Monday, January 25
Here is the third special birth in the book of Isaiah, following mention of the births of Immanuel and Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
What is special about the Child found in these verses? Isaiah 9:6, 7.
Notice that this Deliverer has several names/epithets that describe Him in various ways. In the ancient Near East, kings and deities had multiple names to show their greatness.
He is “wonderful,” just as the divine Angel of the LORD described His own name to Samson’s father as “secret” (Judges 13:18; the same Hebrew root) and then ascended toward heaven in the sacrificial flame on Manoah’s altar (Judges 13:20), thereby prefiguring His offering of Himself more than one thousand years later.
He is referred to as divine (“Mighty God”) and the eternal Creator (“Everlasting Father”; see Luke 3:38: “… Adam, which was the son of God”).
He is a King of the dynasty of David; His kingdom of peace will be eternal.
Given Given these attributes, who alone could this Child be? See Luke 2:8-14.
Some have attempted to identify Him with King Hezekiah, but the description far surpasses any ordinary human being. Only one person fits: Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God and Creator (John 1:1-3, 14; Colossians 1:15-17; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:2), who was born to us in order to save us and give us peace. He has received all authority in heaven and on earth, and He is with us always (Matthew 28:18-20). While retaining His divinity, He has also become human for all time, ever able to sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15). “Unto us a child is born” … forever!
“When Christ came to our world, Satan was on the ground, and disputed every inch of advance in His path from the manger to Calvary. Satan had accused God of requiring self-denial of the angels, when He knew nothing of what it meant Himself, and when He would not Himself make any self-sacrifice for others. This was the accusation that Satan made against God in heaven; and after the evil one was expelled from heaven, he continually charged the Lord with exacting service which He would not render Himself. Christ came to the world to meet these false accusations, and to reveal the Father.” Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, bk. 1, pp. 406, 407
What does this quote tell us about the character of God?
