Page 27 - Isaiah Student Worktext

In the 1900s, a new way was proposed. Everyone would be equal in every way. There would be no
more poor, no more rich. It was called Communism. It was and is an abject failure.

Winston Churchill once said, ‘Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other
forms that have been tried from time to time’.

Part of Chapter 9 is among the most famous of all passages from Isaiah.

V. 1-2 Chapter 8 ended in darkness and gloom, corrupt people seeking wisdom from mediums and
wizards. So, Chapter 9 offers brightness.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Yet, we know that the
light that was being spoken of, Jesus Christ, was still a distant promise. (John 8: 12)

How can a distant promise provide hope for today? (Heaven).

V. 3 Joy is something that can be hard to define. I’ve always defined it as eternal—nothing can take it
away, unlike happiness which can be ruined by a rainy day.

The examples provided here…the joy of the harvest, the joy of taking the spoil shows us that earthly
examples of joy are fallible and temporary. The joy of a great harvest can be destroyed by low prices for
the labors of the farmer. The spoils of a victor in battle are stained with blood of those who were lost in
the battle.

V. 4-5 This references something we find in the book of Judges. Gideon with his 300 men was sent
against the 135,000 soldiers of Midian. The Midianites defeated themselves, in chaos.

This is a picture of how Jesus Christ, the light that came to dispel the darkness, defeated Satan and sin at
the cross.

With Midian, all the garments and boots used to prepare for the battle became kindling for the fire.
With Satan, all the evil that he has encouraged over the centuries will likewise become fuel for the
eternal fires of hell.

V. 6 This one verse contains the proof of the deity of Christ, the Messiah. The idea
of the incarnation, the fact that God came to earth in the form of a man, was a
stumbling block for the Jews. They couldn’t accept Jesus as God in human form,
even though it is clearly detailed here in Isaiah.

The child will be born to us, a Son is given to us. When the angel announced the birth of the Savior to
the shepherds, he said a Savior has been born for YOU, for all mankind.

Wonderful counselor: wonderful refers to the ability to work supernatural signs, counselor indicates
provider of wisdom.

Mighty God: again, proof of the incarnation. A child born…man, who is Mighty God.

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