“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

(7) Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” Isaiah 9:6, 7 (KJV)

Isaiah 9:6,7 (KJV) tie together all the Scriptures about the exaltation of God’s Righteous Servant.  These two verses give a great overview of Israel ’s King Messiah (For proof that Isaiah 9:6,7 (KJV) can only be the Messiah, see Addendum C.).  Once again, the Bible draws a direct connection between a “son” and King Messiah.  These verses are critical during the coronation of the Lord Jesus as King Messiah seated on the throne of David.

The description of the “Son” is evident in these verses.  This is no mere child because Isaiah identifies Him as “The mighty God,” and “The everlasting Father.”  The titles indicate the Son’s true character, as they are reserved only for the holy God of Israel.  Psalm 110:5 provides a clear indication that King Messiah is the holy God of Israel.  Now, in these verses Isaiah reinforces this concept.  Later, in this chapter, Ezekiel 43 gives conclusive proof that King Messiah is the holy God of Israel.

“Mighty God” is a title used only for the God of Israel.  The phrase “Mighty God” in Hebrew is “El gibbor,” and it is found just three times in the Bible (Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 10:21 and Jeremiah 32:18).  Isaiah 10:20,21 shows how El gibbor is reserved for the holy God of Israel:

“… but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. (21) The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.”

The prophet calls this Son, “The everlasting Father.”  This rare title is found only in this verse.  Once again, this title confirms the Deity of the Son.  The idea of The everlasting Father comes from Exodus 4:22.  In this verse, the LORD calls the nation of Israel His firstborn son.  God therefore has established a Father/son relationship with the children of Israel .  Because of this relationship, Israel would view God as The everlasting Father:

Exodus 4:22 “And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn”

Once one grasps this Father/son concept, referring to the Messiah as “The everlasting Father” is not difficult to comprehend.  In verse after verse, the Hebrew Scriptures have established that King Messiah is the God of Israel.  The LORD refers to the children of Israel as His firstborn son; therefore, from their perspective God is The everlasting Father.  The children of Israel have only one Father, not two.  Their Father is the holy God of Israel.  Malachi 2:10 states: “Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us?”

In the Hebrew Scriptures, only Almighty God is called El gibbor and “The Everlasting Father,” clearly illustrating that the Son, who sits on the throne of David, is God Himself.  This is the same Son spoken in Psalm 2, only there He is the begotten Son of God.  The Son of Isaiah 9:6 and Psalm 2:7 are the same.  Both are the King of Israel seated on the throne of David!

Isaiah emphasizes that the Son sits on the throne of David and reigns forever, while Psalm 2 states it is God’s decree, which establishes Him as King.  These verses from Isaiah link together so beautifully with Psalm 2:

Psalm 2:6 “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (7) I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”

Isaiah 9:6,7 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder … (7) Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever ... ”

In addition to identifying this Son as the God of Israel, Isaiah also lists two other very important titles: Wonderful Counselor and The Prince of Peace.  Wonderful Counselor is certainly a characteristic associated with God’s Righteous Servant.  In Isaiah chapter 11, only two chapters later, the prophet refers to the Branch of David, who is the Son of Isaiah 9:6, as possessing the spirit of counsel:

Isaiah 11: 1“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

(2) And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD”

According to the above verses, King Messiah possesses the spirit of counsel, which comes directly from God’s Spirit.  This is a supernatural ability to diagnose a problem and then apply the correct Godly principle to overcome it.  In addition to the spirit of counsel, God’s Servant also has the spirit of wisdom, understanding and knowledge.  All of these are requirements needed for counseling.  God has provided His Son with everything necessary to be called the Wonderful Counselor.

The title Wonderful Counselor also ties directly to the Third Servant Song.  In this Song, God’s Servant has the tongue of the learned.  This knowledge comes directly from the Lord God.  The Servant uses this knowledge to speak the right words to him that is weary; thus, He is a Wonderful Counselor.

