If you would turn with me in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 8, Isaiah chapter 8, we'll be considering together verses 9 through chapter 9 verse 7, but to get the context once again we'll begin reading at the beginning of chapter 8 with verse 1, so let's pay careful attention, this is the very Word of God. Isaiah chapter 8, verse 1. The Lord said to me, take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinary pen, Maher Shalal Hashbaz. And I will call in Uriah the priest and Zechariah, son of Jebarekiah, as reliable witnesses for me. Then I went to the prophetess and she conceived and gave birth to a son. And the Lord said to me, name him Maher before the boy knows how to say my father or my mother, the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria. The Lord spoke to me again. Because this people has rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoices over Rezan and the son of Ramalia, therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the river. The king of Assyria with all his pomp. It will overflow all its channels, run over all its banks, and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it, passing through it, and reaching up to the neck. Its outspread wings will cover the breadth of your land, O Emmanuel. Raise the war cry, you nations, and be shattered. Listen, all you distant lands, prepare for battle and be shattered. Prepare for battle and be shattered. Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted. Propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us. The Lord spoke to me with his strong hand upon me, warning me not to follow the way of this people. He said, do not call conspiracy everything that these people call conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy. He is the one you are to fear. He is the one you are to dread. And He will be a sanctuary. But for both houses of Israel, He will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem, He will be a trap and a snare. Many of them will stumble. They will fall and be broken. they will be snared and captured. Bind up the testimony and seal up the law among my disciples. I will wait for the Lord who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in Him. Here am I and the children the Lord has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the Lord Almighty who dwells on Mount Zion. When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter. Should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony. If they do not speak according to His word, they have no light of dawn. Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land. When they are famished, they will become enraged, and looking upward will curse their King and their God. Then they will look forward to the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom and they will be thrust into utter darkness. 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 the 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 enlarged the nation and increased 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 warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us 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. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing it and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Thus far, the reading of God's word, might he bless it to us. We may have noticed this time of year that there's a lot of college football on television. I heard one person say that there are 34 bowl games this year, 68 teams playing in games. That's a lot of football games. And it's a time of year where a lot of people aren't working and are watching football when they're on vacation. And I've heard a lot of the announcers talk during these football games. They have to figure out something to say. Some of it's intelligent, some of it's not very intelligent. And one of the things that I hear all the time is they talk about plays that shift momentum. They talk about games that are going entirely in one direction, and all of a sudden something happens and the momentum shifts. The game seems to be going one way and something happens, and now it's going in a completely different direction. And we have that kind of momentum shift in Isaiah chapter 8 where the whole thrust of what Isaiah says seems to be going in one direction and then suddenly we have in verse 9 a radical shift. Isaiah has been talking about this word of judgment. Judgment, first of all, against the people that are coming against Judah. We considered last week the fact that Isaiah is bringing this message to Ahaz, who is the king of Judah, who is a descendant of David, sitting on David's throne. And there's a conspiracy, a conspiracy of Aram and Israel, the northern kingdoms, and they are plotting to come and take his throne, to displace this son of David and to put a son of Tabeel on the throne. And Isaiah has come to Ahaz and said, seek hope in the promises of God to David, That God promised to David there would always be someone to reign on David's throne. And we saw that Ahaz refused to take comfort in that promise. Refused to ask of a sign from God that would confirm that promise that God was making. And so God said, I will give you a sign of my own. It will be a sign of judgment on the house of David. That a virgin will conceive and bear a son. Because without David's help, a son of David will be raised up. And we saw how as the prophecy went on, the Lord said, the Assyrians will come in and they will wipe out these people you're afraid of. They will wipe out Israel. They will wipe out Aram. You won't have to worry about these lands or these people. But when that great river Assyria comes flooding in, it won't just go where it's been directed, but will overflow its bounds. It'll flood, and that flood will also encompass Judah. and you'll be up to your neck in these waters that run over the land. You see, this story is going in one direction. Judah is overwhelmed. Judah is flooded over. It's that picture of someone in water and barely keeping their chin above the surface. And all of a sudden, we take a radical turn in verse 9. Because what is said after this picture of lands consumed and Assyria spreading out, threatening to choke off Judah. What does verse 9 say? Raise the war cry, you nations, and be shattered. Listen, all you distant lands. Prepare for battle and be shattered. Prepare for battle and be shattered. This is no longer a picture of conquest. Now this is a picture of another power arising. And as this passage goes on, we see that this power that arises is none other than Emmanuel, the one who has been promised. And Isaiah wants to point to this power of Emmanuel, and he wants God's people to respond to the power of Emmanuel. And that's really what we see in this text. How are God's people to respond to the power of Emmanuel? They're to respond in three ways. They're to fear Emmanuel. They're to follow Emmanuel, and they're to find Emmanuel. That's how you respond to the power, this new power that has arisen. This power that will say to all the nations, to all the distant lands, Arise and be shattered. Make ready for battle and be prepared to be destroyed. Isaiah goes on in verse 10 of chapter 8 to say, Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted. Propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us. Now, boys and girls, do you remember what Emmanuel means? It means God is with us. So let's read Emmanuel into that verse I just read. Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted. Propose your plan, but it will not stand for Emmanuel. You see, this one who is coming is going to stand in the gap. This one who is coming is going to showcase the power of God. And he says to all the nations, make your plans. Do what you think you can do, but prepare to be shattered. Devise your plans, but they'll be thwarted. It's that picture that we have from Psalm 2, when the psalmist asks, why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The rulers of the earth take their stand against the Lord and his anointed one, let us cast off his chains. What does the psalmist tell us the Lord does in response? He laughs. Because no matter how powerful the nations are together, they are not as powerful as the Almighty God. He is the one that has the power to do what he wills to do. And when people conspire to try to throw off his chains, to throw off his bounds, it's laughable. We're told in Psalm 2, the Lord holds them in derision. It's funny to think of creatures railing against God for people to think that they can oppose God successfully. It's that picture we get in Revelation 12 when the woman and the dragon are pictured. Maybe you remember that the woman is pregnant and she's in labor pains, about to give birth, and the dragon, that great snake, is waiting to devour her child as soon as he's born. and that's the plan the dragon has made. I'm going just to devour this child and put a stop to this right now. What happens? That child is caught up into heaven before the dragon can strike. And so the dragon has to make a new plan. Well, I can't get him here, so I'll go up to heaven and get him. That's my plan. That's what I'll pursue. What are we told? The dragon tries to go up into heaven and pursue the child, and Michael and his angels fight back and the devil is cast down to the earth. And so with that plan thwarted, the devil says, well, I can't get the child. I'll get the child's mother. And so that great snake slithers after the mother trying to catch her. And what are we told? The Lord gives her wings like an eagle and she flies away. Flies to the desert where she's hidden for 42 months. And so the snake devises another plan. Well, I'll catch the mother in the desert. I'll flutter out. And the serpent spews forth water trying to drown the woman. And what happens? The earth opens and swallows the water. And then the devil makes another plan. Well, I can't get the child. I can't get the child's mother. I'll get the mother's offspring. I'll go after the rest. And the message of Revelation is what do you think will happen to this plan? Will that plan be allowed to stand or will the Lord thwart that as well? Isaiah is saying you cannot stand against the Almighty God and have success. Because God in His power laughs at those who challenge Him and then as Psalm 2 says, then He terrifies them in His anger. And Isaiah is still telling this king of Judah, you have these sure promises of God, these sure promises that cannot be thwarted. Why do you not stand in the promises? No matter how mighty those countries look, no matter how mighty those kings appear, they are not almighty. They are not God. And so the Lord with his strong hand on Isaiah says, do not fear what they fear. Remember when Ahaz heard about that conspiracy, he and all the people shook like leaves, shook like forests blown around by a wind. See, the Lord puts his strong hand on Isaiah. It reminds him who has power. Who is the one who is to be feared? Not these so-called mighty nations, but the one who is almighty. He is the one you are to fear. He is the one you are to dread. And how we as a people of God need to hear that message today. Because there are so many things we're afraid of. We're afraid of what other people think. We're afraid of how the world will perceive us. We're afraid of people thinking we're stupid for believing in this kind of religion. There's all kinds of things that we're afraid of. And just as the Lord said to Isaiah, he says to us, don't be afraid of these