Isa 9.1-21 tells us that there is a comfort to God’s people against the calamities of Isa 8. This is because the Messiah is coming. On the other hand, there is also judgment coming on the enemies of Yehovah and his Messiah. Now, there are several applications to these verses. Assyria in the peshat (literal) level will attack Judah and be destroyed by Yom Kippur of that year, as we will see later in Isa 37.30-35. The Targum, which is an Aramaic paraphrase of the prophets, says Ezek 38 and 39 is the redemption and it will happen in the month of Tishri. Notice when they are rejoicing in this chapter. It is at Sukkot, and Gog and Magog has been defeated. You know this by comparing these verses with Ezek 38-39. These verses also allude to the sowd or hidden, secret level to the birth of Yeshua (the shortened form of Yehoshua meaning “Yehovah saves.” Joshua was called Hoshea meaning “He saves” but Moses changed his name to Yehoshua meaning “Yehovah saves” to let everyone know that it is Yehovah who does the saving. The name “Yeshua” is the shortened form of Yehoshua and it also means “Yehovah saves”). Yeshua is from the area being described here and we know and have established in other teachings that he was born around the festival of Sukkot. This chapter will also have an application to the Russian invasion of Israel and how Israel will be “born” into Yeshua as Messiah by the mid-point of the birth-pains on Nisan 10-Deut 16.13-14; Isa 10.12, 10.17-20; Ezek 39.22). Even though the north and Galilee is in judgment, in the future the redemption of mankind and Israel will begin there. As we study Isa 9.2-7 we want you to notice all the Sukkot terms like, light, gladness, glad, rejoice, and the king and kingdom, etc.
v 1…But there will be no gloom (darkness) for her who is in anguish (now); in earlier times he treated the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali (west and northwest of the sea of Galilee) with contempt (the land was invaded there first when coming from the north), but later on he shall make glorious by the way of the sea (Via Maris means “way of the sea” and it is a highway and trade route that ran along the sea connecting Europe, Asia, and the African continent) on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee of the nations (this area suffered first from Assyria, especially by Tiglat-pileser IV in 2 Kings 15.29. But later, Yeshua would come and live there and minister, bringing the Messianic Redemption and Kingdom-Matt 2.23; John 7.52; Luke 2.32)
v 2…The people who walk in darkness (calamity in Galilee) will see a great light (a Sukkot term); those who live in the shadow of death (from Assyria, and later Rome and the False Messiah and Europe), the light will shine on them (salvation and deliverance from Assyria started from there, but later Yeshua began his ministry there).
v 3…Thou shalt multiply the nation (as promised to Abraham) and thou shalt increase their gladness (another Sukkot term), they will be glad in thy presence (or before you) with the gladness of harvest (Sukkot is at harvest time-Exo 23.16, and it was when you brought the second tithe called the Maaser Sheni), as men rejoice when they divide the spoil (reaped the long-awaited for fruit from the land).
v 4…For thou shalt break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor (Assyria-Isa 10.5; Mic 5.1) as at the battle of Midian (Judges 7.15 with Gideon-the Assyrian yoke will be broken on Yom Kippur, in the month of Tishri, and it was according to history. Five days later the festival of Sukkot comes and the people are rejoicing. Eschatologically, this will happen again. Gog and Magog (Russia) will invade Israel and be defeated by Yom Kippur. Five days later it is Sukkot and the people will celebrate. They will accept Yeshua as the Messiah who delivered them, and a “child will be born to us” spiritually-Ezek 39.22).
v 5…For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, and cloak rolled in blood will be for burning, fuel for the fire (Ezek 39.9-10).
v 6…For a child will be born to us (Yeshua was born at Sukkot, and will be born into the hearts of the people after Yehovah delivers them from Gog and Magog/Russia), a son will be given to us (physically and spiritually); and the government will be upon his shoulders (total authority); and his name will be called Wonderful (his work is hidden, inexhaustible and incomprehensible, deep-Judges 13.18), Counselor (the wisdom to command and care for every situation is known to him), the Mighty God (Hebrew “El Givor” as an equal to the Father and the Ruach-Isa 10.21), the Eternal Father (in respect to those who have been given to him as offspring of the covenant; as provider from eternity-Isa 22.21), Prince of Peace (Shalom can only come from him as he removes all non-peaceful entities among the nations-Mic 5.4. When a prince is born and later coronated, he is given birth and coronation names. These terms are birth and coronation names for the Messiah).
