Mighty God (Part 1 of 2)

The story of Jesus on hold in the New Testament his birth in the manger to his ascension into heaven. But did you know the whole Bible is actually about him today on Truth for Life Alastair Begg looks at how the New Testament clarifies what the Old Testament prophesied. Can I invite you to turn to Isaiah chapter 9 set the context for our study in verse six.

By reading the opening seven versus of Isaiah 9. Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past, he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles. By the way of the sea along the Jordan, the people walking in darkness have seen a great light on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarge the nation and increase their joy. They rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest as men rejoice when dividing the plunder for as in the day of Midian's defeat.

You have shattered the yoke that burdens them the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.

Every warriors boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning will be fuel for the fire for two hours a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders and he will be called wonderful Counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, Prince of peace of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Amen. Prayer as we come to the Bible make the book live to me oh Lord, show me yourself within your word.

Show me myself and show me my Savior and make the book live to me, for Christ's sake. Amen is good for us to remind ourselves when we study, not least of all in the Old Testament that the Bible is a book about Jesus and very quickly we will lose our way in the study of the Bible. If we take our eyes away from Christ in every part of the Bible, we will find that it is pointing either backwards or forwards to him and in the Old Testament. He is predicted and in the New Testament. He is revealed in the Old Testament expectations and anticipations abound in the New Testament, we discover that they are fulfilled. It's been said that what is concealed in the Old Testament is then revealed in the New Testament or what is contained in the old is explained in the new.

There is a sense in which it would send this to one another quite routinely is a sense in which we are held by reading the Bible backwards by working from the end towards the beginning simply because of the way in which the story unfolds. Indeed, even as I say that I think in the first service a number of people were feeling that at they might have done better if I preach my sermon backwards simply because of the clarity that I hope was present at the end that it wasn't.

Apparently as I could tell from the rise necessarily there at the beginning. Your much brighter group and so we want to have that problem by that II do think that you need to understand that in the process of things. My my task is the task of the weights are in many ways to go into the kitchen and to bring out the food and put it in a manageable way up on a plate. I can force you to eat it. I don't force-feed you. I simply try make it as palatable as I can and some days there are more vegetables than others and I want you to know that in the early part of the sermon there quite a few vegetables as there is a significant amount of broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

But if you stay if you stay the course, you should be all right by the time we get to the end.

I wanted trying teach you this morning along lines that we've been before. But in order that you might have a real understanding of your way around the Bible. We begun to look those of us for the last couple of Sundays at the sixth verse of Isaiah 9 where in the prophecy of Isaiah.

We are introduced to this child, son was born and the names that are given to them.

Provide an accurate description designation. If you like of the nature of this child both his being and his character. There's no anticipation in this that this child when he grows will actually be referred to by anyone of these designations and fight there's nowhere in the New Testament that we discover that happening, but the prophet is encapsulating seeking to summarize the wealth.

The grandeur of the significance of the arrival of this child and we see that he is introduced to is is the child who is born and as the sun who is given is interesting that the word for child is yelling, which is actually the word for a male child is quite interesting that it then says for two hours, a male child is born, to us a son is given every male child is a son so clearly the reference to son is a very significant reference his birth speaks to his human parentage and the fact that he is given speaks to the fact of his divine origin and Isaiah includes himself with the company of those who are the recipients of the blessing that the sons birth will bring. That is the significance of it, saying for to us a child is born, to us, to whom to all who are the recipients of the blessing that this child will bring you don't actually think of children being born to corporate groups of people do you you don't say that a child is being born to a group said child is being born to his mother or child is being born into his family. This child is no ordinary child.

It is to us. This child is born. It is to ours that this son is given, who are the eyes.

Well, Isaiah includes himself. You find a similar thing in interestingly, when the Angels, and announce the birth of Jesus to the shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem don't think because one of the say to them. They sang out from heaven and they say for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. What born to shepherds born to shepherds to you is born a Savior. Yes, do you do you this is no ordinary child.

This child is the one on whose shoulders rest the very government of the universe. He is the one who comes to us he is the one Emmanuelle in 714 who is with us and he is as we will see the child who is fought us if this child be fought us who can be against us.

