Jotham means “Jehovah is perfect.”

He was the son of Uzziah and he began his governing duties as a very young man when his father was struck with leprosy.

Before his father died, the land endured a terrible earthquake. The earthquake is most likely the reason for Jotham’s many building and fortification projects. It had probably leveled most of the defensive structures.

“Jotham rebuilt the upper gate of the Temple of the Lord. He also did extensive rebuilding on the wall at the hill of Ophel. He built towns in the hill country of Judah and constructed fortresses and towers in the wooded areas.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭27‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

And though he was a good king and obeyed the LORD and became powerful, “the people still followed corrupt practices,” v.2.

It’s easy to blame the government for the morality of a nation. But here’s an example of a good and Godly king ordering his administration in the ways of Yahweh, and STILL the people continue to sin.

Conversely, there have been, and continue to be, evil regimes that persecute the righteous and engage in all kinds of deception, violence and corruption, and YET within that sphere the people of God grow and are purified and shine and no level of darkness can extinguish the light.

It is true that:

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

While a government can promote morality and adopt policy that makes it easier for Christians to serve Christ freely, it cannot legislate morality in the hearts of men.

We choose to serve the Lord according to the scriptures whether any government on earth agrees or not.

Jotham, unfortunately, dies around the age of only 41. Isaiah is still in the early stage of his prophetic ministry.

ISAIAH 9

Remember how we left Israel in the darkness and gloom of coming destruction back in chapter 8? There is no Word from the Lord. Everyone is groping about in the spiritual darkness…

“And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭8‬:‭22‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Now watch the sun come up…🌄

“But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

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 ‭9‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Take a moment to think back over ALL the scripture we’ve read. Apart from the promise of the “Seed of the Woman” back in Eden, and the rather vague promises to the Patriarchs that their seed would be a blessing to the whole world, this is the first direct statement from God on HOW and WHERE this is going to happen. And even more staggering – WHO this “Seed of the Woman” will be.

God Himself is going to be born as a human child.

The phrases “child is born” and “son is given” are not redundant.

• “Child is born” reveals that this eternal ruler will be a human.; born into the human family at a definite point of time.
• “Son is given” points to His eternal pre-existence before His birth as the co-equal, co-eternal Son of God; the Word Who was in the beginning and is Himself Divine.

It’s important CRUCIAL to have a Biblical Christology; sometimes called a “high Christology.”

Why? Because I doubt the earth has ever before seen so much wide-spread BUNK about Jesus Christ. The internet is FULL of it. And if you haven’t already gotten your beliefs from a rigorous grappling with scripture, some of those things will sound plausible.

Here’s one to chew on:

Jesus was both fully (100%) divine and fully (100%) human. He is not 50/50. He is the God-man.

His human body came into existence at the Incarnation in the womb of the Virgin Mary. But the immaterial part of Him- He is the eternal Word and Mind of God Who never had a beginning.

Jesus did not stop being human at the resurrection or ascension.

There is a HUMAN MAN sitting on the throne of the universe right now.

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Jesus remains human because that is a requirement in order to function as our High Priest. And Jesus is not a temporary High Priest.

“The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭7‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Having a high Christology will keep you out of the theological ditches and keep you solidly on the road of salvation. And that Biblical Christology begins in the OT. Isaiah writes so much about the Messiah that his book has been called “the 5th Gospel.”

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Let’s look briefly at what follows that wonderful section about the coming Wonder-Counselor…

“The Lord has sent a word against Jacob, and it will fall on Israel; and all the people will know, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and in arrogance of heart: “The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The Lord has already brought the opening salvos of judgment upon them and what is their response? To put it bluntly, it’s basically to give God the middle finger.

“The people did not turn to him who struck them, nor inquire of the Lord of hosts.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Instead of examining themselves or asking God for help or reflecting on their path and why these things might’ve happened, they had voices telling them what they wanted to hear (v15-16).

America did this EXACT thing back on 9/11.

Here is a video of Senate Majority Leader, Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota) giving a speech from the Senate floor on September 12, 2001. At the 3:23 mark he begins to read a passage from the Bible- Isaiah 9:10. He conveniently ignores the fact that he is quoting (on behalf of the nation) the words of an arrogant, defiant Israel in response to God’s opening acts of judgment.

If you didn’t know your Bible, (like most people) you would’ve watched that speech and thought, “Oh look- our leaders are turning to the Word of God at a time of crisis. How nice.” But that’s NOT what was happening. Whether he realized it or not, (and I lean toward suspecting that he knew what he was doing), he was repeating the response of a doomed but defiant Israel.

Y’all… if we had more fear of God, it would solve a lot of problems.

It’s only been a little more than 24 years since 9/11 as I write this. Remember HST? Heavenly Standard Time? God said Israel was done – and they limped along for another 40 years.

May the Lord help us rightly understand the events in the world today and help us to get the noise out of our lives so we can hear the quiet ticking of heaven’s timepiece and act accordingly. We can never go amiss by humbling ourselves and seeking the Lord.