"Prince of Peace" May 9 Readings: 2 Chronicles 27, Isaiah 9-12

 

Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022

This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened." Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles. The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT. 

Bible Readings:  2 Chronicles 27, Isaiah 9-12  

Background:   

Isaiah is a book of mountaintops. Every one of the prophets is a message from God but Isaiah's is the Himalayan range, with peaks of glory in so many places. In chapter nine we encounter the famous Christmas prophecy of the Messiah's rule - the government will be on his shoulders (actually, more millennial than Bethlehem) and in chapter 11 we read of the Davidic King on whom the Spirit of the Lord rests and who causes the curse of  God on creation to be reversed.

Daily Devotional: Prince of Peace 

Every election cycle our politicians make bold promises that they will fix what is wrong in our land. Each presidential race seems to bring both greater accusations and more messianic promises by the candidates that they can make our lives fulfilled if we will only put our faith in them.

There are two passages in Isaiah that tell us the truth about government and about this world. Men huff and puff and play the lord, but there is only one who truly stands and king of all. A child would be born, according to Isaiah 9:6-7 and the government would rest on this son's shoulders. His name would be a four-part honorific. "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." He would be a wonderful guide and shepherd for our lives, a warrior who would rule as the the sovereign God, a loving Father who would eternally care for his children, and a ruler who would bring peace to the world through his rule. His vast dominion would bring never-ending prosperity and he would sit on the Davidic throne forever. 

This is a prophecy that will be fulfilled completely in Jesus' rule over this earth one day, and is fulfilled daily when he rules over our hearts. When Jesus reigns there is properity and grace and truth - he brings all things good. It doesn't always LOOK like that but it IS like that. 

In 11:1-2 we find out that he will rule in the power of the Spirit

Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—

a Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

a Spirit of counsel and strength,

a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

What happens when Christ rules? Wolves lie down with lambs and leopards lie down with goats. They do that today - it's called dinner. But the hostility and aggression of the world will be gone when Jesus rules and calves and young lions can walk together with a child leading them. 

The cow and the bear will graze,

their young ones will lie down together,

and the lion will eat straw like cattle.

An infant will play beside the cobra’s pit,

and a toddler will put his hand into a snake’s den.

They will not harm or destroy each other

on my entire holy mountain,

for the land will be as full

of the knowledge of the Lord

as the sea is filled with water. (11:7-9)

The world we raise our grandchildren in is filled with dangers all around and will be that way until Jesus rules, but the solution is divine. Put the Prince of Peace in charge. Where he rules glory reigns. 

So what do I do now in this wicked and dangerous world? Trust in God and serve him. We cannot protect ourselves or those we love from every danger, but we can worship and serve the Prince of Peace. We can walk with him and live for him, and when we do we will see our own lives blessed in so many ways. 

Consider God's Word:

Does your life give evidence that you are trusting in and loving the Prince of Peace?

He has the whole world in his hands, why not trust your life to him?.