Isaiah 9:6 The sign of the Mighty Warrior

3rd September 2010, hej

This Article: (4 Pages)

1) Unto us a child is Born

The passage in Isaiah 9 is as follows,

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined. You have 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. 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. 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.

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. 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 9:2-7)

Isaiah is full of positive messages to the people of Yahweh. It was so valued by Yahweh that it was one of the few scrolls kept complete in a Dead Sea cave and it was found, providentially, just as Israel became a nation. The complete Great Isaiah Scroll, which was clear and legible in 1947, after almost 1900 years, is fading now. This scroll proclaims,

But now thus says Yahweh that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou are mine. You are my witnesses, says Yahweh, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. (Isaiah 43:1,10)

Many Christians value Isaiah 9:6, applying it to the nature of Jesus. However any conclusion reached from this verse about the nature of Jesus must deal with 3 problems.

They are reading from a translation.
They aren't Jews living in Isaiah's day, and must remember it is an ancient Jewish text.
They have artificial chapter divisions, whereas Isaiah was written on a scroll. There are sections in Isaiah, but the break at Chapter 9 is not one of them!

The following deals with the problems in reverse.

2) 3. Context – Section from Isaiah 7

The Isaiah scroll has no division at chapter 9: The section begins at chapter 7

Isaiah Chapter 7 begins.

And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.

And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.

Then said Yahweh unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, you, and Shearjashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field; And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. (Isaiah 7:1-4)

It's approximately 740BC and Ephraim (Northern Israel) are ganged up with Syria against Judah (Jerusalem), and are coming down with their military might to annihilate the kingdom of Judah. Isaiah has good news for Ahaz (not the Ahaz of Israel who married Jezebel, but he was related by descent due to intermarriage with the royal house of Israel). Yahweh Elohim doesn't like what Israel has done, and Isaiah has come to say that Northern Israel and Syria will be dealt with.

Moreover Yahweh spake again unto Ahaz, saying, 'Ask thee a sign of Yahweh thy Elohim; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.'

But Ahaz said, 'I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD'.

And he said, 'Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.' (Isaiah 7:10-14)

Ahaz is slack, but Yahweh gives him a sign so he and the people of Judah may believe Yahweh's promise of peace (because it looked very black for Judah then as Israel's forces were enough to face without the added might of Syria ).

The sign that is given is a virgin conceiving a son called Immanuel (or God with us). Many think this refers to Mary only. But this cannot be sustained in context. The passage regarding the son continues,

Butter and honey shall he (the son that shall be called Immanuel) eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that you fear shall be forsaken of both her kings (Syria & Northern Israel). Yahweh shall bring upon you, and upon your people, and upon your father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria. (Isaiah 7:15-17)

The child who would be called Immanuel ('El -with us' or 'Mighty with us') was born back in Isaiah's and Ahaz's day, before Assyria took over both Syria and the Northern kingdom of Israel (approx 738BC). The Hebrew word almah translated 'virgin' just means 'veiled or young female', and therefore does not refer directly to the unique situation of Mary. (Matthew 1:23 quotes Isaiah showing Yeshua as a fulfilment of the prophecy of the continuance of the House of David. So Matthew's reference is loaded by Isaiah's context of swift deliverance from fear of death). See here

So moving right along...Chapter 8 continues the same account as Chapter 7. There is no break. Notice in the passage below the underlined phrase the repeats the phrase from chapter 7 regarding the child sign of 'God with us' (Emmanuel)

Moreover Yahweh said unto me, Take you a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz. And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said Yahweh to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz. For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria. Yahweh spake also unto me again, saying, Forasmuch as this people refuses the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son; Now therefore, behold, the Lord brings up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel. (Isaiah 8:1-8)

So here Immanuel is Judah! Judah has "El with us". Who had the son? Isaiah did! Who was the virgin? The prophetess was. The son called 'Immanuel' was the sign for Judah, which was Mahershalalhashbaz the son of Isaiah given as a sign of deliverance and that 'El was with them'.

Mahershalalhashbaz! What an extraordinary name for a child! It means 'hasting as he [the enemy] to the booty, swift (to the) prey'. El or the Mighty One was with Judah in sending the Assyrian 'hasting to the booty, swift to the prey'.

