God Promised a Righteous Lord

August 12, 2012 Background Scripture: Isaiah 9:1 – 7 Lesson Passage: Isaiah 9:1 – 7 Israel had tried for over 300 years to be like her neighbors—yet different. No matter how hard they tried, they would ultimately fail and find themselves suffering dearly because of it. It all began when Israel’s leaders approached Samuel and informed him that they wanted a king like the nations who they lived among. Samuel objected passionately but was overruled by God who instructed him to tell Israel the type of king they would have and what that king would do to their sons and daughters. In spite of the warning concerning the consequences, Israel was ready to press on and have a king to rule over them rather than a religious leader who received his orders directly from God. The first king proved to be everything Israel had been warned about. The second king (David) and the third king (Solomon) came close to fulfilling the nation’s hope of having a monarch form of government and being highly successful according to the blessings of God. Unfortunately, this streak ended abruptly after the third king. Eventually, the nation would split because of the selfishness of its fourth king. The northern nation became more and more corrupt while the southern nation had its ups and downs as she went through a series of good and bad kings. Under the bad kings, the nation would find herself suffering at the hands of her enemies. Under the good kings, the nation would experience revival, return to serving God, and enjoy years of prosperity and peace until the king died. Nevertheless, even with a good king, the nation could not get back to her glory days when King David led them as a king. King David was submissive to the will of God and highly successful on the battlefields against Israel’s enemies. The cycle of apostasy and revival continued until God sent a promise by the prophet Isaiah; that promise was to become an eternal hope for the nation. God promised to intervene and break the cycle. Israel would indeed have another king like unto King David. But this king would be even better than King David. This king’s relationship with God would be perfect and his rule over the people of God would be unparalleled. This king would rule in righteousness but his rule would be tempered by mercy. He would fulfill all of the needs of the people while maintaining perfect fulfillment of God’s Law. He would be a king who would be Lord over all of God’s children but he would not have the moral or ethical weakness of the good kings that ruled before him. He would not have to repent to God because he would not sin against God’s holiness. His lordship of God’s people would not be harsh or weak. He would rule them with grace and truth. What God described was more than the people could ask or even think. Yet, the people could lay hold on God’s promise and anticipate his arrival because God promised a righteous Lord. Robert C. Hudson July 31, 2012