What Child is This? (Part 2)

 

We have now reached Ephiphany, the official end of the Christmas season. For weeks, perhaps months, people have been making preparations and arrangements regarding this Christmas celebration. I'm sure a stranger to our world would find the whole thing rather odd; some people find it odd anyway. All these arrangements, all these preparations leading up to one celebration. And that celebration to celebrate... what? The birth of a baby to a poor couple in a stable in a backwater province of the Roman empire some two thousand years ago. Why is that so special? Who is Christ that we should keep him in Christmas? In part one of this article, I quoted from an old carol which raises this question: “What child is this who laid to rest/On Mary's lap is sleeping?/Whom angels greet with anthems sweet/While shepherds watch are keeping?” What child is this? In that article, I looked at part of the answer to that—discussing the unique nature of Christ. Here, I want to look at another part of the answer which is found in Isaiah.

The prophet Isaiah wrote during a difficult time; it was a time of war and danger. The Jewish people lived under the shadows of various other powerful nations that threatened captivity or destruction. Isaiah had many prophecies to give which fit the somber mood of the time; prophecies of coming doom and gloom. However, in the midst of the darkness, in the midst of greater darkness which was to come, Isaiah saw a beacon of light. Something better was coming. Isaiah had been given a glimpse of something to come; of someone to come. In the midst of the turmoil and upheaval of the world, he saw the coming of a king; into the world of darkness, he saw the bursting of the light. That hope was not necessarily what someone might have expected: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” (Isaiah 9:6) And yet what a child this was to be.

We know the end of the story. We know who that child was, the one that Isaiah saw only dimly from a distance; a child born one night in a Bethlehem stable. In a previous article, we talked about that Baby and the names He was given; that He was Emmanuel (a name Isaiah himself had prophesied); that He was both God and Man. That is who He is. But here I want to look at what He did and what He does, and to do that, I want to look at four names which are given Him here by Isaiah.

In the prophecy of Isaiah 8:22-9:7, the picture is a political one. The child Isaiah saw was to be a king: “the government shall be upon his shoulder... 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.” In a time when the nation of Israel was facing a difficult situation (and at least partly because of poor leadership in the government), Isaiah saw the coming of a greater king with a greater kingdom.

In Biblical times (as in modern times, for that matter) even when the king had dictatorial powers, he didn't govern completely on his own. Throughout the Old Testament, we have references to counselors. A counselor is one who gives counsel, one who gives advice; one who helps figure things out. It can be used in different settings, but in the Bible, it often has a political context. Kings would usually have a group of counselors or advisors they would go to for advice in difficult situations; those who would give advice about how to deal with civil or military matters.

So, for instance, when Absolom affected his coupe and took over his father's kingdom, he called in counselors to help figure out his strategy in defeating David. Or, a little later, when Rehoboam had become king and had to deal with a petition from his people concerning his policies as king, he went to two different groups of counselors to determine his course of action.

Obviously, for a king, dealing with matters of national importance, matters of life and death for all his people, it makes sense that he would want to be surrounded by men who could give advice. Many of us, even dealing with smaller matters, like to get advice; and perhaps, more often, wish after the fact that we had gotten advice before we did something. In this life, knowing what to do is important; really, almost as important as being able to do it. All the power in the world will be worthless or worse than worthless if we don't know what to do with it. That is why Solomon said that wisdom is the most important thing because it directs everything else. And without wisdom, without the proper council, everything will fall apart.

I mentioned earlier Absolom and Rehoboam as examples of people who had counselors. And those two are significant because both of them failed as kings specifically because they listened to the wrong councilors; they took the wrong advice. But you don't have to look at ancient Israelite history to find examples of people--common people or leaders--who ended up in trouble because they either didn't seek advice or sought it from the wrong people. Really, this is the whole story of the human race. It began when Eve took counsel with a serpent and things went downhill from there.

But unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor. I think there are two ideas here.

First, because Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor, that means He is the one who knows what to do. He is the one with the wisdom to meet every situation. The prophet is picturing Christ as a king, but this king is his own counselor. He doesn't have to ask anyone what he should do, because he is the Wonderful Counselor. There is never a situation that comes up that stumps him. He can deal with every problem and deal with it well.

