Day 5: Mighty God
“”For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6
We have been walking through this prophecy in the book of Isaiah for several days now and we are starting to reach the end of this verse. We have seen the names that would be given so far to the Messiah and more glimpses of who He would be. Today, we see Him described as Mighty God. The Hebrew name here for “Mighty God” is “El Gibbor”. The term “gibbor” itself means strong, mighty and warrior. It denotes a conquering warrior King vibe with this verse.
And one of the things that He will do is conquer! This is a promise that the people of Israel could get behind! And this is also what got the people of Israel in trouble as they assumed it was a physical conquest over their oppressors and not the thing that they (we) needed freedom from the most, sin. Some might ask, how do we know that this is a Messianic prophecy and not just speaking of something more applicable to Israel at that time?
When we look to see how the original Jewish authors would have seen how these passages in Chapter 9 apply, we can’t help but see them applying them to who Jesus was and what He did straight to Him. There are several references throughout the Gospel that quote Isaiah 9 in applying them to a reason for what Jesus was doing or a way that He was fulfilling it. You can check some out for yourself by looking up Matthew 4:14, Luke 1:32-33, John 1:49 and Matthew 27:37.
El Gibbor is not a common term or name that we see much in Hebrew, but the places that we do see it usually is being placed on Yahweh Himself. In fact we see it in the next chapter here in Isaiah. In Isaiah 10:21, we see that a promise of the return of a remnant of Israel and that they will return to who? To “the mighty God”. Jeremiah 32:18 also uses this name when speaking of the character of God being steadfast and loving but also just. Jeremiah clearly spells out who he is speaking of when he says, “O great and mighty God, whose name is the LORD of Hosts”.
We cannot help but to see the parallels between this name being used of a promised Messiah and also with the very name of God Himself. This is another hint at the divine nature of who this child will become. This deep mystery, promised here centuries before the birth of Jesus, is that a child would be born and called Mighty God. This child will be truly human and truly divine.
This promised rescuer of Israel would be one who would accomplish what He set out to do. A warrior, mighty in battle and a conquering King. More than that, this rescuer would be God Himself. Jesus came some 700 years later and fulfilled this by prophecy when He came and conquered death and sin as the perfect and sinless sacrifice. God Himself, paying the price of the covenant that we broke and could never fix.
This was something that the people of Israel could get behind as oppression was a part of their past and an eminent threat while Isaiah is writing this. But they, like we do, lost sight of what we needed to be freed from. You can’t get past the first few pages of the Bible without seeing who is really holding us captive. Past Egypt and Babylon. Past Assyria and Rome… the real oppressor is sin.
This is why we celebrate Christmas. To remember His love and strength in coming to rescue us.
Reflection: This Christmas, remember that whatever situation or season you find yourself in, Jesus is mighty. He is a conquering warrior King that cannot be stopped. Rest in that.
Prayer: Mighty God, remind me today to trust in you and rest in the comfort that you give me.