other things. Don't be afraid of these weak things of the world. There's only one who is worth fearing because there is only one who has power. It's the Lord. Fear him. And then Isaiah says, because if you fear him, he is your sanctuary. he is your resting place. He is your place of worship. And Isaiah wants to remind the people that this message of fearing God not only needs to come to those nations who are outside seeking to attack the people of God, but it needs to come to those who are inside the covenant community. They need to be reminded to fear the Lord. Because look what Isaiah says about the houses of Israel. He says, for both houses of Israel in verse 14, the Lord will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. You see, he's not now talking about the nations outside that are opposed to God. He's now moved inside the covenant community, the houses of Israel. They need to be diligent to fear the Lord because what is established for them as a sanctuary can become a rock of stumbling. Not just a rock of stumbling, but a rock that causes them to stumble, to fall, and to be shattered. It's the shattering that the northern kingdoms of Israel are about to experience at the hands of Assyria. They're about to stumble and fall and be shattered because they have not turned to God. And then you see it becomes even more, it keeps coming in to the people of God. It's not just those outside, it's not just those two houses of Israel, but Jerusalem itself, that heart of Judah, the true kingdom of God, where David's son reigns. He says if you're not careful to fear the Lord, he'll become a trap and a snare to you too. Now what do we think of when we think of that stumbling block for the Jews? We think of Jesus Christ. Paul, who knew the Old Testament so well, associated this passage with Jesus Christ and how the Jews would react to Jesus Christ. He would be a stumbling block for them. It's a theme that Paul will pick up in Romans 9 and 11, talking about have the Jews stumbled and been shattered? Have they fallen so far that there is no return? Because he recognizes this warning, this serious warning from Scripture. It's a warning not just to those outside, it's a warning to those inside. It's that same warning that comes to us in Hebrews. There was a people that saw the mighty works of God in the desert. They heard the voice of the Lord and they still stumbled and they fell. The warning comes to us, you've heard the word preached too. Don't respond as they've responded. Don't stumble and fall. Isaiah says, fear the Lord. Put your hope in Him. That's what Isaiah says. I'll wait on the Lord. Even though he has turned for a time on the house of Jacob, I will wait for the Lord. And that's what he wants us to do. He wants us to really fear the Lord. Then in the second place, he says, those who fear the Lord follow the Lord. That's the next thing he says when he moves on in verse 16. Bind up the testimony and seal up the law among my disciples. Now, what does he mean, bind up? Is it shutting off? No, I think the sense is he's legally certifying it. He's saying this is what has been said. This is what has been said by the Almighty God. It is sure. Stamp it with the seal. Certify it as true and pay attention to it. Don't just pay lip service to the Lord, but fear Him. Fear him in a way that causes you to follow him. He says this testimony is sure. And then he points us to what that testimony is in verse 18. Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the Lord Almighty who dwells on Mount Zion. Now where else have we heard Isaiah say, here am I? We'd have to look back to Isaiah 6. when the Lord is commissioning Isaiah to be his mouthpiece to the houses of Israel. The Lord asks that question, Who will I send? And Isaiah responds, Here am I. This is a reminder that this is a word from God that Isaiah brings. That this testimony is a testimony not just of Isaiah's opinion, but of the very word of God coming to his people. And not only has God given Isaiah the words to speak, but he's given signs to confirm that word. He refers to his two children. You remember at the beginning of chapter 7 last week, we saw that Isaiah went to talk to King Ahaz and he brought his son with him. His son, whose name was a remnant, will return. See, it's a sign confirming the Word of God. He will not forget his people forever. He will maintain a people for his name. There will always be people who follow their God. That child is a sign confirming the testimony of Isaiah. Although judgment is coming on the house of Israel, judgment is coming on Judah and David, it's not a judgment that will cause them to fall. It's not a judgment that will wipe them from the face of the earth. There's a promise that God will call back a remnant for his name. This is the sign that's been given to confirm the word. And we read just at the beginning of chapter 8 about the other son who was given as a sign, the son with the funny name. Boys and girls, I'm sure you're glad your name is not Maher Shalal Hashbaz. It would be hard to learn how to spell your name in kindergarten if that was your name. But it means swift to the plunder, speedy to the spoil. It's a way of showing that Assyria is going to come in and these enemies you're worried about, Aram and Israel, these enemies are just going to be swept away quickly and despoiled by Assyria. You're not to worry about them. see Isaiah's been given a word he's been given signs to confirm that word we're a people that have been given a word it's the word of God the faithful word that has been sealed and bound up by God certified by him and he's given us signs that accompany that word in the sacraments that show that word to be true that confirm that word for us and so Isaiah says to