The tenor of the last section of Isaiah 8 is that Israel is refusing the light (Isa. 8:19-22). They walk in darkness to such an extent that they consult mediums. Isaiah 9 introduces the light motif in contrast to Israel’s spiritual darkness. Israel will see a “great light,” and “the light will shine on them” (Isa. 9:2, NASB). The light in this chapter is not only a reference to the glory of God, who will lead His people out of dark circumstances; this expression also may be understood as a reference to, or symbol of, the coming Messiah. The Messiah is described in different features: “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). All names or features of the character of the Messiah are amplified in the Bible and in the book of Isaiah in particular.
Three main topics are explored in this study: (1) from darkness to light, (2) the Messiah as the light of the world, and (3) the character of the Messiah.
Part II: Commentary
From Darkness to Light.
The last verses of Isaiah 8 describe the misfortunes and dark adventures of the people of Judah: “If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry. . . . And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness” (Isa. 8:20–22). Thus, God’s people walk in darkness mainly because they ignore and reject the prophetic Word of God. They separate themselves from the Light. Ellen G. White states, “In Isaiah’s day the spiritual understanding of mankind was dark through misapprehension of God. Long had Satan sought to lead men to look upon their Creator as the author of sin and suffering and death. Those whom he had thus deceived, imagined that God was hard and exacting. They regarded Him as watching to denounce and condemn, unwilling to receive the sinner so long as there was a legal excuse for not helping him. The law of love by which heaven is ruled had been misrepresented by the archdeceiver as a restriction upon men’s happiness, a burdensome yoke from which they should be glad to escape.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 311.
But the dark days would be turned into a gloriously bright and shining experience. This is precisely what we find in the first part of Isaiah 9 (verses 1-5). The Bible indicates the promises and hope that God has given to His people in the midst of oppression. Therefore, the topic here is referring to Judah’s deliverance, which would be carried out by the great light. Isaiah 9:2 describes the future scene: “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” The act of restoration is announced here, and the liberation of God’s people from their oppressor would be accompanied by the brightness of God’s presence. “They rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest” (Isa. 9:3, ESV). It is also the language in Isaiah 60 when God encourages His people who would come back from the exile: “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you” (Isa. 60:1, NASB). Is it possible that the Lord is going to intervene in favor of His people? Isaiah affirms it: “For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders” (Isa. 9:4, NASB).
The Messiah as the Light of the World.
The author of Matthew alludes to Isaiah’s prophecy. He says, “He [Jesus] withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet” (Matt. 4:12-14, NASB); then Matthew refers to Isaiah 9:1, 2. Here we have a biblical author applying a Messianic fulfillment to Isaiah’s prophecy.
It is great for the reader when the Bible itself provides the interpretation of a previous biblical text; in this case, Matthew is interpreting Isaiah. Thus, it gives the reader assurance and confidence to approach verses 6 and 7 in the prophecy of Isaiah 9. In addition to that, Ellen G. White makes reference to those verses. She explains, “In the later centuries of Israel’s history prior to the first advent it was generally understood that the coming of the Messiah was referred to in the prophecy.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 688.
The luminescent motif in Isaiah 9, as evinced in “a great light” (Isa. 9:2), along with the promise that “a child will be born to us” (Isa. 9:6, NASB), clearly points to Christ. Matthew records the wise men from the East who arrive in Jerusalem, inquiring, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. . . . When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him” (Matt. 2:2, 10, 11; emphasis added). The Gospel of John offers a rich description of Jesus in relation to the light: “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness. . . . That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:4, 5, 9). With this context, clearly, Isaiah 9:6, 7 is a direct reference to the coming of the Messiah, who is “the light of the world” (John 8:12) and who brings peace, freedom, justice, and righteousness.
The Character of the Messiah.
Isaiah 9:6, 7 is a rich catalog of the Messiah’s character and kingship. The prophet claims, “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). What follows is a brief study of this catalog of Messianic features.
The future Messianic king would be “Wonderful.” The word “Wonderful” appears as a noun in Isaiah 25:1 and 29:14, and the Hebrew word from which it derives has the connotation of “one who plans a miracle, the miracle worker.”—Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, vol. 3, p. 928. The same term is used in the Song of Moses: “Who is like You among the gods, O LORD? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders [ʿōśê p̱eleʾ]?” (Exod. 15:11, NASB). Later, Isaiah would use the same expression: “O LORD, you are my God; . . . . for you have done wonderful things” (Isa. 25:1, NRSV). In other words, it is a reference to the wonderful performance and saving acts from the Mighty God.
The other reference to the Messiah in Isaiah 9 is Counselor. The Hebrew term yôʿeṣ reflects the idea of someone “who always knows what to do.”—Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, vol. 2, p. 403. The expression has the connotation of a wise man, an advisor, and/or someone who leads properly. It is the idea in Isaiah 1:26: “Then I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning” (NASB).
Finally, we examine the expression “Mighty God” (ʾel gibbôr). The expression gibbôr is associated with power and bravery in the battle. A suggested translation is “God the heroic force,” or “God the hero.”—Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, vol. 1, p. 172. We see this idea embodied in Isaiah 42:13: “The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.” John Oswalt rightly comments, “Wherever ʾēl gibbôr occurs elsewhere in the Bible there is no doubt that the term refers to God.”—The Book of Isaiah: Chapters 1-39, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, p. 247.
Part III: Life Application
The last verses of Isaiah 8 states that the counsels from God to the people are rejected because they turn to the counsels of mediums, which leads them into spiritual darkness. However, God’s mercy promises to deliver His people out of it and give them a brighter future. The Lord is the only One who can turn darkness into light. Share any event in your life in which a dark circumstance, yet through God’s providence and intervention, becomes a bright experience.
