Isaiah 9:6b – “And the government shall be upon His shoulder…”
Exodus 28:12 And you shall put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. So Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders as a memorial.
In a world wearied by the failures of men, Isaiah 9:6 offers a startling promise of hope and strength: “The government shall be upon His shoulder.” This is not the language of politics as we know it — it’s the language of divine dominion. The Hebrew word for “government” here is misrah (מִשְׂרָה), a word so unique it appears only in these two verses—Isaiah 9:6 and 9:7. Unlike more common Hebrew words for government — mamlachah or memshalah, misrah speaks of a rare and elevated rule—divinely ordained, gentle in character, and eternal in scope. This is a government not imposed, but carried. Not tyrannical, but righteous and restorative.
The phrase “upon His shoulder” evokes the ancient image of Israel’s high priest, who bore the names of the twelve tribes on his shoulders as he ministered before the Lord (Exodus 28:12). This is no coincidence. The Messiah comes not only as a King but as a Priest—one who bears His people with intercession and mercy. Isaiah gives us a glimpse of the King-Priest, a role foreshadowed by Melchizedek, the mysterious figure in Genesis 14 who was both King of Salem and Priest of God Most High. Psalm 110 confirms this lineage: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” Yeshua’s rule is not political maneuvering—it is a holy reign, rooted in righteousness and mercy.
As Priest, He carries our names into the Holy Place. As King, He establishes justice and peace. Unlike earthly rulers who rise by force and fall by scandal, His authority is unshakable. His shoulders bore the weight of the cross before they bore the scepter of the Kingdom. And now, risen and exalted, He bears the rule of the cosmos with nail-scarred hands. His misrah government is personal, global, and eternal. His leadership does not control—it restores. His throne is not built on manipulation—it is upheld by the zeal of the LORD of hosts (Isaiah 9:7).
So what does this mean for you today? It means the burdens you’re carrying—your anxieties, your unknowns, your attempts to control outcomes—were never meant to rest on your shoulders. There are meant to be upon His. The One who upholds all things by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3) invites you to surrender control, not out of fear, but in faith. His shoulder is strong enough to carry your world, yet tender enough to carry your heart.
So arise, and fix your eyes on the One whose shoulders carry both the weight of heaven’s authority and the burden of earth’s redemption. The crown belongs to Him. The cross was endured by Him. And now, the government rests securely upon Him. Surrender to His reign, and find your rest beneath His righteous rule. Cast every anxious care upon His capable shoulders—the very shoulders that bore the crushing beam of the cross and now bear the keys of the kingdom. Maranatha — our King is coming! And until He does, let His shoulders carry you.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]In his book, Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan has written one of the most beautiful allegories about the journey we all travel as a believers. The book describes the hero, Christian, and his journey from the City of Destruction to his heavenly destination, the Celestial City. Now there’s one part of Pilgrim’s Progress that I want to focus on today — walking through the Swamp of Despondency!
While many around the world are apathetic and lack understanding about the times in which we live, we as believers should realize these are merely signs of the times and have a sense of urgency to be about the Lord’s business.
In Ancient Greece, mythology and history were hard to distinguish. Tales of gods and demigods abounded. The chief god of Mount Olympus was Zeus. It is told that Zeus became enamored with the princess Europa and decided to seduce and ravish her. Zeus shape-shifted, transforming himself into a tame white bull. Europa, the daughter of King Agenor of Sidon, was picking flowers, when she saw the bull, and then climbed on his back. Zeus carried her away. The Romans later recounted the tale which became known as the “seduction of Europa”, (with the Roman “Jupiter” replacing Zeus).
Some time ago, an old mule fell into an abandoned well which was no longer in use. The farmer who owned him tried and tried to pull the mule up out of the well — however after many attempts he realized he was not going to be able to rescue his mule. So the farmer decided to solve two problems simultaneously— by burying the mule in the well. Tragic as it was, he would, bury the mule alive, and in the process, prevent future accidents of this kind by filling up the well hole.
Growing up, one of my favorite Saturday activities was watching ABC Sports. I can still remember the opening line — “The thrill of victory or the agony of defeat!” One of the greatest prophets of the Bible, Elijah, experienced his share of victories — but he also knew that sudden feeling of defeat.
When a Michigan man entered the hospital for tests one day, he never would have guessed what the doctors would find. A routine chest x-ray revealed that the man’s heart was on the wrong side of his chest! Because of a rare reversed-organ condition, his heart was in the wrong place. This is a strange story indeed, although I think some of us suffer from this condition in a spiritual way.
There is a fascinating true story about the Apostle John narrated by the early church “Father”, Eusebius, well worth reading.