Like Isaiah 11, God is the One who teaches His Servant this knowledge.  This Song even states how the Servant learns.  It occurs as God wakes Him in the morning and teaches Him the truth!  No wonder the Servant is called the Wonderful Counselor because the LORD taught Him:

Isaiah 50:4 “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.”

The last title for the Son is The Prince of Peace.  Surely, this title can only apply to King Messiah.  He is the One who brings everlasting peace.  The fullness of peace occurs at the awesome Second Coming of the Lord Jesus.

Mankind needs peace in two areas.  The first is between man and God while the second is peace between people.  Sin brought separation between God and man.  In a way, this separation, can be viewed as mankind at war with God, and thus there was no peace between man and God.  The Fourth Servant Song illustrates how God solved this problem and created the way for man to be at peace with God.  In this Song, God’s Righteous Servant took the “chastisement of our peace.”  He took upon Him the punishment and penalty that was due for sin.  Because of His death, peace can now exist between God and man:

Isaiah 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

Because God’s Servant made peace, the LORD was able to create the New Covenant, which He also calls the “covenant of peace.”  Ezekiel, writing around 580 BC, looked to the future for this covenant.  He did not look back to the law of Moses as a covenant of peace, but the prophet placed it into the future.  The Covenant of Peace would also be eternal:

Ezekiel 37:26 “Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them …”

In the New Testament, the preaching of the gospel, which is the New Covenant, is called “the gospel of peace.”  Romans 10:15 is a reference to Isaiah 52:7, in which the prophet makes the connection between publishing peace and publishing salvation.  Then in Isaiah 52:10 the prophet states the ends of the earth shall see God’s salvation.  This salvation is God’s peace.

The Second Song declares that the Servant is God’s salvation to the ends of the earth!  By examining all these verses together (Romans 10:15, Isaiah 52:7, 52:10 and 49:6), we develop a picture that the Servant is God’s peace.  The New Covenant is the source of this peace.  Remember, God’s Righteous Servant is the New Covenant (Isaiah 42:6, 49:8); therefore, He is the source of peace.  This title, The Prince of Peace, is a perfect description of God’s Righteous Servant.  The verses to show this follow:

Romans 10:15 “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

Isaiah 52:7 “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”

Isaiah 52:10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”

Isaiah 49:6 “And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel : I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.”

The second area where man needs peace is in the interaction between people.  The history of mankind is filled with violent acts of every kind.  This violence will culminate in the greatest violence of all time at the battle of Armageddon (Zechariah 14:2-4, Revelation 16:14-16).

In Isaiah 9:7, the prophet continues with the theme of peace and addresses this problem of man’s violence.  The Prince of Peace seated on the throne of David creates universal peace on earth.  His reign ends all wars and acts of violence.  The Prophet Isaiah draws a direct connection between the reign of King Messiah, peace, and the throne of David.  This verse follows:

Isaiah 9:7 “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

The Prophet Zechariah also links together the BRANCH sitting on the throne of David and peace.  The prophet shows that when the BRANCH reigns as both King and High Priest there will be peace.  There will be peace between men because He reigns as King.  There will be peace between God and man because He sits as the High Priest.

The combination of the BRANCH/Servant reigning as both King and High Priest makes Him The Prince of Peace.  Psalm 2:6,7; Zechariah 6:12,13; and Psalm 110:4 all show King Messiah as both King and High Priest sitting on the throne of David and reigning in peace.  When viewed together, what a truly beautiful picture these verses present:

Psalm 2:6 “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (7) I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”

Zechariah 6:12 “ …Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: (13) Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”

Psalm 110:4 “The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”

The First and Second Servant Songs reveal that God’s Servant is the New Covenant.  The Servant reaches the Gentiles with this covenant.  He is God’s salvation unto the ends of the earth.  God establishes this New Covenant throughout the entire world.  Through this New Covenant, God’s Servant inherits the far reaches of the world.  Ezekiel 37:26 teaches that this New Covenant also is called the eternal covenant of peace.

