his children and those who look forward to his kingdom pursue reconciliation in broken relationships and justice and love in our communities.
We can do this, for instance, by meeting the needs of young mothers and helping them overcome the great problem of abortion through ministries like the Perry Center, providing our community with a glimpse at what Christ’s kingdom will be like.
We can also do so by joining together as a church to meet needs in the community that surrounds us and introduce people we meet and serve to the salvation and peace that Christ provides through faith in the gospel.
As we await the full coming and realization of Christ’s perfect, peaceful, universal, and everlasting kingdom, let us live as ambassadors of this peace, reflecting the character of the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace in our actions and decisions, both at home, in our church, and in our community. In doing so, we can show our world a sample – a foretaste – of what this future kingdom will be like forever. May this be our mission and vision for the New Year ahead.
From their first king, Saul, to their last king, Hoshea, the nation of Israel experienced the reigns of 42 kings and 1 queen. Apart from David and Solomon, only 8 other kings were considered generally good, and even those kings had some serious problems. Most importantly, none of these kings brough lasting, real peace to their people, not to mention the entire world.
The same is true in our own nation, the United States of America. Altogether, we’ve been governed by 45 different men as President. Depending upon your perspective and values, we grade them differently, but all tend to view some as better than others, some as good presidents and others as bad ones. No matter who you are, you will probably agree that the list of good presidents is shorter than the list of bad ones. It’s also true that no matter how good a President may have been, none have left our nation with lasting, real peace.
As the nation of Israel entered a period of foreign invasion and captivity to the Assyrian Empire, they longed for a king who would save them and a king who would lead them into real, lasting peace, just as our own hearts desire the same today. As political leaders come and go, none can provide the real, lasting peace that our hearts deeply desire. It’s with this deep longing in mind that Isaiah told us that such a king will come, and he would first come as a child.
As we’ve learned, this child would be God himself come as a human being. According to Isa 7:14, he would be Emmanuel, “God with us,” and he would save his people from the bondage and captivity not only of their failed, corrupt, unreliable political rulers, but of their own failed, corrupt, unreliable hearts. He would “save his people from their sins.”
- As we’ve also learned, he would be the “Wonderful Counselor,” whose plans, decisions, and counsel would not only be divine, supernatural, and wonderful, but would be entirely reliable and effective.
- He would be the “Mighty God,” meaning he would possess all the attributes and qualities of God Almighty because, in fact, that would be who he is.
- He would also be the “Everlasting Father,” meaning he would protect, guide, teach, provide, and care for the people of his kingdom as a loving, faithful father, and he would do so forever without end.
To all of this, Isaiah adds one more guarantee about this coming child and king when he calls him “the Prince of Peace.” What more does this tell us about our wonderful Savior?
This child will carry full governing power.
This special title calls this child “the prince.” The title refers to a top governing official and representative in a kingdom and the leading, chief commander of its armies. This is a royal title of superiority and preeminence in the government of a kingdom.
In this prophecy, Isaiah says, “the government will be upon his shoulder.” This claim envisions this coming child and king as carrying full governing power, meaning he will have all authority to make all decisions for the kingdom and he will have the obligation and responsibility to do so. The behavior, care, direction, guidance, policies, and programs of his government and kingdom will be entirely his responsibility to determine and carry out.
At this point, let me ask you, what is the best form of government? Options include: (1) democracy (direct rule of the people), (2) republic (rule by representatives of the people), (3) democratic republic (rule of people through representatives), (4) constitutional democratic republic (a democratic republic accountable to a predetermined written document), (5) absolute monarchy (rule by a king/queen descended from royalty), (6) constitutional monarchy (rule by a king/queen limited by set, written laws), (7) ecclesiastical theocracy (rule by a religious figure or church), (8) oligarchy (rule by an elite group of people), (9) individual dictatorship (self-declared single leader), (10) military dictatorship (rule by the military), (11) party dictatorship (rule by a single political party), and (12) anarchy (no government at all).
