Christmas Advent Devotional, Day 5: Governor of Grace

 


Isaiah 9:6

6 For Unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (NKJV, emphasis mine)

 

In the Old Testament, in the first several books of the Bible, God made it plain that He wanted to be the king of Israel.  Their government would be a theocracy- meaning ruled by God. But the hardness of the Israelite’s hearts would not allow it.  They wanted an earthly king like all the pagan nations around them.

When Isaiah pulled back the curtain and glimpsed the future, he foresaw the theocracy of God restored in His Son, the Messiah.  God would once again be the one who made the decisions.  He would guide and protect the people.  He would unite the kingdom into one everlasting government.

(Fast forward approximately 700 years.)

Jesus was born into a season of Israel being ruled by a foreign king, Herod the Great.  He had come in and taken them over, leaving them no choice but to submit to his rule. The Jews looked forward to the Messiah, especially because they believed He would overthrow the oppressive government of their enemies and allow them to reign supreme.

When Jesus came, He was lowly.  Born into a poor family, in a manger.  He walked where He went. He did not look like a king, but rather, like a common man.  He did not act like a king, rather He acted like a servant.  He did not bring the kingdom they so desired at the time.  But make no mistake, He brought the Kingdom!

Everywhere He went, He preached that the Kingdom of God was at hand.  Everywhere He went, He delivered people from the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light- through healing, delivering and raising from the dead.

His earthly throne, where He was lifted up, was a cruel cross.  But at the time of His ascension, (after He had died for our sins, was raised victorious and appeared to many) He was enthroned in heaven.  And one day soon, He will surely return to this Earth, with His bride, to set up an eternal kingdom.  A majestic and glorious kingdom. 

Then, the government, the Kingdom, will surely- and clearly- rest upon His shoulders, and He shall be called King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

 


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