Zechariah 9:10 reveals that after the battle of Armageddon, King Messiah speaks peace to the remaining peoples of the world.  In His heart, King Messiah is The Prince of Peace and destruction is always His last resort.  After He destroys the armies of the world gathered around Jerusalem , He immediately seeks peace with those that are still alive.

King Messiah brings these survivors under the covenant of peace.  The Prince of Peace will rule over all people unto the ends of the earth.  Zechariah 9:9 shows how God offered His salvation, which is the New Covenant at the first coming of the Lord Jesus.  Zechariah 9:10 shows that after His Second Coming, He once again offers the covenant of peace to all the people.

Zechariah 9:9, 10 along with the First and Second Servant Songs provide a wonderful view of the New Covenant and God’s offer of peace to mankind:

Isaiah 42:6 “I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles”

Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion ; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem : behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

(10) And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem , and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:6 “And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant …I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. (8) …I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages”

Zechariah 9:9 establishes that the King of Israel is coming lowly with salvation.  This was the First Coming of the Lord Jesus when He offered Himself as the New Covenant, the covenant of peace.  He came the first time and fulfilled the Fourth Servant Song and brought peace between God and man through His death for sin.

Isaiah 9:6,7 focuses on the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus and the establishment of His kingdom on earth.  According to these verses, God’s government is upon the shoulder of the Son of God.  This is a magnificent kingdom with peace, judgment and justice over the entire earth.  The central point of these verses is the Son seated on the throne of David.  There is no end to His reign: it is forever.  The kingdom age revolves around King Messiah seated on the throne of David:

Isaiah 9:6 …unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder …(7) Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

The above verse is central to so many verses from the Hebrew Scriptures.  The most obvious is the Prophet Daniel’s report of the Second Coming of King Messiah.  He is not coming lowly on a donkey but with great glory and the clouds of heaven.  He is coming to establish His kingdom on earth just as described by Isaiah.  Psalm 2 also ties directly to these verses and gives a wonderful picture of King Messiah’s kingdom:

Daniel 7:13 “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

(14) And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”

Psalms 2:6 "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (7) I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. (8) Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.”

Jeremiah states that the King, the Branch of David, is going to reign over the entire earth.  Central to the reign of the Branch is His executing judgment and justice on the earth, a concept identical to Isaiah 9:7:

Jeremiah 23:5 "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. (6) In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Isaiah gives many additional Scriptures to link with Isaiah 9:7.  According to Isaiah when the Branch is reigning, He will judge with righteousness and equity.  The Gentiles will seek Him and His rest is glorious.  All the world will come under the authority of King Messiah seated on the throne of David:

Isaiah 11:4 "But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked."

Isaiah 11: 9 “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (10) and in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious."

The New Testament shows that at the glorious Second Coming of the Lord Jesus, He will fulfill Isaiah 9:6,7, Daniel 7:13,14, Isaiah 11, Psalm 2, Psalm 110 and hundreds of other verses.  Revelation 11:15 ties in very nicely with these verses:

Revelation 11:15 "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in the heaven, saying: The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our LORD, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever"

The Setting of Isaiah 9:6,7

The time reference of Isaiah 9:6,7 (KJV) is critical in understanding the coronation of King Messiah.  These two verses are often studied separate from the context.  The context starts at Isaiah 9:2 and continues through to 9:7.  The block of Scriptures from Isaiah 9:2 through 7 are all one thought.  From the context emerges a beautiful picture that gives the setting for the coronation.  Remember, Isaiah 9:6,7 plays a prominent role in this coronation.

These Scriptures indicate that Isaiah is describing a prophetic event.  The passage in Isaiah 9:2-7 not only describes a future event from Isaiah’s time (circa 700 BC), but also depicts an event yet to be realized in history.  The prophet is letting the reader view into the future.