In Isaiah 2:5, God counsels His people: “O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.” How do you personally understand Jesus’ counsel in John 8:12: “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life”? What does it mean to have “the light of life”?
Isaiah 9:6 describes many features of the Messiah that are associated with His everlasting kingdom. The prophet pens, “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Which of these features of God is most significant for you, and why?
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Study Focus: Isaiah 9
Part I: Overview
The tenor of the last section of Isaiah 8 is that Israel is refusing the light (Isa. 8:19-22). They walk in darkness to such an extent that they consult mediums. Isaiah 9 introduces the light motif in contrast to Israel’s spiritual darkness. Israel will see a “great light,” and “the light will shine on them” (Isa. 9:2, NASB). The light in this chapter is not only a reference to the glory of God, who will lead His people out of dark circumstances; this expression also may be understood as a reference to, or symbol of, the coming Messiah. The Messiah is described in different features: “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). All names or features of the character of the Messiah are amplified in the Bible and in the book of Isaiah in particular.
Three main topics are explored in this study: (1) from darkness to light, (2) the Messiah as the light of the world, and (3) the character of the Messiah.
Part II: Commentary
From Darkness to Light.
The last verses of Isaiah 8 describe the misfortunes and dark adventures of the people of Judah: “If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry. . . . And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness” (Isa. 8:20–22). Thus, God’s people walk in darkness mainly because they ignore and reject the prophetic Word of God. They separate themselves from the Light. Ellen G. White states, “In Isaiah’s day the spiritual understanding of mankind was dark through misapprehension of God. Long had Satan sought to lead men to look upon their Creator as the author of sin and suffering and death. Those whom he had thus deceived, imagined that God was hard and exacting. They regarded Him as watching to denounce and condemn, unwilling to receive the sinner so long as there was a legal excuse for not helping him. The law of love by which heaven is ruled had been misrepresented by the archdeceiver as a restriction upon men’s happiness, a burdensome yoke from which they should be glad to escape.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 311.
But the dark days would be turned into a gloriously bright and shining experience. This is precisely what we find in the first part of Isaiah 9 (verses 1-5). The Bible indicates the promises and hope that God has given to His people in the midst of oppression. Therefore, the topic here is referring to Judah’s deliverance, which would be carried out by the great light. Isaiah 9:2 describes the future scene: “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” The act of restoration is announced here, and the liberation of God’s people from their oppressor would be accompanied by the brightness of God’s presence. “They rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest” (Isa. 9:3, ESV). It is also the language in Isaiah 60 when God encourages His people who would come back from the exile: “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you” (Isa. 60:1, NASB). Is it possible that the Lord is going to intervene in favor of His people? Isaiah affirms it: “For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders” (Isa. 9:4, NASB).
The Messiah as the Light of the World.
The author of Matthew alludes to Isaiah’s prophecy. He says, “He [Jesus] withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet” (Matt. 4:12-14, NASB); then Matthew refers to Isaiah 9:1, 2. Here we have a biblical author applying a Messianic fulfillment to Isaiah’s prophecy.
It is great for the reader when the Bible itself provides the interpretation of a previous biblical text; in this case, Matthew is interpreting Isaiah. Thus, it gives the reader assurance and confidence to approach verses 6 and 7 in the prophecy of Isaiah 9. In addition to that, Ellen G. White makes reference to those verses. She explains, “In the later centuries of Israel’s history prior to the first advent it was generally understood that the coming of the Messiah was referred to in the prophecy.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 688.
The luminescent motif in Isaiah 9, as evinced in “a great light” (Isa. 9:2), along with the promise that “a child will be born to us” (Isa. 9:6, NASB), clearly points to Christ. Matthew records the wise men from the East who arrive in Jerusalem, inquiring, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. . . . When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him” (Matt. 2:2, 10, 11; emphasis added). The Gospel of John offers a rich description of Jesus in relation to the light: “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness. . . . That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:4, 5, 9). With this context, clearly, Isaiah 9:6, 7 is a direct reference to the coming of the Messiah, who is “the light of the world” (John 8:12) and who brings peace, freedom, justice, and righteousness.
The Character of the Messiah.
Isaiah 9:6, 7 is a rich catalog of the Messiah’s character and kingship. The prophet claims, “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). What follows is a brief study of this catalog of Messianic features.
The future Messianic king would be “Wonderful.” The word “Wonderful” appears as a noun in Isaiah 25:1 and 29:14, and the Hebrew word from which it derives has the connotation of “one who plans a miracle, the miracle worker.”—Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, vol. 3, p. 928. The same term is used in the Song of Moses: “Who is like You among the gods, O LORD? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders [ʿōśê p̱eleʾ]?” (Exod. 15:11, NASB). Later, Isaiah would use the same expression: “O LORD, you are my God; . . . . for you have done wonderful things” (Isa. 25:1, NRSV). In other words, it is a reference to the wonderful performance and saving acts from the Mighty God.
The other reference to the Messiah in Isaiah 9 is Counselor. The Hebrew term yôʿeṣ reflects the idea of someone “who always knows what to do.”—Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, vol. 2, p. 403. The expression has the connotation of a wise man, an advisor, and/or someone who leads properly. It is the idea in Isaiah 1:26: “Then I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning” (NASB).
Finally, we examine the expression “Mighty God” (ʾel gibbôr). The expression gibbôr is associated with power and bravery in the battle. A suggested translation is “God the heroic force,” or “God the hero.”—Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, vol. 1, p. 172. We see this idea embodied in Isaiah 42:13: “The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.” John Oswalt rightly comments, “Wherever ʾēl gibbôr occurs elsewhere in the Bible there is no doubt that the term refers to God.”—The Book of Isaiah: Chapters 1-39, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, p. 247.
Part III: Life Application