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If you’ve got a Bible this morning, Isaiah chapter nine is is where we’ve been together. We’ve just focused on one verse during the holiday season and the implications that this verse, as it relates to the nation of Israel, then brings forth for us as people, what is what is God saying to us in this chapter, through this verse? And we’ve looked at as we’ve gone through this verse together, it’s very simply laid out for us in identifying who Jesus is. And in Isaiah when he when he labels this idea of the Messiah, when he comes for the nation of Israel and comes to bless all nations, he, he, he outlines really what the what the Messiah will look like. Beginning in chapter seven and into chapter nine. He concludes, just the thoughts on this Messiah in verse six. He, he, it’s as if he gets to the end of this description of the Messiah. He’s thinking this, the Messiah is just he’s going to blow our mind. And what he’s capable of and what he’s going to do. And to describe this, Isaiah just takes these powerful words, and he and he gives these titles to give an identity of who Jesus really will be for us. And when he writes it, he says it in chapter nine and verse six, like this. For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders, and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and the Prince of Peace.
We’ve gone through each of those titles together as we’ve looked through Isaiah chapter nine. What? What does it mean that he is a wonderful counselor? When Jesus speaks, the world should listen and stand in all that, that he is mighty God. We saw the the translation in the text means Warrior God, which is by far way cooler for me. So I like to say that he is warrior God or or he. He is Everlasting Father or Eternal Father. Meaning not only. Not only is he a warrior, but he’s also, uh, considered a loving father. Uh, over top of you, protecting you and caring for you. And then. And then in addition to that, he concludes this week with with the Prince of Peace. What does it mean that Christ is the Prince of Peace? As I thought about this text in general, I really thought how this text might impact the world as we share who the Messiah would be. Some cultures tend to view God very differently. For instance, if we were to travel to the Middle East and discuss the identity of who the Messiah was, they would get certain aspects described by Isaiah here very well and other ones very poorly. What I mean by that is when it comes to the idea of God being warrior God, mighty God, Middle Eastern cultures, Islamic cultures really understand that God is a just God.
And and there is judgment coming from this just God. They don’t so much connect with a relational God who loves you. But but the just God, the warrior God. They understand that. And for our cultures, the Western culture. We really grab hold of of Father God, right? Everlasting Father. In this passage it calls Jesus. We see God as loving God. He’s kind of like Grandpa God. He spoils you and nothing that you do wrong you’re ever really accountable for. That’s the grandpa’s role, right? He just sends you back to the parents for them to fix everything, right? It’s. That’s a horrible picture of grandpa’s. It’s it’s. But it’s grandpa. God. He just sits in his rocking chair and he says, I love you all day, right? His everlasting father. But I like, in the end of this text, how Isaiah draws these thoughts of God with this concluding idea that he is the Prince of Peace. And the reason I enjoyed this last thought that he shares with us, because I think it really helps us identify how God is a just God and a warrior God, and how God is a fathering, loving God to us by bringing peace. Let me give you the example. The the cross of Christ is the place where we as people can look and see the wrath of God being satisfied and the love of God being communicated to you that we might enjoy peace with God in our relationship with him.
He is both warrior Almighty God, and He is Father God, bringing us peace in our relationship toward him. Cross of Christ is where the wrath of God is satisfied. And the love of God is expressed as Jesus brings his peace to you. I believe when God created humanity, the reason God created us is not that we could experience his wrath, but so that we might enjoy his fellowship. When God designed us, he created a spirit within us. He breathed in us the breath of life. He created us in his image for the purpose of us being able to relate to our creator, his creation, relating to our creator. There is a relationship in that. And the Bible communicates that when God created us, he didn’t design us for his wrath, but rather to enjoy his fellowship. His his justice, however, and his wrath toward sin communicates to people that once we have sinned, we have literally become rebels in the kingdom of God. And he desires peace with us. And so Isaiah mentions this passage to us as believers to understand exactly, exactly the the functioning role of this Messiah. So I think in this passage, the nation of Israel was severely lacking peace in their relationships, especially with other nations among one another, but predominantly in their relationship with God.
And because their relationship with God had taken a negative effect on their lives, it began to negatively affect the relationships of all those around them, including other nations. And so, God, in this passage of Scripture, when he says he is the Prince of peace, I think governmentally he’s saying he’s establishing peace with all nations. But first and foremost, I think he’s saying that he he is establishing peace with you on a personal basis. He is bringing peace for us. But before he brings peace for us, he makes peace with us. Jesus and His first coming came to die for your sins, that you have peace with him. And Jesus in his second coming is bringing peace for all men. Who trust in him. He is the Prince of Peace. In order to bring his piece. He is bringing wrath and judgment against the sin that has set herself against him. We talk about wrath and judgment. I know that’s a heavy word for Christmas, but consider what the Bible says when God created us humanity, his purpose wasn’t to bring his wrath upon us, but to bring his relationship and fellowship with us and among us for his glory. It says in second Peter three nine, the Lord is not slow about his promises, but is patient towards you, not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. That is, God created you for that relationship.
Isaiah is saying that the Messiah has come for you and and God recognizes something about mankind. Man has turned his back on God from beginning with Adam. Romans five is a great chapter to read on that. Man has sinned against God, send against his kingdom, and therefore God’s judgment is coming against sin. And the explanation of of Second Peter is this God created you for that relationship, not for his wrath. And so he’s delaying the judgment that he brings upon us on sin, that you might experience peace with him. He says he’s not slow about his promises of of bringing hope through the Messiah, but he’s patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. The Messiah is waiting and drawing all people to him. Second or excuse me, in the book of Matthew, it tells us when it comes to God’s judgment, he created men for fellowship, humanity for fellowship with him, relationship with him, not for his wrath. It even describes when God brings his judgment where that judgment was intended to go. It says, depart from me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels. God’s judgment is designed for the devil and his angels. It tells us in Matthew chapter 25. The Prince of Peace is the identity of the tension brings the identity of the tension that exists between us and our relationship with God.
When the prince talks about peace, the implications are this that we don’t have peace with our prince. If you did, he wouldn’t tell you. It’s necessary to have. And so he’s labeled as the Prince of Peace for us in this passage to understand that we need his peace. When Isaiah mentioned this to the nation of Israel in chapter nine, the titles through which he gives to the Messiah were titles given to the nation of Israel, so they could understand exactly how the Messiah could meet their needs. It’s in the nation of Israel had wandered from God. They didn’t know up from down. And so he says to them, he is wonderful, counselor, when when God speaks, you need to listen. He’s got the direction for your life. When when you think about the the, the defense that you need. God is a mighty warrior on your side. When you think about the love and protection and comfort that you need. God is an eternal father. When you think about the peace that you need, God is the Prince of Peace. He mentions these titles to the nation of Israel because their relationship with him was significantly lacking. There was none a relationship. Before God brings peace with us. Excuse me. Before God brings peace for us, he seeks peace with us. Jesus shares his peace because we all have a need for the peace in our relationship with him.
The Bible paints this picture of us apart from Christ. Your rebels in this kingdom. And the reason that it paints that picture for us is because of what the book of Romans communicates. You find this throughout basically every book in the Bible. But when you look at the book of Romans beginning in chapter one and verse 18, it says this way up on top there, for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and all unrighteousness. God is bringing his wrath. Mankind created for a relationship, but the wrath of God is coming against all unrighteousness through God. And so you ask yourself, you know, I’m I’m not that bad, you know, compared to my neighbor. So, so maybe I could be excluded from this. Right. And so it says in verse 23, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So here’s this standard, and we’ve all fallen from that, so exclusiveness for you. It doesn’t happen. You’re not excluded. This is everyone. And so it goes on and says in 623, Paul, just laying out the identity of us and our relationship with God and the need for the peace, he says, for the wages of sin is death. Death in the Bible isn’t talking about just ceasing to exist. It’s talking about a relational severing with your creator. You’re separated. That’s what death means. You’re separated from God.
