Son of sons and Child of childs

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” (Isa. 9:6).

Because of the darling, beautiful nature of little ones, they always get hugs and kisses. That’s why Jesus gave them to us. That’s why God gave us in His Little One of little ones. He gave this world something we would love, not something offensive. Our Father in heaven was trying to win us back, and not to destroy us, when He sent His dearly Beloved.

“Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.” (Isa. 7:14-16).

 “And the child [Isaac] grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.” (Gen. 21:8). When Jesus was born, He was weaned from the direct contact of His Father. It was a difficult transition, but, there was rejoicing in heaven that day. “When He bringeth in the Firstbegotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him.” (Heb. 1:6). “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:13,14).

“I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He hath bestowed on them according to His mercies, and according to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses.” (Isa. 63:7).

“And when she had weaned [Samuel], she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young. And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.” (1Sam. 1:24-28). Do you see the Son’s celebrated weaning when He was incarnated into humanity? Did the Father sing a song in the heavenly throne room like Hannah’s when the long expected lending of His Son to lost humanity finally occurred in the torturous dungeon of Satan’s usurped world? The Father created His Son’s human egg, which He fertilized with His Spirit, and which grew up into a sinless human manifestation of His Son and kill His wicked host?

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.” (Isa. 11:6-8).

Our salvation depends not as much on knowing about Jesus, as it depends on knowing Him. Not just an intellectual exercise, but a journey to feel after and find Him. He must become “the desire of thine eyes” (Eze 24:16), “until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.” (2Pet. 1:19). We must gain an intimate trust and love for the Son. And then, He will give us love for His Father. “No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.” (Matt. 11:27).

“Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.” (Ps. 2:11,12).

“And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for Him.” (Isa. 30:18).

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isa. 40:31).

Blessed are all they who trust in the Son, “in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will: that we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.” (Eph. 1:11,12). “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God…. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:17,18,35,36). “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth Him that begat loveth Him also that is begotten of Him.” (1Jn. 5:1).

 The royal Child from heaven was 110% dependent upon God, His Father. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth Him all things that Himself doeth.” (John 5:19,20). He wasn’t dependent only as an infant, but even after growing into full maturity. In this we see purity and beauty, His example for us all.

“Naomi took the child, held him close, and took care of him.” (Ruth 4:16). This long sought child given to Ruth was the love of her mother-in-law’s life. Ruth and her mother-in-law longed for a son to remove their reproach. To them, Obed was like the child Noah had been to his parents and to their Adamic community, “And [Lamech] called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground [H127 ‘ādâmâh, “earth, land”] which the LORD hath cursed.” (Gen. 5:29).

Likewise, the Son of Mary came as the Saviour to Earth and to His land which the God of heaven had cursed. Jesus came possessing a childlikeness that exalted Him in God’s sight, and, by contrast, shaming the wily Herod, political Pilate, and all the calculating and pompous religious leaders. There was nothing political about Jesus; He was all natural. He was not of this world; He was other-worldly; He was heavenly. “He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” (Isa. 53:2). The Child of God had nothing in this world, but was rich with eternal, heavenly gifts. “Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.” (Ecc. 4:13).

If we will be admonished and humbled, we can stand with the meek Son who came from God’s throne. “Is Ephraim My dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore My bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.” (Jer. 31:20).

“[Herod] sent [the wise men] to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found Him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also…. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matt. 2:8,11).

“He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground.” (Isa. 53:2). Will we search diligently for the meekness and tender-heartedness of Jesus, which never left Him throughout His lifetime and neither has it left Him in the courts above?

He is a “merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” (Heb. 2:17). “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” (Heb. 7:25,26).

The holy harmless Son as our Mediator before God we see in the young priest, Samuel. “The child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision…. And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD. And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.” (1Sam. 3:1,19-21).

“She … brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.” (Matt. 1:25). “And when [the shepherds] had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.” (Luke 2:17). “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon Him…. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and His mother knew not of it. But they, supposing Him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found Him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking Him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.” (Luke 2:40,43-46).

Once we conceptualize the image of Jesus and His childlikeness, will we hold on to that vision? Nothing else than a view of the holy, loving Gift of all heaven can quicken us with the life of the living God, and keep us living. “For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will.” (John 5:21). “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” (Rev. 5:6).

Or, will we lose sight of Jesus, and struggle for many days trying to get His presence back again? Thankfully, He is always right where we leave Him, searching out the deep things of God. But, when we do find Him, let’s not blame Him for His disappearance and the difficult, sorrowful and painful journey back into His presence, as His parents’ blamed Him. He will say to us the same as He did to them, “How is it that ye sought Me? wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49).

His parents had lost the larger picture of the Messiah’s work. In His younger years He lived to bless others. Now, at the age of accountability, Jesus had only one thing on His mind ―His Father’s work of redeeming this world. We too often lose sight of these last days and the need to stay in constant connection with Jesus. God had to remind the parents of Christ, not through an angel visitor, but directly through His Son. Jesus spoke no differently than did Samuel to his surrogate parent, Eli. In every gentle and submissive way, He spoke the truth from His Father. This incident was the first of other open corrections to His parents and siblings from Him in whom all fullness dwelt.

Yet, in His mature, warranted reproof, He had a love and peace that nothing could disturb, not even from punishment that He didn’t deserve. “And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them.” (Luke 2:51). Like His father, David, He submitted to unjust hardship. “They that hate Me without a cause are more than the hairs of Mine head: they that would destroy Me, being Mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.” (Ps. 69:4). His constant tendency to eschew self-defense and self-preservation shows His deferential mind and His true self-sacrificing love.

