For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Mighty God. Omnipotent. All powerful. When I think of divine power and might, I tend to think of it as a show of force. Like when Jesus sent a legion of demons packing or when he told a storm to hush. And those certainly were displays of Jesus’ divine power as Mighty God. But consider another way Jesus lived up to that name.
“This king will have God’s true might about him, power so great that it can absorb all the evil which can be hurled at it until none is left to hurl.” (John Oswalt)
Not power so great it can unleash an offensive attack, though Jesus will certainly make a show of force like that on the coming day when he returns as judge and every last enemy is destroyed. But power so great that it can absorb all that hell could throw at him. Amazing!
It’s even more amazing when we remember that the one whose name is Mighty God was born to us as a child. At one time, the one called Mighty God was wrapped in a swaddling cloth and slept in a manger bed. This hymn by Robert Southwell, while a bit archaic in its English, is a powerful meditation of wonder over the baby whose name shall be called Mighty God.
This little Babe so few days old
Has come to rifle Satan’s fold (i.e steal back his sheep);
All hell doth at His presence quake,
Though He Himself for cold doth shake;
For in this weak unarmed wise (i.e. way)
The gates of hell He will surprise.
With tears He fights and wins the field,
His tiny breast stands for a shield;
His battering shot are babish cries,
His arrows looks of weeping eyes,
His martial ensigns (i.e. war banners) cold and need,
And feeble flesh His warrior’s steed.
His camp is builded in a stall,
His bulwark but a broken wall,
The crib His trench, haystalks His stakes,
Of shepherds He His army makes;
And thus, as sure His foe to wound,
The angels’ trumps the charge now sound.
My soul, with Christ join thou in fight;
Stick to His tents, the place of might.
Within His crib is surest ward;
This little Babe will be thy Guard.
If thou wilt foil thy foes with joy,
Then flit not from this heav’nly Boy!
Rob Lister will be preaching on Jesus who is called Mighty God this Sunday. Kenny Clark will be leading our sung worship. Would you pray for each as they prepare? And let’s ask the Lord to dazzle us, leaving us awestruck at the power and might of our Savior, Jesus. Come hungry!
Song Link of the Week
He Who Is Mighty by Sovereign Grace Music
He who is mighty has done a great thing
Taken on flesh, conquered death’s sting
Shattered the darkness and lifted our shame
Holy is His name