Monday Meditation
November 05, 2012
The Child born; but the Son given
“Unto us a child is born; unto us a Son is given.”
Isaiah 9:6
Who has not thrilled to listen to Handel’s great Messiah and this verse set to music? To hear it sung, and to think that one day, the entire universe will join and sing a similar hymn of praise bows the heart in worship and quickens the longings for that day.
The child born! The Son given! Humanity and deity in one seamless person. His conception was supernatural; but His birth was natural. It is true, that it was impossible for anything to go wrong in that delivery even though Mary had only Joseph to attend upon her. God in His sovereign power oversaw every detail. Yet He was truly a child born.
But He was the Son given. The Son was never born. He had no beginning as Son. Eternally He was the Son of the Father. An eternal relationship existed and was marked by love, joy, contentment, satisfaction, and holiness. Before ever the voice of an angel was raised to praise the Throne Sitter, He was Son.
But what follows in Isaiah is a list of four titles (four, not five). He is the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Father of Eternity (Newberry), and the Prince of Peace. The infant of days, lying in the manger, nestling on Mary’s breast, held in Joseph’s arms – He is the Father of eternity. The Babe dependent for daily needs is the very One Who is the mighty God! The child Who grew in wisdom and stature before men was always the Wonderful Counselor. The One Whom men despised and labeled as perverting the people (Luke 23:2), rules over a realm characterized by Peace. While we cannot understand, we can worship.
As the Wonderful Counselor, we listen to His words of wisdom. As the Mighty God, we watch, enthralled, at His power demonstrated in His miracles. As the Father of Eternity, we see His sovereignty and might. As the Prince of Peace, we see Him as He brings peace to troubled hearts, joy to bereaved homes, and blessing to those in need. All that He ever was, He still is. All that He was to Israel He is for us today.
Consider:
1. Isa 9:6 adds that “the government shall be upon His shoulder.” Compare this with Luke 15:5 and the sheep upon His shoulders. What does it imply?
2. Can you link the four titles of the Lord Jesus with the four Gospels? For example, would Luke present Him as the Prince of Peace?
3. “Of the increase of His government and peace, there shall be no end” (v 7). Does this suggest that He will reign eternally? Another rendering of “no end” is ” no outpost” suggesting that His Kingdom will be universal with no boundary marker denoting the end of His kingdom.