September 24

And his name shall be called Wonderful.—Isaiah 9:6.

WHEN the angel of the Lord, (doubtless none other than the Son of God,) appeared to Manoah, and was asked his name, he said, "Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is SECRET, or WONDERFUL." (Judges 3:18.) Now this is the very title the evangelical prophet is here applying to the Redeemer: his name, he says, shall be called wonderful. How truly applicable is this title to Christ! He is wonderful in every respect in which he can be contemplated. As the Deity, he must of course be past finding out. But he is wonderful in all that relates to his mediatorial person, offices, and work. Consider the wonderful constitution of his person. Jehovah-Jesus, God, manifest in the flesh. Eternity, united to a span of human existence. Omnipotence dwelling in the weakness of our manhood. The Great and most high God, assuming human form, and really allied by the most mysterious of all unions, to a nature which had become degraded and worthless, by reason of transgression. Then too, how wonderful that notwithstanding that union, his own purity and dignity remained unaffected; he partook not of one feature of our depravity, of one sinful infirmity. How marvellous indeed that the glory of Jehovah of hosts, should be enshrined in a tabernacle of flesh, and dwell amongst us, that the splendour of his Divinity should be beheld, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. In the mysterious formation of Christ's human nature, the Holy Ghost employed his miraculous influence in a way, unknown before, and thus produced a divinely glorious personage, who is the wonder both of heaven and earth. O let us contemplate the character of our adorable and wonderful Jesus. Here our thoughts may be employed to our real profit and abiding welfare. Here is a mystery, which prophets and apostles, yea and angels have endeavored to explore, but in vain.

"'Tis mystery all let men adore, And angel minds enquire no more."