The NET Bible puts it that He is the “Extraordinary Strategist.” We never have to worry that the Devil or evil men will outfox Jesus; that the Kingdom of Heaven will be defeated by a surprise attack. Like a master tactician, Jesus has everything under control, using even the strengths of the enemy to His advantage. We see this very clearly in the life of Christ. Every time enemies would try to trap Jesus, He would turn the tables and trap them. And when it seemed they had one their final victory and nailed him to the cross, Jesus used that to accomplish his plan and bring salvation to all mankind. Jesus is the one who always knows what to do, for He is the Wonderful Counselor.

And, because of that, he is also a Wonderful Counselor to us. Now, we have to be careful here; because Jesus does not give advice; He gives commands. Jesus is not in our employ; He is the king and we are the subjects. But because He is the king and because we are his subjects, then we can depend on His leadership. And because He is the Wonderful Counselor, we know that where he leads is the right place.

As we look around at the world, it is easy to think that the church and the work of God have reached a dead end; that the Devil has backed God's people into a corner. If we look at our own lives, perhaps, we may feel that our backs are against a wall and there is no way out. But we know that, if we are God's people, then we have a Wonderful Counselor. If we are following Christ, we follow one who knows where He's going. We are often blind, but we are being led by one who sees all things; we may often be foolish, but our Lord is the wisdom of God, the Word which was in the beginning.

Having knowledge and wisdom is very important. Fortunes, lives, entire nations have been lost simply from a lack of wisdom; from the lack of proper counsel. But wisdom, as important as it is, is not enough. Wisdom and knowledge are one half of the picture, and might or power the other side. It doesn't matter how good of a battle plan you have, it won't help if you don't have an army to carry it out. The best budget in the world will not help you if you don't have any money. Just knowing what to do does not give you the power to do it.

Too often that is our condition as humans. That those who know what to do don't have the power to do it and those who have the power don't know what to do with it and neither are able or willing to cooperate with each other. That is the cause of much of the frustration and futility of human work.

I mentioned earlier the story of Absolom and his rebellion against David. Absolom had two counselors, Ahithophel and Hushai. When Absalom took control of Jerusalem and David had been forced to flee for his life, Absalom asked his counselors what he should do. Ahithophel advised a single, immediate, decisive action, sending an army after David to assassinate him and so secure Absalom's position once and for all. However, Hushai (who was acting as a double-agent for David) persuaded Absalom to wait and not take immediate action, thus leading to Absalom's ultimate defeat. But the point is that when Ahithophel realized that his good advice was ignored and Hushai's bad advice was being followed, he left the king, went home, and committed suicide. He knew what needed to be done but he couldn't bring his plans to pass and so he gave up in despair. Having wisdom and knowledge is important but it cannot replace having the power to put that wisdom into practice.

But unto a child is born, unto a son is given: and his name shall be called The Mighty God.

We talked in our previous article about the fact that Jesus is called God, but here want to emphasize specifically that He is the MIGHTY God. The Hebrew word translated 'mighty' means 'powerful' and quite often when it is used in the Bible it refers to the idea of military strength and valor. Joshua, Jephtha, and David are all referred to as 'mighty' men. Mighty is a word of warriors and champions. The mighty one is the one who has the strength and skill to triumph in battle. It is a virile word, a heroic word—one might almost say a macho word--one which caries with it the distant scent of the battlefield.

The picture becomes more clear if we look at the verses surrounding Isaiah 9:6, where this name is given. Isaiah is clearly envisioning a time of war and conflict; a time when the oppressor would be defeated and a new kingdom established. The bad guys were going to get beaten and the good guys were going to win. There was going to be a victory, and this One, this Child which was given was the one who was going to win it.

To say that Jesus is the Mighty God means that He has the power, the might, the ability to accomplish whatever He intends to do. We see this in the life of Christ. There is this idea in the world that Jesus was a dreamy idealist who just sat around talking but was weak and ineffective at dealing with the world. But nothing could be farther from the picture of Jesus we get in the gospel. Yes, Jesus was a teacher, a preacher, but He was also a man of action. And so far from being ineffectual, He was unnervingly effective. He told storms to stop and they stopped. He told lame men to walk and they walked. He told a tree to wither and it withered. He told demons to go away and they went. He told the dead to live and they lived. Jesus was meek, but He was certainly not weak.

His whole ministry was hounded by enemies who wanted to hurt or trap him and every time they failed. His own home town of Nazareth attempted mob violence against him and He just walked away unharmed. And at the very moment of His arrest in the garden, He healed the injury of one of His enemies.

