Isaiah 9

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Isaiah 9:1-21 (KJV) 

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1 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 northern kingdom saw the wrath of God.  God compares what he did to them would be light compared to what is going to do with those who knew better.  The more examples we have in doing what is right, the harder the consequence are for ignoring them in our direct disobedience toward God.

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

Those I have brought judgment on already know the err of their ways.  Now they understand I am God.

3 Thou hast 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. 

More people are added but the joy is of life is not increased: people are happy when they get stuff, but they should be happy because of the God that allowed them to get the stuff.

4 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. 

Lord, you are the one who gave help when Gideon won the battle over the Midianites.

For God has made things right for his people just as He did for Gideon.  When the people cried out to God, God brought relief.

5 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. 

The battle you saw is nothing compared to the battle you will suffer because of your stiff-hearted disobedience.

6 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 prophesies the coming solution to man's link to God.  If God will not bring us back to Him, we cannot come to Him on our own.

7 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 forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. 

The reality of God is God loves man.  He sees what He will do to man for his defiances, but He will send a deliver and the Christ will be a gift from God to show man how much he loves him in spite of his failure to comply with His Word.

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

What God spoke to the northern kingdom has brought light to the southern kingdom.  What He did to the north is a warning of what will happen to the southern kingdom.

9 And all the people shall know, [even] Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, 

Everyone will know, even if you refuse to change,

10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change [them into] cedars. 

Although all this is happening, we will return and rebuild what has been torn down.  When we do not see God's judgment and make further plans we deceive ourselves.  When God breaks, nobody can glue it together again.

11 Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; 

God will bring a host must hateful and stronger to His people, so that they realize He is God and they will learn His ways.

12 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. 

Israel will be lunch meat to the enemies.  One enemy in the front and one enemy in the back of Israel.

13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts. 

Even under attack, the people do not turn to God and neither do they seek to know if it is God who is bringing destruction.

14 Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. 

God will remove Israel's guide from head to tail.

15 The ancient and honourable, he [is] the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he [is] the tail. 

The older are the head and the people who say they are speakers for God but tell lies is the tail.

16 For the leaders of this people cause [them] to err; and [they that are] led of them [are] destroyed. 

The leaders cause the people to go in the wrong direction.  People are destroyed because of bad leadership.

17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one [is] an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still. 

God found no good in those He will destroy.  The mothers, daughters, children, and the young men; all are hypocrites.  This means in order for God to label us as hypocrites, this means we know better but put on a show to fool others will are of God.

18 For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up [like] the lifting up of smoke. 

Wickedness is a fire.  Wickedness will consume everything in it.  Our own sins will kill us.

19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

God's wrath on the land will consume everybody in the land. 

20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: 

We will be so hungry we will grab food right and left but nothing will satisfy our hunger.

21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: [and] they together [shall be] against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still.

Ephraim will be as one again joined with all of Israel and fight against his own brother and the Lord will show more of His wrath agais Judah also.