“For unto us A CHILD IS BORN (yālaḏ: of childbirth), Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His NAME (shêm: the Name (as designation of God)) will be called Wonderful, Counselor, MIGHTY GOD, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
Just to be clear, this is THE ONE who is the “COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE.” Is a baby, who cannot feed himself, change himself, express himself or protect himself. In a few years He is going to sit in the temple, “Now so it was that after three days they (Joseph and Mary) found Him (Jesus) in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And ALL WHO HEARD HIM WERE ASTONISHED at His understanding and answers.” (Luke 2:46-47)
There are those that teach that Jesus went through all this so He could know WHAT WE GO THROUGH, as humans, but you see Jesus created us so he has PERFECT KNOWLEDGE of us, “For ALL THINGS were created BY HIM (Jesus), the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created BY HIM and for Him.” (Colossians 1:16) Jesus, temporarily, left His eternally safe place in Heaven and came to earth just as we do, nine months in the womb of His mother (conceived by the Holy Spirit) born a helpless baby, raised by a mother and father, then began His ministry at age 30 and died a horrible and very painful death to PAY THE PRICE FOR OUR SALVATION.
How are we to learn about all this? GOD GAVE US A PLAN “…you must LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD with ALL your heart, soul, and your strength. And you must COMMIT YOURSELVES WHOLEHEARTEDLY TO THESE COMMANDS that I am giving you today. Repeat them AGAIN AND AGAIN TO YOUR CHILDREN. Talk about them (4 times a day) WHEN YOU ARE:
- AT HOME
- ON THE ROAD
- GOING TO BED
- GETTING UP (Deuteronomy 6:5-7) (This next one was added by me.)
- YOU SHALL WRITE THEM ON THEIR EMAILS AND CELL PHONES
Christians used to be known as “people of one book.” They read and studied other books. But the book they cared about more than all others combined was THE BIBLE. They memorized it, meditated on it, talked about it, and taught it to others. WE DON’T DO THAT ANYMORE, and in a very real sense we’re starving ourselves to death. In “The Most Important Issues Facing the Evangelical Church,” theologian Michael Vlach cites “Biblical Illiteracy in the Church” as his final concern. He agrees with George Barna’s assessment that “the Christian body in America is immersed in a crisis of BIBLICAL ILLITERACY.” Let us get back to learning and teaching the Bible. Why, because “The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham