Thank you, Susanna. I wrote those words. That's been a long time. Those are several years ago I wrote those words, but I was even blessed by the words that I wrote. Thank you for singing that for us. I want you to go this morning to Isaiah, the ninth chapter. Isaiah chapter number nine. And I want to get right into the message this morning. Isaiah chapter nine. Look at verse six, and I'm just gonna go phrase by phrase on this.

Isaiah chapter nine, verse six. And in these two verses that I'm going to focus on, The Spirit of God has inspired Isaiah to write these words to simply tell us that in order for God to save us, in order for sin to be put away, then the Lord himself must come into this world of sin and woe in human flesh. God must become one of us. This is all about the Savior and the salvation of sinners that He came to accomplish. He became incarnate. You hear preachers and you hear a lot of people this time of year talking about the incarnation of Christ. The root word is incarnate. And it's from a Latin word which means in the flesh. And you'll hear the word incarnate used in various ways. In fact, let's say somebody is a real evil person or a wicked person. We might say of that person, he is evil incarnate, right? You follow me? Or somebody who is just marvelously wealthy. We might say he's money incarnate. in the flesh. And so when we use this word with reference to the Lord Jesus Christ, we simply mean Jesus of Nazareth, he is God in the flesh. So this is about the incarnation of Christ and his exaltation and the salvation that he came to accomplish by his death upon the cross.

First of all, here in verse six, we see the humanity of Christ. Notice that first phrase. For on us a child is born. This is the mystery of godliness. In 1 Timothy, Paul said, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. This is a mystery of grace. that God would send His Son to die for us in order to redeem His people. Here's a mystery of great love. God loved His people to such an extent that He sent His Son into this world. This is the humanity of Christ. I read to you from Galatians 4, God sent forth His Son made of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the law. God was made flesh.

Now, while the humanity of Christ came into being, when Mary was impregnated by the power and spirit of God, as Gabriel spoke to her about, in Luke the first chapter. And though his humanity came into being then, yet the next phrase says, unto us a son is given. Now this is about his deity. That first phrase is about his humanity. God with us. God made flesh. God made like unto us. That second phrase is about the fact that he is the eternal God. His humanity came into being. As far as his deity is concerned, he has always been God. Understand that. People say, well, you know, Mary was the mother of God. I beg your pardon. She was not. The Son of God is eternal, as is the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Son was given. The Son was not born. He was given as God's gift. For God so loved the world that he gave, he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

God gave His Son. He gave His Son in the covenant of grace before time ever was. Actually, in old eternity, this has always been this way. God gave His Son to be the Savior of the sinners that God chosen to salvation. God gave His Son. God gave His Son in the incarnation. This was a work of God. This is the will of God. That God come down here. It'll tell you how bad off sinners were, how bad off we are. It'll tell you by the fact that the only one who could save us was God himself. And he had to come down and humble himself and be born of a virgin.

God gave his son. He was given into the hands of justice upon the cross of Calvary because God's justice demands death for sin. He was given over into the hands of men. The Sanhedrin and Pilate and Herod and the soldiers who actually literally crucified Him, they could not have done what they did had it not been for the fact that God gave His Son over to them for a little while. It's the only way God could in justice save us. It's the only way righteousness could be accomplished was for the Lord Jesus Christ to die under the wrath of God, bearing the sins of his own people on the cross.

And Christ is given to us in the new birth. You must be born again is what John 3 tells us. The Savior said that. Christ is given to us in the new birth. And He will be given to us in experiential heavenly glory when we see Him face to face.

So here's the humanity of Christ, you with me? Unto us a child is born. Here's the deity of Christ. unto us His Son was given. And here's the third thing, and remember Isaiah, Isaiah is writing these words hundreds of years before the Savior came. Some 700 plus or minus years before He ever came. In fact, much of the writing of Isaiah reads as though it was written in the past tense of something that had already happened. But he gives details about the birth of Christ, the life of Christ, the death of Christ. For instance, in Isaiah chapter 53, it reads as if Christ had already died for us and already been exalted.

So here's the humanity of Christ, here's the deity of Christ, and then thirdly, here's the dominion of Christ. Look at the next expression. And the government shall be upon his shoulder. All government shall be upon his shoulder. The government of all creation. the government of all providence. Jim, what is providence? It's God bringing to pass everything that he purposed before the world ever began. Everything's on target to accomplish that which God has purposed. That's divine providence. And I know we may, from time to time, say, well, hope you're lucky, fishing, You know, I bid you good luck this year. Really, there is no such thing as luck. There's God. And God ordained all things. The government's upon the shoulder of Christ. He governs all of creation. He governs all of providence. He's directing all things to the end that has already been purposed. He governs all men. He governs all creatures. He governs His church. He governs His kingdom. This is the dominion of Christ.

