THE KINGDOM AND THE KING

'The people that walked in darkness hare seen a great light: they that
dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light
shined. 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. 4. 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. 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.'--ISAIAH ix. 2-7.


The darker the cloud, the brighter is the rainbow. This prophecy has for
its historical background the calamitous reign of the weak and wicked
Ahaz, during which the heart of the nation was bowed, like a forest
before the blast, by the dread of foreign invasion and conquest. The
prophet predicts a day of gloom and anguish, and then, out of the midst
of his threatenings, bursts this glorious vision, sudden as sunrise.
With consummate poetic art, the consequences of Messiah's rule are set
forth before He Himself is brought into view.

I. Image is heaped on image to tell the blessedness of that reign (vs.