He will be called...the Mighty God

Many throughout the centuries have questioned the deity of Christ. Reasons for that method of thinking vary, but generally the thought is that the incarnation (that is, God becoming man) simply could not take place. As Christians, belief in the incarnation forms the basis for our faith. Without the incarnation there would be no perfect sacrifice, no victory over death, and no provision for salvation. We would be hopeless people. But thanks be to God for His marvelous gift of Himself!

This brings us to the next title given to the Messiah by Isaiah the prophet. To refresh your memory, here is Isaiah 9:6 again:

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Mighty God has long been a controversial title for the Child. Some have sought to explain away the word "God" (Hebrew: 'el) by saying that in this usage of the word it means "man" or even "angel." There are a couple of problems with this thinking, however. First, if the term were the general word for God (Hebrew: elohim), then perhaps there could be an argument. Elohim sometimes means something other than God. 'El though, rarely, if ever, means anything other than God. Second, in Isaiah it is very clear that 'el only refers to God.

So it's settled then, right? If context and word usage throughout the Old Testament show that this word means God, then this Child of whom Isaiah is prophesying is God, right? Not so fast! The next issue is the word mighty. This word is used frequently in the Old Testament, and is associated with warfare. Specifically, it speaks of the strength and vitality of a successful warrior. Based on this idea, the word is often translated mighty, strong, valiant, or great. Thus, Mighty God. There are some, though, who have sought to combine the thoughts of the two words to arrive at a translation such as Great Hero. While possible, it is an unwise and improper translation. Isaiah is clearly using couplets (pairs of words, see previous post) to indicate the identity of this Child: God Himself. There, it's settled !

Let's summarize this: Isaiah is writing to people faced with a foreign invasion. Their thoughts are directed towards warfare. Who better to fight for them, to lead them into victory than the Wonder of a Counselor who is none other than the warrior who is the Mighty God?

Application: Have you ever been faced with a daunting challenge, an insurmountable fear, an overwhelming heartbreak, or an impossible situation of any kind? If you are a human being (please say you are ) then you probably have. You are then able to appreciate the situation with which Israel was faced. You are also able to experience the comfort, the grace, the courage, and the boldness that comes with being able to face those difficulties with the Mighty God at your side...no, leading you!

This prophecy was also given to Israel to give them hope for the future. In other words, their Messiah had not come yet; their hope was still focused on the future fulfillment of the promise. Friends, your Mighty God has already come! He was the Child of Bethlehem. He has proven that He is the Mighty God by paying an infinite price for your salvation and by conquering death.

Thus, we can say with the Apostle Paul:

"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him... the Mighty God...who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our...Mighty God." Romans 8:37-39