ISAIAH
CHAPTER
9
1. But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the ways of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 9 verse 1)
Oh God this scripture as in all others is very encouraging. As in the case of us who have either been treated wrongly or been denied of their rights, You are promising better times. You promise to calm down the waves of those situations that have been troubling us for such a long time. The rainbow will appear in the sky after such days of rain and tribulation. When You become active in our lives oh God my Father our lives change and improve. It is as if we are born again not from flesh but from the Holy Spirit, who gives us a new drive and renewed strength to live and face the even he greatest of our tribulations. Amen Praise be to God indeed, there is none like You.
2. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness-on them light has shined.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 9 verse 2)
Oh God really and truly Your light is so bright and those on whom Your light will also shine. May our faith be like a strong search-light that shines so bright that others who have not yet met You or experienced You personally will greatly benefit from such light. I thank You for bringing me out of my darkness of lack of Your awareness of love and faith and bringing me into the light. I pray that I will not find Your light too bright and chose to retreat back to my darkness as is the case when I sin against You. I pray for Your protection 'sun-glasses' that filter the negative rays of the world from those that You wish to transmit to me and the world by means of the Holy Spirit Amen.
3. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 9 verse 3)
Oh God, whether we admit it or not oh God my Father it is You who restores our soul and happiness and well-being, for all depends on You for our very existence even though admit it.
4. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5. For all the boots of tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. 6. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 9 verses 4 to 6)
Oh those of us including myself who at times find life to be challenging and even difficult to endure, today God has given us a new hope. If we want Jesus can be born in us and give us new life, new hope, new motivation, and a new and better future based on God and his Message as found in the Bible. Today we are given this Good News and we either have the choice to accept God's invitation as given to us by the prophet Isaiah or remain stuck in the depressive rut of life. The decision is ours to make, but for those who decide to choose Jesus as our 'wonderful counselor, mighty warrior, everlasting father and prince of peace', God bless you, for even though life seems to be hard God is going to lift of the bar of anguish pain and persecution and lay it across his shoulders as he did at the time of the passion. Because You love us oh God, You took and are still bearing on Your shoulders our problems, pain and anguish, for You are my Father and Saviour Amen.
7. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 9 verse 7)
Oh god although Your power unlike that of humans seems to be invisible it is like yeast in the dough, that grows gradually until it reaches its full development in the finished loave of bread. Unlike the crooked ways of the world, Your ways and just and reliable Amen.
8. The Lord sent a word against Jacob, and it fell on Israel; 9. and all the people knew it- Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria-but in pride and arrogance of heart they said. 10. "The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place."
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 9 verses 8 to 10)
Oh God my Father at times we may be under the false impression that Your ways have failed, however when thinking in such a way we decide that our way is better and we decide to do things our way instead of Your way and this is a big mistake.
11. So the LORD raised adversaries against them, and stirred up their enemies, 12. the Arameans on the east and the Philistines on the west, and they devoured Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger has not turned away; his hand is stretched out still.
(Book of Isaiah Chapter 9 verses 11 to 12)
As much as You oh God can send angels to come and save us, You are also able to raise adversaries in order to hinder our negative plans and in doing so save us from being hurt by our own schemes.
13. The people did not turn to him who struck them or seek the LORD of hosts. 14. So the LORD cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed in one day- 15. elders and dignitaries are the head, and prophets who teach lies are the tail; 16. for those who led this people led them astray, and those who were led by them were left in confusion.
(Book of Isaiah Chapter 9 verses 13 to 16)
Even in the life of the State and Church, You are sifting out the wheat from the weeds oh God. Many leaders both in the secular and in the spiritual either died, resigned or were removed in order to be replaced by others. I pray oh God that You keep on cleansing both realms so that one day we will have a balance of goodness and Godness in both the spiritual and the secular world. Amen.
17. That is why the Lord did not have pity on their young people, or compassion on their orphans and widows; for everyone was godless and an evildoer, and every mouth spoke folly. For all his anger has not turned away; his hand is stretched out still.
(Book of Isaiah Chapter 9 verse 17)
Oh God, You love us so much and this is why You hurt so much because You love us so much. Forgive us oh God my Father for we are all sinners, however even though we are sinners we all wish to love You. Our spirits desire to love You, but at times, our brains and carnal desires, are much to hold us back from sinning against You. Mercy oh God!
18. For wickedness burned like a fire, consuming briers and thorns; it kindled the thickets of the forest and they swirled upward in a column of smoke.
(Book of Isaiah Chapter 9 verse 18)
Oh God wickedness and anger are also like fire, it consumes our spirit and renders totally spiritually dead. Unlike evil our prayers also go to heaven however our prayers give us a sense of peace and tranquility. May we all oh God have the blaze of faith burning like fire within our souls forever like a bonfire that never dies out Amen.
19. Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts the land was burned, and the people became like fuel for the fire; no one spared another. 20. They gorged on the right, but still were hungry, and they devoured on the left, but were not satisfied; they devoured the flesh of their own kindred; 21. Manasseh devoured Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, and together they were against Judah. For all this his anger has not turned away; his hand is stretched out still.
(Book of Isaiah Chapter 9 verses 19 to 21)
Oh God even though we may not devour each other's flesh we have the potential of eating or destroying each other's personality or psychological state of mind by abusing each other's feelings and render the person as being the scapegoat of the family or of the class or even on the job. As much as we can be positive and constructive oh God, we can be negative and destructive towards both ourselves and even towards others.
