THE CHILD WITH THE FOUR NAMES - Meditation on 1st Advent ( Isaiah 9:1-7)

This Advent meditation was shared with our congregation  on the evening of  the Lord's day  29/11/2009, the day  after  Namibian  Presidential and National assembly elections  were held  and  when  all eyes  were riveted  on the political process. How  important it is then to remember that  there is One  who  is far  wiser than men  ,  One more Powerful than  any human ruler ; One  more Fatherly than any "human father of the nation"  and  One more committed to Peace  than any political ruler !  

When the prophet Isaiah  had seen the Lord in  Isa.  6, and when he received his commission as prophet of the living God  (the year that king Uzziah died - in 740 B.C.) , Isaiah was given an unspeakable privilege to see and utter things that related to the coming of the Messiah. Whatever he understood about  his  own prophecy concerning the Messiah, I don't know. What I do know is that the prophet received these words through the Holy Spirit .  2 Peter 1:20  tells  us  : "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit".

And so it was put into Isaiah's mouth to  declare :

"For to us a child is born, a son is given…and he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father , Prince of Peace…"( Isa 9:6)

How we love these words! Every Christmas we read them and sing them.

What we may  forget however , is that these words of peace and comfort were spoken in an age of distress and turmoil! Isaiah was a preacher in an age of turmoil:

Israel's spiritual light shone very dimly. Her kings were largely apostate; her people were apostates.

Isaiah is explicitly warned not to follow the way of these people ( 8:11) . These people , like their king feared everything else (8:12) but  their God, whom they were  commanded to fear alone ( 8:13). Their counsel was sought from mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, when they should have enquired of their God (8:19).

And so things were not going well politically,  for their holy God was not with them.  He had handed them  over to  the Assyrians , who were already knocking at the door!

But that did not mean that God did not care for Israel ! God did! He cared deeply, for this was still his chosen, covenant nation!

For this reason we see two familiar themes so frequently side by side in Scripture: God’s wrath and God’s mercy. God’s wrath is necessary, for He is the Holy God who cannot tolerate sin.

But He is also the God who by His covenant is deeply committed to His people.

So, as we might expect, he sends a twin message of comfort and warning to Israel.

We focus on Ch 9 : 1-7 , a  message of comfort,  and from our perspective and with hindsight : The Christmas message.

And we must never forget that in the cross God’s wrath and mercy kiss each other!

As we consider  now in  particular v.6 we see there  the announcement of a unique child - a unique Son in history :  The Messiah - the child - the Son  with 4 names!

1. WONDERFUL COUNSELOR:

…literally translated  "counselor full of wonders" ! Wonders were needed to clear Israel of its  present spiritual and political problems.  Israel never lacked counselors. Likewise , there is never a lack of "counsel" in our world today. The question always is: What kind of counsel? Is it effective counsel? Is it counsel that takes us forward? Does it really free us, or does it enslave us?

We know from the Bible that the kings and the nation was often "misled" by bad counsellors. (see  Isa 8:19  by way of illustration!)

This world desperately need God's age old wonderful Counselor! We are living in a world that seeks counsel from everybody, but God! Our generation is in love with the wisdom of man! Isaiah's troubled generation , and our generation need the same solution : we need the wonderful Counselor!

2. MIGHTY GOD:

The second name of the child is literally "God - hero". The God of the Bible is a Sovereign King . He  is  mighty and free from any manipulation ( and least of all by mankind). He is so mighty, that He doesn’t need to make any noise to assert Himself. Has it ever struck you , that the greatest power in the entire universe is silent? Has it ever struck you , how essentially noiseless Jesus was? When you are in charge you are in charge – you don’t need to announce it . It is a fact . Our Lord Jesus is a mighty God ! He  is "weighty".  The Hebrew word for 'glory'  implies  "weightiness".  David Wells in his very insightful book "God in the Wasteland" says: "It is one of the defining marks of our time that God is now weightless. The God of our age has become a God that we can use rather than a God we must obey ; The God of our age is a God who will fullfil  our needs rather than a God before whom we must surrender our rights. We have transformed the God of mercy into a God who is at our mercy. We imagine that He is benign, that He will approve as we toy with His reality and co-opt Him in the promotion of our ventures and careers."

He is a God whom we have created in our own minds, but He is not the God, He is not the Jesus  of the Bible!

