The Man Child

It’s an oxymoron, man child. A man is strong; a child is weak. A man child is the weakest of the weak who will become the strongest of the strong. It means a full man in a little body, a baby who will be great, a potential king. It’s someone a reigning king would kill for fear that such a child could be a competitor for the throne.

That’s what the Bible says did happen. In a picture much bigger than humanity could ever take in fully. Just as the closer that a microscope gets to the inner molecular structure of its matter the less visible the material appears, and just as our whole universe looks different from our night time perspective compared to the picture we would see if we could move away from it for a jillion light-years, so the war between Satan and God is too big for us to distinguish without the aid of God’s word.

A conflict for rulership has been fought on a grand scale beyond all conception. The conflict has spread to Earth, and by the powers of both entities involved, the same war has been seen repeatedly throughout human history. In a single soul, in families, in communities, city-states, and in nations, the same battle has raged.

“And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her Child^G5043 as soon as it was born.

And she brought forth a Man^G730 Child^G5207, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her Child^G5043 was caught up unto God, and to His throne.

And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

And there was war in heaven: Michael and His angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him….

And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the Man^G730.” (Rev. 12: 3-9,13).

G5043 teknon From the base of G5098; a child (as produced): - child, daughter, son.

G730 arrhen, or arsen Probably from G142 to carry, lift up; male (as stronger for lifting): - male, man.

G5207 uihos Apparently a primary word; a “son” (sometimes of animals), used very widely of immediate, remote or figurative kinship: - child, foal, son.

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed^H2233 and her seed^H2233; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee…. And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man^H376 from the LORD.” (Gen. 3:15,16; 4:1). The woman of Revelation 12 was the church of the Old Testament, even though always a very small remnant, carrying the holy Seed of Christ in their hearts and characters down through the ages to full fruition.

H2233 zera’ From H2232 [to sow, disseminate, plant, fructify:- bear, conseive seed, yield]; seed; figuratively fruit, plant, sowing time, posterity: - X carnally, child, fruitful, seed (time), sowing time.

“Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child:^H2145 then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.” (Lev. 12:2).

H376 ‘îysh Contracted from H582 ēnōshe (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation.): - also, another, any (man), a certain, + champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, [foot-, husband-] man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he high (degree, him (that is), husband, man-kind], + none, one, people, person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso (-ever), worthy. Compare H802.

Therefore, the promised “seed” to Eve was the man child Jesus, and also “the children which God hath given Me.” (Heb. 2:13). But, the serpent’s seed was the man child Cain and his evil progeny. “The good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one.” (Matt. 13:37,38).

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” (1Jn. 3:8-12).

The seed of Cain have ruled this world like an army of Anakims who have no fear of God, while the afflicted seed from the Spirit of Christ have been like sheep counted for the slaughter. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2Tim. 3:12).

“No man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” (John 3:13). The Son of man is the Son of Adam and the Seed of Eve. He was the Man Child, or the Child Man. He is a Prince and a Priest, a just God and a Saviour. He convicts of sin with one look of His searching eyes, but He comforts all who bow before His convicting look, forgiving them of all their sin.

“For all those things hath Mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word.” (Isa. 66:2).

“O LORD, Thou hast searched me, and known me.

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, Thou knowest it altogether.

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid Thine hand upon me.” (Ps. 139:1-5).

The Sent of God was a hardly perceptible power as His Spirit passed down from Adam and Eve through ancient times to our day, and His living in them to counteract the toxic power of the devil was also known in scripture as the smallest amount of yeast making its way throughout a whole loaf. “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” (Matt. 13:33). No wonder that the devil has always been on the lookout for the Seed of God and His Seed’s seed who also have wielded the leavening power of His Spirit in their mouths and lives.

Ancient symbolism has always used a branch to signify a descendent or a lineage. “But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail.” (Dan. 11:7). We still use this literary form when we speak of our own family trees.

