I was so sure it was going to happen, I would have bet my life on it. Have you ever been that sure about something?
In Isaiah 9:6, we read, “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government shall be upon his shoulder…” This is a prophecy that Jesus Christ will one day establish His kingdom upon the earth and rule over the affairs of nations. It is a future event. But Isaiah presents it as an accomplished fact – “…the government shall be upon His shoulder” is so sure – Isaiah would bet his life on it.
“Shall be” in the Hebrew text is a verb of simple reality expressed in a future sense. But when the word “and” is prefixed to it so that consecutive thoughts are tied together, the action is converted from a future sense to a completed sense in Hebrew grammar. In other words, though it is a future event, it is written as a completed and established fact: “And the government” is “upon His shoulder.”
It is said that the only sure things in life are death and taxes. Though they are future events, they are spoken of as established facts. You will die one day (unless of course, you are alive at the time of the rapture); and on April 15, your taxes will be due (unless of course, you get an extension).
Listen – the kingdom of our Lord will surely come, and that’s more sure than death and taxes. Does all of this sound like “pie-in-the-sky” dreaming? Well, it’s not! This prophecy of Isaiah has all of the authority of the Word of God – “And the government shall be upon His shoulder.”
Say – aren’t you glad you can count of something far better than death and taxes?