the people at his time and he says to us we need to be people who follow that word because he identifies a problem that they're going to have in Israel in verse 19 men are going to tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter should not a people inquire of their God that word whisper is like chirping birds I like chirping better it just sounds worse they chirp and they mutter and Isaiah says you're inquiring of the dead on behalf of the living if you were driving around somewhere and were lost and you actually would stop for directions you wouldn't stop for directions in a graveyard you wouldn't stop for directions to ask the dead where to go and Isaiah is saying that's the foolishness that's coming to Israel you have a God who has bound up a testimony and a word confirmed it with signs and you'll seek after mediums and spiritists who try to consult and contact the dead Isaiah and later in in chapter 14 we'll talk about when the king of Babylon in all his glory goes down to the grave and he's greeted by the saints of the dead not the saints of the dead when he's greeted by the spirits of the dead what do they say to him you have become weak like us there's no power in the dead there's no reason to ask the dead for guidance especially not when you have a God you can inquire of that's what Isaiah is saying you have a God that has given you a word a God that invites you to inquire of him a living God, a powerful God and yet you're chasing after these things that chirp and mutter nonsense we might sit back in the 21st century in a new decade according to some and say well haven't we come far certainly there aren't people in our world anymore that are seeking after the guidance of the dead well that would be a lie I've seen it on TV shows about people crossing over a man will stand in front of an audience and say i'm sensing that someone has a parent who passed away and someone in the audience says oh that's me and i'm sensing that their name starts with them or has an m in it or they were associated with someone with an m oh that's me and it would be funny if it wasn't so sad that people are desperate to know about the beyond desperate to have their questions answered and this is where they go to a charlatan who will sit up and chirp and mutter and tell them what the dead say. And it's not just these kinds of things where there's chirping and muttering. Go to your local bookstore in the New Age section. I walked by there once and I saw a box and it looked like a game, but it wasn't a game. It was an angel guidance device. If you buy this thing that looked like Trivial Pursuit, you can get guidance from angels. They'll tell you what to do. It's a bunch of chirping and muttering. And there are people all around our world, both inside Christian circles and outside. Doctors with one first name. Dr. Laura, Dr. Phil, Oprah, all kinds of people who promise to have answers to questions. Now, I'm not saying that they're bad. I'm not saying that they're poorly intentioned. But God says to you, you have a God you can inquire of. A God who you can pray to, who is living, who has given you a word and signs to confirm that word. You want to be wise to the law and to the testimony, Isaiah says. Don't just fear God, follow Him. This has everything you need to know for doctrine and for life to make you wise. Proverbs is better than any self-help book showing you what it is to truly be wise. Isaiah says, we're that kind of people. But we're constantly turning to people who live in darkness and just lead you into deeper darkness. Who end their lives distressed, hungry, lost and alone. And they just are in darkness and lead people into deeper darkness. Where is the hope in that? Well, the hope, as Isaiah says, finally and briefly, is that those who fear Emmanuel and those who follow Emmanuel find him. Those who fear him and follow him find him. Because into that darkness a great light shines. Into those lands of Zebulun and Naphtali. Now, why are they brought up? What is their significance? Well, they are houses of Israel that were among the first to be conquered by the Assyrians. to which that darkness, that river swept in first. And it was said that they were the ones first to be humble. They were the ones first to suffer that reproach of judgment. And now you see as chapter 9 begins, we have that reversal of fortunes. In the future, they will be honored. They were conquered as houses of Israel. In the future, they will be honored as Galilee of the Gentiles. You see this light shines and something new is happening in Israel. Something great is happening. It's not just extending to houses of Israel. Now the Gentiles are being brought in. And it goes on. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. 9 verse 2. Those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy. They rejoice before you. As people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. Verse 3 is a marvelous verse because it's the opposite of everything that's been happening before now. In one quick summary, Isaiah says, there is the one who is coming who is going to undo everything that you're afraid of right now. Everything that is happening to this nation. It's shrinking. It's being overwhelmed. Only Jerusalem is standing. What does Isaiah say? The nation's going to be enlarged. it's not going to continue to be shrunk. In verse 3, you've increased their joy. This is a nation that's suffering from fear, fear of what's going to happen to them, fear that the promises of God are failing, but they'll be brought to joy in what the Lord is doing. As people rejoice at the harvest, what has been warned that what's going to happen is all the harvest is going to be destroyed in Israel. That the vines that were worth a thousand