A Message of Hope and a Warning of Judgment

Isaiah 9 is comprised of two sections: 1) a prophecy of the Christ to come 2) a judgment of arrogance and oppression.  For context, here are some quotes taken from the introduction to Isaiah in the Reformation Study Bible.

Isaiah ministered to Judah, the southern kingdom for a period of more than forty years, from 740 until after 701 B.C.  It was an era of great political turmoil due to Assyrian imperialism.  During the second half of the eighth century the prophet railed against the leaders for their hypocrisy (1:10-15); greed (5:8), self-indulgence (5:11), and cynicism (5:19).  With these sins they were bringing the nation to moral ruin.  God raised up Isaiah to announce their fate (6:11-13).  As Isaiah predicted, Israel was exiled in 722 B.C. and Hezekiah barely escaped the Assyrian destruction (36:1-37:37).

And the passage of Isaiah 9:6 is a common verse and as it should be remembered and proclaimed.

Isaiah 9:6 (NASB) 
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Likewise, when I visit Isaiah 9, I tend to gravitate to this section of the chapter on the prophecy of Christ to the neglect of the second section concerning the judgment.  Recently, I read the Harbinger, and I was overwhelmed by the significance of Isaiah 9:10.  Granted the book leans heavy on Replacement theology, of which I'm not a fan.  However, the events proceeding 9/11 and the proclamations made by our leaders are sobering.  Forthcoming is a breakdown of the events that followed 9/11.  Amazing.  But first meditate on Isaiah 9:10.

Isaiah 9:10 (KJV)10The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: The sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.

Here is the passage in sequence overlaid with video footage of the events from September 11, 2001.

"The bricks are fallen down..."

Tom Daschle Speech on September 12, 2011 quotes Isaiah 9:10 in ignorance.  Reading the context of Isaiah 9:10 it is certainly not a passage about which to boast.

"...but we will build with hewn stones" (seen in the first two minutes)

"The sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars."