Magyar Egyház, 1972 (51. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1972-12-01 / 12. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 11 MAGYAR CHURCH HIS NAME.... “Read Isaiah 9:1-7: “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” The glorious prophecy about the coming messianic king by Isaiah fills the hearts and minds of God’s people everywhere in this Advent-season. The words are read by young and old, the music about this Messiah, the anointed King of kings, our Lord Jesus Christ is heard everywhere in humble homes, mighty cathedrals, on the streets and wherever you go. I shall never forget the inspiring music of Handel’s Messiah as I first heard it by a great choir and orchestra in one of the churches of Glasgow Scotland, over 25 years ago. Ever since that time the words of the prophecy come back with haunting power: “for unto us a child is bom, for to us a son is given”. In our comparatively small city of Perth Amboy, N. J., with a population of 45,000 where we have 16 Protestant churches, Handel’s Messiah has been presented with the cooperation of several choirs in one of the oldest congregations in the city. As I write these lines I can recall the choir singing year-afteryear: “and His name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!”. I do not think, that there is a church in the free world where Christmas dawns that these verses are not heard or sung, and this portion of the Holy Scripture is read and interpreted as the fulfillment of the prophecy of God. Yea, Christmas is coming, when all Christians exult in the supreme gift of our Heavenly Father in His only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. When we sing wholeheartedly in our churches we magnify His holy name, when thousands of choirs sing in hundreds of tongues and thousands of voices, they all glorify His name. HIS NAME will be called WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR. What a lofty title! Just think about any earthly potentate, oh how they love their own royal dignity and ceremonies. But, by God sending us His only son we have more than just a ruler or important dignitary for we have the King of kings and the Lord of lords. It is good for people to have fine rulers, and kings can do much for their subjects, but how much more our Lord and king can do for us, His people? He came to save us from the bondage of sin and lead us into His eternal kingdom. Recall the entrance of Jesus “riding upon a lowly ass into the city of Jerusalem”, many were disappointed in Him. People expected a different kind of a king but Jesus Christ came to be King of the human hearts and ruler of our souls. He had this title “Wonderful Counsellor”. Indeed, He is more wonderful as the years swiftly fly by one after another. He can give more counsel by His Scripture to troubled men and women, than all the learned councelors of the world. THEN HIS NAME will be called MIGHTY GOD! John Calvin the great reformer in his Commentary wrote: “By the first title he arouses the minds of the godly to earnest attention, that they may expect from Christ something more excellent, than what we see in the ordinary course of God’s works.” Indeed, in the name “Mighty God” we are reminded that our Lord can do greater things, than we can imagine. Some people picture the Lord Jesus Christ as a “meek and pious” person without energy. But the truth is, that He has power, just as our Heavenly Father Almighty God is powerful, so He is all powerful! Truely, our Savior Jesus Christ is God, and as such He is powerful. So we can rely on Him, and trust in His might and be assured, that all power is given unto Him in heaven and on earth! If Jesus would not have been “Mighty God” it would have been unlawful to worship and glorify Him for the Bible says: “Cursed is everyone, who trusts in men!” Truly we can say, that the spirit of God dwells in our Lord Jesus Christ and it is proper to humble ourselves before His majesty and worship Him as our only Lord God Almighty.... He is not like the gods of pagans, but He is THE MIGHTY GOD!
