Insightful Musings on the Scriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Hello, dear ones.
After I send this, I’ll head out for a jog…alone. Becki doesn’t feel up to it. She was hassled about all day yesterday with a migraine that kept her in bed. I think we’ve identified the cause: Some crackers that have a bunch of #@%&*MSG stuff in it. Why is MSG even legal…with as much attention as our government attempts to give to health and safety? I digress.
Please have a great day.
Love, Dad/Ray.
Is Isaiah putting forth so much poetic overstatement, or is this an authentic prophetic utterance that defines and foretells the deity and work of Jesus Christ, the Messiah? Wonderful evidence supports the latter. There is nothing trivial or commonplace about this proclamation. The birth of Christ, His ministry, His death and resurrection, His ascension, and the fact that millions of seekers continue to be touched by His life and reality, all point to the validity and TRUTH of this statement. It is like no other. And Christ is like no other. His brief earthly life (incarnation) beginning with a virgin womb and ending with an empty tomb absolutely sets Him apart from anyone else in all human history. What more could Sovereign God do to confirm that something big and important is going on here?—that this story and this Person deserve being checked out with honest seeking?
Something occurs to me as I consider the first of the four names the prophet ascribes to the Messiah—“Wonderful Counselor.” Notice He is not presented here as “Wonderful Commander,” or “Wonderful Enforcer of God’s Laws,” or something similar. As a “Counselor” He becomes One who advises, reasons, and encourages. It underscores again the truth that the Kingdom of God is not a force deal, or even a fear deal—it is an invitation deal—an opportunity deal. Where could anyone go to find a deal that even comes close to comparing with this one? What will become of those who ignore or reject this deal? “How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3). “Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). What a deal!
While Isaiah’s messages apply to his contemporary setting, much can be gleaned as relevant to our own. Consider, for example, the advice Isaiah gives in 8:11-14: “The Lord spoke to me with his strong hand upon me, warning me not to follow the way of this people. He said: ‘Do not call conspiracy everything that these people call conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary.” Think about it. A few verses later, Isaiah exclaims, “I will put my trust in him” (8:17). And so should we.