Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. 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 Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:5-7 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/isa.9.5-7.NIVUK
When I was a child growing up in the 1980s there was an arms race. I don't mean the Cuban Missile Crisis or the Cold War. They scared the living daylights out of us, but didn't come to much except to allow arms companies to spend a fortune equivalent to the income of a reasonably size country. No, I mean in the school playground. It was almost laughable. You'd have a little kid who would be annoying you. And when you told him to leave you alone he would whine at you, "Well, my brother's bigger than your brother", or "My daddy's bigger than your daddy". I never came out well from that arms race. Let's just say that no-one from my family was ever likely to have a career in basketball. We laugh at the stupid immaturity of someone basing the size of their self-importance on the dimensions of their relatives. However, it still happens now. Not just in the playgrounds either. People often pick sides based on how 'big' something or someone is and then base their confidence on it, whether it's their company, their nation, their ability to generate income, their car, their house... Hasn't Coronavirus shown us how absolutely stupid all these things are? Has it not taken a big broom and swept away everything in which we had our confidence? Except God. You see, there is one thing that doesn't come across well in the English translations here. This verse doesn't just say that the Messiah, that Jesus, is "Mighty God". No, it actually says that He is "THE Mighty God". Isaiah states this deliberately. You see, much of Israel's problem was that they had turned aside from the Mighty God to worship gods who were not just weak, but were utterly powerless. Isaiah doesn't hold back when he describes this folly: ‘Tell us, you idols, what is going to happen. Tell us what the former things were, so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. Or declare to us the things to come, tell us what the future holds, so that we may know you are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear. But you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless; whoever chooses you is detestable. Isaiah 41:22-24 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/isa.41.22-24.NIVUK
The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint. The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in human form, human form in all its glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. It is used as fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, ‘Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.’ From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, ‘Save me! You are my god!’ They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so that they cannot see, and their minds closed so that they cannot understand. No-one stops to think, no-one has the knowledge or understanding to say, ‘Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?’ Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, ‘Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?’ Isaiah 44:12-20 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/isa.44.12-20.NIVUK
‘Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save. Isaiah 45:20 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/isa.45.20.NIVUK
Jeremiah, a later prophet for the Kingdom of Judah, has the ultimate insult: Hear what the Lord says to you, people of Israel. This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the heavens, though the nations are terrified by them. For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.’ Jeremiah 10:1-5 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/jer.10.1-5.NIVUK
And this has happened in our day. Men and women have put their faith in science, human nature, celebrity, politics and business and they have not saved anyone. However, the idea of Jesus as the Mighty God might sound like a bizarre thing to say. In Near East warfare, gods were glorified when their armies won battles and mocked relentlessly when they lost. Israel, and then Judah, were about to be destroyed by the armies of nations who had no regard at all for their God. So how could He be mighty? Because when they decided to mock Him by using Temple equipment for a pagan feast, He took their lives and set up a new king in their place (Daniel 5). God then took them completely by surprise. They were expecting a strong-armed saviour who would batter the armies ranged against them and free them from tyranny. But who did God send? "For to us a child is born...". He sends a child! They were expecting their Saviour to ride into Jerusalem on a horse and to drive out the Romans. And what did they get? Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/zec.9.9.NIVUK
And this Donkey didn't even come with an ogre...
God is Mighty. God is always Mighty. Even when He appears weak. Even when life seems out of control. Even if it seems like evil has the upper hand. God is always mighty. Because He has a plan. Isaiah's point is that even when evil seems to be winning, God is still working through His plan, and God will be victorious. He will arrive to save us just the right time (Romans 5:6).
He is THE Mighty God.
There is no other. He is the only one worthy of our trust.
And this verse is a promise that one day He will prove it for sure.
Maybe you are in the place where Israel stood: feeling exposed, vulnerable, devastated, hopeless. Isaiah told the Israelites that God was not on the back foot. He had not left them. He was the Mighty God and He would come to save them. He will do exactly the same for you, if you trust in Him.
In my next post, we will meditate on Jesus as the EVERLASTING FATHER.
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