Toward the end of His ministry “came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

And Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them…”

“And He took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when He had taken him in His arms, He said unto them,” “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!” (Mark 9:36; Matt. 18:1-7).

More than any other description, delicate, gentle, and childlike love has characterized God’s eternal kingdom. Naturally should the Son demonstrate those traits because He was begotten from the holy, meek Jehovah. We see and know Jehovah through His meek and lowly Son. No one who refuses these chiefest attributes of the Son can be part of His Father’s kingdom that He is reinstating after Lucifer had demolished them.

Again, when His disciples were doing the work of Satan while setting up the kingdom of God, Jesus had to reiterate the importance of children’s innocence and dependence. “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them. And when He was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to Him, and asked Him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:15-17). The power of love, pure and innocent, alone can will throw down strongholds of sin. Let us look to the Son. “For Thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.” (Ps. 18:27).

Even after suffering on the cross and offering up His soul to God, He retained His same childlikeness; He was still the same holy Child. But, now He was interceding for them before the holy, majestic God of Abraham.

“Who by the mouth of Thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ.

For of a truth against Thy holy Child Jesus, whom Thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever Thy hand and Thy counsel determined before to be done.

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto Thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak Thy word, by stretching forth Thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Thy holy Child Jesus.

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:25-31).

We will mature in our Christian walk, but never lose the warm heart of Jesus. Paul was the perfect example of this. “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1Cor. 13:11). He bore a straight testimony to ungodliness within the church, but only because he loved them. Because Paul cared for the church in Corinth, he rebuked and chastened.

“Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.

Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.

And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.

I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.” (2Cor. 7:12-16).

“Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

To redeem them that were under [the curse of] the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” (Gal. 4:1-7).

When we have received instruction, learned obedience, and when we’ve finally done the will of God, we will receive the promised Spirit. Until that day, we live under the blessings of His grace upon grace. “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” (Heb. 10:36).

“If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” (Phil. 2:1-7).

“We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” (Heb. 2:9).

“Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into Thy lips: therefore God hath blessed Thee for ever…. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.” (Ps. 45:2,7).

“He chose David also His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.” (Ps. 78:70-72).

“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.

The LORD shall send the rod of Thy strength out of Zion: rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies.

Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: Thou hast the dew of Thy youth.” (Ps. 110:1-3).

“And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise Him up at the last day.” (John 6:40).

Then, when that day arrives that we are grown strong and weaned from grace for grace, all the fullness of God pours down upon us. The Child of God becomes precious to us.

Or, He becomes a Stone of stumbling. To all who pay no heed to His love and won’t take in the richness and fatness of the Son’s blessedness will stumble out of the arms of God and fall from His salvation. They will be “rejected”. They will bear “thorns and briers”, which are “nigh unto cursing” “whose end is to be burned.” (Heb. 6:8). They will become children of the devil. As Paul told Elymas the Jewish spiritualist who was counteracting God’s work of salvation, “O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” (Acts 13:10).

“He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. ” (John 1:11). The Jews had become so religious and “faithful” that they couldn’t see their need of the power of God to give them a new heart. They believed themselves to be saved, and the rest of the world to be lost. Because of their prejudice and arrogance, most of the Jews couldn’t be saved. Therefore He said, “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7). They couldn’t love the simplicity and childlikeness of their Messiah.

“Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief Corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the Head of the corner, and a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” (1Pet. 2:6-8).

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12,13). To those who love what they see in the Son, who long for the love of the Son and His acceptance, and who trust in Him, He will become precious. Through the faith of the relationship we developed with Him and by Him, we will be justified and have peace with Him and His Father.

“And [Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth] lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her…. And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.” (Ruth 1:14,16,17).

Do you see in this the clingy Child of God being born in Naomi and Ruth before Obed actually came into the world? Do the scriptures testify of Jesus for your salvation? Do you see Him clinging to both us and to His Father Jehovah throughout His ministry, and especially on the cross? By the Son’s clinging to both God and man, He atones for the gulf that sin created between Jehovah and you, and all of His children of Earth.

God gave us His heart when He sent His Prince. “For [Jehovah] so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

Do you see the true beauty shining from the Son? Can you love Him and His childlike righteousness and faithful obedience to His Father? The Son is precious. Kiss the Son. No man comes to Jehovah, but by His Son. Let your heart love Him. The Child of God is precious. Kiss the Child; and by doing so, “Thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.” (Isa. 30:15).

Where there is no vision of Jesus and His presence by His precious Spirit, our hope and faith languish. When we can see and trust and love Jesus we have the rest in heart and mind and body that He promised. Thus, we keep the Sabbath commandment and we have the promise of the Son’s Spirit. We have peace when we love and trust His Son because the anger of His Father against our sins is no longer on us. The wrath of Jehovah’s justice subsides; the peace from His Spirit abides, a peace that is beyond all comprehension.

Today, if we will choose to trust and love the most deferential Son of sons and lowliest Child of children, then when He comes the second time as powerful King of kings and authoritative Lord of lords, we will be waiting for Jehovah Jesus, the King of kings, Lord of lords, Son of sons, and Child of childs. He will come without sin unto salvation, and our only words to Jesus, the tender Branch of Jehovah, will be, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” (Isa. 25:9).