Study notes

Isaiah 9

Introducing IsaiahWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

8:19–12:6 Section

The judgement messages in these chapters are against Jacob’s people and against Assyria. Jacob’s people included the northern kingdom. The northern kingdom was also called Israel and Ephraim. Jacob’s people included the southern kingdom as well. The southern kingdom was also called Judah. God was very angry with his people because they were proud.

The prophets, judges and kings didn’t follow God’s instructions for leaders. These instructions were recorded in Deuteronomy 13:1–5 and Deuteronomy 17:8–20. The leaders made laws that were unfair and they took away people’s rights. God used the Assyrian army as his tool to bring judgement against his people. That is how Assyria was the war club that carried out God’s anger. But Assyria’s king didn’t recognise that he had success in battles because God allowed him to. He was proud. He claimed that his own power and strength made him successful. That is why God would bring judgement against Assyria as well.

The messages of hope in these chapters are about a ruler and king who wasn’t proud. In chapter 9, Isaiah prophesied about a child from David’s family line. This child would become a ruler who did what was fair and right. His rule would last for ever. He would be called Wonderful Adviser and Mighty God. He would be called Father Who Lives For Ever and Prince Who Brings Peace.

In chapter 11, Isaiah prophesied again about this ruler. He was called a Branch like the Branch of the Lord in Isaiah 4:2. He would rule with the help of the Spirit of the Lord. That is another name for the Holy Spirit. Life in the kingdom of this ruler would be very different. It wouldn’t be like life in the world that people were used to. Everyone everywhere on earth would know who God is and would serve him. No one and nothing would cause harm to anyone or anything. Isaiah described this by talking about how children would play with animals that are usually dangerous. No harm would come to them. This was a picture of the peace that this ruler would bring.

Jews came to understand these messages of hope as prophecies about the messiah. New Testament writers came to understand them as prophecies about Jesus. Isaiah wrote out songs of praise that God’s people would sing one day. They would sing them after God finished bringing judgement against them. They would sing them once God brought them comfort. Isaiah chapters 40 to 66 talk about this comfort. In the songs in chapter 12 the Israelites recognise that God is their Saviour. They tell everyone about him. They help all nations on earth know God and honour him. These joyful songs celebrate God as the Holy One of Israel.

9:1

  • Zebulun and Naphtali were northern tribes in Israel (Judges 6:35). The Assyrian invaders, led by Tiglath-pileser III, humbled them in 734 and 732 BC. During the lifetime of Jesus, people connected this prophecy to his coming out from Galilee (Matthew 4:14–16).

  • Galilee of the Gentiles was the area of Israel between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea. The surrounding Gentile nations heavily influenced it culturally, religiously, and politically.

9:1–7

After judgment and destruction, there would still be hope. God promised that the Messiah (God’s chosen one) would come and rule.

In the Messiah’s kingdom, darkness would end and great light would begin. This light would first appear in Galilee. Then it would spread to the whole nation of Israel and finally to the whole world.

The Messiah would defend those who suffer and are treated unfairly. He would bring an end to cruelty and injustice. He would rule with justice (what is right and fair) and righteousness (living in a right way before God). His kingdom would be a kingdom of peace, and it would last forever.

9:4

  • The people experienced the rule of other nations as a yoke of slavery and a heavy burden. A yoke is a wooden bar placed on animals to control them. Here it describes harsh control and forced labor (Jeremiah 30:8).

  • the rod of their oppressor: In Isaiah 10:5, the Assyrians are called “the rod of [the Lord’s] anger.” This means God used Assyria to punish his people. But God’s anger would not last forever. When his anger ended, Assyria’s cruel rule over Judah would also end (Isaiah 14:5).

  • The Lord had destroyed the army of Midian through Gideon (see Judges 6:35; 7:22–25).

9:5

Burning the boots and uniforms marked the end of the need for instruments of war.

9:6

  • unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: This child, the Messiah, would be David’s descendant (Isaiah 11:1).

  • He will be called: These titles describe the kind of king this child would be. They can be understood as four royal names that show the nature of his rule:

    1. The Wonderful Counselor rules with God’s wisdom (Isaiah 11:1; 25:1; 28:29; 40:13). His wisdom is different from the weak and foolish leaders of Judah (1:26; 3:3).

    2. The Mighty God is an affirmation of the Messiah’s divine nature. It shows that he shares in God’s power and authority.

    3. The Everlasting Father cares for his people like a father. His care never ends (compare Isaiah 22:21; 63:16).

    4. The Prince of Peace is a ruler who brings peace, not war.

  • Some scholars understand the titles as two longer names instead of four:

    1. “A Wonderful Counselor [is] the Mighty God”; and

    2. “the Everlasting Father [is] a Prince of Peace” (on his nature, see Isaiah 11:1–9).

  • The New Testament identifies Jesus Christ as this promised Son of David (Matthew 1:1; Luke 1:32; see also Isaiah 7:14; 8:3, 18). He will establish his kingdom of peace (Revelation 19).

9:7

This ruler, like Ahaz, will be a descendant of David. However, unlike Ahaz and the rulers of Jerusalem (Isaiah 1:21–23), he will trust God and rule with justice and righteousness (11:1–3). Jesus the Messiah reigns forever (Luke 1:32–33).

9:8–12

This prophecy of judgment was against the northern kingdom of Israel. Even though God warned that the Assyrians would defeat them (Isaiah 7–8), the people of Samaria were foolishly confident they could survive the siege.

9:13–17

God used punishment to call his people to repentance. Repentance means turning away from sin and turning back to God. His goal was not to destroy Israel, but to correct them and bring them back to himself.

However, Israel had become apostate. This means they had turned away from the Lord and rejected him. They refused to repent or to seek the Lord.

9:17

Widows and orphans are usually special objects of God’s compassion and care (Isaiah 1:17, 23; 10:2). However, when they remained unrepentant, they also faced God’s wrath. This means they experienced his judgment. God’s judgment was not based on social position, but on whether people turned back to him.

9:18–21

After the leaders were destroyed, the nation would fall into chaos. With no strong leadership, people would turn against one another.

Civil war would then destroy the nation. It would spread quickly and cause great damage, like a brushfire that no one can control.

9:21

Manasseh and Ephraim represent the northern kingdom because they were its largest tribes. These tribes stood for the whole kingdom of Israel.

The two largest tribes of Israel and Judah fought against each other. This likely refers to the war between Judah and the alliance of Syria and Israel. This war is often called the Syro-Ephraimite War (Isaiah 7:1–12). During this conflict, people from the same family fought against one another. In other words, brothers fought against brothers (2 Chronicles 28). This civil war brought great suffering to God’s people.

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources