Reflections on Advent Part 16

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6

Hundreds of prophecies dot the Old Testament concerning Messiah.  George Frederic Handel made many of them famous by incorporating them into his well-known oratorio Messiah.  It is a compilation of messianic Scripture set to music.  We listened to the Christmas portion yesterday on our long drive from Central Pennsylvania to the western Chicago suburbs.  One of the most famous choruses from this beloved work for symphony and choir is #12: For Unto Us a Child is Born.  Its melismatic lines highlight one of Isaiah's numerous prophecies pertaining to, from Isaiah's perspective, the coming Messiah:  "to us a child is born, to us a son is given."  (Isaiah 9:6)

Much ado is made over the child that is born.  That's something we can put our hands on.  While the incarnation is a mystery that eludes us, the birth of a child is something we can experientially know something about.  But how about the son that is given?  This, perhaps, isn't so clear.  Could this be where we get the notion of gifts from?  Gifts are given.  

In a 2015 post on the RZIM Facebook page apologist Ravi Zacharias says, "In this season I think often of that extraordinary verse in Isaiah 9:6, 'For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given.' Let us be sure of what is being said here. The SON is not born; the Son eternally existed and is GIVEN. The CHILD is BORN and entered our time."  Whoa!  That's a distinction most of us have not made.  Zacharias continues, "God in that divine moment revealed Himself as He had never been revealed before, through His Son. That is what the Christmas message is all about."  Indeed John in his gospel account of Jesus' advent declares, "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."  (John 1:14)  Jesus shows us God Himself as we have never seen Him before.  He is full of both grace and truth.  

My husband likes to tease (only because it's more than partly true) that he is grace and I am truth.  I can't deny it.  In the discipline of our children he almost always comes out smelling sweeter in the eyes of our children.  I have a deep, deep passion for truth.  That makes me passionate about justice as well, which isn't much fun from their perspective, I know.  I suppose it's been written into my DNA because that's what I experienced most as a child growing up.  It's only been in recent years that I have come to more fully experience and display grace in my life.  But consider what John has told us.  Jesus is FULL of BOTH truth and grace.  Isn't that the embodiment of perfection?  And this IS the son that is given.  He is perfect in truth.  He is perfect in grace.  In my mind, He is just the type of individual I want to hang out with!

Isaiah gives us a little more detail of what this perfect example of grace and truth looks like.  He calls this child "Wonderful Counselor."  Here is the realization of grace.  When I need comfort I want a wonderful counselor.  I want grace spoken into my days.  I need it.  Or else I will "should" myself to death!  Yet as a good counselor He gives us truth along with grace.  Perfectly!

Isaiah also says that this child is "Mighty God."  This is Warrior Jesus.  This baby that we worship come Christmas is actually a warrior king!  He embodies strength and power.  He is the One we want (and need!) when we feel we are backed into a corner and treated unfairly.  He is the One we need when the world seems to be against us.  In reality, He IS the One who has our backs!

Moving along, Isaiah calls this child, this son, "Everlasting Father."   Don't think of your earthly father here.  There is no end to His love!  He always wants what is best for us.  And like any loving earthly father He is willing to let us suffer some ugly consequences for us to have what is best.  Only unlike every earthly father, He KNOWS what is best!

And finally Isaiah calls this child "Prince of Peace."  When it comes to peace He is chief.  No one tops Him.  He is the only one able to bridge the gap that sin created between us and God.  Jesus pronounces to Thomas (and to us as well)  "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)  He never denies our sin, he just takes care of it.  Truth and grace.

This Christmas I need Jesus.  I need the Son who is given.  I need the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace.  How about you?