Make Known His Deeds Among the Peoples

by Douglas B. Clawson

And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.” (Isa. 12:4, 5) In Isaiah’s day, Ahaz, the king of Judah, was faced with two larger and stronger enemies, Aram and Israel, who formed an alliance to crush Judah and make their man its king. God knew what was in Ahaz’s heart, and he sent Isaiah to urge Ahaz to trust in the Lord rather than turn for help to the empire-building king of Assyria. That is the context of the prophecies in Isaiah 7–11 that we associate with the birth and coming of Jesus. Those prophesies include the sign of the virgin having a child, the promise of light coming to the northernmost tribes of Israel (future Galilee), and the promise of one who would reign, not as an enemy-appointed king, but as David’s heir. This promised ruler would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty ... Read more