was the vision of Christ in the glory which He had with His Father before the world was,¹ the conclusion as to the evidence which this Old Testament passage bears to His Deity is obvious. And that this was so is clear from the fact that God the Father cannot be seen by mortal eyes, for it is written: 'No ² man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him:' and again He is described as 'the King ³ of kings and Lord of lords, . . . whom no man hath seen, nor can see.'

In another passage, Isaiah says: 'Behold, ⁴ a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.' St. Matthew ⁵ quotes this verse and says that it was fulfilled in Christ, adding that 'Immanuel' means 'God with us' in the Hebrew language. It is quite possible to say that the prophet meant only to declare that the name of the child, or rather this title given to Him, was given to show faith in God's presence with His people. If Christ's Deity had nowhere else been stated by Isaiah, we should naturally accept this explanation, for we know that the name is now used among men with that signification. But when we find that, in other parts of the Book of Isaiah, God teaches the Deity of the promised Messiah, we are then able to see a deeper meaning in the verse, and to understand that it means, 'He will

really be God with us'. Hence it is that the Lord Jesus Himself said: 'Have ¹ I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.'

It may be said that the Deity of the promised Messiah is taught only by inference in these two. passages of the prophet Isaiah, and not in clear language.. In reply we say that the inference itself is so clear, with the aid of the New Testament, which was written with the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit, that little more is required. But God has removed every doubt by enabling the prophet Isaiah, elsewhere, in speaking of the same promised Messiah, to use still clearer language. Thus in a third prophecy it is written: 'Unto² 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, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, ³ Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with judgement and with righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts shall perform this.' The expression 'His name shall be called' (or, literally 'He shall call His name')