“His Name Shall Be Called, Wonderful Counsellor”
Part 1
Isaiah 9:6
Scripture Reading
Isaiah 9:6 For unto 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, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Four weeks from today we will be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I believe that I am safe in saying that no other person has ever influenced the world like this single solitary life. Although He was born to poor parents and lived the majority of His life in an obscure village in Palestine, and died at an early age, condemned as a blasphemer of God and a traitor to Rome, this one man has done more to change the world than all the books that have ever been written, more than all the armies that have ever marched, more than the influence of all the accumulated knowledge of mankind, more than any other thing, this one man, Jesus of Nazareth has changed the world. In His hands there is more power than all the atomic bombs in all the world combined. In His mind rests all the wisdom of the ages. In His heart there is a love so great that it defies explanation. On His shoulders He bore the weight of the sins of the whole world. Never has there been a man like the god man Jesus Christ! In chapter seven, verse 14 the prophet writes, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Matthew translates for us in Matthew 1:23 “…and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” It is not important whether we view verse six as one name or several. Isaiah’s purpose is show that all these names are applicable to Him. Let’s examine the first one this morning; He is the “…wonderful, counselor…” The first word Wonderful declares that this child is “marvelous, miraculous, while the second Counsellor has been sometimes joined with ‘wonderful,’ as if designed to qualify it thus - “wonderful counselor;” but it expresses a distinct attribute, or quality. The name “counselor” here, éåòõ yû‛ēts, denotes one of honorable rank; one who is suited to stand near princes and kings as their adviser. It is expressive of great wisdom, and of qualifications to guide and direct the human race. The Septuagint translates this phrase, ‘The angel of the mighty counsel.’ What can we learn about this “child” from this first compound name?
I. The Wonder
For the Messiah was wonderful in all things. It was wonderful love by which God gave him, and by which he came; the manner of his birth was wonderful; his humility, his self-denial, his sorrows were wonderful; his mighty works were wonderful; his dying agonies were wonderful; and his resurrection, his ascension, were all suited to excite admiration and wonder.
a. Of His Nativity – The prophetic vision was filled with mystery. Isaiah could not have known that centuries would pass before this “child” would come into the world but yet each and every detail of His coming would come to pass in fulfillment of God’s Word. Think of the many wonders surrounding the birth of Jesus:
The Miracles at the birth of John including the supernatural appearance of Gabriel, the deaf and dumbness inflicted upon Zacharias for his unbelief, the conception of Elizabeth who was well past her child bearing years, the determination of the sex of her son as well as his name before he was born and the recognition of Jesus by Elizabeth’s unborn child by his lively movements.
b. Of His Nature –
The miracle of miracles is that the Creator of life and light was “…made flesh and dwelt among, and we beheld His glory.
There are mysteries and miracles of Jesus birth including the greatest miracle of all, the fact that He was born of a Virgin. He is the only baby ever born who did not have a human father after the flesh. Job asks the questions, “How can he be clean that is born of woman?” and “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?” but God through the Virgin birth was able to bring a clean Babe out of a woman tainted with an inherited sin nature. If we try to explain the Virgin birth we lose our reason but if we discredit this miracle we lose our soul for true faith rests on the declared fact that Christ was “…conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. I don’t have the time this morning to review all of the other miracles and wonders that surround His coming like the angelic announcements to Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the Wise Men and the rest but I can say that there has never and never will be a birth like the birth of Jesus.
F. B. Meyer writes this: “
Christ was born of woman; yet He made woman. He ate and hungered, drank and thirsted, yet He made the corn to grow on the mountains and poured the rivers from His crystal chalice. He needed sleep; yet He slumbers not, and needs not repair His wasted energy. He wept; yet He made the tear ducts. He died; yet He is the ever living Jehovah, and made the tree of His cross. He inherited all things by death; yet they were His by inherent right. What else can we do but bow in reverence before such a stupendous miracle?”
II. The Wisdom
1 Corinthians 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
Christ is the repository of all the wisdom of the ages. All the knowledge in the universe rests in Him. He is the “truth”, He is the “light” and in Him is no darkness at all.
a. In creation
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Genesis 11:7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things (every single thing) created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
b. In communication
John calls Him the “logos,” or Word of God in John 1:1-5,
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Concerning the Word of Christ the people asked, “What new doctrine is this?” Others were “astonished at His doctrine.” He spoke with authority and power and overcame every obstacle and overwhelmed every enemy. “Never man spake like this man!” they said and it was true for no one ever spoke like Jesus. He spoke and the sick were healed, the deaf heard, the blind saw, the dumb spoke. He spoke and the lame jumped and ran, and the crooked limbs were straightened. He spoke and the dead heard His voice and one day all the dead will be raised at His command. He is Messiah, He is the “wonderful, counselor,” and He is Lord.
Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
III. The Worth
a. His position
Remember our translation of the word counselor? The name “counselor” here, éåòõ yû‛ēts, denotes one of honorable rank; one who is suited to stand near princes and kings as their adviser. It is expressive of great wisdom, and of qualifications to guide and direct the human race. Where is Jesus at this very moment? He is at the right of the Father. There is no higher honor that the Father could give the Son than to be at “His right hand.”
Luke 22:69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.
Acts 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Hebrews 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
Hebrews 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 Peter 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
b. His passion
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
In Mel Gibson’s Movie, “The Passion of Christ” there is an obscure detail in the crucifixion scene that probably goes unnoticed by most people, but it is a detail that says so much.
When Jesus is being placed on the cross, the camera comes close to watch as a large spike is positioned in the middle of Jesus’ hand. Then, a mallet comes into focus, and a rugged hand swings it to drive the spike. Those are all things you expect to see.
But there is something you don’t see. You never see the face of the one who drives that nail. You never get a glimpse into the eyes, or heart of the one who so assuredly pounds away until the spike has passed through Jesus’ flesh and comes to rest in the wood of the cross.
You might be interested to know that the person who plays that role in the movie is the director himself, Mel Gibson. But why does he never show the face of the one who put Jesus on the cross? Why does he not give us the identity of the one who had the gall to put the Son of God to death?
He didn’t show us that face because that face was his. It was ours. We are the ones who put Jesus to death. It wasn’t the Romans. It wasn’t the Jews. It was our sin that nailed Jesus to the cross.
Colossians 2:13-14 says: “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
c. His praise
Ephesians 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
A quote from Charles Spurgeon:
"It is joy to all nations that Christ is born, the Prince of Peace, the King who rules in righteousness...Beloved, the greatest joy is to those who know Christ as a Saviour...The further you submit yourself to Christ the Lord, the more completely you know Him, the fuller will your happiness become. Surface joy is to those who live where the Saviour is preached; but the great deeps, the great fathomless deeps of solemn joy which glisten and sparkle with delight, are for such as know the Saviour, obey the Anointed One, and have communion with the Lord Himself...you will never know the fullness of the joy which Jesus brings to the soul, unless under the power of the Holy Spirit you take the Lord your Master to be your All in all, and make Him the fountain of your intensest delight."
The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords
Came to earth for you and me.
The salvation I could not afford
He paid for on Calvary.
What could I ever give Him
That would thank Him for His Son?
I’ll confess, and turn from my sin
And live in the victory won!
I often lose sight of Jesus,
Because of Santa and Christmas trees.
Jesus Christ is more than enough
To grant me eternity.
He’s the Wonderful Counselor,
The Mighty God, Prince of Peace,
He’s the Everlasting Father,
And to think – He came for me!
He deserves no less than my all,
Though it’s easy to give Him less.
Though born in a humble stall,
God sent me His very best.
Aaron Hand, 2007