From a human point of view, Jesus; arrest and execution was a tragedy of injustice; it was the strong oppressing the weak. And that is what those involved thought they were doing. But the truth is that if He hadn't wanted to let them arrest Him, they wouldn't have. If he hadn't let them nailed Him to that cross, there was no power in Earth or Hell which could have driven in those nails. Just as three days later, all the powers of Earth and Hell could not keep Him in the grave when the time came for His resurrection. For He was and is the Mighty God.

There are often things we would like to do or think should be done, but we can't do them because we don't have the resources or there are too many obstacles to overcome or there are powerful opponents trying to prevent it from being done. That's just part of our human limitations. But Jesus is the Mighty God; nothing stands in the way of His plans. What God wills will be done. The only limitations on God's power are the ones He places on Himself; for instance, He chooses to give us the freedom of choice and not to force our wills. But even at that, He still has the power to work out His will. He is the irresistible force before which there is no immovable object.

In Bible times, governments tended to be military. Our president is the commander and chief of the armed forces, but he never actually appears on the battlefield. The queen of England is not noted for her military prowess. But in Bible times, King and Warrior were often interchangeable. David was known as a soldier and a hero long before he became king. And even after he became king, for years he continued to be a soldier and to lead Israel's troops personally. Among the fierce competition of the middle east, a kingdom was only as good as its ability to defend itself; and often its defense was only as strong as its king. David's kingdom was established largely by the strength of David. And Christ's kingdom is established by the strength of Christ which is the power of the mighty God. That is why that kingdom can stand no matter how many and how powerful are its enemies, for it is backed by the power of omnipotence. It will be established for “the zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

But there's one thing to remember. David was a good king. He was both wise (most of the time) and strong. But he grew old--too old to fight, eventually too old to govern, and eventually, he died. And under his grandson, the kingdom which he had worked to establish, was broken in two and never attained against the greatness it once had.

That is the problem with monarchial government; no matter how good a king is, no matter how strong, how just, how wise, he can't reign forever. And once he's gone, you never know how qualified his successor may be. That is the story of the book of judges. A judge would rise up and would lead Israel for a time and bring peace and revival. And the judge would die and everything would degenerate to the way it was before.

The world is full of examples of this kind. Kings build up a kingdom that is ruined by their successor. Men earn a fortune that is squandered by their heirs. Business, schools, even churches are brought to greatness under the leadership of one man, and then, after his passing, they fade away to nothing. The best possible world, established by human effort, would be a fleeting thing since our life passes away so quickly

But unto a child is born, unto us a son is given: and His name shall be called The Everlasting Father.

I know this sounds confusing. In our previous article, we talked about Jesus being the Son of God; and here He is referred to as the Father. But remember the picture that the prophet is showing us; the picture of a king. And in the world of the Old Testament, it was common for a king to be referred to as a Father; he had authority over his people just as a father has authority over his children, and he was also pledged to provide for and protect his people just as a father provides for and protects his children. For Jesus to be the Everlasting Father means that He is an Everlasting King.

And the point I want to emphasize is that He is everlasting. We know the details about Jesus' birth. We know the city where he was born and we can make a rough guess about the year. We know quite a few of the hows and whys of his birth. But that was not the beginning of his existence.

We know the details about Jesus' death. We know the city where he died and we can make a rough guess about the year. We know the hows and whys of his death. But that was not the end of his existence.

John the son of Zebedee was probably the only one of Jesus' disciples to see the actual death of Jesus; the others seem to have been hiding but John was actually present on Calvary at the time of Jesus' death. John saw Jesus breathe out his last breath. John saw the soldiers pierce his side and saw the blood and water flowing out. John saw him taken down from the cross and trundled off for burial. But that wasn't the last time John saw Jesus.

John saw Jesus alive on the day of his resurrection; he was present that first Easter when Jesus appeared to his disciples. John saw Jesus at the Sea of Galilee when the miracle of the fishes was repeated. John assumably was there at the ascension when Jesus vanished from this world. But that wasn't the last time John saw Jesus.

Years later, on the Isle of Patmos, Jesus appeared to John in a vision of unutterable glory and majesty. And this is what Jesus said to him: “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen.” (Revelation 1:17b-18a) He is the Everlasting King.

And because He is an Everlasting King, He has an everlasting kingdom. Because he is the Everlasting Father, His household will never be destroyed. We never have to worry about a change of government in Heaven. There are no new terms of service or user agreements with salvation. The same Jesus that walked in Galilee; the same Jesus that John saw on Patmos; He is still the same Jesus that is reigning today.

