Isaiah 9:1-7 — Shalom Anticipated: A Savior is Coming

December 8th, 2023
by Pastor Stephen Abdo

Isaiah 9:1-7 — Shalom Anticipated: A Savior is Coming

After Adam disobeyed God, Shalom—the state of being in absolute harmony with God—was shattered. And now that Adam has failed, Eve and the rest of mankind will need a new ruler. So, in Genesis 3:15, God promises a Savior (commonly called the protoevangelium). This much-anticipated Seed will crush the head of the Serpent. Unlike Adam, the Seed will obey God in everything and will set creation in its proper order again. Consequently, the restoration of Shalom was immediately anticipated, and the search for the Seed begins.

Eve, foolishly thought it was Cain but he turned out to be a murder by killing his brother Abel. So, the Scripture tracks the lineage of Seth, from whom now the Seed will come. Lamech, a descendant of Seth, called his son Noah, thinking he might be the Seed (Genesis 5:29). But Noah, after the Flood, gets drunk and it becomes obvious he is not the Seed. In Genesis 12 we see God make a covenant with Abraham by whom "all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). Thus, we know that the Seed will come from his lineage. This promise is then tracked down to Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and then David. In 2 Samuel 7, God, through the Prophet Nathan, makes another covenant with David. David had wanted to build God a house. However, God tells David that He will make him a house (2 Samuel 7:11). That was a reference to the Seed, the Savior, the Messiah, coming from the lineage of David.

That was all that was known of this Savior until more than 3000 years after the protoevangelium. That is when the Prophet Isaiah prophesies: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). This is the first mention of a name for this saving Seed. He will have a supernatural birth. Immanuel means "God with us" thus revealing His divinity (Matthew 1:23). Then in Isaiah 9, we see both the humanity ("a Child") and the divinity ("a Son" and a "Mighty God") of the Messiah. The government "will be upon His shoulder", so He will rule in place of Adam. And He is the one who will put everything back in the right order because He is śar šhālôm (Prince of Peace).

⁶ For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

⁷ Of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice

From that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Is there a more beautiful description of the Savior?