You. You have no peace. And therefore you are separated. I love I love the way Arthur James attacked it on at the end. The book of James James writes that even demons can be smarter than us as people. Sometimes those of us who see God more as Grandpa God but don’t see the justice of God. James sort of writes, hey, sometimes the demons are smarter than us because they understand there’s judgment coming. It says in 219, you believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons also believe and shudder. When demonic forces think about the power of warrior God, they shudder in their boots at his presence, thinking about the holiness he presents and the judgments that that’s coming. God is holy. And God is just. And there is judgment. I think one of the greatest lies that we can convince ourselves of. Because there is no accountability for our offense against the King. There’s no accountability for our offenses against the King. You ever considered the cost of any offense you’ve made against a holy God? I think sometimes we like to making God so relational to us. We like to lower him to our level and we don’t necessarily see His Holiness. And when we look at our offense, we look at maybe an offense like we would give to a brother rather than to God. Consider the offense against the Holy God. Let me let me give you an example.
If, if if you guys men in here, if you have a brother, um, maybe, maybe you and your brother have got into it before. Right? And if you walk up and you smack your brother, you know, nothing really happens from that repercussion. Maybe like a pink belly purple nurple fight coming later or something like that. But. But that’s about the extent, right? If you were to walk up in in New York City, you’re in a taxi, you smack a taxi driver, he’s going to he’s going to kick you out of the taxi or leave you on the street. You’re deserted. If you were to walk down this road and meet a police officer. Smack him in the face. You’re going to jail. If you were to do that to a political leader. How about a dictator? One who dominates when rules. Saddam would have made sure you never breathed again. The offense that you bring against an authority dictates the judgment of the authority. Meaning we offend against the Holy God. It’s not like we’re toying with our brother. We’re coming against the ruler of all things. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He is holy. You think about the devastation that happened in the book of Genesis? I try to think about this sometimes. I don’t even think my mind can grasp it. When God tells Adam and Eve created for his relationship, just don’t do this one thing and enjoy me instead of eating the the tree of knowledge of good and evil, eat the tree of life and enjoy life with me.
They eat of the tree of good and evil. And and the Bible tells us that what happens after that is a cataclysmic destruction of Earth. You think nothing to this point has died, and the first time they encounter God after that, God makes a sacrifice for them. They see death. Nothing has died. And now whatever they did in eating this fruit, this apple, as some people call it, what, whatever it was that they ate, it, it. It caused death. That brought sin. Created war and destruction and famine and disease. Just this one sin before a holy God. It’s devastating. Romans eight tells us all of creation groans because of that sin. And all of us have been affected through that sin. God’s justice is real. What can I tell you as you think about God’s justice? When we look at the side of his justice, that that brings judgment. God’s justice is intended for your protection. God’s justice was created to come against sin. You, being a human being created for that relationship was never intended to be on the wrath of his justice, but the protection in his justice. Let me explain it this way. If you were to go to court because something happened to you or a child that was devastating, someone lost a life or something significant to them.
And the court said at the moment of the judgment pronounced against the individual who offended you, you know they’re worthy of punishment, but I’m incapable of bringing that. You would look at that justice and cry out and say, where is the love? Where is the protection? Where is the justice? This isn’t justice just to simply say it’s worthy of punishment and to do nothing about it. That’s not what justice is. Justice in itself becomes loving when justice is delivered. God loving himself as well as us is just in to the degree that sin would be punished in the cross of Christ for our sins is where that takes place. God desires to throw all sins under his justice. And to extend to you his goodness through Christ. If God’s justice were not real. Things like this in the Bible, all things work together for good. In Romans 828 couldn’t exist because a good God would be a just God, and a just God can exist. And a good God therefore can’t fulfill his promises to you. Revelation 21 tells us that he will wipe away every tear from your eye. And no more sin, no more death, no more disease shall exist for us as people because his justice hasn’t been made known. First Corinthians 15 tells us that he conquers death, and through this he is able to usher in peace for us.