The answer to this question is a benevolent monarchy, in which a truly caring, noble, reliable, selfless, and wise king takes full responsibility for the government of a kingdom. This king must be entirely reliable and selfless, which is why monarchies and dictatorships are so difficult otherwise. And the same is true of all other forms of government as well. No matter what kind of government you experience, it is directed and governed by sinful, selfish people. Even in a constitutional democratic republic, such as the United States, we are know that our constitution – as good as it is – is limited and flawed, our representatives and government officials are sinful and selfish, and our voters (including you) are also sinful and selfish by nature.
This is why we need a king who can save, care for, and govern us in a godly, reliable, and selfless way. That king is Emmanuel, this child and king whom Isaiah prophesied.
His reign will ensure harmony and wellbeing …
This child and king would be not only a governing, royal king but one whose nature, policies, and way of governing is characterized by peace. And what is peace?
Peace today normally means something basic and simple, whether that be “the end of conflict, fighting, and war,” “a quiet day at the lake,” or “serene inner thoughts and feelings.” But in Scripture, esp. the OT, peace (called “shalom”) is a broad range of things which all go together. This concept of peace includes emotional serenity, personal safety, prosperity, health, celebration, and happiness in every way. The concept of peace includes abundant material wealth, complete physical and emotional health, genuine, deep comfort and rest, the complete absence of conflict and danger, personal happiness and satisfaction, stable, thriving relationships, and so much more.
Isaiah speaks about the peace that God provides later on in Isa 26:3. Where our English translations say something like “perfect peace,” Isaiah actually said “peace, peace.” By repeating the word twice, he emphasized the complete, perfect, all-encompassing nature of the peace that God brings. Does this sound wonderful or what?
Most importantly, this peace will not only be the peace “from God,” but the peace “of God.” In John 14:27, Jesus himself said this:
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
This peace comes not only in the form of physical, mental, and material peace and prosperity, but even more so as relationship peace with God himself. This peace that Christ provides is the removal of hostility between you and God. As sinners, we rebel against God and behave as his enemies who deserve his judgment and who prevent a close, loving, caring relationship with him. But this God himself became our peace. As the judge he took our place as the guilty and fully endured our punishment for us (Eph 2:14):
He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation …
This statement “he is our peace” may also be translated as “he is our peace offering,” meaning that he did what was required to resolve the hostility between us and himself. Rather than force us to pay for our crimes, he paid for our crimes in our place, making real, lasting peace between us and God possible. Not only this, but he made real, lasting peace between us and other people truly possible, too, since sin and injustice prevents peace between people, too.
As the Prince of Peace, this child and King – who is God himself – would govern the world in such a way that he would guarantee all the conditions and benefits of genuine peace, not only in a physical, material way, but in a relational, social way between people and in a spiritual way between God and man. Isaiah goes on to provide four specific descriptions of this peaceful kingdom.
… with a universal scope.
This king’s kingdom will be universal in scope. Isaiah says, “of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.” The word increase speaks of expansion and extent, so it describes how much territory and space it will include. This extent is described as being “without end,” which does not describe how long his kingdom will last but describes instead how large his kingdom will be. It will be so large that its borders will be immeasurable. So, Isaiah is announcing that this coming child and king would govern a kingdom not only the size of Israel but vastly larger. It would – at the very least – encompass the entire world and would (likely included) encompass the entire universe. This means that the entire world and universe will enjoy the peace that he brings.
… as the Davidic fulfillment.
This kingdom will also be a fulfillment of another promise God had made to King David centuries before through the prophet Nathan. (2 Sam 7:16)
Your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.
This is a significant promise because the kings of Israel were about to be taken captive into Assyria and Babylon and, to this day, this royal line has not been restored. That is, of course, except for Jesus Christ who was born as a direct descendant from the line of King David, and he is the one who will return to reign on the throne of David once and for all. God’s promise will be fulfilled.
… by means of perfect justice.
