The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-12-22
The Prince
Of Peace ~
Prepared by tire Highway and
Byway" Preacher.
lcopyright, 1901, BY JIM. Edson.l
Sunday School Lesson for Dec. IS, 1904

I
Copyright, 1904, by j. M. EdsonD
LESSON TEXT,-1saiah 91-7; Memory
verses, 6, T. Read also Luke's account Of
the birth of the Christ in Luke 2.l-20.
GOLDEN TEXT-"His name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty
God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince
of Peace. Isaiah 9:8
TIME.-This prophecy was probably ut
tered some time in the reign of Ataz, father
Of Hezekiah. 7S5-726 b. c.
PLACE.-Jerusalem the home Of the
prophet.
Introductory Note.
These verses from the prophecy Of Isaiah
which form the basis of our Christmas les
son are the concluding portion of the proph-
ecy of Chapter 8, the Nevertheless" Of the
opening verse indicating a contrast between
the judgments and calamities enumerated
| in chapter and the promise of the Light
and the Prince OF Peace, given in the first
seven verses Of chapter 9.
The ambiguity of much of the text is re-
moved by the Revised Version, especially in
the third and fifth verses. The third verse
reads: Thou hast multiplied the nation (;
thou hast Increased their JOY" etc. The
fifth verse: For all the armours Of the
armed men In the tumult and the garments
rolled In blood shall be for burning, for fuel
of fire" To appreciate the condition of sin
and desolation of the nation, implied In the
term darkness as a result of the corrupt
reign of Ahaz, during which period this
prophecy was uttered, we must turn back
to Isaiah and 2I<ings 16:1-S, and the paral-
lei passage in 2Chronices. But great dark
ness has the promise of Greater Light.
The Lesson Outline.
THEME:-Christ and His Kingdom.
The Land Of the Shadow of Death.-vs
Place Of ~ vexation; (2) Ahiicton; go
Darkness % Death
1.-THE Vision Of the Coming one.-vs
2-6.
0) His Essential Characteristic-Light
"A great Light, 1.-The Light shlned."
(2) His Observation-Disclosures Thou hast
broken the yoke"-the burden-stafr
rod.-v A.
go His Methods-Peaccablc. This shall
~ His Acknowledgements. THE gov
ernment shall be upon His shoulder"
". g.
(5) His Names-(a) Wonderful: (b) Coun-
selor; (c) The Mighty God; (d) The
Everlasting Father; (e) The Prince
of Peace.-v. 6.
I11.--The Character of His kingdom.-vs T.
% Peaceful and Prosperous. "Of the in
crease of His government and peace
there shall be no end"
:
judgment and with justice"
(9 Everlasting. From henceforth even
forever"
lv.-The Certainty of Fuhllment-"The
zeal of the Lord of Hosts will per-
form this.'-v Z.
Comparing Scripture with Scripture.
1.-The Land of the Shadow of
Death-The place of u Vexation; (2)
Aiiiiction; (3) Darkness; (D Death
VS.. |, 2. Sin like cloud enshrouded
the land. Where sin reigns there is
always to be found vexation of spirit;
sore afIliction; darkness and death,
moral and spiritual.
1.-THE Vision of the Coming One
% His Essential Characteristic Light
"A Great Light" THE Light shined.' .
VS.. 2. Matthew quotes this passage
and declares it's fulfillment in Jesus
going to Capernaum to dwell. Matt.
4:13-15. CT. John Ia, 5, 8; S:12.
(2) His Mission Deliverance.
"Thou hast broken the yoke"--the bur-
den--staff-rod. VS.. 4. The yoke
which Satan places upon the soul is
Eiore CALLING and oppressive than that
of any earthly power, He came to
break the power of evil Rom. 1924.
%: ! Cor. 15:57.
t3) His Methods-Peaceable The
Revised Version of verse simplifes
the thought. The accoutrements of
war and the garments of the warriors
ore to become fuel for the fire, and
burned up. War is to cease. Univer-
sal peace is to prevail under the reign
Of King Emmanuel Isaiah in chapter
II gives in fuller detail all that is
implied in this verse. This part Of
the prophecy has yet to be fulfilled
ca His Authority-Supreme. "The
government shall be upon His .shoul-
der" This also awaits fultillmeft.
(5) His Names-(a) Wonderful
Judges 1918, margin; Tim. 3:16. Cd
Considerations. 1888, "a; Col. 2:3.
(c) The Mighty God-Ps. 24S Titus,
2:13. (d) The Everlasting Father-"A
child" yet "The Everlasting Father
See Jesus own claims in John 10: 30
End 1879. (e) The Prince of Peace
A It'll, in harmony with the declara-
tion Of verse 5. Already He is "our
peace" Luke 2:14; Eph. 2:14.
III.-The Character of His Kingdom
-(D Peaceful and Prosperous. His
reign will bring prosperity and peace
such as was never before known.
(2) Righteous-When Christ shall
reign then shall perfect righteousness
prevail. lisa. 1921; Ps. 45:6, z.
(3) Everlasting-"From henceforth
even forever" Dan. 2:44.
IV.-The Certainty of Fulfillment.
THE zeal of the Lord of Hosts will
perform this" This Is the guarantee
CT the realization of all the wonderful
provisions Of this striking prophecy.
Seven centuries before the Christ was
born, Isaiah had the vision of Him
He came, and how marvelously was
Scripture fulfilled in Him. There are
prophecies still to be fulfilled, and not
one jot or one little shall pass from
the law until all be fulfilled. Matt.
Sis; Is, 40:S; 51;6.
''His name shall be called Wonder
full, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the
Everlasting Father, the Prince of
Peace" What's in name?" has been
asked in irony. Ah! Everything " hen
there is character behind the name.
The titles which the Holy Spirit gave to
Jesus 700 years before His advent are
expressive. of His character. Interpret
Jesus through His titles and then let
Jesus become the exponent and defni-
tlon of these titles. The Gospels spell