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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
November, 1941
Points and Problems 1. “ For ùnto us a child is bom, mito us a son is given” (Isa. 9:6). The lan guage of the Holy Spirit here is very exact. The child is born; the son j s given. As the child of Mary, our Lord was bom. But els the eternal Son, He was given. And the giving of the Son antedated, from all eternity, the birth of the child. The child was bom be cause first the Son was given. 2. “And the government shall be uÿon his shoulder” (v. 6). Here is a prophecy which offers a word of great encourage ment to the Christian in the present hour. The world has tried many shoul ders in the past two thousand years. We have tried the shoulders of kings, Cae sars, popes, elected representatives, and even the shoulders of the :"people.” To day thè fashion is dictators. But in every case we have found the burden too great, the shoulders too weak. The Christian, instructed in the word of prophecy, knows that in the world’s final extfemity the shoulder of the Son of God will assume the intolerable bur den of human government, and carry it. He is able. * 3. “And his name shall be called” (v. 6). In 'th e ' common version there appear to be five names, or rather five titles to the name. But competent schol ars think that we should read only four, each one a double title. He is Counselor, God, Father, and Prince. But each of these titles is qualified by another^ term. In His capacity of Coun selor He is Wonderful (omit thè comma between the two words). As God He is Mighty. As Father, He is the Father of Eternity (cf. the Hebrew). And as Prince, He is thè bringer of Peace. “Wonderful Counselor” speaks Of His infinite wisdom. “Mighty God” speaks of His limitless power. “Father of Eter- ,nity” speaks of His relation to time; He is the Father of the ages, the God of history. “Prince of Peace” speaks o f the beneficent nature of His mie in the coming kingdom when all govern ment shall be on His shoulder. Surely the world needs such a ruler: One who knows what needs to' be done, :wlio has the necessary power to carry it out, one who plans and controls the eras and ages of human history, one whose king dom will be characterized by peace in stead of conflict. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. v4. Verse 6 contains a striking example of the gréât gap in prophetic time which was not, seen in thè visions of the Old Testament prophets, and which lies be tween the first and second comings of our Lord. The opening portion, “unto us a child is bom, ùnto ùs à son is given,” was’fulfilled at thè first coming of Christ. The next clause, “and {he government shall be upon his shoulder,” has never been fulfilled, but it will be at His second coming; Between these two prophecies, indicated only by a colon
[Continued from Page 427] n . T he P erson in the C oming (John 1 :l-4, 1044)
THE ETERNAL LIFE (b y James H. McConkey)
“In the beginning” refers to the date^ less, timeless past, rather than to the beginning of the universe (cf. Gen. 1:1), or to the beginning of Christ’s earthly ministry (cf. 1 John 1:1). The passage speaks of the essential deity of Jesus Christ who is coetemal with God, being one of the Persons in the Godhead. This One was, He did not begin to be, with God. He is the uncreated Son who in habits eternity, forever the same in power, wisdom, love, and grace. He is the Creator of air things^ which fact clearly indicates that matter is not eternal. Hè is thè only source of life, the One who maintains every living thing. ' . He came into thè world, but was rejected by the people to whom He had given their very lives. The first word “own” of verse 11 is in the neuter gender, indicàtirig His own possessions; the second “own” is masculine, indicat ing His own people. While His people as a whole rejected Him, He was and still is received by individuals who “be lieve on his name.” To believe “on” means to trust in, to commit to, to receive, and to act' upon what is thus believed (cf. 1 John 5:11, 12). From the very first recorded instance, the .new birth came to those who thus be lieved on Him (John 1:13), and they “were born, not of blood,” as by human ancestry, however good; nor by “the will of the flesh,” however strenuous might be the ambitions of self; nor by “the will of man,” however united might be the efforts of society; but were born “of God,” with a spiritual birth as peal and as unique as is natural generation. m . T he R eason for the C oming '(1 John 4 :9 4 1 ) The love of God must be manifested. Love cannot be hidden or withheld; it must, by its own nature, be revealed. And God’s love is revealed in the send ing of His Son to give the sinner life, and to bè the propitiation for his sin. W® should note that it is “not that we loved God” (the principle of law), but that “he loved Us” (the, principle of grace) that is prominently set forth here. It was “when we were yet with out strength . . . while we were yet sinners . . . enemies” of God, that He sent His Son (cf. Rom, 5:6-8). It was because of the “great love wherewith he loved us” that the Son came to earth (cf. Eph. 2:4, 5). Those who are bom of God partake of His nature, and there fore ought to- love as He loves. The word "ought” has here the implication of reasonable expectation, in the* same sense in which one might say, “If the machine is made properly it ought to operate properly." Likewise, if one is bom of God, he ought to love, because of what his new nature is.
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