A brief summary to this section includes the spiritual condition of Israel (Verses 2, 3), then the breaking of the oppression against Israel culminating in the battle of Armageddon (Verses 4, 5), and finally the establishment of the kingdom reign of the Branch of David (Verses 6, 7).  These last verses play a vital role in the coronation of the Lord Jesus as Israel ’s King Messiah.  With this background, let us examine Isaiah 9:2-7.

Isaiah 9:2

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”

This verse is actually the foundation of these Scriptures.  The other verses relate back to this verse.  The subject is the “great light.”  The light and darkness of this verse are spiritual in nature, not physical.  Notice it is not just a light, but it is a great light.  This is the light of God’s Righteous Servant shining on the people.

God’s Righteous Servant is the great light to both the Jew and Gentile as they both are in spiritual darkness.  He is the One who opens the spiritually blind eyes.  He brings understanding of the Bible to the ignorant.  The Gentiles need the spiritual light that God’s Servant gives.  This is shown in the First Servant Song:

Isaiah 42:6-7 "I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles. (7) To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house."

Isaiah also refers to Israel as God’s blinded servant.  Sin and rebellion against the God of Israel has blinded Israel to the light.  Israel needs the light of God’s Servant just as much as the Gentiles.  King Messiah is the spiritual light of God.  The New Covenant is the light from God for everlasting life:

Isaiah 42:18 “Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. (19) Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant? (20) Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.”

Isaiah 2:5 “O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.”

Isaiah 60:1 “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. (2) For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.”

This section of Scriptures states very clearly, what this great light is.  Isaiah 9:3 flows directly into verse 6.  A comparison of verses two and six, clarify the Son as the great light.  He is The Wonderful Counselor, The mighty God, The Prince of Peace, and the great light:

Isaiah 9:2 “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given … and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:3

"Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.”

Although the children of Israel have endured throughout the years, their joy and happiness have been quite negligible.  For thousands of years, history records that many troubles have befallen the nation of Israel .  The reason for Israel ’s sufferings is explained in Deuteronomy 31:16-17.  Their forefathers had broken the covenant with the LORD and had turned to other gods.  As a result, the LORD God has temporarily withdrawn from them:

Deuteronomy 31:16 "And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

(17) Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?”

The day will come when the sufferings of Israel end.  The Bible shows that one day God no longer hides His face from them.  This will occur when the Son is reigning on the throne of David as The Prince of Peace.  His rule brings peace and justice to the entire earth:

Ezekiel 39:29 “Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel , saith the Lord GOD.”

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder … (7) Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever …”

Isaiah 9:4, 5

"For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. (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."

The prophet now begins to describe the deliverance of Israel from the oppressor.  This look into the future shows how the LORD defeats those that oppress Israel .  The prophet first cites the “Day of Midian,” a reference to the book of Judges when the Midianites greatly oppressed Israel .  Midian, geographically, was located east and south of Israel , an area composing parts of Jordan and Saudi Arabia .  The book of Judges records this oppression:

Judges 6:2 “And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel : and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. (6) And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites …”

The Midianites then led a huge confederation against Israel , in an attempt to completely destroy the nation.  This army included the Midianites, Amalekites and vast numbers of other groups from the east of Israel .  The army was so large that the Bible describes the multitude as the “sand by the sea side:”

Judges 7:12 “And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.”

The Scriptures have painted the picture of the Midianites crushing Israel , and then Israel facing annihilation by this massive confederation of nations.  At this point, Israel has no hope of survival.  However, the LORD heard the prayers of Israel and sent a prophet to deliver them from the invading army.  He raised up Gideon to defend Israel .  Gideon led Israel into battle, which resulted in the slaughter of this gigantic army of Midian.  The Bible records that over 120,000 died in the battle:

Judges 8:10 “ …and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.”

The key concept about the “Day of Midian” is Israel being crushed and then having to face a huge confederated army that was set to destroy it.  God intervened on behalf of His covenant people and saved them.  With this background of the “Day of Midian,” Isaiah then switches to a future war that reflects the “Day of Midian.”

