THRILL of HOPE - Day 12

“The thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices…..”

Some consider the number 12 to have Biblically symbolic meaning that speaks of authority or government (more on that here).  We’re told in Isaiah that Jesus would have God’s government on His shoulders and the increase or expansion of that government would have no end.  It’s challenging to hear the word government and not think of Washington DC stuff, but Isaiah isn’t telling us of a civil system being on Jesus shoulders.  Isaiah is relating something much more. 

 

Isaiah prophecied a virgin giving birth to Emmanuel.  This is a bombshell of a revelation.  That God would come near us is an unbelievable proposition.  Jesus would be God with us and not only reveal to us WHO God is (Father), but also reveal His location (near us).  When Isaiah goes on to say that Emmanuel would carry a government, he then describes Jesus further by calling Him Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  This shows us the qualities of this “Near-to-us-Father”.  From that description, we see this ever increasing government that is carried into the earth is not a distant, off somewhere across the galaxy, law focused, military driven system that is lording over all to complicate life.  

The government of God is a synonym of the Kingdom of God.  Both can trip up our mind because when we hear government our minds go straight to the civil realm, and when we here kingdom we tend to go straight to a European monarchy concept of a king sitting off on a throne in a huge stone castle up high on a pentacle.  I’m becoming more aware that the Bible is not presenting this as the revelation of Father.  When we think of kingdom we can understand that a kingdom is the domain of a king.  Getting out of a European monarchy paradigm it can be said that a kingdom is the realm of rule.  In other words, it is the place one rules.  We do understand that Father rules, meaning He is in charge of all creation.  Since He rules, I’m asking “from where does He rule?”  Where does His ruling come from?  What is the source of His rule?  The realm from which He rules is His heart.  He releases His authority from His heart.  His government is His heart.  So Isaiah is telling us that Jesus would carry Father’s heart into the earth and to the increase/expansion/the furthering of Father’s heart there will be no end.  This is why Isaiah gave us the word Emmanuel.  It reveals what this government/rule would be all about.  It would be about Father being with us.  Not only the understanding of the good qualities and nature of Father, but the location of Father; with us. 

We can look beyond the concept of being citizens of a kingdom like one would be a citizen of a European monarchy and see that we are sons and daughters residing in Father’s heart.  He is leading and releasing His authority from His heart.  He carries us in His heart.  When we affirm we are those of His kingdom (government) then we are affirming we are those of His heart (government/authority/source of His rule).  It’s so thrilling to know we are not off is some far away corner of His “domain”, and He’s off in the distance up in a cold, gray castle just barking out commands.  He is right with us as we are in His heart.