Going into Isaiah 9, I didn’t do a lot of background history as I have done before. We were all a bit distracted going into reading, trying to get it over with after a long day.
We read the passage.
I felt like most of the words went over the boys’ heads. So I focus on the verses that we learned during Advent, and the boys and I try to remember the sign language. After a couple minutes, collectively we reconstructed all of the motions. We focus on Jesus’s names: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
If I could do today’s Bible time over, I will try to give more context to help them understand the passage:
Because the kings of Israel did not love and trust God like David, the kingdom divided in half, and they were continually battling the powerful kingdoms around them. Even with all the warnings from various prophets to obey the law God has given them, the kings and Israelites ignore them. So God lets the kingdom of Assyria to conquer the northern Israel and Assyria is also coming down trying to destroy Judah. God was punishing both kingdoms of Israel. There is devastation and now we come to this passage. Then it will flow into the beginning of chapter 9.
Also continuing from yesterday, I would have talked about how God still remembers his promise to David, and this prophesy again says there will be a king that reign forever, and he will uphold it with righteousness. Jesus is the person that this passage is talking about!
Hopefully tomorrow’s time will be more fruitful!
(Shorter version: The passage is pretty short, but if you want really short, read Isaiah 9:6-7)