These days, Hollywood and the viewing public are enthralled with movies about superheroes. But superheroes like Superman, Batman, and Thor have weaknesses their enemies can exploit.
Isaiah 5:9 describes a different superhero, altogether. Neither a myth nor the creation of a brilliant cartoonist, Isaiah called Him — Mighty God. We call him Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus is God of the whole universe, not just an element of it like Thor. He created it and wasn’t of it. However, like fictional heroes, Jesus had an archenemy, and still does — the Devil.
Jesus’ only vulnerability was becoming human as a baby. In doing so, he voluntarily set aside his prerogative to exercise some of his divine powers. But that didn’t make him weak or susceptible to the enemy’s tricks (ex. Luke 4:1-13, The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness).
Why Mighty God?
Now, why did Isaiah call Jesus, Mighty God? Let’s look at the Christmas story itself.
Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, God the Son, infinite without beginning or end, fit himself into a human embryo and implanted by the Holy Spirit inside Mary’s womb. God became man nine months before the angels filled the night sky with radiant light, outperforming any rendition of Handel’s Messiah.
We read in Luke 1:39-45 of John the Baptist leaping inside Elizabeth’s womb when she met her cousin, Mary, carrying the Christ-child within her. Elizabeth acknowledged God counteracting the laws of human reproduction and exclaimed, “Blessed is the child you will bear…blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promise to her!”
God’s promise to Mary set in motion what God foretold Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden after their disobedience. The world kept spinning and sinning, but the woman’s seed, indeed, would crush the serpent’s head.
The Christmas story is the opening salvo of the cosmic showdown between God and Satan. It pitted God’s good plan for the world against the death and bondage inaugurated by the evil one. Mankind’s eternal separation from God’s love was ending.
Jesus vs. Superheroes
Although I enjoy the superheroes of the DC and Marvel comic book universes, none compare to Jesus in grandeur or effect.
Kryptonite cannot cripple Jesus. Separation from his Heavenly Father emboldened his mission, rather than spin him into a mental funk. Jesus said, “Fear not,” so many times, the Green Lantern might want to read the Bible. He was out of his heavenly environment for 33 years, besting Aquaman, who couldn’t be out of saltwater for an hour.
Our Savior came as a baby but didn’t remain tiny, crying, and dependent. He changed water into the best wine in town. His power over the body included healing sight, hearing, and paralysis. By his words, he calmed storms. He walked on water and transformed the five loaves of bread and two fish into a catered meal for 5000. As the creator of the laws of nature, he had power over the elements. Thus, he not only could raise the dead but resurrected himself.
Maybe just as powerful is selecting men as his disciples who couldn’t comprehend his plan. Two betrayed him, one of them giving him the kiss of death.
Among Jesus’ last words as he looked out over humanity were, “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34)! Forgiveness requires inner strength, more powerful than force.
God announced it. Isaiah and others proclaimed it, angels sang of it, shepherds announced it, wise men searched for it, and Mary and Joseph believed it and marveled over it.
We marvel, too.
Cartoons and great literature may try to mimic the theme of good overcoming evil. But they pale in comparison to what Jesus, Mighty God, Maker and Sustainer of Heaven and Earth accomplished for us.
© 2019 David Harlen Brooks | All rights reserved.