3. EVERLASTING FATHER:

The third and most unusual name for this child literally reads: "Father forever". We must not confuse this title with God the Father - the designated title of the first person of the Holy Trinity. It is nevertheless true that our Lord Jesus shares the attributes of his Father. For instance in the gospel of John, Jesus calls Himself the "Good shepherd". A shepherd is a "father to His sheep". Jesus' ministry to us is in many ways a "fatherly ministry".

Kings in Israel were known as " fathers".  Here is the real King of  Israel - the true Father! Israel in king Ahaz day  and Isaiah's day were literally "like sheep without a shepherd". The King of Israel did not exercise a fatherly role. He neglected the household of Israel. But here we have One whose fatherly care is undisputed - and that forever -"everlasting Father!"

How Israel and our modern generation need that "Father figure" - this calm , steady , firm , loving leadership!

4. PRINCE OF PEACE:

This title almost needs no qualification.

The historic situation in Israel , in Isaiah's time and in Jesus time when the Romas occupied   Palestine, and indeed   our own  times,  desperately needs  a prince of peace.

It seems as if   the politicians of this world are chronically inept  to  secure peace for the people that they govern. But this  Prince of Peace  secures peace, FIRSTLY between God and man , and then  between man and man . All true peace on earth  must begin in the heart . People whose  hearts  have beeen settled  by  Christ will be the best, and most useful  citizens of the world!

The gospel of Jesus is the only message on earth that brings true peace to the hearts of sinful men ! In fact,  it is Jesus Himself who is our peace. When the government  is on His shoulder,  there is  true  and effective governance, because:

•  He is a truly wise Counselor
•  He is a  true  Ruler - a Sovereign  King and God 
•  He  is  a true Father Figure 
•  He is a true Peace  Bringer
  

 What more do you want?  Who can be  more reliable  or trustworthy?

Why is consistent spiritual training of children by their parents so important ?

 

 On Sunday evening  ( 15/11/2009)  we had our Youth Awards evening at Eastside Baptist Church .  Our church seeks  to encourage  parents  not to neglect the  spiritual  training  of  their  children . The  church' desires  to help children to  learn and to absorb  the word of God , just as a body would absorb the nutrients  that  food provides. We remember that Jesus said  : " Man shall not  live by bread alone  , but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."  Children were greatly helped this year  to  memorize Scripture passages. Our prayer is that the  Word of God  stored in the hearts of these children , and brought to life by the Holy Spirit in due course  will make a real  difference  in Namibia . Namibia's children  will remain greatly neglected , and our country will continue to be morally and spiritually impoverished, if we continue  to withhold the training  in the Word of God from them.

Below follows  the address that Pastor Rieck gave to parents and children  after the awards :

" Train  a child  in the way he should go , and when he is old he will not turn from it." [Proverbs  22:6]

Train !  

 The Hebrew word  used here for ‘ to train’[1] is apparently a rare one  in biblical  use . It can include  the idea of initiation or dedication  [2] and  of instruction [3].

Thus, if we combine the two aspects in which the word is used in the scriptures   , there  emerges a richer  flavour  to this word .  

The  child  training  process  begins with a conscientious  dedication of  the  child by the parents  to the Lord ,  when they dedicate  themselves as parents and their child  before the  assembly  of God’s people ,  who promise to help them in this sacred duty  . Successful  spiritual training  by parents  can only ever be done  in the strength  of the Lord  .

This  training  continues  throughout   the child’s life at home.

The training envisaged here  is    primarily that of ‘ spiritual training’ – the most  important  and foundational   part  of preparing a child for life !  Unfortunately many parents are only concerned about  getting  their children  trained  in academic  fields  and neglect to train their children in this foundational area .   In this regard Paul  reminds Timothy  that training in godliness is vastly superior  to  any other kind of training  . He says :   “ Train yourself to be godly . For physical training has some value, but godliness has value for all things , holding promise  for both  the present life and the life to come .”  (1Tim 4:7,8). 

Parents  and children , do  you  realize that  in training  children for godliness , we do not train them only for the here and now , but also for the hereafter !

So we see then that   a biblical view of training  must  have as its  primary goal to lead the  child  to Christ  the Saviour.  “Continually  make your child’s  soul a priority “  , says Bishop Ryle .  

Furthermore , the goal  of training is to prepare  the child  to love and obey   God and His Word  for life !

Now, children will not  love God naturally .  They are after all also constituted sinners  . They must be born again- like every one  .  But fortunately in God’s providence  children  are soft clay  in the hands of the Potter . They are humble and willing to listen , although this stage passes very quickly!