The man Child, the Son, the Seed, was also known as a little sprout. He was the meek and lowly One, along with His humbled, contrite followers. “There shall come forth a rod [a twig] out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch [a shoot] shall grow out of his roots:… And shall make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears: but with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth:… And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins.” (Isa. 11:1-5).

“For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring: and they shall spring up [sprout] as among the grass, as willows by the water courses” (Isa. 44:3,4), “…to satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth [sprout]…” (Job 38:27)

“Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven” (Ps. 85:11), “for as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” (Isa. 61:11).

Yet, though He is small, yet He commands with full authority. He spoke the words of His Father; He would live by every word of His Father, and would let the word of God fight for Him. He is the man child.

“And Jesus said, Who touched Me?…And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched Me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of Me. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before Him, she declared unto Him before all the people for what cause she had touched Him, and how she was healed immediately. And He said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” (Luke 8:45-48). Power and tenderness.The Man Child. No one is the same in His presence. Pride and self-sufficiency flee away with the legion of devils.

“And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?... When Jesus had lifted up Himself, and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” (John 8:3-5,10,11).

The Man Child has been first and the least; and He has been last and the greatest. Because He has been a sprout and a lowly twig, He can understand our lack of greatness, our want of genius and talent. “Though the LORD be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly.” (Ps. 138:6).

“Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” (Heb. 2:17).  Because the man child developed into a man who could stand before God, He can stand before the Almighty, presenting their weakness to Him; and He can stand firm as a rock before men infused with the wily power of the devil. “For Thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.” (Ps. 18:27).

“And He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked.” (Isa. 11:4).

“This they said, tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not.

So when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst….

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

The Pharisees therefore said unto Him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.

Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of Myself, yet My record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.

Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

And yet if I judge, My judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent Me.

It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.

I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent Me beareth witness of Me.

Then said they unto Him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know Me, nor My Father: if ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also.

Then said Jesus again unto them, I go My way, and ye shall seek Me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.

And He said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins.

Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.

I have many things to say and to judge of you: but He that sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of Him….

Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father hath taught Me, I speak these things.

And He that sent Me is with Me: the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him.

As He spake these words, many believed on Him….

They answered Him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill Me, because My word hath no place in you.

I speak that which I have seen with My Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

They answered and said unto Him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

But now ye seek to kill Me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to Him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love Me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me.

Why do ye not understand My speech? even because ye cannot hear My word.

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

And because I tell you the truth, ye believe Me not.

Which of you convinceth Me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe Me?

He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

Then answered the Jews, and said unto Him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour My Father, and ye do dishonour Me.

And I seek not Mine own glory: there is One that seeketh and judgeth.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep My saying, he shall never see death.

Then said the Jews unto Him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep My saying, he shall never taste of death.

Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

Jesus answered, If I honour Myself, My honour is nothing: it is My Father that honoureth Me; of whom ye say, that He is your God:

Yet ye have not known Him; but I know Him: and if I should say, I know Him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know Him, and keep His saying.

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and He saw it, and was glad.

Then said the Jews unto Him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.

Then took they up stones to cast at Him: but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” (John 8:6-9,12-26,28-30,33-59).

Jesus is the Man Child, the youthful Heir to the throne. “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. 110:3).

“The heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all.” (Gal. 4:1). Therefore, it is true of Jesus that He looked nothing different from us; He didn’t lord over us, though He was Lord of all creation. “He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” (Isa. 53:2). But, at an early age He showed the strength of His courage.

The Son of man, the Man Child, can reproduce other sons, children, seed, as He made reproduction so in the natural world.

“And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.” (Gen. 1:11).

 “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).

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (1Jn. 3:9). “He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man.” (Matt. 13:37). “The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11). The seed is the Spirit and His promises and admonitions sown throughout the scriptures and blown about into our hearts. Then Christ through His Spirit waters and brings the seed to life for our quickening.

Let’s determine to open wide our hearts to His seed, to let His convicting Spirit and Law go deep, until His seed and His will take root, “the engrafted word”. And then let’s keep it until He comes.

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (Jas. 1:21,22).

“Said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31,32).