In verse five, the prophet describes the battle against Midian.  In fact, it is a description of all battles for all time.  The battles are conducted with confusion of noise and garments soaked in blood; however, a battle is coming which is different from all others.  There will be no confusion of noise with this battle or clothes soaked with blood.  This battle involves a consuming fire!  The victory will not be as when Israel defeated the Midianites.  The result is the same, but the tactics are very different:

Isaiah 9:5 “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.”

The use of the words burning and fire to describe this battle is the key to how different it will be from the “Day of Midian.”  The Hebrew word “serephah” for burning gives the picture of cremation!  It is found only 12 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, and each time it involves complete burning.  For example, Numbers 19:17 uses serephah to show only ashes are left after a burnt sacrifice.  This verse follows:

“And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:”

“Fuel” is an additional key word in verse five, an extremely rare word in the Hebrew Scriptures, used only twice.  The Hebrew word gives the picture of something being eaten by fire.  Remember, the context is a battle.  The idea presented is soldiers being eaten or consumed by fire!  This is an all-consuming fire that results in the cremation of the soldiers!  There is no confusion of noise during this battle or blood soaked garments.  This battle is just an all-consuming fire devouring the enemy.

Only one battle fits the description of an all-consuming fire.  At the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus, such a battle takes place.  As in the “Day of Midian,” so too, at the Second Coming, a gigantic army invades Israel .  This invasion takes place during the “Day of the Lord.”

The “Day of the Lord” is the period of time when God judges the earth for rebellion against Him.  It includes the destruction of a huge army gathered to destroy Israel and take Jerusalem .  The New Testament refers to this battle as Armageddon.  The Prophet Zechariah listed details about this battle:

Zechariah 14:1 “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. (2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle …”

During the “Day of Midian,” the God of Israel provided a savior for His people.  He provided Gideon to lead the army into battle.  The victory was miraculous as Gideon with a mere 300 men destroyed a huge confederation led by the Midianites.  Gideon and his few men completely destroyed this huge army.

During the “Day of the Lord,” God once again provides Israel with a Savior.  This time the Savior is King Messiah, the Lord Jesus, returning in His Glory.  King Messiah stands on the Mount. of Olives and then destroys this massive army:

Zechariah 14:3-4 "Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (4) And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east ...”

Zechariah 12:9 “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem .”

The Bible associates the coming of King Messiah with fire.  Remember, according to Isaiah 9:6, King Messiah is The mighty God and The Everlasting Father.  He is the holy God of Israel.  The concept of fire is associated with God’s presence:

Daniel 7:9 “…the Ancient of days did sit …his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. (10) A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him:”

Hebrews 12:29 “For our God is a consuming fire.”

When the Lord Jesus returns, He is in flaming fire:

2 Thessalonians 1:7 “…when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels (8) In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”

The manifestation of His glory makes Him appear on fire.  The brightness of His glory, plus His spoken word annihilates this army.  Isaiah states King Messiah destroys this army with the rod of His mouth and the breath of His lips.  The weapons of God’s Righteous Servant are His spoken word and His glory.  The glory appears to people as fire:

2 Thessalonians 2:8 “And then shall that Wicked (leader of the army) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming”

Isaiah 11:4 “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.”

2 Thessalonians 2:8 states that the brightness of the Lord Jesus’ Second Coming plus His word that consumes God’s enemies.  His glory is a consuming fire to the massive army that surrounds Jerusalem .  God’s weapons in this battle are the spoken word of King Messiah and His radiating glory.

When the fire of God’s glory touches this army, it cremates them where they stand!  Zechariah describes the cremation of this massive army that surrounds Jerusalem .  He states all their flesh instantly consumes away while they are standing in the fiery presence of God’s glory.  The Bible uses the word plague to describe what happened to this army.  The word plague means to defeat.  It is the method of defeat.  This word is also translated as slaughter.

As Isaiah 9:5 states, they become a fuel of fire until they are ashes.  There is no confusion of battle or blood soaked garments in this battle.  It is over in an instant with the manifestation of God’s glory emanating from the Lord Jesus.  The verses to show this battle follow:

Zechariah 14:12 “And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth."