When we considered the designation wonderful counselor last time you noted that this is the child with a plan. If you like. Here is the one who has the best ideas in the entire universe was at like people with ideas I like and I like ideas, people, I like meeting people look good ideas while here were introduced to the one with the best ideas of all were introduced to the one who has the answers to life's ultimate questions here in the wonderful counselor we discover someone who can answer all of our wise and all of our wherefores. And since he is not only wonderful counselor, but mighty God we discover that he has the power to accomplish his plan so is wonderful, counselor.

He has a plan which actually stems from all of eternity and is mighty God we need be in no doubt that he is able to achieve the plan as introduced. Now when an air traffic control. There is a transition from one controller to another. The transition period is called by some getting the picture and for our comfort. We should know that somebody does not simply clock out at 1015 and walk away and leave his computer screen with aircraft all over the all over the sky. But no, he or she stays there until the person who is replacing them comes and stands beside them or sits beside them for a transitional. And it is in a transitional period that the one who is taking over seeks to get the picture so that when the person vacates the seat, the one who now is in the seat will be clear as to what alternate should the various aircraft are on now, I mentioned that because in seeking to deal with the bold statement, mighty God, you have to say to yourself I would have to sit here a while to get the picture I would have to find the points is aware on the compass that allow me to do something with this if you imagine what it's like some of you experience this you teach. But last Sunday after wonderful counselor Monday came and on Monday I did a fresh sheet of paper and I wrote to the top of it, mighty God, and there was nothing underneath there is nothing underneath. By the end of Monday either Tuesday I took a day off on Wednesday.

I came back to my page with mighty God written of the tall then I just crumpled up that paper.

I thought if I write it again at the top of another page. Maybe something will happen.

I wrote of the top of the next page and still there was nothing there at all. And I want you to feel something of the pressure of that and had to feel the tension of that and the discovery as you say all Lord God in heaven help me to speak about you, the mighty God in a way that would be clear and concise, and helpful.

While of course the mighty God that it would to whom it introduced here is fine throughout the pages of the Bible and we could stay in the Old Testament, but we want. I want to go to the new, but we should notice that for example in the Psalms, and another to make your turn to these passages, but I'll reference them for you and Sam. 45. In verse three. This mighty God is clothed with splendor and majesty in Psalm 50 in verse one.

It is the mighty God who speaks with absolute authority and in Psalm 45 and also here in Isaiah chapter 9. It is this mighty God who establishes his victory.I doesn't tell us everything that we need to know about this mighty one, but at least it gives us three points of reference. Is it where he who is enthroned in majesty and in splendor speaks with absolute authority and can call the nations and the air to himself and he is the one who establishes victory and rains victoriously and that, of course, we've noticed haven't week when it in verses four and five of Isaiah 9.

He is the one who shatters the yoke that burdens the captives the bar across their shoulders and the wrought of their oppressor.

How is it that he is able to do this, how does he remove the burden from the shoulders of the captive while he does so because on his shoulders rests. All of the government of the universe. Only someone who is supreme and authoritative and kingly. And God can intervene in this way, and it is perhaps of interest is a cross-reference that when you think about being yoked and burdened in that way. Jesus then works as a carpenter and works with Joseph and builds things and manufactures bits and pieces and who's to know but they might've had as their slogan outside the carpenter shop.

My yolks are easy. In other words, you can come and get these, they won't chaff the neck of your oxen. Maybe. Certainly we know that Jesus said take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Because as mighty God, the government rests upon his shoulders. He is able to remove the bird and the oppression of the captive and replace it with the lightest of burdens, a life lived in obedience to his kingly rule know what we need to get a hold of this morning if were going to move properly from this prophecy, or from any prophecy into the New Testament is the notion of expectation and fulfillment. So for example the whole idea of authority and kingly rule and the government being upon his shoulders.

Many of you will will fast-forward right to the end of Matthew's gospel in your minds you will remember that when Jesus sends out his disciples into all the world to proclaim the gospel and to baptize people in the name of the father and of the son of the Holy Spirit. He precedes his command to them with a statement all authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto me.