shekels of silver, remember, are going to be plowed under. They'll just be fit land for animals to graze. No, now people rejoice as when they bring in a huge harvest or as when they bring in a huge plunder. Failure in battle is all they've experienced at the hands of their enemies. And now the Lord is referring to a time of rejoicing like when the harvest is being brought in, like when triumph and battle is being enjoyed. A time like was enjoyed at the time of David. When the kingdom was at its largest stage, when it was under its most blessed state. There's one people under one king, and there was promise in the kingdom. It'll be like the day of Midian's defeat in verse 4. Now, who defeated Midian? Well, that was Gideon. that was the people that were afflicting them at the time of Gideon. And it's going to be a day like the time of Gideon because when Gideon came and when Gideon overthrew the oppressors by the power of God with his 300 men against tens of thousands, the land had peace. It had peace for 40 years. There's a time like that that is coming where the yoke was shattered, the rod of the oppressor was lifted, And every warrior's boot used in battle, verse 5, and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. You don't need your battle gear anymore. There's no need for it. You might as well throw it in the fire. What is going to be the cause of all this? What is the event that brings in this kind of times for the people of God? This kind of joy, this kind of enlarging of the nation, this kind of rejoicing? Well, in verse 6, a child is born. In the context of this passage, who is this child? What's the child of the virgin that's been hoped for? It's this son who had to be given because he was given of a virgin. He is going to bring this time back to the kingdom of David. He is going to bring this time back to the people of God of joy and of rejoicing. The government will be on his shoulders. This is contrasted with that yoke that was oppressing the shoulders of his people. Now the government is on his shoulders. He will support the people. He will bear them up. And he has these names. These names that point us to all that was good about the kingship in Israel. Wonderful counselor. That has the idea of counsel that comes from outside. That's extraordinary counsel. the kind of counsel that Solomon had, that wisdom from the Lord. See, now this one who is born, he will have wisdom of himself of that wonderful kind. He will be his own counselor. He won't have to do like David did and depend on Ahithophel, a counselor who was as one who inquired of the Lord but turned on him. No, this one who comes will keep his own counsel. He'll be wonderful counsel. And like David, he'll be mighty. He'll be a mighty God. But beyond David, he'll be God himself, God with his people. But unlike any king they've ever experienced before, this king will be an everlasting father. This is the problem that Jesus used to perplex the Pharisees. If Messiah is David's son, why does David call Messiah Lord? Because this son of David's will turn out to be the everlasting father. Why is this important for God's people? Why is it important that we have an everlasting father? Because over and over again in the Bible, when a true warrior for God is brought forth, as long as they live, the land has peace. As long as they live, the land has harmony. You can think of someone like Joshua, who was true of Gideon, who was true of many godly kings. As long as they lived, the land had peace. But what happened when they died? The people went backwards. They went back to the things that were entangling them. But here we're told, this is going to be an everlasting father. And he'll be a prince of peace. The peace that he brings in will not know an end. The peace that he brings in will be everlasting. His government will increase. His peace will increase. We're told in verse 7, and there will be no end. Then we have the culmination of this promise to David. The promise that Ahaz was told, put your trust in it. Put your trust in it because it cannot fail. You are David's son. And the promise that Ahaz rejected. It's now fulfilled. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing it and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. See, the promises of our God are sure because he is zealous for his promises, we're told. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. That's why Ahaz was told to trust because these promises can't fail. In closing, we need to be reminded of that because the promises have come to us as well. That we will be brought into this kingdom. That we have a king who's coming again. Who's reigning even now. Who's increasing that kingdom even now. But will return one day for his people. Put your trust in that Lord. Fear God. Fear Christ. Be in his word to learn it and follow it. And have confidence that if you fear God and you follow his word, you will find his Christ. the Christ who set forth there, who has made promises to you, promises that are sure, that are yes and amen in Jesus Christ. Amen. Let us pray. Father in heaven, we thank you for this word that you've given to us. We thank you for the sure knowledge we have that you are mighty, that your purposes cannot be thwarted, and that you've purposed to save a people for yourself. We pray that everyone here, Lord, might know Jesus Christ as their Savior, might realize those promises, either when we go to be with you in glory when we die, or whether it be when we see you return in glory. Remind us of those promises. Help us to trust in them, to fear you and none other, to follow the words of your law and the testimony you've given, and to be sure that as you've promised, we will find Christ. Hear us, for we pray in His name. Amen.