For Unto Us a Child Is Born
Tim Melton
Isaiah 9:1-7
6 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.
7 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. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Every Christmas these verses are read in most churches around the world, but what do they mean? To whom are they given? What is the need that demanded such a great promise? If we are not careful we hear the verses and are satisfied with their apparent meaning without knowing the greater significance.
When studying the Bible one of the most important questions to answer is what did these verses mean to the original hearers? This is true of these verses as well. Let us now look at the historical situation that these precious words of Christmas were spoken.
In the years after Israel entered the Promised Land they were first led by judges and then eventually by King Saul, King David and King Solomon. After King Solomon´s death a problem arose and the nation of Israel split into two factions. The northern kingdom was made up of 10 of the 12 tribes and kept the name Israel. The remaining two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, were the southern kingdom that came to be known as Judah. Jerusalem was the capital of Judah. Although both Israel and Judah struggled with worshiping other gods, Israel, the northern kingdom grew in its wickedness to a greater degree.
During this time, around 720 B.C., a man named Isaiah was one of the prophets that God used to speak to the people of Judah. In Isaiah 7-8 we read how ''Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it.'' '' ...
Tim Melton
Isaiah 9:1-7
6 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.
7 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. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Every Christmas these verses are read in most churches around the world, but what do they mean? To whom are they given? What is the need that demanded such a great promise? If we are not careful we hear the verses and are satisfied with their apparent meaning without knowing the greater significance.
When studying the Bible one of the most important questions to answer is what did these verses mean to the original hearers? This is true of these verses as well. Let us now look at the historical situation that these precious words of Christmas were spoken.
In the years after Israel entered the Promised Land they were first led by judges and then eventually by King Saul, King David and King Solomon. After King Solomon´s death a problem arose and the nation of Israel split into two factions. The northern kingdom was made up of 10 of the 12 tribes and kept the name Israel. The remaining two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, were the southern kingdom that came to be known as Judah. Jerusalem was the capital of Judah. Although both Israel and Judah struggled with worshiping other gods, Israel, the northern kingdom grew in its wickedness to a greater degree.
During this time, around 720 B.C., a man named Isaiah was one of the prophets that God used to speak to the people of Judah. In Isaiah 7-8 we read how ''Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it.'' '' ...
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