God’s plans for Jesus are revealed by Isaiah in theses verses over 700 years before Jesus was born.
When Jesus is born, he arrives into a national crisis: politically, the nation is under occupation by Rome. The religious and political leaders of the nation are divided in how to respond.
But the answer comes, not from Rome, and not from human leadership, but from God. The long promised Messiah, with the Spirit of the Lord resting on him, brings wisdom and understanding, counsel and might. Bringing the knowledge and fear of the Lord, he comes to turn a nation – and the whole world – back to God.
Of course, as is often commented, Jesus is not the saviour and the leader people were expecting. But the fact that God does not do what people are expecting does not mean that God’s plans are not on track.
As we come to the end of another year, Isaiah turns our eyes to God. How important as we mark Advent once again to remember, as every child in Sunday school knows, that whatever the question today is, the right answer is always “Jesus!”
