Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful… Other translations of this Divine title have been proposed by several very eminent and able scholars. Not that they have any of them been prepared to deny that this translation is after all most accurate; but rather that whilst there are various words in the original, which we render by the common appellation of "God," it might be possible so to interpret this as to show more exactly its definite meaning. One writer, for example, thinks the term might be translated "The Irradiator," — He who gives light to men. Some think it bears the meaning of The Illustrious, — the bright and the shining One. Still there are very few, if any, who are prepared to dispute the fact that our translation is the most faithful that could possibly be given. "the mighty God." I. THE FOLLY OF THOSE WHO PROFESS TO BE THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, YET DO NOT, AND WILL NOT, CALL HIM GOD. It is His being verily God, that frees Him from the charge of blasphemy. It is the fact that He is God, and that His Godhead is not to be denied, that makes His death an unrighteous decide at the hand of apostate man, and renders it, as before God, an acceptable sacrifice for the sins of the people. II. HOW DO WE CALL CHRIST, "THE MIGHTY GOD"? It is Our delight and our privilege to attribute to Him the attributes of Deity. 1. In hours of devout contemplation how often do we look up to Him as being the eternal Son. In doing so we have virtually called Him the mighty God; because none but God could have been from everlasting to everlasting. How frequently do we repeat over to ourselves that precious verse, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." Do you not see that you have in fact called Him God, because none but God is immutable! 3. Is it not also our joy to believe that wherever two or three are gathered together in Christ's name, there is He in the midst of them? Have we not ascribed to Christ omnipresence, and who can be omnipresent but God! How is it possible for us to dream of Him as being "in the bosom of His Father, with the angels, and in the hearts of the contrite all at the same time, if He be not God? 4. We call Him "the mighty God" in many of His offices. (1) Mediator between God and man. There is no mediatorship unless the hand in put on both, and who could put his hand on God but God! (2) Saviour. I could not put my trust in any being that was merely created. III. HOW CHRIST HAS PROVED HIMSELF TO US TO BE "THE MIGHTY GOD." This Child born, this Son given, came into the world to enter the lists against sin. For thirty years and upwards He had to struggle against temptations more numerous and terrible than man had ever known before. And yet, without sin or taint of sin, more than conqueror He stood. We know also that Christ proved Himself to be "the mighty God" from the fact that at last all the sins of all His people were gathered upon His shoulders, and "He bare them in His own body on the tree." But He did more than this — when He led captivity captive, add crushed death and ground his iron limbs to powder, He proved Himself then the mighty God. Oh, my soul, thou canst say that He has proved Himself in thy heart to be a mighty God. I beg and beseech of you all, come add put your trust in Jesus Christ; He is the mighty God. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. |
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