Oh God my Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-
Oh, Father who art in heaven hallowed be they Holy Name forever and ever, again and again! The more we go against Your will and curse your name, the more it will deserve to be hailed in praise and worship in compensation for our sins. Foy Your name is greatly worthy to be praised. I pray oh God that You have mercy on the world, for although many of us are trying to overcome and overcome our sinful self in order to be more You the evil one is still at work in making us sin against each other and so against You. Mercy oh God!
2. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness-on them light has shined.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 9 verse 2)
Oh God really and truly Your light is so bright and those on whom Your light will also shine. May our faith be like a strong search-light that shines so bright that others who have not yet met You or experienced You personally will greatly benefit from such light. I thank You for bringing me out of my darkness of lack of Your awareness of love and faith and bringing me into the light. I pray that I will not find Your light too bright and chose to retreat back to my darkness as is the case when I sin against You. I pray for Your protection 'sun-glasses' that filter the negative rays of the world from those that You wish to transmit to me and the world by means of the Holy Spirit Amen.
3. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 9 verse 3)
Oh God, whether we admit it or not oh God my Father it is You who restores our soul and happiness and well-being, for all depends on You for our very existence even though admit it.
4. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5. For all the boots of tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. 6. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 9 verses 4 to 6)
Oh those of us including myself who at times find life to be challenging and even difficult to endure, today God has given us a new hope. If we want Jesus can be born in us and give us new life, new hope, new motivation, and a new and better future based on God and his Message as found in the Bible. Today we are given this Good News and we either have the choice to accept God's invitation as given to us by the prophet Isaiah or remain stuck in the depressive rut of life. The decision is ours to make, but for those who decide to choose Jesus as our 'wonderful counselor, mighty warrior, everlasting father and prince of peace', God bless you, for even though life seems to be hard God is going to lift of the bar of anguish pain and persecution and lay it across his shoulders as he did at the time of the passion. Because You love us oh God, You took and are still bearing on Your shoulders our problems, pain and anguish, for You are my Father and Saviour Amen.
7. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 9 verse 7)
Oh god although Your power unlike that of humans seems to be invisible it is like yeast in the dough, that grows gradually until it reaches its full development in the finished loave of bread. Unlike the crooked ways of the world, Your ways and just and reliable Amen.
8. The Lord sent a word against Jacob, and it fell on Israel; 9. and all the people knew it- Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria-but in pride and arrogance of heart they said. 10. "The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place."
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 9 verses 8 to 10)
Oh God my Father at times we may be under the false impression that Your ways have failed, however when thinking in such a way we decide that our way is better and we decide to do things our way instead of Your way and this is a big mistake.
11. So the LORD raised adversaries against them, and stirred up their enemies, 12. the Arameans on the east and the Philistines on the west, and they devoured Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger has not turned away; his hand is stretched out still.
(Book of Isaiah Chapter 9 verses 11 to 12)
As much as You oh God can send angels to come and save us, You are also able to raise adversaries in order to hinder our negative plans and in doing so save us from being hurt by our own schemes.
13. The people did not turn to him who struck them or seek the LORD of hosts. 14. So the LORD cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed in one day- 15. elders and dignitaries are the head, and prophets who teach lies are the tail; 16. for those who led this people led them astray, and those who were led by them were left in confusion.
(Book of Isaiah Chapter 9 verses 13 to 16)
Even in the life of the State and Church, You are sifting out the wheat from the weeds oh God. Many leaders both in the secular and in the spiritual either died, resigned or were removed in order to be replaced by others. I pray oh God that You keep on cleansing both realms so that one day we will have a balance of goodness and Godness in both the spiritual and the secular world. Amen.
17. That is why the Lord did not have pity on their young people, or compassion on their orphans and widows; for everyone was godless and an evildoer, and every mouth spoke folly. For all his anger has not turned away; his hand is stretched out still.
(Book of Isaiah Chapter 9 verse 17)
Oh God, You love us so much and this is why You hurt so much because You love us so much. Forgive us oh God my Father for we are all sinners, however even though we are sinners we all wish to love You. Our spirits desire to love You, but at times, our brains and carnal desires, are much to hold us back from sinning against You. Mercy oh God!
18. For wickedness burned like a fire, consuming briers and thorns; it kindled the thickets of the forest and they swirled upward in a column of smoke.
(Book of Isaiah Chapter 9 verse 18)
Oh God wickedness and anger are also like fire, it consumes our spirit and renders totally spiritually dead. Unlike evil our prayers also go to heaven however our prayers give us a sense of peace and tranquility. May we all oh God have the blaze of faith burning like fire within our souls forever like a bonfire that never dies out Amen.
19. Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts the land was burned, and the people became like fuel for the fire; no one spared another. 20. They gorged on the right, but still were hungry, and they devoured on the left, but were not satisfied; they devoured the flesh of their own kindred; 21. Manasseh devoured Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, and together they were against Judah. For all this his anger has not turned away; his hand is stretched out still.
(Book of Isaiah Chapter 9 verses 19 to 21)
Oh God even though we may not devour each other's flesh we have the potential of eating or destroying each other's personality or psychological state of mind by abusing each other's feelings and render the person as being the scapegoat of the family or of the class or even on the job. As much as we can be positive and constructive oh God, we can be negative and destructive towards both ourselves and even towards others.
Oh God my Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-
Oh, Father who art in heaven hallowed be they Holy Name forever and ever, again and again! The more we go against Your will and curse your name, the more it will deserve to be hailed in praise and worship in compensation for our sins. Foy Your name is greatly worthy to be praised. I pray oh God that You have mercy on the world, for although many of us are trying to overcome and overcome our sinful self in order to be more You the evil one is still at work in making us sin against each other and so against You. Mercy oh God!
