Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Isaiah 9:1 - 9:7
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
The Promise of the Messiah in the Midst of Spiritual Darkness.
The Birth of the God-Man Promised. —
v. 1. Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, literally, "Not is darkness to him to whom is affliction," that is, the land now oppressed with darkness and afflictions will be delivered from its oppression, when at the first He lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, for this country west and northwest of the Sea of Galilee had from the earliest days suffered severely from various heathen invasions, and afterward did more grievously afflict her, rather, but at a later time He will bring honor, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The meaning of this somewhat involved sentence, then, is this, that the inhabitants of Upper and of Lower Galilee, including also the thickly settled sections on both sides of the Sea of Galilee, would first suffer severely from Assyrian and other invaders, the reference being especially to Tiglath-Pileser IV, 2Ki_15:29, but should later, in the time of the Messiah, be singled out for unusual honors in having the Savior devote so much time to its deliverance.
v. 2. The people that walked in darkness, namely, these same inhabitants of Galilee of the Gentiles, those who had been oppressed with spiritual darkness, have seen a great light, the prophet, speaking as the mouthpiece of the eternal and omniscient God, views the Messianic period as present even now, for so certain is the fulfillment of God's promise; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, in the darkness of heathendom, upon them hath the light shined, namely, that of salvation, of the wonderful spiritual blessings of the Savior. As the evangelist shows, Mat_4:12-17, this prophecy was literally fulfilled during the Galilean ministry of Jesus, when He made Capernaum His headquarters and from there set forth on His journeys, not only throughout Galilee, but also into the country east of Jordan.
v. 3. Thou hast multiplied the nation, so the prophet addresses the Lord in a direct hymn of praise, since He, beginning with Galilee, extended the circle of believers in Him until His Church was spread over the whole world, and not increased the joy, or, "to whom Thou didst not magnify the joy," the reference once more being to the time of great sorrow and distress under heathen conditions; they joy before Thee according to the joy in harvest, when the sacrificial feasts were eaten by grateful worshipers, Deu_12:7; Deu_14:26, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil, after a victorious campaign against their enemies.
v. 4. For Thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, the spiritual slavery with which the people were burdened, and the staff of his shoulder, the reference being to the cudgel of the overseer in striking the back of the slave, the rod of his oppressor, with which the people were kept in subjection, as in the day of Midian, Jdg_7:15-22. Even as the Lord, at the time of Gideon, had delivered Israel from the oppression of the Midianites in a miraculous manner, so He effected a deliverance from everlasting bondage, from spiritual slavery, so the Messiah overcame all the enemies of mankind and now divides the spoil among the believers everywhere.
v. 5. For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire, literally: "For every greave" (armor, especially to protect the feet and legs) "of him who girds on his armor with noise, and the soldier's cloak rolled in blood, it shall become a burning, food for the fire. " With the coming of the Messiah spiritual oppression and slavery, wrath, punishment, and judgment will be brought to an end, for His deliverance is a perfect, an everlasting salvation.
v. 6. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, the eternal Word being made flesh for us, not only in our stead, but for our benefit, for the eternal salvation of all believers; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, the absolute and unlimited power, the divine authority in its fullest sense, rests upon Him, He is, from His birth, in complete possession of the eternal power and Godhead; and His name shall be called Wonderful, not only His birth, but His entire essence being a miracle, Counselor, for He not only knows the right and proper counsel in every difficulty of body and soul, He also carries out His plans for the benefit of men, The Mighty God, for the Messiah, true man as He is, is at the same time above all, God blessed forever, altogether identical with Jehovah, The Everlasting Father, Himself the living, eternal God, whose fatherly love and faithfulness surrounds all believers with a care far surpassing human understanding, The Prince of Peace, the true Shiloh, Gen_49:10, who has restored the right relation between God and man, making peace by abolishing in His flesh the enmity which existed since the fall of man, Eph_2:14-15.
v. 7. Of the Increase of His government, in extending the boundaries of His spiritual kingdom, and peace there shall be no end, that is, He brings about a condition of eternal peace between God and man, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, for the kingdom of Christ is the kingdom of David, continued and established in the spiritual sense, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever; for the fact that Christ endured the judgment, the punishment of sin, that He satisfied the justice of God, brought about the foundation of His kingdom, upon the fact of His atonement He builds up His Church. The zeal of the Lord of hosts, the eagerness of His love in seeking the salvation of mankind, will perform this. All this was fulfilled in the Son of Mary, of whom the angel says: "He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end. . That Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. " Luk_1:32-35.