Messianic Passage in Proverbs

“Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and the name of His Son? Tell me if you know!” (Proverbs 30:4, NIV).

“This Old Testament riddle became a New Testament affirmation. The answer Christians give to each of these questions is Jesus Christ. He has gone up to and come down from heaven…This obscure proverb gave early Christians and us as well an opportunity to identify and confess our knowledge of the name.” Thus wrote Harry B. Hunt, Jr. in his comments on Proverbs in The Disciple’s Study Bible (p. 784). The words of Proverbs 30 have an author given in the text, Agur son of Jakeh. Doing a bit more study, we find that he was a descendant from Abraham’s son Isaac. It is rather amazing that one who writes the fewest of the Proverbs would pose thoughts on the coming Messiah. Furthermore, his presentation, in the form of a puzzle or “Guess Who?” game immediately commands attention. The reader will truly question: Who is this who has gone to heaven and come down from heaven? Who can gather up the wind in his hands? Who can wrap up the waters of the seas or streams or wells in his cloak? Who has established, made firm and solid, all the earth? Do you mean the Creator, the Sustainer? Clues are getting the reader closer to making a guess. And then the final questions: “What is His name? What is His Son’s name?” “Tell me if you know!” The implication is that the writer really wants to know. “Tell me; tell me! I want to know this person who does all these wonderful things.”

And in the New Testament the riddle is completely revealed. The angel on the night of Jesus’ birth announced that He is the Son of God. At His baptism, a voice from heaven declared, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22). The winds and the waves obeyed the voice of Jesus and the sea became calm, like “wrapping the waters in His cloak!”. John 3:16 declares His purpose in coming to earth: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). “What is His name? Tell me if you know!” His name is Jesus, Son of God, Saviour! He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. He is Light and Life, Guide and Guardian, Saviour and Sustainer, He is King of King and Lord of Lords! Do you find it amazing that a young man named Agur posed such questions about the Messiah hundreds of years before Jesus came? Now we know the answers to his questions. “Tell me if you know!” he said. Because we know, we are called to tell the Good News. That is our mission, our calling, sharing the Word of grace.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Tuesday, August 3, 2010