The Zeal of the Lord (Part 1 of 2)

A Child is Born

Celebrating the Good News through Isaiah 9

Most of us know Handel’s oratorio chorus Messiah, and at Christmastime, we are delighted by the sounds of its most famous song, the “Hallelujah” chorus. But did you know that this song can only truly be sung after an earlier set proclaims, “For unto us a child is born”? The words for this song are taken from Isaiah 9, which describes a scene of darkness, gloom, and oppression that is pierced with the light of dawn. For centuries, the Jewish people envisioned and expected a great warrior king who would save them from their oppressors. Instead, God sent a child—a baby born in lowly circumstances—to save people from their spiritual oppression. In this series, Alistair Begg describes who this child is, why He came, and what earns Him the right to be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. Celebrate the great news that “a child is born”!