Say you not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, 'A confederacy'; neither fear you their fear, nor be afraid. (it was an imminent danger. All the people, not just the king, were in fear) Sanctify Yahweh of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he (Yahweh) shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Isaiah 8:12-14)

The "he" that is the sanctuary is Yahweh. And the sign given by the Sanctuary that he will be with Judah is Mahershalalhashbaz. Isaiah writes,

Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwells in mount Zion. (Isaiah 8:18)

This is the context of the child that is born as a sign and Chapter 9 continues right on,

Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined. (Isaiah 9:1-2)

The affliction was the Assyrian, who cleaned up Ephraim, the enemy of Judah. The darkness, or the fear was in Jerusalem and light that had shined was in Jerusalem also, as in reality the sign was for the faithful. For the faithless, such as Ahaz, the sign was a 'stone' they 'stumbled at'. Isaiah continues by speaking of a military victory over the oppressor,

For you have broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. 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.(Isaiah 9:4-5)

At that time the burden of the Syrian and false brethren was to be lifted by Assyrians. Though there may be a future application, clearly the context of Isaiah's words was in the days of Ahaz and Isaiah.

In summary

To whom was the sign given? To Judah approximately 740BC! What was to happen before this child 'sign' was grown up? The Assyrian was to come into the land of Israel! Which was in the days of Isaiah. But Isaiah continues,

For unto us (Isaiah and Judah) a child is born, unto us a son is given:

and the government shall be upon his shoulder:

In Hebrew 'and' isn't always 'in addition to', it also can mark a new thought. Clearly the one who shall have 'the government upon his shoulder' is not Isaiah's son. Isaiah's son was however called a "wonder". The government of that day was, due to Ahaz's failure, on Yahweh's shoulder, as the government of that era was called to place their faith in the sign of the son of Isaiah- the witness to the truth of Yahweh's word. We will return to what the sign or 'wonder' of Isaiah's son pointed to.

3) 2. The Jewish context in Isaiah's day

We can see that if we were Jews in Isaiah's day, the child sign is Isaiah's son. The sign is about a prophecy, about the continuation of the kingdom of Ahaz, as Ahaz was to sit on the throne of David. Ahaz was not strong in faith though, and it was his son Hezekiah who brought some peace.

and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 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.

The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it has lighted upon Israel.

And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, 'The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars'. Therefore Yahweh shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. For the people turn not unto him that smites them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts. Therefore Yahweh will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teaches lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. (Isaiah 9:6-16)

Isaiah from chapter 7 even to chapter 9 is still talking about Rezin and the apostate king Pekah the son of Remaliah in Israel of the 740's BC. The sign was for that day - and it was a promise of the continuation of the kingdom in Judah. Most people don't understand this. This is prophecy about the throne of David continuing (the throne Ahaz sat on) - the same throne where Hezekiah ruled as such a great king.

Did Ahaz understand Isaiah? Firstly the sign of the son might be a rebuke as Ahaz, who

walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel. (2Kings 16:3)

The evidence in Kings and Chronicles is that Ahaz ignores Isaiah and weakly buys the help of the King of Assyria (2 Kings 15:7-9, 2 Chron. 28:16) against Northern Israel and Syria, then sinks even lower and worships the Syrian gods, in utter rebellion. Why did Yahweh address this rebellious king? It seems that the message was actually for Hezekiah.

When Isaiah goes out to meet Ahaz, Isaiah has with him Shearjashub his son. Isaiah is at least in his late 50's possibly late 60's. Ahaz's son Hezekiah is about 21 and within 4 years he becomes co-regent with his father Ahaz. Did Ahaz have his son with him also? We are not told but the address Isaiah makes is not to Ahaz, but to the 'house of David. It appears that at this time Jotham, Ahaz's father reigned and Ahaz was not yet king. There were possibly three adult men of the house of David. Isaiah said,

'Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that you abhor shall be forsaken of both her kings. (Isaiah 7:13-16)

In context, the two kings were the king of Northern Israel and the king of Syria. But there were possibly three men of the House of David. Did they all hear?

It is very possible that not only all the House of David heard, but that all the leaders of the people heard. Isaiah delivered his message in a very public spot. Ahaz is met at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field; (Isa. 7:3). To fuller is to whiten garments which requires water. The water supply is the vulnerable part of the city, and Ahaz had gone out as they were afraid of the coming siege. Hezekiah well knew this as we have evidence, even today, that after this he builds the water conduit into the city and the pool of Siloam (2Kings 20:20).

We are told twice that,

the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field. And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder. (2Kings 18:17-18 see also Isaiah 36)

From Isaiah 36 we can know that when Isaiah proclaimed the prophecy all the fearful people on the walls of Jerusalem could hear it, just as later they may have heard Rabshakeh. It is quite possible that standing on the wall were people of the household of the king watching over Ahaz, who was no doubt trying to sort out how to make the city siege proof. Whereas Ahaz buys Assyria to help against the siege threat to the city in his day and relies on the arm of humans, Hezekiah builds the conduit into the city and relies on Yahweh.

