MAN’S GOLDEN ERA

TEXT: ISAIAH 9:1-7.
🔑KEY VERSE “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” (ISAIAH 9:6).

Man will always stand in awe of the vision of the coming King which was revealed to Prophet Isaiah. However, it was not to happen in the prophet’s day. According to the Lord’s arrangement, Jesus would be God’s gift to humanity. The magnificent revelation surpassed all others shown to men of God.

Later, when He arrived He told His followers that the men of old were always shown the vision of the coming Lord. They “desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them.” Apostle Peter later spoke in the same vein. He said the prophets “enquired and searched diligently… what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.”

Truly, the glory did follow when the Lord arrived. He fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah chapter 9, as He did in the case of the Virgin Birth prophecy in Isaiah chapter 7. His death also brought to reality the image of the sacrificial Lamb in Isaiah chapter 53. Every move of His – healing the sick, raising the dead, opening the eyes of the blind, cleansing the leper, dealing with evil spirits, bringing hope to the hopeless and above all, forgiving sinners and giving them salvation to make heaven – were all manifestations of divine authority no human being could display.

There were two reasons man ought to be grateful to God. First, He allowed Jesus to humbly succumb to the Father’s demand to die for us to fulfill the law. Second, we need to appreciate Christ for returning us to the Father, our loving Creator, after we wronged Him. In Christ Jesus, we are reunited with God. For all that the Lord has done for us we need to reverentially honour and give our lives to Him in gratitude.

✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Man ran from God in the Garden of Eden; Christ brought him back to his Creator at Calvary.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: NUMBERS 26-28.

MEDITATION

Have you experienced these?👇 If not, why not?

1. The experience
   a. First was affliction, spiritual ignorance and darkness, shadow of death v1.
   b. Next is arrival of the great Light, the Lord Jesus, that penetrated the heart and the soul in a supernatural version v2, Matthew 4:15-16, John 1:3-5.
   Lord Jesus, let your light shine and dispel every form of darkness in my life
   c. As expected, what followed is addition of joy like a river, peace and satisfaction v3.
   I hereby ask for fullness of continuous joy and peace in my life and family
   d. The annihilation of adversary’s hold, including sin, oppression, bondage, is then totally broken and there is freedom v4.
   Lord, I hereby break every yoke of sin, oppression, discouragement and bad dreams and seize my total victory over Satan in Jesus name
2. The explanation
   The secret of the experience is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
   a. He is the mighty God with might to break every yoke v6.
   b. He is the Wonderful Counsellor whose activities are characterized with wonders v6.
   c. He is the everlasting Father because He has no beginning and has no end v6.
   d. He is the Prince of peace because He is peace personified and Giver of true peace vv6,7.
   Give praises to Jesus and confess that you believe what the Bible say about Him
   Q What is Jesus to you? What do you believe about Christ? Confess it.
3. The exhortation
   Surrender the government of your life to Him as Lord and Saviour and wonders will never end in your life vv6,7.
   Lord, multiply wonders and miracles in the life of your children in the Church

HYMN Praise Him, Praise Him

1. Praise him! praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
   Sing, O earth his wonderful love proclaim!
   Hail him! hail him! highest archangels in glory,
   Strength and honor give to his holy name!
   Like a shepherd Jesus will guard his children —
   In his arms he carries them all day long:
   Refrain:
   Praise him! praise him! tell of his excellent greatness!
   Praise him! praise him! ever in joyful song!
   2 Praise him! praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
   For our sins he suffered and bled and died;
   He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation,
   Hail him! hail him! Jesus the Crucified.
   Sound his praises — Jesus who bore our sorrows —
   Love unbounded, wonderful, deep and strong: [Refrain]
   3 Praise him! praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
   Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring!
   Jesus, Savior, reigneth for ever and ever,
   Crown him! crown him! Prophet and Priest and King!
   Christ is coming, over the world victorious —
   Pow’r and glory unto the Lord belong: [Refrain]