With this description, Isaiah assures God’s people that this coming child and king will govern his universal kingdom with perfect justice. The foundational principles and operating policies, principles, and procedures (“to order and establish”) will be characterized by perfect discernment and justice and by honest and just integrity. There will be no favoritism, no hypocrisy, no scandals, and no bribery. There will be no contradictory laws and policies, no unfair taxes and red tape. All law will be just, and all government activities will be honest and right.
… for an endless duration.
Finally, this kingdom – once it begins – will last forever. It will have no term limits, and this coming king will never be dethroned, replaced, overthrown, and will never die. His kingdom and reign of peace will last forever. Perhaps you’ve heard the famous, repeated line in Handel’s well-known Christmas cantata, “and he shall reign for ever and ever.” This refers to what Isaiah promises here and is a quotation from Rev 11:15, which says:
There were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
Later on, as the eventual captivity of Israel came to a close, the prophet Daniel recorded what King Darius said about God’s coming kingdom (Dan 3:17-18):
I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, And steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, And His dominion shall endure to the end.
Then to Mary, the mother of Jesus, the angel Gabriel said this (Lk 1:30-33):
Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.
In a world where leadership often falls short, Isaiah's prophecy of the Prince of Peace stands as a beacon of hope, a light that shines through the darkness. This child who was born will come to govern with divine wisdom and justice and is not just another ruler in the long line of human kings but is God Himself, come to establish a kingdom where peace reigns supreme, both everywhere and forever. This peace transcends the temporary calm of political stability; it is a complete and total shalom that affects and transforms every aspect of life. It promises not only the end of all conflict but the flourishing of all that is good, right, and beautiful.
As we reflect on the nature of earthly governments of all kinds, we realize our deep need for this coming king, whose reign will bring not only peace from God but the very peace of God, healing the rift not only between people and people, but between people and God, which exists due to our sin and rebellion against God. May we also realize that this king has made such peace possible not only by declaring it, but by becoming like us, living like us, living the good and righteous life we fail to live in our place, and dying the death that we deserve to die in our place. He became the peace offering for us, making genuine, lasting peace with God possible forever.
This prophecy invites us to turn our allegiance, hope, and reliance away from the flawed governmental systems and leaders of this world to the eternal king whose government rests completely on his shoulders. Let us apply this truth to our lives by anchoring our hope not in the changing, unreliable, temporary promises of political leaders but in the steadfast promise of Christ's eternal reign.
You may have a lot of optimism (or pessimism) about what a new presidential administration and a new year in 2025 may bring our way? But have no illusions that the years ahead will provide all that have been promised by political leaders or that our community, our nation, or our world will be finally made right and enter into perfect, lasting peace and prosperity because of our current and upcoming government officials and policies. Like so many governments and governing leaders before, they too will fall short and will fail to bring the peace that this coming king, Jesus Christ, alone can and will provide.
In our daily lives, we can strive to represent and look forward to this peace by trusting in Christ alone and completely as God and Savior, submitting to him now as Savior and King. We should also, then, as his children and those who look forward to his kingdom pursue reconciliation in broken relationships and justice and love in our communities.
We can do this, for instance, by meeting the needs of young mothers and helping them overcome the great problem of abortion through ministries like the Perry Center, providing our community with a glimpse at what Christ’s kingdom will be like.
We can also do so by joining together as a church to meet needs in the community that surrounds us and introduce people we meet and serve to the salvation and peace that Christ provides through faith in the gospel.
As we await the full coming and realization of Christ’s perfect, peaceful, universal, and everlasting kingdom, let us live as ambassadors of this peace, reflecting the character of the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace in our actions and decisions, both at home, in our church, and in our community. In doing so, we can show our world a sample – a foretaste – of what this future kingdom will be like forever. May this be our mission and vision for the New Year ahead.
Posted in Christmas, Sermon Manuscript
Posted in Christmas, Isaiah, Peace, Prophecy, Old Testament, Hope
Posted in Christmas, Isaiah, Peace, Prophecy, Old Testament, Hope
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