December 4

1 Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as now in her vexation, when at the first he highly afflicted the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.

2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light stained

3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy, they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden,

den, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his appressor, as in the day of Mithan.

5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and feel of fire.

6 For unto us a child whom, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

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 real of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

There can be no doubt that the prophet here has reference to the Messiah. The scenes of coming times, like a panorama, or picture, passed before him. Most of the picture seems to have been that of battles, conflicts, sieges, dimness, and thick darkness. But in one portion of the passing scene there was light. It was the light that he saw rising in the distant and darkened Galilee. He saw the joy of the people; the armor of war laid aside; the image of peace succeeding; the light expanding and becoming more intense as the darkness retired, until he saw in this region the Prince of Peace—the Sun of Righteousness Himself.

"And His name shall be called Wonderful." The word is applied here to denote the unusual and remarkable assemblage of qualities that distinguish the Messiah. These are specified in the rest of the verse.

"The proper idea of the word is miraculous. It imports that the personage here referred to, in His being and in His works, will be exalted above the ordinary course of nature, and that His whole manifestation will be a miracle."—Hengstenberg.

"The Messiah was wonderful in all things. It was wonderful love by which God gave Him, and by which He came, the manner of His birth was wonderful; His humility, His self-denial, His sorrows were wonderful; His mighty works were wonderful; His dying agonies were wonderful; and His resurrection, His ascension, were all fitted to excite admiration and wonder."

Rev. Albert Barnes.

Closet Promise.—Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all means.—2 Thess. iii. 16.

Goethe, the talented and celebrated poet, unsatisfied in heart by the pleasures of his apparently happy youth, wrote the beautiful but painful sentiment: "Thou Heavenly One, who stillest every woe and sorrow, Thou who fillest doubly with refreshing, the heart that is doubly miserable, alas! I am tired of this roving in the train of pleasure. What signify all the pains and delights? Sweet peace, come, oh, come into my soul!" A noble lady, a friend of his, into whose hands these words fell, penned the still more beautiful answer: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Jesus Christ."