A child

Ok, today I'm going to do a study about Jesus as "a child".

Isaiah 9:6, "For unto us a child is born..."

The Hebrew word is yeled, from the word yalad.

There's nothing really earth shattering here in the definition of the phrase:

1) child, son, boy, offspring, youth
a) child, son, boy
b) child, children
c) descendants
d) youth
e) apostate Israelites (fig.)

It's the same word used to describe Isaac and Ishmael and Jacob's children and Moses and so on and so on.

Wow, this one is a lot harder for me than Prince of Peace was. With that one, I was able to write "Mandi's Amplified Version" (which I lost) based on the definitions, and it really opened my eyes to a lot of aspects of that name that I hadn't seen before. For example – not to get off track too much – one of the definitions of peace as used there is reconciling us with God. I had always looked at Jesus as the Prince of Peace in reference to the indescribable Peace He gives us, i.e. the emotion or feeling of peace. But I think that while He delights in bringing us peace in our daily lives, the ultimate peace comes from that reconciliation with God.

Okay, back on track...the thought that keeps coming to me is that God did not use a special word to describe Jesus as a child/baby. He truly came in humbleness as the Son of man (and that's not to say He was not the Son of God because He was...it's just that He did not hold onto that "title", especially during His early days here on earth).

I know this analogy falls short on so many levels, but I am going to assume for the purpose of this analogy that everyone reading along falls somewhere in the working class to upper middle class range financially (everyone that I know reads this does, at least). Okay, so can you imagine choosing to give all of that up to go live on the streets of DC?

Now, I do know people who have given up everything to go be missionaries. I think even that would be a stretch for a lot of us – just being honest here! But, imagine that you are called to give everything up, go live on the streets of DC, and you just have to live as a common poor person for 30 years! We could say that even though Jesus didn't begin to actually minister until He was 30, He actually began His ministry much earlier, at - say - 12 when He stayed behind at the Temple after the feasts. Okay, so based on that, let's say you are called to give up everything, go live on the streets of DC as the poor do – and not as a person who's chosen to live there, but just as an "ordinary" poor person living in "ordinary" poverty – for 12 years without anyone knowing your purpose or giving you any respect at all.

Okay, obviously this analogy falls short because Jesus – GOD! – came from glory to a sinful world, was tempted by all sin common to man, and was crucified on the cross...even though He is GOD! But, even the above scenario is hard for my mind to conceive. I don't think I could do it, regardless of what the greater purpose after 12 or 30 years might be. In fact, to be honest, I'm not sure I could do it for a year...or six months...or less, even.

Wow.

You know, I've loved Christmas both years that I've had a baby because as I hold that baby and worship Christ, singing Christmas songs about Him coming as a baby, it truly hits home.

Our Lord came to this earth as a baby. While many people watched and waited – and still do – for Him to come as a triumphant king, He came as a baby – and a poor one at that – and lived a humble life. He died a humble death as a common criminal. And then...here's the triumphant part, which many have missed as they wait for Him to come in glory...He triumphed over sin and death. He ROSE from the grave and ascended into Heaven. He IS triumphant. He IS victorious. He IS deserving of all worship and honor and glory and majesty and praise.