Hezekiah's name means 'strengthened of Yah'. It is possible he is different to his father because of his mother's upbringing, as his mother is listed as the (grand)daughter of Zechariah. We don't know which Zechariah, but we do know that most people who bore that name were of the Priestly or Levitical tribe. But at this time Isaiah acts out the prophecy and it seems that some at least take note as Ahaz is not lamented and is not accorded the burial of a king, indicating that Hezekiah his son rejected his ways. It seems Hezekiah, of the house of David, whether he was with his father or not in the Fuller's field or on the wall listening, did take note.

We have 2 pieces of evidence he took not. In the Assyrian siege Hezekiah mentions the 'children' in his message to Isaiah,

This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God has heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left. (2Kings 19:2-4)

In this Hezekiah shows he relies on the sign of Isaiah's son, and the promise that his throne will continue. In answer to Hezekiah, Yahweh mentions the virgin daughter of Zion.

That which you have prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard. This is the word that the LORD has spoken concerning him; 'The virgin the daughter of Zion has despised you, and laughed you to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at you'. (2Kings 19:20-21)

Hezekiah when sick unto death asked for a sign (2 Kings 20:8), and he was given a sign on Ahaz's sun dial. At this time it seems Hezekiah was over 50 years old, near to death, while the very city of his nation's spiritual heart was in peril, the capture of which would have extinguished the nation and throne, and he may have had no son to succeed him. Hezekiah, who is called by Yahweh 'the captain of my people', is given the assurance of the same sign Ahaz refused to ask for and15 years more to live. He is succeeded by his 12 year old son. This son he called Manasseh, which Joseph called the name of his firstborn: 'For God, said he, has made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house'. (Genesis 41:51), which indicates possibly a child born in the good years after a return to health and the defeat of the Assryian hosts. But though Manasseh eventually gets his act together, he is not the Prince of Peace that the sign of Isaiah's son, Immanuel, called 'hasting to the booty, swift (to the) prey', pointed towards. Joseph the husband of Mary, Hezekiah's direct descendant, was to be given that son, the son of the house of David that had been promised.

4) 1. The title of the king who shall come to the throne of David

The title of the king who would reign on David's throne from the King James translation is,

'Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.'

In Hebrew this title is word for word

"marvellous/wonderful guide/counsellor mighty (Hebrew el ) warrior (Hebrew gibbor)

father-of -age/until the end captain/prince peace"

There are no commas in Hebrew. There are no words "the". The phrase "father-of -age" is one compound Hebrew word ab-ad

Who is the father of our age of eternal life, or who is the father of our salvation? How are we made sons of God? We may rightly say through Yeshua. This makes him the father of our salvation. As his action in obedience ushers in the future age, he is rightly the father of the age. In such a way we may speak of someone being 'a father of flight', or 'the father of the car'. We are told Yeshua is to be king of kings. Kings were often called "father" meaning 'protector'. Joseph was a father to Pharaoh (Gen. 45:8) Micah called the Levite who he made his priest his father (Judges 17:10). David calls Saul 'my father' (1 Sam.24:11) and Elijah the prophet was called 'father' by Elisha (2 kings 2:12). The servants of Namaan the lord of Syria call him 'my father' (2 kings 5:13), Elisha was called father by the king of Israel (2 Kings 6:21& 13:14). Yeshua will not be called 'the father' but he will be father of the age unto the end (See Luke 22:25-27 and Matthew 23:9).

We can see that in Hebrew the word everlasting is not there, rather 'of the age, to the end'. Remember the context is that Isaiah is rejoicing in the deliverance given in the era of 740's BC and the promise of the continuance of the throne of David until the perpetuity/end of the age. If we want to value the prophecy of the prince of peace, we must accept fully the prophecy of the throne of David continuing.

Now there is no throne of David. Yet the prophecy is as certain as the son born to Isaiah of the prophetess and the deliverance given to Judah in 740BC which showed by its miracle to Israel that 'God is with us'. As there is now no king on the throne of David, yet the promise is sure, therefore, the time to the everlasting, or the vanishing point of the age, did not start from Isaiah's day but from some other day yet in our future. Everlasting has a start point. In Hebrew the world translated 'everlasting' might imply a an age with a very distant end point too. The world Hebrew word "ad" translated "the-age" according to Strongs' means "until the end/terminus".

Of interest is the order of words in the title. First Yeshua shows himself through miracles and the people marvel. He then becomes their guide in life while they wait for him to return. When he returns he is the mighty warrior (el gibbor) and becomes the father, or leader, of those who are granted the life of the everlasting age and then he is to be the captain of a world at peace.

And lastly we may note that Isaiah's son Mahershalalhashbaz was the sign of the covenant of Immanuel (God with us) of Judah. The covenant that one day a king would reign when

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 (Isaiah 9:6)

Before that day when God will again dwell with his people, as he did in the days of Isaiah, he will once again be 'hasting to the booty, swift (to the) prey', in destroying the enemies of his people.

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