But, take courage! Once they are born again , the parental training will   come to full fruition . Whatever you have taught your child  before their conversion is not wasted  . It is stored up for future use!  From the moment they are born again, they can  really live to the glory of God , living on all the spiritual stores that you  have  invested  into them  .

So , please note  that  while you as a parent cannot  save your child  , you  are certainly  called to   prepare them  for that time – and you  may do so in the certain hope that this will happen  ! God loves to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him (Lk 11:13)

This  implies a consistency  in  spiritual training , which the godly  Bishop Ryle describes in his excellent  booklet “ The duty of parents “ in  17 points  ![4]   His 4^th point is  this:  “Train your children  with  an abiding persuasion  on your mind that much depends on you” .  For this task you are given 18  or so years  by God !

 2. Parents – you  must train your children !

We have already made this point , but it may be useful  to emphasize this point again .  The Bible envisages  that  the  substantial  , foundational  training  of a child is to be done by parents.  From a biblical perspective  it is the parent’s primary responsibility to train their children ,  and not the government  , not the school  ,  and not the church .  [In fact , the government  has no biblical authority /mandate at all from God to  regulate the training of children!]  . These institutions  may be helpful  to the process of education  and training , but they are secondary  to the training that the child receives  from its parents .

Does this mean  that the parent must  do all the  training  ?  No !  But it does mean that all the training must come back to the parent  . If for instance your child  hears in his  biology class  that  our  human race  has evolved  from  green slime  to monkeys to  human  beings (i.e. from the goo – to the zoo – to you!) , then  as  a Christian parent it is your duty to  correct  that teaching  by showing  your children that mankind is fearfully and wonderfully  and purposefully made by God  (Genesis 1; 2  ; Psalm 139) . Your children  , whether in a home school environment  or  in a  school environment  will continually be bombarded  with  such issues . Life  after all is lived in a sinful, imperfect  world .  You cannot keep  your children  from these things ,  but you can help them to see through these things  , as Bishop Ryle says  ( #2)  “ with all tenderness , affection and patience” .  Parents , help  your children  to  reason from the Scriptures . That  pre- supposes of  course that you must know the Scriptures .

3. The way he should go versus  the way he would go

Always remember  that  children  are born with a decided bias towards evil , and therefore if you let them choose for themselves, they are certain to choose wrong . Children left to themselves  do not become better children . (see  the  example of the street children of our city)

Parents you must take charge of your  children- do not give them up to their own  wayward tastes and inclinations . They do not yet know what is good for their  mind and body and soul .

 

4. A   great promise : A child well trained  will not depart  from the Lord .

Parents, you have  a great promise on your side ! And children will be  best equipped for life by such parents  who care for them . A child well trained  in the way which we have described  will not depart from the Lord ! 

Many children  shall rise up in the day of Judgement  , and bless God for their parents for the good training they have received , even if the parents had seen but little fruit  and evidences of these things in their own lives .

Go forward then in faith  , and be sure that your labour shall not be in vain.

JC Ryle says  : Three times  did Elijah stretch himself  upon the  widows dead child  , before it revived. ( 1 Kings 17:21) .Take example from  him  and  persevere!

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[1]  German  : “gewoehne deinen Knaben... “ ; Afrikaans  :  “Oefen die seun…”

[2] E.g.  the word is used  in this sense in  Deut 20:5;  1 Ki 8:63 ; 2 Chron 7:5 ; Title to Psalm 30

[3] E.g.  Gen 14:14; 18:19

[4] J.C. Ryle’s 17 points :

 a. Train them in the way  they should go  , and not in the way that they would go !

b.  Train up your child  with all tenderness , affection and patience .

c. Train your children  with  an abiding persuasion  on your mind that much depends on you.

d. Train with this thought continually before you – that the soul of your child is  the first thing to be considered.

e. Train your child to a knowledge of the Bible

f. Train them in the habit of prayer

g. Train them to habits of diligence , and regularity about public means of grace

h.  Train them to a habit  of faith

i. Train them to a habit of obedience

j. Train them to a habit of always speaking the truth

k. Train them to a habit of always redeeming the time

l. Train them with a constant  fear of overindulgence

m. Train them remembering continually how God trains His children.

n.  Train them remembering  continually the influence of your own example

o. Train them remembering continually the power of sin

p. Train them remembering  continually the promises of Scripture

q. Train them with continual prayer for a blessing on all you do .