And then it gets in to the character of Christ. Notice the names that He gives. Wonderful. Wonderful. It means marvelous, beyond description. That's our Savior. He's wonderful in His person. He's wonderful in His work. He's wonderful in all of His attributes and all of His characteristics. He's wonderful in His love. He's wonderful in His grace. He's wonderful in His salvation. He's wonderful in His death. He's wonderful in His resurrection. He's wonderful in His exaltation. He's wonderful in His universal government overall.

And He's the counselor. What does that mean, Jim? Give you an illustration. I tell you, one of my favorite television programs is Law and Order. I like to watch the reruns. I don't care whether you like it or not. I do. But anyway, every once in a while, one of the lawyers will say to the other one, well, let me tell you this, counselor. Right? Don't they use that word? Counselor. Lawyer. advocate in a legal sense. Our Lord Jesus is our counselor. He's our advocate. He's our lawyer. He's the one who represents poor sinners like me and you to the father in glory. We have an advocate with the father. First John chapter two says that Jesus Christ, the righteous, He's my counselor. He was counselor, my counselor and your counselor, if you're one of the people of God, before the world ever began. You had a legal representative before God forever. Isn't that wonderful? He's always stood for us. He's always spoke for us. He's the counselor.

And He gives us counsel through His Word, by His Spirit. He counsels us. He guides us. You want to know how you should live, what you should do? Study the life of Christ. I know He's our Savior. He's also our example. And He's our counselor.

And then he says, the mighty God. Make no mistake about it. He is omnipotent, and omnipotent is a word that just means all powerful. He's the mighty God. He's not a weak Jesus. He's not a Jesus who wants to do some things, but people won't let him. That's a false Jesus. The Jesus of the Bible is the mighty God. His will cannot be frustrated. His dominion is over all. He's the mighty God. He does that which He wills to do, and nobody can stay His hand or say unto Him, What doest thou? And He is the everlasting Father. No, Isaiah wasn't confused about the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But there's a sense in which Christ is rightfully called the Everlasting Father, because those of us who believe the gospel, we are his offspring. In the end, he will say, behold, I am the children, I am the brethren thou hast given me. He's our spiritual father. He gave us life. He caused us to be born again. He's the everlasting Father, and He is the Prince of Peace. He's the Prince who made our peace with God by His death upon the cross.

Then Isaiah continues to describe Him in verse 7, of the increase of His government and peace, there shall be no end. You know how long He will govern? There'll never be an end of it. He governs forever. And the peace that he made with God on the behalf of his sinful people is a peace that will never come to an end. We've been reconciled to God by the death of his son. And he sets upon the throne of David and that represents the highest authority of all. and upon His kingdom to order it, to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. He has established righteousness for His people and He will accomplish His eternal purpose.

Now then, Isaiah is speaking about the Savior how glorious His person is, and of the certainty of the salvation that He would accomplish when He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Well, now, here's the question. How can we have any assurance that these things are going to come to pass? Okay, Isaiah wrote this, and he wrote it hundreds and hundreds of years ago, like I said, about 700 years, at least, before Christ ever came. But how can we know for certainty? Jim, how can we have assurance that this was going to happen and that it has happened? How can we know? What is the certainty of these things being fulfilled?

Here's the certainty. The last statement of verse seven. The zeal of the Lord of hosts. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this, will accomplish this. The zeal of the Lord.

Actually, zeal is a word used with reference to us. You remember in the New Testament, Paul wrote and he talked about his life in false religion and he says, I was zealous to persecute the church. Remember him saying that? It meant he was fervent to do that. He meant business. It was like a fire burned within him that he wanted to accomplish, he wanted to eliminate the memory of Jesus of Nazareth and stamp out the church. He had a fervency for that. He had a zeal for that.

And we know that men and women are zealous to accomplish various things. But it's unusual in the Bible to read of the Lord being zealous to do something. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this, will fulfill this. Zeal being a burning fervency within. Well, that describes the zeal of God to bring all these things to pass, to exalt his son and to save sinners by his grace. This is what God has always set out to do.

But the word zeal, to be used with God, it's unusual. It's very unusual. Because zeal, or to be zealous, carries with it the idea of an eager interest. Someone who is full of devotion, full of commitment. won't be turned away from doing what they want to do. There's a fervency. The word fervency takes in the word zeal. Extreme jealousy even. For jealousy is that which burns within a person. It's unusual enthusiasm. These are all unusual words to refer to our God. but they're burned within the heart of God.

