Today, we are in Isaiah 8 and 9. It was not uncommon for God to command His OT prophets to name their children odd names. These names were meant to convey His message to His people. For instance, in Isaiah 8:1-3, we find that Isaiah's wife has borne a son, and that God told Isaiah to name him "Maher-shalal-hash-baz", which means "Spoil-Speeds-Plunder-Hurries" or "Destruction is on the way". What a name, huh? God was telling His people that soon, before the baby was very old at all, Samaria and Damascus (its capitol) would be plundered by the Assyrians.
Maybe you have some sort of funky name. It's not your fault; you parent(s) named you, most likely. My birth names are from my mother (middle name) and father (first name). My husband is named after his father and grandfathers. Each of our sons bears one of his father's names (first or middle), then, of course, the last name. I do not understand why some people name their children weird names, the most egregious lately being Kim and Kanye West, who named their daughter "North". Go figure.
As believers, we bear the name of our God and Savior. This is why we are called Christians. And, as was common in the OT, with our name comes a message, the gospel. The apostle Paul declares this in 2 Cor. 3:3 - -
"You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."
This verse echoes what God spoke to Jeremiah about the Israelites in Jeremiah 31:33 - -
" 'This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,' declares the Lord.
'I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God,
and they will be my people.' "
See also Hebrews 8:10 for a similar affirmation.
It is humbling and frightening to me, to bear that responsibility, because I realize that my every action reflects on the name of Jesus, whether my actions are wise ones or foolish ones.
In 9:1-7, Isaiah is given two of the most beautiful prophecies about Messiah. Here is the passage - -
1But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.
2The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.
3You shall multiply the nation,
You shall increase their gladness;
They will be glad in Your presence
As with the gladness of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,
The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.
5For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult,
And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.
6For 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, Prince of Peace.
7There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.
Oh, there is so much here! But, just about 4 points - -
1. This prophecy refers mainly to the first advent of Jesus, His birth, but also His second coming. His kingdom is established in our hearts through the work of His first coming. His physical, earthly kingdom will be established when He returns. He will then physically sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem, and rule from there. Jerusalem will again be the center of the world.
2. Just as the zeal of the God of Angel Armies accomplished Jesus' first coming and His finished redemptive work, including Jesus' resurrection, so will that same zeal, fervor, passion accomplish Jesus' second coming. We have God's word on that. Listen to what the psalmist, King David, Jesus' ancestor, prophesied about Him in Psalm 24:9-10 - -
"Lift up your heads, you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is he, this King of Glory?
The LORD Almighty - -
HE is the King of Glory!"
3. Note the other names of our Savior, Isaiah 9:6. These are the names we bear! We no longer are in bondage to walk in darkness! We have seen His great light. We have peace, because we worship the Prince of Peace!
4. Jesus Christ's name is above every other name. Look at these verses and you will see that at His name (which we bear) every person will, either in their earthly life or after their death, bow down before it.
Isaiah 45:22-24
22"Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other. 23"I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. 24"They will say of Me, 'Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.'
Philippians 2:10
9For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Do you see the beauty and power of that Name you bear, Christian? Do you see the responsibility that accompanies that privilege?
And, Non-believer, Seeker - - - I tell you in all humility that you will either "bow now, or bow later". And, I beg you, choose Him today, now, this moment, for you are not promised another. You are not promised your next breath! Choose Him and bow now.
Father, I love all your names. In the Bible, you give us many names for Yourself and for Your Son and Your Holy Spirit. Each one tells us something marvelous about Your character. You use them to teach who you are, as much as we are able to understand. We do know this: as Christians we bear the beautiful name of Jesus, our Savior, whose unfailing love envelops us always, and enables us to walk this day...resplendent! Praise You, Almighty Savior! It is in Your name, that Name Above Every Name, I pray, amen.
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