In God’s justice, you can see the fury of his love. Leaves me in a place as a person where I say this, I am thankful for verses like Second Peter three nine. I mean, if you. Oh, sorry says this to us, the Lord is not slow about his promises, but is patient towards you, not wishing that any should perish, but all come to repentance. I am thankful that God delays his justice. I am thankful that while being a rebel in his Kingdom, God has extended his grace. I am, I am thankful for that, and I am thankful for a King who is just. I am thankful that his goodness can carry out his justice. He has promised us and made us a way of escape. And some people struggle with the idea of God being a just God. Some people even believe that there is there is no wrath coming from God. Okay. Can I tell you this this morning, if you were to read in Matthew chapter 25 and verse 46, if you’ve got to, if you accept a heaven and a joy in the presence of the Lord Jesus being the prize of heaven and that relationship with him, you’ve got to also accept, uh, eternal judgment coming from God. In Matthew 25. Jesus himself says this, and these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. In Daniel chapter 12 and verse two, and many of those who slept in the dust of the earth will awake some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Meaning if you embrace heaven, there is also a hell. It’s not just pick the one that you want. And verses of the Bible. Don’t even leave it up to us to pick that it teaches heaven simultaneously with judgment of God in hell. It teaches them together in both Matthew 25 and Daniel chapter 12. If you think about just just the foundation of of Christianity, if there were no wrath, then why did Jesus come? Why did Jesus die? If there is no wrath, why is he even named Jesus? I mean, it means Savior. Rescuer. What does he even have that title for? Jesus even in his own confession. The Gospels talks about judgment twice as much as he talks about heaven. And second, Peter gives us the promise. He’s not slack concerning his promises. Not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And Jesus, knowing he created you for a relationship with him, delivers to you his peace by way of the cross. Is the Prince of Peace. What does it mean for us? The Bible calls him Prince. And in Isaiah chapter nine and verse six, when Jesus is called the prince, it can also be translated as as the head, or the general, or the master or the chief.
He is the leader of this piece, meaning it’s not you that brings peace with God, but God who brings peace to you with him, for him. Excuse me. God is the one who delivers the peace. We are the one who freely get to embrace the peace that Christ brings through his cross. He offers us peace freely because he is designed you to know him for eternity. And being a loving God has sacrificed it all for you. Maybe the one of the more famous verses you guys know in the Bible. John 316 God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son. I mean, we could we could quote it. Whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life, right? 317 then goes on and says this. For God did not send the son into the world to judge the world. But that the world. Might be saved through him. Because he’s the Prince of Peace. And so in verse 18 he says, he who believes in him is not judged. But look at this. He who does not believed has been judged already. It’s because he’s a rebel in God’s kingdom. Because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. As individuals. We’ve we’ve sought many ways to right our relationship with God rather than allowing him to be the Prince of Peace. We’ve attempted to become the Prince of Peace with him or for him and to him as well.
We’ve come up with philosophies like it’s it’s morality that earns us to heaven, as if to communicate to the king. King, I’m going to prove my worth to you, and you have to embrace what I have to say and what I’ve done. The problem with that is, is that method of earning your way to God is more exclusive than the way that Jesus has prepared for you to come before him. You look at the book of Romans, it tells us no matter how much righteousness you do, we’re all sinners. Before a holy God. There is nothing you can do to undo the sin that you’ve brought before a holy God. Once you’ve sinned, you’ve sinned. God’s judgment is real. The idea of earning God’s favor is more exclusive than the righteousness through which Jesus brings. Matter of fact, Galatians two 1617 tells us by the works of the law no flesh will be justified before him. Meaning the purpose of the law. The only purpose of the law is, is not, is not to liberate you, but to condemn you. Law works not to show you how good you are, but how much you really need the Prince of Peace in your life and the impossibility of earning peace with him. The idea of goodness communicates this to God. God, if I’m good enough, then you owe me.