Therefore go into all the world. The reason that the Christians have evangelized. Do evangelized and will evangelize is because this child is the mighty God and there is no other. Because he is the authority, because he is the only supreme counselor and therefore the only hope of salvation in the entire world know when you think along these lines and you realize what Isaiah and the other prophets were doing.

I wondered you say to yourself I wonder how much of this did Isaiah get because here he is writing these things down and you know having the equivalent of a cup of coffee talking with his wife. She is and how you getting on his as well.

I just I just finished the first half of chapter 9. What was that about why I I wrote about the child is going to be born and and his wife said and ended and exactly what did you mean by that is why I am not sure I measure. I really get it all goes.

We know that's the case, because the New Testament clarifies was cloudy in the old first Peter chapter 1 Peter is explaining what is happening in the use of the prophecies of the Old Testament and he says chapter 1 in verse 10 of first Peter concerning this salvation, the prophets Isaiah being one of them who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the suffering of Christ and the glories that would follow. So for example, let's go forward. Isaiah 53 piece and he takes his pen and he writes he was wounded for our transgressions, he was pierced for our iniquities the chastisement that brought us peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed.

Peter says that when Isaiah wrote something like that.

He was searching intently took the greatest care, trying to find out what the spirit of Christ was doing in predicting these things and it was revealed to them that is to the prophets that they were not serving themselves but you, who is the you the readers of first Peter when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who preach the gospel to see how it all fits fits Peter is now writing his letter he says when the people explain the gospel to you. They explained the gospel and the strength of what the prophets of written what the prophets wrote they wanted desperately to discover they stood on their tiptoes trying to figure it out, but he never saw the fulfillment of it all. Well, where they simply writing their own ideas. No lights there they weren't. They were writing as normal men. They were writing a relationship to their personality to their history and to their context.

But as he says in two Peter chapter 1 verse 21.

You must understand that no prophecy of Scripture never came about by the prophet's own interpretation for prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit we can delay here, but this is just a reference to the dual authorship of Scripture will be referred to as the dual authorship of Scripture Isaiah wrote it and God wrote to God right it on his own no did Isaiah write it on his own. No who wrote it. Isaiah wrote. God wrote the same is true of every book of the Bible. No, we know from the words of Jesus himself.

In Matthew, that this was the great distinguishing feature between those who had gone before, and the disciples themselves.

I just reference this for you because it does actually fit and that is in Matthew chapter 13 and in verse 16 Jesus having quoted Isaiah the prophet. If you're in a cloudy section in your mind. Don't worry, this will become clear.

Having quoted Isaiah the prophet in the preceding verses. He then says to his disciples. Verse 16 of Matthew 13.

Blessed are your eyes because they see in your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men long to see what you see but didn't see it and to hear what you hear but didn't hear, including Isaiah, and invite Matthew's gospel serifs of all the four Gospels as the best bridge between the predictions of the Old Testament and the fulfillments of the new and just as there are six of Isaiah 9 gives to us for names to encapsulate the wonder of this child.

So in the New Testament we actually have four Gospels, essentially achieving the same thing.

Isaiah is writing in prospectively and he says under other child is born a son is given, government will be upon his shoulders and his name will be called this and this and this and this and this was all that about what is all I going to mean fast-forward through your Bible, you come into the Gospels, you discover that Matthew says I'm going to write a gospel and make it clear that all of the stuff that is unfolding is on account of what the prophet said.

Mark says I'm going to write a gospel and make it clear to everyone who reads it that Jesus Christ came as a suffering servant as a ransom for the sins of many. Look says I'm going to write a gospel and I'm going to make clear the absolute universality of the gospel established in the words of Simeon and now my eyes, let your servant depart in peace because my eyes have seen your salvation, a light to lighten the Gentiles in the consolation or hope for my people Israel. That's what he's doing and in John's gospel John is establishing with absolute clarity, the great evangelistic appeal of this mighty law majesty, authority and victory. That is our mighty God listing the Truth for Life with Alister beg series titled, the child is born a Truth for Life.

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