The Government Of God's Kingdom Rests On His Shoulders

Today's Word of Encouragement From Wayne:

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders.”

Isaiah 9:6

God’s good news for all mankind, declared through His prophet Isaiah, was that He was sending His Son to “be born to us.”

God’s Son was not arriving with fanfare, fully mature, regally adorned, ruling with scepter in hand. Instead God chose to send His Son to us as a holy seed, to be born into the human race as a baby, So He might be fully from the Lord, and Himself be Lord, and yet be fully of the people.

This is the way God’s Son was “given to us,” humbly, gently, innocently, and lovingly.

And of this Son Isaiah wrote, “the government will rest on His shoulders.” The Hebrew word used for “government” in this verse and in the next verse from Isaiah is the rare word “misrah” which means “rule” and “dominion.” This is the only place in the whole of the Old Testament where this word appears. Whereas the word “malku” is used 57 times, meaning variously; government affairs, kingdom, realm, reign, royalty, sovereignty. My point is that the rule and dominion of God’s Son is unique and surpasses all other rule and authority.

Isaiah 9:7 went on to say, “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace.” Praise God, in Jesus Christ there is “no end to the increase” of His dominion of peace, in our hearts now, and as we live with Him forever. The rule and dominion of all things rests upon our Lord’s shoulders.

Where is God’s rule and dominion presently, for us, as children of God? I believe the answer is right here in Isaiah - “the government will rest on his shoulders.” The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, wrote that,“speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). Jesus Christ is our Head, right now in this moment; the living and ruling Head of the body of Christ, and we are all called to “grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head.” I see Jesus this way, as the present living Head of His body, meaning us as the body of Christ, with all rule and dominion over us. In this way I do see Ephesians and Isaiah coming together, for Christ’s head is presently “on His shoulders” and we honor the rule and dominion of Christ, as our Head, over His Own body, when we grow up “in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.”

God wants us to see, right in this moment, that Christ our Lord, born as a baby in a loving commitment to us, now lives, risen indeed, ruling in our hearts and over us all as the Head of His body.

When we say “yes” to Christ our Head now, we are saying “yes” to the rule and dominion that God has prophesied of His son, “born to us.” Hallelujah!