Isaiah said that of the increase of His government and peace there would be no end. The best of all human things comes to an end, because the best of humans come to an end, at least to their life on earth. But Jesus is never going to come to an end of his reign. Jesus will outlive all his enemies. We will never come to God's house and find it empty. We can have faith and hope in his kingdom because we know that He will never pass away.

When thinking of an established kingdom, we come to the word 'shalom,' a Hebrew word usually translated 'peace.' But 'shalom' doesn't simply mean 'peace' in the sense of tranquility; it isn't just a feeling of calm and quiet. Its root idea is that of safety, but beyond this, it means welfare or prosperity.

You have to picture a kingdom under the rulership of a wise and strong king. It is safe--all enemies have been defeated and there is no threat to its people. Harmony and stability exist within its boundaries and everything goes well; with peace comes prosperity; everything is going well. That is the ideal of every nation. That is the idea of shalom.

But in this world, this kind of peace is rarely found and it is always fleeting. After the close of World War I, it seemed that peace and prosperity had been triumphant. It was called the War to End All Wars and people took deliberate steps to try to establish peace in the world. In America, at least, it was a time of wealth and well-being; a time of progress and prosperity; the Roaring Twenties. And then, in a single day, it all collapsed into the Great Depression. A few years later, the world was once again rocked by World War II. Peace is usually an illusion and when it is a reality, it is also a fleeting one. Everyone desires peace, but nobody actually obtains it for very long.

But unto a child born; unto us a son is given: and His name shall be called The Prince of Peace.

When He was born, the angel armies announced it: “Peace on Earth; Goodwill to men.” But this peace isn't a passive peace. Jesus isn't the Prince of Placidity. The wise men of other religions seek peace by closing their eyes and ears and meditating; trying to shut out the world and find peace deep within. But our Prince of Peace brought us peace through the confused clamor of an angry mob; through the crack of a whip and the pounding of nails and the moans of an execution yard.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace because He has brought us peace like a warrior bringing peace out of the midst of battle; this is the peace that comes after decisive victory. Jesus us brought us peace, for He defeated Satan.

We remember the story of David and Goliath, but that was not the only time David clashed with the Philistines. It happened several times, even after David became king. But after many battles, David did finally defeat them, bringing them into subjection. Once, they had ruled over Israel; had oppressed Israel; had forced them into virtual slavery. But they were defeated and Israel had peace from them until much later in their history.

In the same way, since the Fall, the whole human race had been in subjection to Satan. Sin placed man in the Devil's power and for millennia we had been bound and held under his authority. But Jesus, through his death and resurrection, defeated Satan for he defeated sin which was Satan's only weapon. Through his atonement, he opened a way to escape sin and therefore to escape the power of Satan. And with that victory, we can have peace.

And not only did He defeat Satan at the cross, but there is coming a time when that defeat will be carried out to its full extent. The hymn “Joy to the World” describes Jesus' triumph: “No more let sin and sorrows grow/Nor thorns infest the ground/He comes to make his blessings flow/Far as the curse is found.” We see that fulfilled now; every time a man is saved; every time someone is freed from sin; every time a ruined life is restored; every time a bad habit is broken through prayer--we are seeing the peace that Jesus has won for us. But there is coming a time when it will be fully fulfilled. There is coming a time when his blessings truly have flowed far as the curse is found; when there truly are no more sin, sorrows, nor thorns. That will be a time of true peace, but only because that peace was won for us by our Prince of Peace.

What child is this? What is it we are celebrating at Christmas? A baby born in a manger? Yes, but not just a baby. This baby was Emmanuel; he was God with us; God become man; the Word become flesh; and because He was, He could be a king; the son of David and the king of all kings.

He is the Wonderful Counselor; the one who always knows what to do; the all-wise, all-seeing leader. He is the Mighty God; the invincible conqueror before whom nothing and no can stand; He is the Everlasting Father, the ruler whose reign will never come to an end. And because of that, He is the Prince of Peace; the one who brings and establishes peace; peace in our hearts and ultimately peace in over all the world.

The German composer Georg Frederic Handel is probably best remembered for his piece The Messiah which pictures the story of Jesus. And there is one song in the Messiah that is easily its best known. Handel connected to Easter, but we usually associate it with Christmas, for Christmas and Easter cannot be separated. And these words, drawn from Revelation, are the triumphant fulfillment of the prophecy we read in Isaiah: “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Alleluia.” (Revelation 19:6, 11:15, 19:16)