TEXT: ISAIAH 9:1-7
Key verse: “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.”
(Isaiah 9:6).
Someone said “Hope is good for breakfast, but bad for dinner”. This is
as far as man, mortal man can perceive. But hope in God is not time-bound. It
is a confident assurance in Him that He will fulfill what He has promised, even
when all hope has been lost.
Previously, Isaiah had shown the adverse effects of false dependence:
hardship, hunger, anguish and darkness (Isaiah 8:21-22). The prophet now
pictures the darkness fading away as the light of the Lord dawns. This brings
joy to the people. The oppressor shall be driven out of the land. All warlike
apparatuses shall be destroyed. They shall no longer be required in the new
era. A summary of the twofold hope was then given to Israel - redemption at the
Messiah’s first coming and restoration of Davidic kingdom at His Second Advent
(verses 6,7).
These two verses are pregnant with meaning. The whole destiny of man
hangs on them viz: A child (Jesus) is born at Bethlehem. A son (the Saviour) is
given at Calvary. These first two comprise the first hope. The right to be the
Sovereign of all the earth shall be vested in the Saviour. He, the Saviour,
will restore the Davidic kingdom and rule eternally. These last two points are
“the second, hope”. Notice however, that the prophets could not see the
intervening period that separates the word given in verse six and the rest of
the prediction, that is, the Church Age in which we live (Ephesians 3:3-9).
The first hope has already been fulfilled, for the Child has been born
and the Son given (crucified). Henceforth, God requires us to apply faith to
appropriate the benefits of this fulfilled hope. This qualifies us to be part
of the true Church. Do you believe in Jesus? Have you accepted Him as Saviour
and Lord and fully repented of your sins? If you are a child of God, you can be
rest assured that “the second hope” will be literally fulfilled for God remains
the same. Be appropriately positioned though, to fully appropriate all that God
has imbedded in Christ.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: God means just what He says.
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