When was the last birth announcement you got in the mail? What info was included on the announcement? Go ahead . . . think about it for a minute. Got that birth announcement in your head? Good!
I remember when my wife and I sent around the birth announcement for our son Joshua nearly four years ago. The announcement was basically designed to do three things:
- Invite our friends to celebrate with us the arrival of our son.
- Introduce our son to our friends by providing his name and basic information.
- Provide a picture to help communicate his identity. After all a picture is worth a thousand words, right?
Today, as I read Isaiah 9:6-7, I realized that I was reading a divine birth announcement for Jesus. Amazingly, this announcement was not sent after His birth, but 700 years BEFORE He was born. This is what Jesus prophetic birth announcement looked like:
“For to us a Child is born; to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” – Isaiah 9:6-7
Do you see any similarities between this announcement and a birth announcement? I sure do.
- The announcement invites the people of God to celebrate the birth of a Son (“For unto US a child is born”).
- The announcement introduces the Son of God to people by providing a descriptive account of His name (“His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”).
- The description of the Son’s ministry that is given here paints quite a picture helping communicate to us His identity (“Of the increase of His government . . . “)
Join me in worshipping God today as we read the birth announcement of His arrival which was mailed 700 years early.