- 17. Increase of Government and Peace
Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
God promises an increase of the government and peace of the King Jesus Christ, and this continually growing government and peace will never end. This promise was given to David, it is continued through the prophets through the line of David. And it is fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of David and the Son of God. The reign of peace will continue forever. We who believe in Christ are ruled with peace now, and that reign will last forever without end.
We pray this pray and we believe it because of the promise: “Thy kingdom come.” The kingdom has come and the kingdom continues to come and it will come in future glory, but we pray that the kingdom will come to us and rule in us. Jesus is my Lord; and He brings increased peace and safety. “The kingdom is within you.” God’s promise and His answer to our prayers is that the kingdom will grow within and it will have greater influence in us, on us, and those around us as it works through us. This kingdom work is all spiritual and invisible. We can only catch a glimpse of the effects upon the physical world; but there the kingdom comes into conflict with the prince of the power of the air, for the whole world lies in the Evil One. Once in a while we experience the spiritual warfare, but usually we simply trust the promise that the kingdom of Jesus is winning and increasingly gaining the upper hand against the kingdoms of the world. We are actually marching “from victory unto victory.” There is an increase of Jesus’ government and peace.
We know this to be true and we can see it by faith; nevertheless, we still pray for the kingdom to come into our lives and lives of our loved ones. And by God’s grace and mercy for the sake of Christ, it happens. And that’s a promise.