In Search of the King

MEMORY SELECTION: “They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” —Matthew 1:23

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Matthew 1:18 through 2:23

IN THE Scriptures names take on special meanings as they represent the particular quality, character, disposition, or power of the individual who is referred to. Emmanuel is one of these distinct names and has specific reference to our Lord Jesus. The name means “God with us.”

The Prophet Isaiah, from whom Matthew quotes our memory selection (Isa. 7:14), (Emmanuel being the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name Immanuel), foretold the birth of Jesus as earth’s great King long before the event took place. Concerning this great event he says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”—Isa. 9:6,7

Each of these names, whether it be Emmanuel, or in the case of this passage of scripture, Wonderful, Counsellor, mighty God, everlasting Father, or The Prince of Peace, represents in its own way the dignity, power, and glory of our Lord as earth’s rightful King.

When considered individually, these names or titles take on much meaning. Our King James Bible, however, does not always do justice to certain texts in God’s Word, and perhaps another translation will bring the thought out better. In the case of this verse Rotherham renders the first name as Wonderful Counsellor, rather than as two separate titles. He also points out in a footnote that the Oxford Gesenius, which is an authoritative Hebrew-English Lexicon, suggests the thought, “Wonder of a counsellor.” And do we not appreciate the counsel and teachings of our Lord as shown to us in the Scriptures as evidence of his greatness? And do we not look forward to the time when the whole world of mankind will receive of his counsel, and when every knee will bow and every tongue confess to his glory?

The title, mighty God, is not meant to refer to the Heavenly Father, but to our Lord Jesus as the representative or voice of the Father. Having received of the Father all power in heaven and in earth, and being clothed with glory, honor, and immortality, our Lord will indeed become earth’s mighty God to restore life, health, and peace in the future thousand-year kingdom, together with his faithful footstep followers.

As the Giver of everlasting life in that millennial kingdom, Jesus will assume the position of everlasting Father. Having purchased the whole human race with his own precious blood, he will grant to all of the willing and obedient that great gift, even life itself.

And our Lord Jesus, as the Prince of Peace, will, in that glorious time which is so near at hand, bring peace and happiness to the whole groaning creation. At that time he will put down all enemies of sin and unrighteousness and will bring all things back into harmony with God.

The selected scriptures for this week’s lesson take into account the circumstances of Jesus’ birth. Matthew, being acquainted with the Hebrew scriptures, explains that Jesus was born in the city of David. In verse six of the second chapter of his Gospel he quotes a text from the Prophet Micah which says, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”—Micah 5:2

John also bears testimony to the fact that Jesus was to come from the seed of David, as well as being born in the same place. He says, “Hath not the scripture said, that Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” (John 7:42) Other scriptures point out that our Lord Jesus was, according to his earthly genealogy, the branch or offspring of David. Thus when earth’s new and rightful King begins his reign he will sit on the throne of David and will establish it with judgment and justice forever and forever.

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