This zeal, he was enthusiastic about this. Enthusiastic, how can God be enthusiastic? I'm in deep water here because what the Bible does, the Bible oftentimes will assign to God human characteristics. so that we can at least begin to grasp right ideas of God. And God had a zeal from old eternity to exalt his son. You got to remember that. It burned within him. He would not be turned aside from that. And God was zealous that the people Christ came to save be saved by His substitutionary sacrificial death. God set Himself to do that. He was anxious to do that. There was a fervency that burned, as it were, in the very heart of God.

Christ is going to be exalted. And those that He came to save will be saved. We all believe in creation. But you know the word zeal is never used with reference to God when it came to creation. Doesn't say he was zealous to create. Oh, creation was a wonderful, glorious work. He made all the heavenly bodies for his glory. He filled all of space. with millions and billions of stars, most of which no human eye will ever see. Creation of all things was no small work. The morning stars, the angels sang together when all of creation came into being, yet not one time do we read, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish that. Not with reference to creation.

And of course the crowning glory of creation was that God made man in his own image. In the image of God made he him. Male and female created he them. He breathed life into the nostrils of Adam. He became a living soul. God said it's very good, but he didn't say I'm zealous to do this.

And then there's providence. God directs all things to the end that he purposed and ordained before the world began. Everything will serve the purpose of God, that which God intended for that person or thing to accomplish. But no zeal. You will not read of the zeal of God with reference to the Lord's daily government of all things. There's no indication of a burning, extreme fervency coming forth from the heart of God. However, when it came to God's greatest work, the sending of His Son, a child being born, A son being given to do the work that God appointed for him to do in old eternity. When it came to him extending his kingdom, that is the church, that's the salvation of sinners. When it came to Christ and the salvation of poor sinners, God was zealous about that now. And don't you dare oppose the fact that God reigns in salvation, because the zeal of God was set on that, and nothing could turn him aside. There was a fervency about God. I can't explain it, but it burned in his heart. God was zealous to send his son.

And it meant the death of the Son of God. It meant pain and agony. It meant that the fury of God's wrath will burn deep within Him. All of the things that had to happen to the Lord Jesus Christ in order for God to save in a just and a righteous way, God was zealous about that. God was zealous about punishing His Son for our sins which He bore in His own body on the tree. I can't comprehend that. Zealous to save me? Zealous to put the Son of God to death? To wash away my sins? To cleanse me? To make me righteous before God? To save me eternally? The Lord was zealous that that work be accomplished.

And don't you ever listen to any preacher or anybody that would suggest that the work that God was zealous to have accomplished by Christ, that he failed in doing that. Don't pay him any mind. I'd never listen to a preacher again if I heard him say, well, you know, Christ came to try to put our sins away, but he didn't do it unless you believe him. Switch the channel, turn him off, don't ever listen to that guy again. And for goodness sake, don't send him a dime.

You see, when it comes to zeal, we judge a man's zeal or a woman's zeal by the preparation that they have made, and not only that, but also the length of time that plans have been made for that to be accomplished. Maybe you've been zealous about building a house, let's say. And years ago, when you and your wife, or you and your husband got married, y'all were zealous about it. See, one of these days, we ain't always gonna rent this little bitty apartment. One of these days, we're gonna have a house. You with me on this, honey? I'm with you. And we're gonna save, and we're gonna build. We're zealous to do it. And then, the Lord willing, it gets done. You're zealous to accomplish that.

You know how long God has purposed and has been zealous about sending his son to save a people chosen unto salvation, and then that whole salvation would be accomplished? You know how long God purposed to do that? Forever. Forever. That tells me his whole heart's in this. The Lord was zealous to save his people.

Let me give you a couple of references. Turn with me to John, please. John chapter 2. John chapter 2. I know the Father was zealous about this, but the Son of God was zealous about this. John chapter 2. And you'll recognize this. This is the Lord Jesus, this is his very first miracle that's recorded in the Bible. The change of water into wine at the marriage of Canaan, Canaan of Galilee. John chapter two. And I'll just read, where do I want to read here? I don't want to read too much because it'll take a lot of time. Look at verse, I'll start verse 7. He's ordered the vessels to be filled with water. And Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water, that it was made wine, and knew not whence it was, but the servants which drew the water knew it, the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine. But when men have well drunk, or when men are well drunk, then that which is worse, but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

This, the beginning of miracles, did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory, and his disciples believed him.

Now let's keep reading. After this, he went down to Capernaum, he and his mother and his brethren and his disciples, and they continued there not many days. And the Jews' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves and the changers of money sitting. And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple and the sheep and the oxen and poured out the changers' money.

