June 15 I Wednesday

Nehemiah 1-3

Acts 2:1-21

“Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever.”   

—Isaiah 9:7

The prophet Isaiah prophesied about the coming of Messiah hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus Christ. He wrote, “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders” (Isaiah 9:6). This Child would come to deliver His people from their sins, their oppressions and the rod of slavery to sin that is on their back. Did we notice in the verse the phrase, “the government will be on His shoulders?” This is a profound truth to understand. The word for “government” in Hebrew is misrah, which means “rule, dominion, government.”

       As we look in the New Testament, Paul helps shed some light on understanding the dominion and government that Isaiah spoke of. He writes, “For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17). What this passage tells us is that Christ has dominion over everything—the cosmos, heaven and the earth. The government rests on His shoulders. This truth is a comfort for us all because we do not carry the mission of the church on our shoulders, or the burdens of a city on our shoulders, or the weight of global affairs on our shoulders, or even the weight of a pandemic on our shoulders. Sometimes we carry things that we are not meant to carry—these burdens rest upon His shoulders. 

       Isaiah described the One whose shoulders carried these burdens as “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6). What incredible peace, liberty and freedom from Jesus Christ!

       We usually emphasize the message of the Child during Christmas, the Son of God who laid down His life for us in order to set us free from sin. Yet, the Messiah is not just a Child but the King of kings and Lord of Lords. Every day, we must carry this message of deliverance and proclaim with all creation His everlasting and ultimate dominion. As Revelation 5:12 rejoices, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!”

Prayer: Precious Lord Jesus, You are the Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. Thank You for redeeming my life from sin, death and eternal separation from God. Praise You as the King of kings and the Lord of lords!