Isaiah 9:6 is one of the great prophecies about the coming Messiah.
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
A Child will be born. He will enter our world, the seed of the woman. He will be fully human.
A Son will be given. He will come as a gift, the Son of God. He will be fully divine.
And the government will be upon His shoulder. He will rule over the world. He will bear the weight of responsibility. He will do that which we cannot do…cancel the debt of sin, defeat the power of death, bring peace upon the earth.
It is interesting that we generally feel stress in the tightness of our shoulders. It is almost as if we are bearing a weight that is pressing down upon us, trying to shoulder that which is beyond our power…beyond our capacity…beyond our control.
We try to run the universe.
But there is only One with the authority and power to do so…and it is not me…and it is not you.
This One is introduced with a fourfold title: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
It says that He will called these names.
By whom?
Perhaps by God Himself who knows the fullness of His identity.
Perhaps by the angels who see the glory of His splendor.
Or perhaps by those who have recognized their weakness…seen their need…and bowed before Him in humility and worship.
I think it is this last group…the redeemed…who proclaim His name…exalt in His identity.
And I believe the four names reflect a progression in understanding…the pathway of faith.
Wonderful Counselor.
He knows my heart. He shines His light into it…revealing the dark crevices of my soul…exposing my sin…my pride…my self-centeredness…my lusts…my idols…my wounds…my walls…my guilt…my shame.
Mighty God.
The best counselor in the world may help me understand myself better but they do not have the ability to change me…to make me new…to make my world new. But this Counselor has the power to conquer my sin…to defeat my real enemies (Satan and death)…and to transform my heart.
Everlasting Father.
Deep down I have a longing for a father…one who knows me…loves me…upholds me…blesses me…never leaves me. Broken by my sin…wounded by the world…humbled of my pride…I look up to see a Father running toward me with arms open wide and grace in His eyes. The broken one is held. The wounded one is healed. The humbled one is made a child of God.
Prince of Peace
Peace with God. Peace within myself. Peace with others. Peace in the world. This kind of peace can only come from the Prince of Peace. The One who enters my world…dies for my sin…rises from the dead…and offers me the free gift of eternal life.
The One who is my Savior.
The One who is my Lord.
The One who is coming again to make this world new.
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:30-33)
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
