- Unto us a Son is Given: His Name shall be called “Wonderful”- The Hebrew word translated as “Wonderful” is pele (H6382), which describes the “wonder” of God Himself. And when we try to speak about God, we are discussing an Infinite Being Who is so far superior to man that our tiny minds can only comprehend glimpses of His glory, power, and majesty in the Scriptures. Our spiritual bondage to sin and subsequent salvation by the work of Christ is illustrated by the Israelites, who were slaves in Egypt for over 400 years until God delivered them out of Pharaoh’s hand. God appeared to Moses for the purpose of revealing His will for the Israelites in Acts 7:34, “I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them …”. The Israelites (a picture of the elect) were “safely” delivered by God (a picture of salvation) out of the hand of Pharaoh (a picture of Satan), and in the process He destroyed the Egyptian army (a picture of unbelievers): “And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies”(Psa 78:53). The Israelites were physically “saved”, or “delivered”, out of slavery in Egypt; and, of course, symbolically this is a marvelous illustration of the nature of salvation. However, those over the age of twenty died in unbelief and ultimately had to pay for their sins in Hell. God had simply allowed them to escape from their oppressors. So we can say that even though the Israelites did obtain political freedom, they did not necessarily obtain spiritual freedom. That is, they saved their physical lives, but many lost their souls in the process because of lack of faith (Heb 3:16-19). In Exo 15, we witness this in the song of praise that Moses and the Israelites sang in worship to God for having delivered them from Pharaoh and his army typifying God delivering us from the kingdom of Satan (Col 1:13, Rev 15:2-4). God has provided a Savior, or Redeemer – that is, One Who is able to deliver us from our slavery to sin, and the subsequent punishment in Hell, which we so richly deserve: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins”. (Matt 1:21). This was Jesus’ mission, as He Himself declared in Luke 4:18-19: “... to preach deliverance to the captives, ... to set at liberty them that are bruised ...”. The word “wonders” at the end of verse Exo 15:11 is the Hebrew word pele (H6382): “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders (pele)?”.
Isa 9:6 “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.”
Exo 15:1-2, 6, 11 “Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. 2The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: ... 6Thy right hand [representing Lord Jesus Christ], O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy ... 11Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders (pele)?”
Col 1:12-20 “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:”
Rev 15:2-4 “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 3And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 4Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.”
- The “Marvelous” Work of Salvation - In Psalm 78, which outlines the history of the nation of Israel, pele (H6382) is rendered as “marvellous things”: “Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan” (Psa 78:12). As we seen above, spiritually, the historical great deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt symbolizes the nature of salvation by God’s power and grace alone. This is clearly understood from a citation like Exodus 14. Moses, under divine inspiration, declare to the people, “… stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day”. The Israelites were trapped with mountains on either side of them, the sea in front of them, and the greatest army on earth on their heels. In reality, they could do absolutely nothing but wait on God, and trust that what God had proclaimed He would most certainly fulfill. But isn’t this what one has to do with regard to salvation? Doesn’t Lam 3:26 declare this? “It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD”. This is what God has accomplished in saving each of His elect children through the work of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s look a little more closely at the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus to better understand the spiritual significance of our deliverance. Jesus had to become a man as we read in Heb 2:14-15: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; ...”. This in itself is humbling for eternal, infinite God. We read in Php 2:8, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”. Christ’s death served to free the true believers from their bondage to sin, the world, and Satan as Heb 2:14 declares, “… that through death he [Christ] might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil”. Gal 1:4 affirms that Christ fulfilled the will of God the Father: “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world: according to the will of God and our Father”. And 1 The 1:10 affirms “… whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come”.
Exo 14:13 “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.”
Lam 3:24-26 “The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.”
Heb 2:14-15 “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
- The “Wonderful” Works of God - The promise that God uttered in Deu 31:6 by Moses, at the end of his life, should be a tremendous encouragement to every Christian: “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee”. Indeed, Moses had exclaimed earlier in Exo 33:15, “And he [Moses] said unto him [God], If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence”. In fact, for the next 40 years “… the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night”, as we learn from Exo 13:21. Prior to Joshua’s death at 110 years of age, he records these words as a reminder to the Israelites, as well as to us, in Jos 24:17: “For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went and among all the people through whom we passed”. As the Bible chronicles God’s faithful care and love for His people – His flock – the tender words of Isa 40:11 come to mind: “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young”. After we have received salvation, God leads us to the “still [or quiet] waters” to drink of the Water of Life – the Gospel – and to “green pastures” where we feed upon the Word of God. “Wonderful works” in Acts 2:11, describes the events of Pentecost Sunday, when Holy Spirit was given to believers to lead them the way: “Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God”. As incredible as that may seem, a true believer has become the dwelling - place of the living God, as Rom 5:9 teaches: “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his”. Lord Jesus gave us more information concerning the Holy Spirit’s wonderful ministry to every single Christian, in John 16:13: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come”. It is not too difficult to assume that if God is so wonderful, then His Word – The Word of Truth must likewise reflect His infinite wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. In fact, the Bible reveals His Holy nature and attributes. What are the “wondrous things” in Psa 119:18: “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law”, that we are to behold in God’s Law, the Bible, which he gave to believers to give them light? It is Christ and His Gospel!. May God indeed open our eyes to His Truth as He did to those two men (by saving them) on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:45). May Psa 25:5 be our prayer each day: “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day”. Moreover, may God give each of us an increasingly greater desire to obey His Word.
John 10:2-5 “But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.”
Psa 78:4-7 “We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. 5For he established a testimony in Jacob [typifying Elect of God], and appointed a law [Bible] in Israel [typifying born again believers], which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: 6That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: 7That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:”
