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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 KJV
As I read today's extract, the verses before it need a closer look. There had been trouble for parts of Israel due to the sin of disobedience and rebellion, but God is now promising a full restoration of the people. As it has been said a lot of times over the past few weeks, God always punishes sin, no matter in whom it is found. Whatever God calls sin willl always remain so, no matter what my opinions are. God will not consult me for my view on what sin is; I am the one who must seek out God's views and abide by what He says.
He promises restoration, and there is a context to it. It won't happen just by accident, but by God's design and arrangement. This restoration is tied to the gift of the Son that He has promised. Too many times, we think we can force or impose peace, but it is clear from today's extract that we can't. It is not something to be imposed by the sword, but by the Son. The Son has been given to us as a gift, not by accidental design, but by God's divine arrangement. Why it is quite amazing is because the words of today's extract were given at least 700 years before Jesus was actually physically born.
He is called by special and specific names, which speak to His earthly impact and spiritual assignment. The names He is called speak to who He is and what He offers all who accept Him as Lord and Saviour into their lives. The names signify the fact that He is not a side attraction but the real deal. He is not an afterthought but the main substance. He is not an accidental hero but the Only One who is Life Himself. Check out how many times '"the' is used in those names, and it is clear that while some people may lay claim to these names, He is the only true version.
He is THE mighty God, and any other authority is just a pretender. He is THE everlasting Father, with any other power being temporary. He is THE prince of peace, with every other power belonging to the earth and only able to control its own space if God allows it. It then means that the Son is the only true version of who God is, and whatever it is that I desire can only be found in and through the Son. Nobody can give you what s/he does not have, so if you want it, you have to seek it from THE only One who has it. The gift has been given; the promise of many centuries fulfilled; grace made manifest. That is God's part: settled. I can do Boxing day things, exchange gifts and all, but I cannot outgive the greatest gift. I have a choice of response: accept or reject. Eternity hangs at the end of my choice. His time of favour is here.
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