Isaiah 9:5 “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.”

Isaiah 9:6, 7: The Proclamation

Proclaim: (1a) to declare openly or publicly : make widely known through speech or writing (b) to assert openly or publicly and with conviction; (2a) to declare solemnly, officially, or formally (b) to declare to be by solemn, official, or formal announcement; (5) to recognize officially and publicly; (6) to praise or glorify openly or publicly

Examining Isaiah 9:6, 7 in light of its setting reveals a very interesting concept.  These verses are placed in the future after the battle of Jerusalem and during the “Day of the Lord.”  The context places them directly in the “Day of the Lord!”  People are speaking in these verses.  They say, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given …”  In the context of Isaiah 9:2-7, the “us” are the people who in verse two walked in darkness but now see a great light.  The light is the Lord Jesus, Israel ’s King Messiah in their presence.

After the battle for Jerusalem , Israel experiences a very emotional revelation.  They look upon Him whom they pierced (Zechariah 12:10).  They look at the Lord Jesus standing on the Mt. of Olives (Zechariah 14:4) and realize that He is their King Messiah.  All of Israel begins to weep and mourn when they realize the Lord Jesus has always been their Messiah.  Israel realizes that the Jesus of Nazareth was the one who came in the name of the LORD:

Matthew 23:39 “For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

Psalm 118:26 “Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.”

For two-thousand years, Israel had rejected Him, and now the nation fully realizes He was pierced for their sin.  Israel walked in darkness for two-thousand years, but now they see the great light.  The verses to show this follow:

Zechariah 12:9 “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem .

(10) And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (11) In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem , as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon .”

Because Isaiah 9:6,7, is placed in the “Day of the LORD,” it can viewed as the national proclamation of Israel .  These two verses are the people’s official recognition that the Lord Jesus is their King Messiah and that He has the right to sit and reign from the throne of David.  They will acknowledge that He is the Wonderful Counselor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father and The Prince of Peace.  He alone has the right to rule from the throne of David forever.

When the king of England was coronated, the people would proclaim, “Long live the king.”  From the context of Isaiah 9:2-7, it appears that the people will be proclaiming Isaiah 9:6,7 as the Lord Jesus is seated on the throne of David.  The people now see the great light, the Son of God as their King Messiah.  These verses play a very important part in His coronation.  Isaiah 9:6,7 is the proclamation of the people recognizing the King, and His right to reign on the throne of David:

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

The Coronation as Both King and Priest

Coronation: The act or occasion of crowning: as a: the ceremony of investing a sovereign … with the royal crown (b): the ceremony of enthroning or of celebrating the official accession of a sovereign

The Scriptures clearly teach that the Messiah will be King over all the earth.  After He builds the temple, according to Zechariah 6:12-13, the Branch shall sit and rule upon His throne.  Not only is this King identified as the Messiah, He is the LORD Himself.

Ezekiel 43:7 reveals that the holy God of Israel and King Messiah are one and the same.  King Messiah and the LORD God of Israel are both sitting on the same throne in the temple!  The throne of David that Zechariah so carefully wrote that the Branch sits upon.

The Son of God ruling the nations as King Messiah in Psalm 2:6-9 is the God of Israel in Ezekiel 43:7 sitting on His throne in the temple.  A comparison of Daniel 7:13,14; Psalm 2:6-9; Zechariah 6:12,13; and Ezekiel 43:4-7 shows that King Messiah is the God of Israel:

King Messiah coming in glory to establish His kingdom:

Daniel 7:13 “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

(14) And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”

King Messiah is the Son of God ruling the nations with a rod of iron:

Psalm 2:6 “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (7) I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

(8) Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. (9) Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”

King Messiah to build the temple and sit on the throne of David as King:

Zechariah 6:12-13 "Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:

(13) Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both."

