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4. Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?
Can we wonder that Agur should have acknowledged his brutishness, now that he was contemplating the majesty of God, so wondrous in his works, so incomprehensible in his nature? The eye was blinded by the dazzling blaze of the sun. To behold Jehovah ascending and descending in his own glorious person;† afterward in the person of his dear Son† (for in his great work was not his Father's name in him?†); to see him holding the loose winds as firmly as a man might hold in his fists;† to see his almighty control of the waters,† and his establishment of the ends of the earth† — this is a sight, that might make the highest and wisest of men sink into nothingness before him. Who hath done this, none can doubt. The challenge is thrown out as a demonstration that it was God alone. ‘Shew me the man, that can or dare arrogate this power to himself.’†
But when we pass from the works to their great Maker, truly it is an overwhelming view — What is his name, if thou canst tell? “Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? He dwelleth in the light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see.”† How can we express him in words, or conceive of him in thought? Child of God! “Be still, and know that he is God.” (Psalm 46:10.) Restrain thy reason. Humble thy faith. “Lay thine hand upon thy mouth.” Lie in the dust before him. “O the depth!” (Romans 11:33) — open only to him whose “understanding is infinite.”†
But how does the mystery increase! What is his name, if thou canst tell? And who can tell? “No one knoweth the Son, but the Father.” (Matthew 11:27.) Yet there is a Son in the Eternal Godhead; a Son, not begotten in time, but from eternity (Chapter 8:22-30); his name therefore, not as some would have it, a component part of his humiliation, but the manifestation of his Godhead: co-existent with his Father in the same ineffable nature, yet personally distinct.† What is his name? and what his Son's name? Sovereignty — Omnipresence — Omnipotence is his. He too controls the winds and waters,† and establishes the earth,† as one, who is in the visible “form of God, and thinketh it not robbery to be equal with God.” (Philippians 2:6.)
What is his name? The secret name is easily spelt. (Revelation 19:12, 13.) But the mystery is hid. We must not enquire too curiously.† Be careful that we stop, where Revelation stops. Beyond this bound, every step is a trespass “on forbidden ground,” intruding into those things which we have not seen, “vainly puffed up by our fleshly mind.” (Colossians 2:8.) Many however are so bewitched by their own fancy, that they conceive themselves to understand this name. They think far higher of their wisdom than Agur did, and are at no loss at all to explain what they conceive in their proud ignorance to be the full meaning of the inscrutable subject. But the genuine disciple acknowledges the nature of the Son to be alike incomprehensible with that of the Father. He humbly lies at his feet, and thankfully adores the mystery, which he cannot “by searching find out.” (Job 11:7.)
Yet what Revelation hath brought up to us from these untraceable depths are pearls of great price. Let us reverently gather them for the enriching of our souls. So far as our Divine Teacher leads us by the hand, let us diligently follow him. Within his bounds let us freely expatiate, through the length and breadth of the land. The wholesome dread of being “wise above that which is written,” must not damp the holy ardor to be wise and wiser continually in that which is written. ‘Curiously to inquire is rashness; to believe is piety; to know indeed is life eternal.’† Unsearchable as he is in his greatness; yet so near is he to us, that we can rest in his bosom. Yours — Christian — is the unspeakable privilege to be one with him, who is One with God. And therefore, if you tell his name, as you are bound to tell what is revealed, is it not all that is infinitely great, combined with the endearing relations — Husband — Brother — Savior — King?
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