God, I’ve done. I’ve done all these things, and you owe me what I deserve. You are indebted to me. And can I tell you this morning, God owes none of us a thing. Doesn’t even owe us tomorrow. But by his grace. It’s freely given. Do you want? A holy God is justified in doing. The minute Adam and Eve sinned against him. Was wiping off humanity from the earth. He would be just to do that. But even in his justice, he is always gracious and loving. Extending to you peace for the relationship that you were created for with him. And so the Prince of Peace is the one who ushers peace to us as people. And Jesus has called you to freely come to him through the cross in which at the cross of Christ, the justice of God, and the love of God is expressed, because the wrath of God was poured out on Christ, and the love of God is extended to you, that Jesus may take upon the sin through which you should have died. He died the death you should have died, that you may enjoy life with him forever. He is the Prince of Peace. And so when I look at Isaiah chapter nine and verse six, and I read these titles. This is how. This is how I think it shouldn’t go. When I talk about Jesus, it’s it says to us in Isaiah chapter nine.
Well hold on. Isaiah chapter nine and verse six, it says, for a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders. And then we shouldn’t read it like this. And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Yeah, he’s Prince of Peace. That’s good. It should be read with the expression Isaiah is bringing this passage of Scripture. When you think about what the Messiah will do for you and your position, wherever you are. He is wonderful, counselor. He gives you direction. He is. He is mighty God. He is a warrior in your corner. He is. He is eternal Father, regardless of how anyone’s ever treated you, regardless of where your father was and your relationship to him, God will be your father forever lasting and he is bringing you his peace. That’s a passage of passion. Israel. What do you need? You need this. God. Church. What do you need? You need this. God. You know, I don’t like to look at the wrath of God. I like talking about Grandpa God way more. I’ll conclude with that in just a minute. But. Do you know when you look at God’s hatred for sin? But on the other side of that, you just stare at the face of Jesus and what he endured through that sin to come for you. The expression of his love is just magnified.
I was listening to an Islamic philosopher and teacher share the other day, and he said this in his Western culture. Thinking about warrior God, he said, you know, one of the primary reasons that Islamic people will not embrace the Messiah and reject the teaching that Christianity brings about Jesus. Is that we can’t conceive of a God who would humble himself so low to to to die for something so despised and despicable. It’s interesting, isn’t it? God is so distant to them and and they can’t conceive within their mind a being that is so holy and so beautiful and so pure, who had become flesh in humanity and die for the very sins that his justice despises, that you and I could embrace him for eternity. You think about what that communicates about the love of Christ and with passion within your hearts, and you scream out that he is the Prince of Peace and with joy in your lives. As you celebrate what Jesus has done on your behalf, that you might enjoy that relationship with God forever. Is the Prince of Peace. Jesus allows you to freely come to him. In the Book of Luke in chapter 15. I think Jesus uses some parables to describe for us exactly what he’s talking about with the Prince of Peace. He’s explaining to us in a parabolic form what it means for us to understand what his relationship with him is all about, what exactly Jesus is doing for us.
In chapter 15 of Luke, he he starts with the stories of of the lost sheep and the lost coin, and a discovery for this lost sheep and lost coin. And then he gets, he gets to the story that most of us are probably familiar with. It’s called the Prodigal Son. I think it’s a horrible title. I think it has more to do with the father than it does the son. But it’s about this son who was lost. And the story goes like this, that, that this young man comes to his father and, and despises his relationship with his father. And so he says to his father, father, give me, give me my inheritance, that I might live in this world the way that I desire. Apart from you and Jewish tradition, when the father was was about to pass, he would share his inheritance with his sons, and it was a sign that the father was about to die or his life was going to end. And and this son is asking from his father, father, share that inheritance with me. Now you’re dead to me. I want to go out into this world and live life the way that I desire. And the story goes on. And it says, this son went out and he just blew his savings. And then later on, as the story develops in verse 11 of chapter 15, it goes on to tell us that this man becomes so destitute, so, so poor, that he resorts to living with pigs and a pig pen eating from their trough.