The God of Israel is sitting on the Messiah’s throne, the throne of David:

Ezekiel 43:4 "And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. (5) So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house. (6) And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house …

(7) And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile..."

For King Messiah, God’s Servant, to enter into the temple He has to be a priest.  Only priests were allowed to enter the temple, and only the high priest could enter into the Holy of Holies, the inner most part of the temple.  The throne of David will be placed in the Holy of Holies the location of the Ark of the Covenant.  When King Messiah is reigning, the throne of David replaces the Ark of the Covenant!  Thus, the throne will be located in the Holy of Holies:

Jeremiah 3:16 ”And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.

(17) At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.”

King Messiah has to be not only a priest, but also the HIGH PRIEST.  The high priest was the only one able to go into the Holy of Holies.  The Messiah became the High Priest not according to human genealogy traced to Aaron, but by a direct oath from the God of Israel.

The office of the high priest has been switched from earth to heaven.  When the temple was destroyed in 70 AD, the Aaronic priesthood was also destroyed.  Today there is no high priest on earth.  The Bible shows the office of the high priest has been switched from earth to heaven.  When the Messiah sits on the throne as the High Priest, He will not be under the law by genealogy from Aaron.  He will be the Melchizedek High Priest, an office based on an oath from God.  The verses showing this follow:

Psalm 110:1 “A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (4) The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”

Hebrews 7:21 “(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)”

Hebrews 8:1 “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens”

The two roles of the Messiah come together as He sits on the throne of David in the Ezekiel temple. In the temple, it is the LORD God of Israel in His full glory sitting on the throne!  Ezekiel 43 shows that the person of the Messiah as King and Priest all come together in the holy God of Israel.  The Messiah and the God of Israel are one.  The Son of God in Psalm 2:7 is none other than God Himself sitting on the throne in Ezekiel 43:7!

The coronation takes place when King Messiah in His glory enters the temple as described in Ezekiel 43.  In his vision, the Prophet Ezekiel sees the coronation with one other person, Ezekiel 43:6.  When the vision comes to pass, most likely all Israel is present.  The courtyard and the area around the temple are huge so hundreds of thousands can congregate.

The setting of the temple has been completed.  The huge throne is ready.  The Lord Jesus in His glory enters His temple through the East Gate.  He walks into the courtyard with all eyes watching Him.  He then walks through the Eastern gate of the inner courtyard.  The main entrance to the temple is directly in front of Him.  He enters the temple and walks to the back where the Holy of Holies is located.  There waiting for Him is the magnificent throne of David:

Ezekiel 43:1 “Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: (2) And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.

(4) And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.

(5) So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house. (6) And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house …

(7) And he (the God of Israel) said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile…”

The Lord Jesus then sits on the throne as both King and High Priest because He is the begotten Son of God by a decree from the Father (Psalm 2:6,7).  He can enter into the Holy of Holies because He is the High Priest by an oath of the Father. (Psalm 110:4).  Thus, it is by the decree of God and not genealogy that He sits on the throne of David as both King and High Priest:

Zechariah 6:13 “Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”

When the Lord Jesus is seated on the throne, it is natural for the people to speak a proclamation.  The huge throng surrounding the temple will not be saying, “Long live the king.”  Instead, they will be proclaiming:

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

Notice in Isaiah 9:7 the word “henceforth.”  The word means “from this point on.”  “Henceforth” gives a time reference, or indicator for this verse.  The reference is when the people are first proclaiming the Son as The Prince of Peace and the government has just been placed on His shoulder.  He has just sat on the throne of David, and His reign has begun.

The only place in the Bible showing this coronation is Ezekiel 43.  Isaiah 9:6,7 takes place at the coronation of the Lord Jesus as Israel ’s King Messiah, when He is seated on the throne of David and set to rule forever.  When the Lord Jesus sets up His kingdom, He will be the only one to rule as King.  He is the only King over all the earth.

By John McTernan: Defend and Proclaim the Faith
Blog: John McTernan's Insights at www.johnmcternan.name