MIGHTY GOD
ISAIAH 9:1-7
INTRODUCTION:
FOR THOSE OF YOU LISTENING BY RADIO, OVER THE ADVENT SEASON WE’VE BEEN EXAMINING THE NAMES THE PROPHET ISAIAH GAVE TO THE MESSIAH HERE IN CHAPTER 9.
I’M HOPING YOU CAN SEE THE COMPLEXITY OF ISAIAH’S CHOICE OF TITLES HERE. IT WASN’T JUST RANDOM IN CHOICE, NOR IN ORDER. EACH OF THE TITLES THAT ISAIAH USES, FUSES ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE THAT HE IS COMPLETING.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WE DETERMINED THAT ISAIAH WAS WELL WITHIN HIS RIGHTS TO CALL JESUS WONDERFUL AND COUNSELOR. BUT TO BE A WONDERFUL COUNSELOR WITHOUT THE POWER TO ACT ON HIS COUNSEL IS MEANINGLESS. POWER WITHOUT GOOD COUNSEL IS ABUSIVE. THIS BRINGS US TO ISAIAH’S THIRD TITLE, MIGHTY GOD.
ENGLISH DOESN’T HAVE THE FLAVOR THAT THE HEBREW LANGUAGE HAS WHEN SPEAKING ABOUT GOD. THERE ARE MANY WORDS IN HEBREW THAT ARE USED WHEN TALKING ABOUT GOD THAT IN ENGLISH WE JUST TRANSLATE GOD. EACH OF THESE HEBREW WORDS HOWEVER, GIVES US A CLEARER PICTURE OF WHO GOD IS.
A VERY COMMON WORD IN HEBREW TO TALK ABOUT GOD IS THE WORD “EL” IT IS A WORD THAT DENOTES POWER, OR POTENCY, THE FIRST CAUSE BY WHICH ALL THINGS HAS COME TO BE, AND BY WHICH THEY CONTINUE TO BE. IT IS USUALLY USED WITH OTHER WORDS TO DESCRIBE SOME CHARACTER OR ATTRIBUTE OF GOD.
NOW IN THIS PASSAGE “EL” IS USED IN CONNECTION WITH ANOTHER HEBREW WORD “SHADDAI”. “SHADDAI” MEANS MIGHTY. IT’S THE POWER THAT BREAKS FORTH, BREAKS THROUGH, AND CAUSES VICTORIES. “EL SHADDAI” IS THE OVERCOMER OF ALL THINGS.
AS WE ARE GROWING UP WE ALL WISH TO HAVE A HERO, A MENTOR, BY WHICH WE CAN STRIVE TO LIVE UP TO. THEY CAN BE VARIOUS PEOPLE, POSSIBLY IN SPORTS, POLITICS, MAYBE A GREAT HUMANITARIAN, OR WRITER. HEROS CAN ALSO COME FROM FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS. THEY CAN BE IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES AND ARE NOT BOUND BY AGE RESTRICTIONS.
ONE THING ALL HEROS HAVE IN COMMON THOUGH, IS THAT THIS POSITION IS EARNED, IT IS NEVER INHERITIED. ANOTHER THING THEY SHARE IS THAT THEY ARE SEEN AS MIGHTY, POWERFUL PEOPLE BY THOSE WHO SEE THEM AS HEROS.
SO LETS PUT IT TO THE TEST AND SEE IF THE MESSIAH CAN BE THE HERO, THE MIGHTY GOD THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
I INTEND TO SHOW SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS THAT JESUS IS THE MIGHTY GOD.
POINT ONE: THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY
JESUS IS THE MIGHTY GOD BECAUSE HE FULFILLS THE PROPHECY OF SCRIPTURE EVEN BEFORE HE WALKED JESUS FULFILLED OVER 12 PROPHECIES THAT WERE HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLD.
PROFESSOR PETER W. STONER WROTE A BOOK ENTITLED “SCIENCE SPEAKS.” IN HIS BOOK HE STATES THAT THERE IS A 1 x 1017 POSSIBILITY OF FULFILLING 8 PROPHECIES FROM SCRIPTURE. THAT’S 1 WITH 17 ZEROS BEHIND IT. WE CA’T EVEN COUNT THAT HIGH, IT’S ONE GROUPIONG ABOVE A TRILLION, JUST TO FULFIL EIGHT PROPHECIES.
JESUS FULFILLED 10 PROPHECIES WHILE HE WAS STILL IN THE WOMB, WITH TWO MORE RELATED TO HIS BIRTH.
1. THE OFFSPRING OF A WOMAN – GEN. 3:15
2. FROM A VIRGIN - ISAIAH 7:4
3. THE SON OF GOD – PSALM 2:7
4. A DESCENDANT OF ABRAHAM – GEN. 22;18
5. FROM THE LINE OF ISSAC – GEN.21:12
6. FROM THE NATION OF ISRAEL – NUMBERS 24:17
7. FROM THE TRIBE OF JUDAH – GEN. 49:10
8. FROM THE FAMILY OF JESSE – ISAIAH 11:1
9. FROM THE HOUSE OF DAVID – JEREMIAH 23:5
10. IN BETHLEHEM – MICAH 5;2
11. PRESENTED WITH GIFTSZ – PSALM 72:10
12. CHILDREN WILL BE KILLED – JEREMIAH 31:15
THROUGHOUT HIS ADULT LIFE HE FULFILLED MORE THAN 300 OTHER PROPHECIES.
JESUS THE MIGHTY GOD IS LIMITLESS IN HIS POWER:
MARK 5:21-43:
THE STORY OF JARIUS’ DAUGHTER.
EVERTHING SEEMS TO BE WORKING AGAINST JARIUS, AND THEN HE IS TOLD SHE IS DEAD.
