Unto Us a Child Is Born
(Matthew 4:12–17; Mark 1:14–15; Luke 4:14–15)
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations: Mat 4:15-162Ki 15:29Isa 8:221Ch 5:262Ch 16:42Ki 17:5-61Ki 15:19-20Lev 26:24
The people walking in darkness Mat 4:16Eph 5:8Jhn 8:12Jhn 12:46Luk 1:78-791Pe 2:91Jn 1:5-7Isa 60:1-3
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death,
a light has dawned. 1
You have enlarged the nation Isa 26:15Isa 35:10Isa 65:18Isa 66:10Psa 119:1621Pe 1:8Isa 61:7Jer 31:12-14
and increased its joy.
The people rejoice before You
as they rejoice at harvest time,
as men rejoice in dividing the plunder.
For as in the day of Midian Isa 14:25Jer 30:8Isa 10:26-27Nam 1:13Isa 54:14Isa 49:26Isa 14:3-5Gen 27:40
You have shattered the yoke of their burden,
the bar across their shoulders,
and the rod of their oppressor.
For every trampling boot of battle 2Th 1:8Ezk 39:8-10Isa 30:33Psa 46:9Isa 10:16-17Isa 4:4Isa 66:15-16Jol 2:5
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
For unto us a child is born, Luk 2:11Mat 28:18Jer 23:5-6Isa 7:14Mat 1:231Jn 5:20Rev 19:16Jhn 1:1-2
unto us a son is given,
and the government will be upon His shoulders.
And He will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace Luk 1:32-33Dan 2:44Dan 7:142Sa 7:16Psa 45:4-6Dan 7:27Dan 2:351Co 15:24-28
there will be no end.
He will reign on the throne of David
and over his kingdom,
to establish and sustain it
with justice and righteousness
from that time and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.
Judgment against Israel’s Pride
The Lord has sent a message against Jacob, Isa 7:7-8Isa 8:4-8Mic 1:1-9Zec 1:6Zec 5:1-4Mat 24:35
and it has fallen upon Israel.
All the people will know it— Isa 46:121Ki 22:251Pe 5:5Ezk 30:19Ezk 33:33Ezk 7:27Ezk 7:9Isa 10:9-11
Ephraim 2and the dwellers of Samaria.
With pride and arrogance of heart
they will say:
“The bricks have fallen, Mal 1:41Ki 10:271Ki 7:9-12
but we will rebuild with finished stone;
the sycamores have been felled,
but we will replace them with cedars.”
The LORD has raised up the foes of Rezin against him 2Ki 15:292Ki 16:9Isa 10:9-11Isa 17:1-5Isa 7:8Isa 8:4-7
and joined his enemies together.
Aram 3from the east and Philistia from the west 2Ch 28:18Isa 5:252Ki 16:6Psa 79:7Isa 10:4Isa 9:17Isa 9:21Jer 10:25
have devoured Israel with open mouths.
Despite all this, His anger is not turned away;
His hand is still upraised.
Judgment against Israel’s Hypocrisy
But the people did not return to Him who struck them; Hos 7:10Jer 5:3Isa 31:1Isa 1:52Ch 28:22Deu 4:29Ezk 24:13Hos 3:4-5
they did not seek the LORD of Hosts.
So the LORD will cut off Israel’s head and tail, Isa 19:15Rev 18:82Ki 17:6-20Amo 2:14-16Amo 3:12Amo 5:2-3Amo 6:11Amo 7:17
both palm branch and reed in a single day.
The head is the elder and honorable man, Isa 29:10Mat 24:241Sa 9:62Ti 4:2-3Ezk 13:19Isa 3:2-3Jer 29:21-221Jn 4:1
and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies.
For those who guide this people mislead them, Isa 3:12Mat 15:14Mat 23:16-361Ki 8:55-562Ch 30:27Heb 7:7Num 6:23-26
and those they mislead are swallowed up.
Therefore the Lord takes no pleasure in their young men; Isa 10:6Isa 5:25Jer 18:21Isa 27:11Isa 9:12Mat 12:34Isa 10:4Isa 9:21
He has no compassion on their fatherless and widows.
For every one of them is godless and wicked,
and every mouth speaks folly.
Despite all this, His anger is not turned away;
His hand is still upraised.
Judgment against Israel’s Unrepentance
For wickedness burns like a fire Mal 4:1Psa 83:14Isa 34:8-10Isa 5:24Nam 1:10Amo 7:4Deu 32:22Ezk 20:47-48
that consumes the thorns and briers
and kindles the forest thickets
which roll upward in billows of smoke.
By the wrath of the LORD of Hosts Mic 7:2Mic 7:62Pe 2:4Act 2:20Amo 5:18Ezk 9:5Isa 1:31Isa 13:13
the land is scorched,
and the people are fuel for the fire.
No man even spares his brother.
They carve out what is on the right, Isa 49:26Jer 19:9Isa 8:21Lam 4:10Lev 26:26-29
but they are still hungry;
they eat what is on the left,
but they are still not satisfied.
Each one devours the flesh of his own offspring. 4
Manasseh devours Ephraim, Isa 5:252Ch 28:6-8Gal 5:15Isa 9:121Sa 14:202Ki 15:30Isa 10:4Isa 11:13
and Ephraim Manasseh;
together they turn against Judah.
Despite all this, His anger is not turned away;
His hand is still upraised.