If you know anything about Jewish culture, if there’s one animal that they would not embrace, it’s the pig. Not the pork. Right? You go to a Jewish house for Christmas. Please don’t eat pork. And you look you look at the story, what Jesus is communicating. Could you imagine being Jewish people at this time? And you hear, this guy is touching pigs? Like, no, thank you, keep them away from me. I don’t even want to get near. This guy is so despicable. The story tells us that the man is literally starving to death. And then the man has an aha moment. The story picks up in in verse 18 and it says this I will set out and go back to my father. And say to him, father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I’m a rebel in your kingdom. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants. And so he got up from that pigpen, and he went to his father. Well, look at what the father does. This is Jesus’s communication to you as a prince of peace. He said so when he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off.
His father saw him. And filled with compassion for him. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and he kissed him. This story is expressing something about the patriarch of the family which which they wouldn’t do. A father in a situation, an older man. He’s not going to be running down a street. But Jesus is so compassionate and so loving and so desirous of that relationship with you, that he and the story is describing itself as one just running for you. I don’t care that you were in a pig pen. Look. What? Look what the man does. He kisses his dirty, nasty, stinky face. It communicates. When Jesus talks about being the Prince of Peace, his concern and love over you. Listen, I am king. My wrath is coming. It’s intended to not come against you, but be protection for you. I love you, son. Come home. I’m running after you. I don’t care what’s been done in your life. I don’t care about your past. I just want your face. The story goes on and describes it. Says. When the sun gets ready to go into the kingdom, it says, the sun said to him, father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I have no, not worthy to be called your son. The father said to his servants, quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him.
Put a ring on his fingers and sandals on his feet, and bring the fattened calf and kill it. And let’s have a feast and celebrate. For the son of mine was dead, and is alive again. He was lost and found, so they began to celebrate. The story goes like this. When you embrace what Christ has done for you. When God looks at you. He doesn’t see the filth of your past. He sees the beauty of Jesus. And to him his kingdom is one of celebration by her presence. Story works like this for us as people. Because you got to get up and go home. You were created for a relationship with him. You can’t afford to not be on the right side of his peace. You have got to get up and go home. You’ve got to start. Stop trying to earn peace with your creator and embrace the peace that he has given your pig stained face. Jesus loves you. Jesus has come to give everything for you, consuming the wrath of the father, that you might enjoy his peace for eternity. You can’t afford not to go home. You’re starving. You’re a rebel in his kingdom. Jesus is calling you home. And when it happens. Her celebration. I tell you, religion lies to you about judgment. There’s nothing you can do to undo the wrath of God against sin. Religions lie to us about the way we earn our favor back to him.
You can’t afford to reject the Prince of Peace. You can’t even begin to earn the peace from this Prince. But God has extended his peace to you because he has created you for that relationship with him. Jesus has made eternity for you. Easy. But it came at the cost of his life. Can I tell you this morning? I’m just being honest and blunt. You can’t get right with God. Until you acknowledge in your heart that you’re wrong with God. You’re not going to see the freedom that the peace of Christ and what it brings to your life and to you understand how serious God is against judgment and the joy through which comes by Christ on the cross. Go home. You as believers who understand what it means to come to the cross of Christ. Can I just tell you with passion? Could you just share that with the world? Can you come to passages like Isaiah nine six and just say to a broken world that’s just giving, in some degree, religious effort to find God, that as God created you for peace with him. And Jesus has already paid it all. I mean, look at this story in Luke 15. Jesus is telling it. It’s about his relationship with you. This is the way he embraces you. This is the way he sees us, and this is the way he embraces us. If we would just get up and go home, Christ is calling you as the Prince of Peace.