LUNGS THAT HAD NO AIR NOW BREATHED AGAIN, A HEART THAT WAS STILL STARTED BEATING AGAIN. FLESH HAD COLOR AGAIN, AND SPEECH RETURNED TO LIFELESS LIPS.
OUR LIVES ARE FULL OF LIMITATIONS AND ROADBLOCKS. EVERYWHERE WE LOOK SOMEONE HAS ERECTED A BOUNDARY THAT WE DARE NOT CROSS OVER.
MDEICALLY SPEAKING - THIS CAN’T GET ANY BETTER
FINANCIALLY SPEAKING - YOU CAN’T DO THIS
- THIS THING YOU DREAM OF CAN’T HAPPEN WITH YOUR RESOURCES.
JESUS THE MIGHTY GOD KNOWS NO LIMITATIONS. HE CROSSES EVERY BARRIER, HE BREAKS THROUGH ALL WALLS AND NOTHING HINDERS HIM FROM ACCOMPLISHING HIS PLAN.
IT DIDN’T MATTER THAT PEOPLE LAUGHED - JARIUS’ DAUGHTER LIVED
IT DIDN’T MATTER THAT THEY SAID SHE WAS DEAD – JARIUS’ DAUGHTER LIVED
IT DIDN’T MATTER THAT THIS HADN’T BEEN DONE BEFORE – JARIUS’ DAUGHTER LIVED
IT DIDN’T MATTER THAT THE FATHERS FAITH WAS WAIVERING – JARIUS’ DAUGHTER LIVED.
IT DIDN’T MATTER THAT PEOPLE SAID IT COULDN’T BE DONE – JARIUS’ DAUGHTER LIVED.
ISAIAH 43:11-13:
I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. 12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God. 13 Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”
JESUS IS THE MIGHTY GOD OF CREATION:
COLOSSIANS 1:15-20:
COLOSSIANS 1:15-20:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
JESUS THE MIGHTY GOD OWNS SATAN
LUKE 11:20-22:
LUKE 11:20-22:
But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. 21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.
SATAN THREW HIS BEST SHOTS AT JESUS AND COULD NEVER OVERWEALM HIM WITH TEMPTATION.
HEBREWS 4:14-16:
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
He threw disease at Jesus…”by my strips you are healed”
He threw temptation…”not my will but my fathers will be done”
He threw fame…”you will worship God alone…”
He threw demon possessed…he said, “get out.”
He threw the depressed and hopeless and the addicted…”you are whole”
He threw hatred…”father forgive them…”
He threw messed up religion…I will build my church
He threw political muscle…”the government is upon my shoulder…”
He threw false accusations Against his character…”You’ll see, on the 3rd day…”
He threw storms…”peace be still”
He even threw death…”Lazarus, come forth…”
We serve a mighty God! He beat them all…
Jesus is the over comer. That means whatever Satan may have Jesus has more!
CONSIDER THIS PASSAGE
JOHN 19:8-11:
When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
Jesus was saying, “There is a boundary on what you can do. God has put a limit on you. And nothing you do to me hasn’t already been known by my Father and already been panned for His own advantage. No Pilot, you don’t have the power you think you do. No Satan, you don’t own this situation!
33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? 36 (Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep." ) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. 39 Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:33-39 (NLT)
JESUS THE MIGHTY GOD OWNS DEATH AND RESURRECTION:
EPHESIANS 1:18-23
EPHESIANS 1:18-23:
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:54-57 (NLT)
When this happens—when our perishable earthly bodies have been transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die—then at last the Scriptures will come true: "Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 How we thank God, who gives us victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ our Lord!
JOHN 10:17-18:
"The Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may have it back again. 18No one can take my life from me. I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right to lay it down when I want to and also the power to take it again. For my Father has given me this command." (NLT)
JESUS IS THE MIGHTY GOD OF SALVATION:
JOHN 3:16-17
JOHN 3:14-18:
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
CONCLUSION: JESUS IS THE MIGHTY GOD THAT’S COMING BACK: REVELATION 19:11-21:
REVELATION 19:11-21
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great.” 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
FOLKS JESUS IS THE MIGHTY GOD OF ETERNITY
He’s the centrepiece of civilization
He stands alone in Himself.
He’s unique. He’s unparalleled. He’s unprecedented.
I’m talking about Jesus, the MG.
He’s the miracle of the age.
.He supplies strength for the weak.
He’s available for the tempted and the tried.
He sympathizes and He saves.
He’s mighty God and He guides.
He heals the sick.
He cleanses the lepers.
He forgives sinners.
He discharged debtors.
He delivers the captives.
He defends the feeble.
He blesses the young.
He serves the unfortunate.
He regards the aged.
He’s the MG of righteousness. He’s the MG of the ages. He’s the MG of Heaven. He’s the MG of glory. He’s the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords. Now that’s my King and he is the Mighty God
He is the MG of limitless love. He knows no end to His supply. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.
Our MG is strong. Jesus the MG is so knowledgeable that there is nothing hidden from Him.
He’s the master of the mighty. He’s the captain of the conquerors. He’s the head of the heroes. He’s the leader of the legislatures. He’s the overseer of the overcomers. He’s the governor of governors. He’s the prince of princes. He’s the King of kings and He’s the Lord of lords. He’s the mighty God!
He’s incomprehensible. He’s invincible. He’s irresistible.
The heavens of heavens cannot contain Him. You can’t get Him out of your mind. You can’t get Him off of your hands. You can’t outlive Him and you can’t live without Him.
There’s nobody before Him and there’ll be nobody after Him. You can’t impeach Him and He’s not going to resign.
He’s the mighty God!