Christ was zealous. Hath eaten me up. It's like it just consumed him. Now, certainly there was a zeal to purge the temple of these crooked religious people who were making money off the backs of the people, overcharging, cheating people, and that sort of thing. But there was another temple that they didn't know anything about. That's the temple of the Lord's people. And the zeal of his house, of his church, the salvation of his church, he says, hath eaten me up.

You know, when our Lord Jesus Christ came into this world, he wasn't reluctant to come. He was anxious to get this done. Turn to Hebrews. Let me give you another passage. Turn to Hebrews chapter 12, I believe it is. Chapter 12. Look at verse 2, Hebrews 12, 2. Our Lord had a fervent passion, a burning desire to redeem us by His bloody sacrifice. Nothing could stop Him from fulfilling the work designed for Him to do. Look at Hebrews 12 and verse 2. Looking unto Jesus. I hope you are. Looking unto Jesus. The author and the finisher of our faith. Now watch this. Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The disciples begged him not to go to Jerusalem, but he set his face, as it were, and Isaiah tells us this, like a flint, because there was a zeal in his heart. What was he zealous to do? Hear me, church. Hear me, people of God. Hear me, every believer. He was zealous to lay down his life that we might live forever. What love, what compassion, what grace. And nothing could stop him from doing that work.

Turn to Isaiah 63, Isaiah chapter 63. Let me show you the zeal of the Lord here. Isaiah chapter 63. Here in Isaiah chapter 63, the church of our Lord in this day, they remembered the marvelous deliverances of the people of Israel in their wilderness journey as God spared them and provided for them during all of that time. Time and time again, he rescued them from dangerous circumstances. Look at Isaiah 63 in verse 15. Hear the church, hear the people of God, hear the Old Testament church. Isaiah 63, 15, look down from heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory, where is thy zeal? And where is thy strength? The sounding of my bowels and of the mercies toward me, are they restrained? And Isaiah says, where's your zeal? Where's your zeal to save? He's looking upon people who are lost, who are unbelievers, and he cries out to God. He says, oh God, show forth your zeal. Zeal to do what? Save sinners. Save sinners.

In fact, back up in verse 11, and I could go a long time on this, but he talked about the people back who were liberated from Egypt. It says in verse 10, but they rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit, and therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them. Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and the people saying, where is he that brought them up out of the sea? with the shepherd of his flock. Where is he that put his Holy Spirit within them? And we cry as it were today, where is he, that God of zeal, who has purposed to save sinners, where is he?

You ask where he is, I'll tell you exactly where he is, on his throne. ruling and reigning over all things, and bringing His chosen people to salvation through the preaching of the gospel such as you're hearing right now, and He saves people by His grace.

And I wonder sometimes if we're not like Isaiah and the saints of God in the days when false religion abounded. They wondered why God didn't put a stop to all of it. Be assured, the false religion that surrounds us, the megachurches, the phony religion.

You see, the bad thing, a lot of good things about Christmas. One of the bad things about Christmas, people all of a sudden get kind of pious. You think, boy, these people really, they really care. No, they don't. They'd go watch a manger scene and say, isn't that sweet? But when it comes to hearing the gospel of a crucified, buried, risen, exalted Christ, they're not interested in that. They're not interested in the little baby. They're not interested in a sovereign king who rules over all.

And like the saints here in Isaiah 63, we say, where is he? Where is he? Well, he's governing all things to bring about his purpose. And Isaiah and the rest of the saints of God wondered, why doesn't God put an end to all this foolishness? You ever think that? Why doesn't God put an end to all this hypocrisy, all this false religion?

Be assured, God's zealous to do that too. I'm going to give you one more reference. Do you mind? Here it is, Ezekiel chapter 5. Ezekiel chapter 5 and verse 13. Ezekiel 5, 13. I'm going to show you the zeal of God one more time. The Lord's been talking about judgment upon false religion. Now, verse 13, you there? I want everybody to be there. Ezekiel 5, verse 13, thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, upon them who despise the gospel, upon them who won't believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And God says, and then I'll be comforted. And they shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it in my zeal. When I have accomplished my fury in them.

God is zealous to do something else too. He's zealous to cast into hell everybody who won't bend the knee to Christ Jesus. Everybody who won't believe Him. So a God of love won't do that. He's zealous to do it. He's zealous to do it.

Years ago, an old preacher, R.G. Lee, said, turn or burn, turn to Christ. Turn to Christ. God is zealous to exalt Him, and He's zealous that you bend the knee to Christ. And you will, either in this life or when you meet a just and holy God. Because God is zealous that His Son be exalted, and He's zealous that poor sinners be saved through the substitutionary work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

How do I know all these things will be accomplished? The Lord of hosts, in his zeal, he will accomplish his purpose.

I trust that God will bless the words you've heard this morning to do you spiritual good.

Well, let's get our songbook, shall we?