Isaiah 9:6 promised that Christ Jesus shall one day bear the badge and burden of government upon His shoulders: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder.” [NKJV]
And Isaiah didn’t leave it there. He gave us a beautiful picture of what government will be like under the King of Kings. “Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever.” [9:7 NKJV]
The first thing God points out through the prophet is that Christ’s government will be an increasing one. That is in direct opposition to the kingdoms of this world. Kingdoms, governments decrease over time. They become corrupt and begin to fail. Remember Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the great statue with the head of gold and feet of clay? Remember Daniel’s interpretation? The original kingdom was of gold, but each one that followed became less valuable, less strong. It was a picture of decreasing governments down through the ages. [Dan 2]
But Christ’s government, born on His shoulder, will not decrease, in fact, it will increase! It will increase in size and in luster and in honor and in peace. He is not only King of Kings, He is Prince of Peace. As such, He will rule in men’s hearts and He will rule by love. And wherever He is, Peace rules and reigns, whether on earth or in heaven. How different from what we experience under the rule and reign of mankind.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
