What does it mean that the government will be on His shoulders (Isaiah 9:6)?

(iii.) MIGHTY EL: (ii.) Counsellor: (iv.) Father of Eternity: (i.) Wonderful: (v.) Prince of Peace: (Isa. 9:6) “A Child born: A Son given.” “Call His Name JESUS.” (Matt. 1:21)

“The government shall be upon His shoulder.” Happy day to come for the world! He will prosper where the politicians and rulers fail so sadly now. “On His shoulder” the government will be safe. But Luke 15 tells us that the sheep—the lost sinner that He seeks and finds—has both “shoulders” for his security. One shoulder will do for the government of the earth, but nothing less than both for the sheep He loves so well, and whose home-bringing gives His loving heart such joy, deep and divine. We may well thank God for such a Saviour, known and trusted before the kingdom of glory comes.

Whenever used symbolically in Scripture, the term "shoulder" signifies strength. Isaiah thus, speaking of the birth of the Messiah, says, "The government shall be upon His shoulder" (Isa. 9:6); that is, the Messiah will maintain His righteous government in divine power according to all that He is as "The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Two or three illustrations of this significance of the divine shoulders in relation to the people of God will be both instructive and profitable.

Figuratively the shoulder finds its place as the burden-bearer, and this with the thought of service and subjection as in the blessing of Issachar afterward: "He bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute;" but the burden may be one of a very different character, as it is said of the Lord, "The government shall be upon His shoulder:" the place of service and the place of power being here one. How truly so of Him whom this declares!

The government is to be on the shoulder of David's greater Son (Isa. 9:6). We are often reminded that both of the Shepherd's shoulders were required to carry the lost sheep to safety (Luke 15:5). For the Lord Jesus Christ one shoulder is sufficient to carry the burden of the government of the universe. But what a shoulder! On the most shameful day in the world's sad history it carried a cross, the instrument of an agonising and humiliating death. At Calvary the Lord Jesus bore the burden of God's wrath against sin when He was the sin offering (1 Peter 2:24). The burden of the government of the universe will not be as heavy as that awful burden. Because the Lamb of God prevailed on that solemn day He has the title to rule the universe (Rev. 5:9-12).

We may think of it in this way: — God has entrusted authority to Christ; He has made Him ruler. Just as God put earthly things into the hands of Adam, so He has put everything into the hands of Christ. Men set up in the place of responsibility have failed everywhere; but here is a Man who will not fail in meeting to the full the responsibilities imposed upon Him. He will administer all things according to the mind and will of God.

Returning to verse 13, “He shall bear the glory.” The glory and honor of being entrusted with the authority of ruling Israel and the whole world will be perfectly safe when borne on the shoulder of this faithful Son of Man. He alone of all men will be able to bear this glory. Even David was not able to bear it: he failed badly, as did Solomon and the kings that followed. “He shall sit and rule on His throne.” This looks forward to the millennial age. Already He is seated with the Father on the Father's throne (Rev. 3:21), but will take His own throne when coming as the Son of Man in power and glory to subdue all creation under His feet.

Let Isaiah 9:6 furnish us with an answer: "Unto us a child is born, 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." Take careful notice of this remarkable prophecy. It does not speak of some passing manifestation of God as was the case when Jehovah appeared for a brief moment in human guise to Abraham as recorded in Genesis 18. "The mighty God" is the name of the Child who is to be born, the Son who is to be given, who is, as the next verse shows, to sit on David's throne, and exercise government thence, producing an age of justice and consequent peace upon earth.

Intensely interesting and instructive as all this is, we may not further follow out these fulfilments. But a short reference must be made to another class of prophecy, which has partly been fulfilled and yet awaits completion. There is much like this in the Old Testament. Take one verse: Isaiah 9:6—“Unto us a child is born.” That part has been fulfilled. “The government shall be upon His shoulder.” That part awaits fulfilment. In between, Christ has been rejected, and is hidden in the heavens, and His assembly is being formed during the time of His rejection. She will share in His glory, as His bride, when “the government shall be upon His shoulder.”

The prophets continue the same strain. "Unto us a Child is born, 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. 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" (Isa. 9:6-7). It is only by spiritualising the whole passage that this can be understood of the Church, and when it is so understood, it contradicts all that is elsewhere said about it. Understood of the literal kingdom, it fully harmonises with the whole teaching of God's Word.

This is one side of the picture — the dark and humbling side. But, blessed be God, there is the bright and encouraging side also. If there is the "Doubtless ye shall not;" there is also the "Doubtless ye shall." And why? Because Christ has entered the scene, and in Him all is infallibly secured for the glory of God and the eternal blessing of man. It is God's eternal purpose to "Head up all things in Christ." There is not a single thing in which the first man has failed, that the second Man will not make good. All is set up on a new footing in Christ. He is the Head of the new creation; Heir of all the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, touching the land; Heir of all the promises made to David concerning the throne. The government shall be upon His shoulder. He shall bear the glory. He is the Prophet, Priest, and King. In a word, Christ makes good all that Adam lost, and brings in much more beside than Adam ever had. Hence, when we look at the first Adam and his doings, whenever and however viewed, the sentence is "Doubtless ye shall not." Ye shall not remain in Paradise — ye shall not retain the government — ye shall not inherit the promises — ye shall not enter the land — ye shall not occupy the throne — ye shall not enter the kingdom.