v 7…There will be no end to the increase of his government and of peace (the word for “increase” in Hebrew is “marbeh” and in Hebrew it is written with a closed “mem.” A closed mem alludes to a “closed womb” and means he was born of a virgin. Hillel said in the Talmud, Sanhedrin 98b, that this verse applied to King Hezekiah as the Messiah, and Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, as Gog. Others said in the Talmud, Sanhedrin 94, that Yehovah wanted to make Hezekiah the Messiah and Sennacherib Gog, but Hezekiah was not found worthy enough and the “mem” was closed. Now, we know that Hezekiah was not the Messiah and Sennacherib was not Gog, but even in the first century there was a belief that Assyria was seen as Gog and Magog based on Ezek 38.17 which says, “Thus says the Lord God, ‘Are you the one of whom I spoke in former days through my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days for years that I would bring you against them?” Gog and Magog are not mentioned in those prophecies, but Assyria was and there are whole chapters about it. In his book on the minor prophets and Isaiah, H.A. Ironside, who pastored Moody Bible Church in Chicago from 1929 to 1948, said Gog and Magog was Russia. That belief is also found in “Everyman’s Talmud” by Abraham Cohen in the sections called “Eschatology.” This concept is also noted in “Tehillim” by Mesorah Publications, p. 998, Vol II), on the throne of David and over his kingdom (the Messianic Kingdom-Dan 2.35; Zech 14.9; Luke 1.33), to establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness (as defined by the Torah) from then on and forevermore. The zeal (passion) of the Lord of hosts (Yehovah Tzavaot or armies) will accomplish this.
v 8…Yehovah sends a message against Jacob (ten tribes), and it falls on Israel (keep in mind as we move through Isaiah of the historical, eschatological, and spiritual applications. Isa 9.8 to 10.1 describes a nation that has turned away from Yehovah. He will use Assyria, and later Russia, to turn them back to himself. The end result of the invasion of Gog and Magog/Russia will be the repentance of the Jewish people back to Yeshua as the Messiah. That’s why this concept is so important in Jewish eschatology-Isa 10.12, 10.17, 10.20; Ezek 39.22).
v 9…And all the people know it, that is, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria (northern kingdom), asserting in pride and in arrogance of heart.
v 10…The bricks have fallen down (by the Assyrians), but we will rebuild with smoother stones (quarried and cut, and this shows a spiritual pride. In spite of the punishment brought on by God, the people boast about building greater buildings than those destroyed); the sycamores have been cut down (by the Assyrians previously in the north), but we will replace them with cedars (but Ephraim will be made to feel this arrogance and rebellion through the judgments that God was going to raise up against them).
v 11…Therefore, Yehovah raises against them adversaries from Rezin (Isa 7.1), and spurs their enemies on,
v 12…The Syrians on the east (front), and the Philistines on the west (Hebrew “achar” meaning behind or west); and they devour Israel (Ephraim, Samaria) with gaping jaws (eating with an open mouth, and this alludes to the second year of the birth-pains when the Syrians and the Palestinians attack the second Jewish state). In spite of this, his anger does not turn away, and his hand is still stretched out (this is the second time this phrase is used and it means they didn’t learn so Yehovah is not done yet, more on the way).
v 13…Yet the people do not turn back to him who struck them (in spite of the chastisement, they didn’t repent), nor do they seek the Lord of hosts (Yehovah Tzavaot or armies).
v 14…So Yehovah cuts off the head and tail from Israel, both palm branch (great men) and bulrush (small men) in a single day (the whole nation is judged-Matt 24.21-22).
v 15…The head is the elder (zekan) and the honorable man (verse 14 is explained now) and the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail (false religious leaders and teachers as a whole).
v 16…For those who guide this people are leading them astray; and those who are guided by them are brought to confusion (swallowed).
v 17…Therefore Yehovah does not take pleasure in their young men (he would let them be struck by their enemies), nor does he have pity on their orphans or widows (because everyone is corrupted), for every one of them is godless (profane) and an evildoer (as defined by the Torah), and every mouth is speaking foolishness (folly and falsehood). In spite of all this his anger does not turn away, and his hand is still stretched out (third time used meaning God is not done dealing with them yet).
v 18…For wickedness burns like a fire (Yehovah continues to bring judgment upon the land); it (God’s wrath devours the soil) consumes briars and thorns; it even sets the thickets of the forest aflame, and they roll upward in a column of smoke (and the land is burned out and blackened because their sins have brought the fire of God’s judgment, and smoke is spread out like a cloud, overshadowing the land with evil and calamity, eventually devouring the people).
v 19…By the fury of the Lord of hosts (Yehovah Tzavaot or armies) the land is burned up (destroyed, in ashes), and the people are like fuel for the fire (devoured with no mercy); no man spares his brother (no pity and full of selfish concerns for their own safety).
v 20…And they slice off (cut) what is on the right hand (like an animal biting in every direction to plunder whatever they can) but still are hungry (not satisfied), and they eat what is on the left hand but they are not satisfied; each of them eats the flesh of his own arm (his own family literally-Deut 28.53; 2 Kings 6.28; Jer 19.9).
v 21…Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh (in a civil war), and together they are against Judah (as they often were-2 Chr 28.6; Isa 7.1). In spite of all this his anger does not turn away, and his hand is still stretched out (Yehovah is not done yet).
Leave a Reply