Life’s too important and too wonderful to throw away on things that don’t really matter.”
–Kenneth Pratt (The Wolves of Windsor Ridge)
“‘Why do you ask My name,’ the Angel of the Lord asked him, ‘since it is wonderful.'”
–Judges 13:18(HCSB)
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“His name is Wonderful, His name is Wonderful,
His name is Wonderful, Jesus my Lord….”
–Audrey Mae Mieir
Wonderful–how this word has evolved in meaning, like so many other words. The Oxford Dictionary defines it this way, “inspiring delight, pleasure, or admiration; extremely good; marvelous.” So when we say that the name of Jesus is “wonderful” are we meaning “inspiring delight or pleasure”? When used the way it is now there is some removed from the original, literal meaning.
Merriam-Webster says that the “frequent use of ‘wonderful’ led to a dilution in the literal meaning ‘full of wonder.’ I like the term “dilution.” The meaning is still there, just watered down. Let’s look at the following verses:
“You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” –Job 42:3
“Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.” –Deuteronomy 28:59
“A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land.” –Jeremiah 5:30
Now put the dictionary definition to the word in the verse. Job, “things too inspiring…things extremely good.” The verse in Deuteronomy, “thy plagues are inspiring…thy plagues are extremely good.” Hmmm. Now to the words of Jeremiah, “an inspiring and horrible thing…an extremely good and horrible thing.” Wait a minute. Plagues are good? What is happening in the land is “extremely good”?
Let’s go back to see the original meaning. All the instances of wonderful in the King James Bible are used to mean “astonishing.” They are not extremely good nor always inspiring. Wonderful is something that is extraordinary. Someone has said that “wonder invites us to be surprised by God’s mystery, to let God be big…” Think for a moment on the awesome power of God. It is indeed “wonderful”, but more than that; it is astonishing and extra–ordinary. The thought of God’s omnipresence is a mystery of which we only can partially understand. The concept is wonderful; it astounds us that God is in the past, in the present, and also already in the future. He is with me, and with you, and with a believer over in Armenia.
His name is ASTONISHING, His name is EXTRAORDINARY, His name is a MYSTERY. Does that make us want to worship Him more than to just say, His name is extremely good, or His name is inspiring?
One glance at the New Testament word–wonder. The New Testament teaches that “signs and wonders” shall follow those who believe. What then are those wonders? Vine states, (teras) “something strange, causing the beholder to marvel.” He explains further, “A sign is intended to appeal to the understanding, a wonder appeals to the imagination.” Another word for wonder is (thambos) and means “amazement.”
“He’s the great Shepherd, the Rock of all ages, Almighty God is He;
Bow down before Him,
Love and adore Him,
His name is Wonderful, Jesus, my Lord.”
His name goes beyond inspiration; it goes further than simply something extremely good. His name is astonishing! One more example of the astonishing, awesomeness, and extraordinary name…
“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God…. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”
–Revelation 19:11-13,16 (NKJV)
———————————
“His name is Wonderful, His name is Wonderful,
His name is Wonderful, Jesus my Lord….”
–Audrey Mae Mieir
Wonderful–how this word has evolved in meaning, like so many other words. The Oxford Dictionary defines it this way, “inspiring delight, pleasure, or admiration; extremely good; marvelous.” So when we say that the name of Jesus is “wonderful” are we meaning “inspiring delight or pleasure”? When used the way it is now there is some removed from the original, literal meaning.
Merriam-Webster says that the “frequent use of ‘wonderful’ led to a dilution in the literal meaning ‘full of wonder.’ I like the term “dilution.” The meaning is still there, just watered down. Let’s look at the following verses:
“You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” –Job 42:3
“Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.” –Deuteronomy 28:59
“A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land.” –Jeremiah 5:30
Now put the dictionary definition to the word in the verse. Job, “things too inspiring…things extremely good.” The verse in Deuteronomy, “thy plagues are inspiring…thy plagues are extremely good.” Hmmm. Now to the words of Jeremiah, “an inspiring and horrible thing…an extremely good and horrible thing.” Wait a minute. Plagues are good? What is happening in the land is “extremely good”?
Let’s go back to see the original meaning. All the instances of wonderful in the King James Bible are used to mean “astonishing.” They are not extremely good nor always inspiring. Wonderful is something that is extraordinary. Someone has said that “wonder invites us to be surprised by God’s mystery, to let God be big…” Think for a moment on the awesome power of God. It is indeed “wonderful”, but more than that; it is astonishing and extra–ordinary. The thought of God’s omnipresence is a mystery of which we only can partially understand. The concept is wonderful; it astounds us that God is in the past, in the present, and also already in the future. He is with me, and with you, and with a believer over in Armenia.
His name is ASTONISHING, His name is EXTRAORDINARY, His name is a MYSTERY. Does that make us want to worship Him more than to just say, His name is extremely good, or His name is inspiring?
One glance at the New Testament word–wonder. The New Testament teaches that “signs and wonders” shall follow those who believe. What then are those wonders? Vine states, (teras) “something strange, causing the beholder to marvel.” He explains further, “A sign is intended to appeal to the understanding, a wonder appeals to the imagination.” Another word for wonder is (thambos) and means “amazement.”
“He’s the great Shepherd, the Rock of all ages, Almighty God is He;
Bow down before Him,
Love and adore Him,
His name is Wonderful, Jesus, my Lord.”
His name goes beyond inspiration; it goes further than simply something extremely good. His name is astonishing! One more example of the astonishing, awesomeness, and extraordinary name…
“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God…. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”
–Revelation 19:11-13,16 (NKJV)