Wonderful, Counselor
Isaiah 9:6
In Isaiah 9:6 we read the familiar verse promising the future birth of Jesus: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.”
Jesus’ Dominion
Before a baby is born, it is inevitable that the question is asked: have you picked out a name yet? Over 700 years before Jesus’ advent, before His coming, His Names and purpose were revealed to Israel and the world by God through the prophet Isaiah.
It would have been a very welcome sight for Israel if the government, rule, authority and the dominion would be on someone else’s shoulders rather than on Assyria or on Rome at the time of Jesus. Isaiah’s prophecy gave Israel the hope that the coming Messiah, Jesus, would bring a new kingdom and He would be the ruler. JESUS would shoulder all dominion. (In Greek mythology, Hercules was given that task.) Jesus would not resemble any earthly or mythological character: They had all been temporary, many unreliable, unskillful, and all had been sinful. Jesus’ rule would extend, not only over territories, but into human hearts and His rule would be eternal, personal, persistent, Godly, and universal. Dominion (rule) would be His to carry.
This new kingdom of Jesus’ dominion is characterized by His Names: His name would be “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. His names carry the weight and glory, not of a man, but of God Himself. All of Old Testament scripture presented dozens of names to describe God:
El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty), El Elyon (The Most High God), Adonai (Lord, Master), Yahweh (The GREAT AM) ,Yahweh Nissi (The Lord My Banner), Yahweh-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd), Yahweh Rapha (The Lord That Heals), Yahweh Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness), Yahweh Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You), El Olam (The Everlasting God), Elohim (“God” in the plural sense: one in three and three in one.), Qanna (Jealous) , Yahweh Jireh (The Lord Will Provide), Yahweh Shalom (The Lord Is Peace), Yahweh Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts).
The Promised Messiah would be characterized by these names and more, and His LIFE would demonstrate and be characterized by all of His Names. Whatever you see Jesus do and whatever you hear Him say in the New Testament, in His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension PROVE that He is LORD of Lords, King of Kings, Lord over All: He shoulders the power and dominion.
We know that Jesus fulfilled all of the prophesies from Isaiah...and we know that Jesus would also shoulder a cross. He “shouldered” all of our sins and the penalty for sin but He did so of His own will and volition. Anyone has the power to lay down his life, but no one but Jesus had the power to take His life up again. He gave His life freely to demonstrate His love in servanthood, but took it up again in order to insure new and eternal life for those who believe in His Work to save.
The same Word of God, calls us to communion and remembrance around the Lord’s Supper, to celebrate what we KNOW TO be true: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst.” (1 Timothy 1: 15) His dominion chose to shoulder the burden of our sin.
A Wonderful Name, A Wonderful Savior
Jesus’ name is “Wonderful”: It is not an adjective in the Hebrew but it is a noun which could be translated “wonders” or “marvels”. The wonders of God throughout the O.T. describe all of God marvelous acts which God performed, works that were extraordinary, works that no human being could perform.
Jesus is singularly unique, just like God, His Father. Jesus is beyond anything or anyone that the world has ever seen or expected. His knowledge, wisdom, character, authority AND humility demonstrated His unique qualities: He is “Wonderful,” full of wonders! If you think that He is NOT unique, then your idea of Him is too small.
Jesus is beyond human understanding. And He would be beyond human explanation. The New Testament so often describes people’s reactions to Jesus as being “amazed”, “full of wonder,” or “astounded”; Although in human form, Jesus went beyond human limitations! Whenever words rolled off his tongue, He reordered reality, He made broken muscles well, mute tongues spoke, bones were straightened, wind and waves ceased, clouds moved, and demons fled, he could walk on water and also turn it into wine.
(Mat. 7:28 Amazed at His teaching, it was powerful and new, Mat 8:27 Amazed that the winds and waves obeyed Him, Mat 13:54 Amazed at who He was. “Where did he get all this?”, Mat 15:31 Amazed at His healing power when a mute spoke, Mat 21:20 Amazed that a tree would obey his orders, Mk 1:27 Amazed at how demons obeyed Him, Mk 2:12 amazed at how paralyzed bodies sprang to life, Mk 6:51 amazed that he walked on water.)
You could not possibly explain everything about Jesus. When we think of Him, we haven’t even scratched the surface of His Wonder. Whatever terminology you use to describe Him, you find that He is always MORE. He made all of the characteristics of God the Father “come to life!” (“The sum of all the parts is greater than the whole.”)
Jesus’ name represents His vast power and all of the depths and riches of the grace of God. His name is power to the believer, a threat to governments, the guarantee of prayer and answers to those prayers, and a menace to the devil. It is wonderful, and it has inexhaustible power!
Listen to these verses: “At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus as Lord.” Acts 3:6 “In the name of Jesus get up and walk”. “There is salvation in no other name…” “Whatever you ask in my name I will do it…” “The works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me.” “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God ; and that believing you may have life in His name.” "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” “He had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.” “Fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified.” “To those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord.”
People are saved and sanctified, forgiven and never forgotten, but filled with faith. They are humbled and healed, restored and resurrected at the name of Jesus. People assemble today and will one day be ascended on account of the wonderful name of Jesus. He is the wonderful Savior for sinners who come to Him! He is the power from God for You.
“Jesus is “Counselor.”
In our society, people hire all sorts of consultants. Consultants are specialists who have a lot of experience in specific fields of interest who will “discuss” matters with you pertaining to that field (the Latin derivative of the word “consultant”). Jesus did the same thing: Many people came to Jesus for more information in certain areas of concern and Jesus would consult with them.
Consultants take many shapes and forms. Jesus, the all-wise Counselor, consults and deals with each individual on the basis of their need: He examines the situation and the evidence and always gives perfect advice because He already knows everything. He examines the heart and in each case, the counsel from Him is always PERFECT advice. He knows the end from the beginning and so He is able to do what no earthly consultant can do.
Jairus was a military man who discussed the condition of his daughter. A Jewish lawyer (one who was an expert in Old Testament law and tradition) consulted with Jesus, not to seek advice, but to trap Jesus into saying something that could be proven false. To the adulterous woman, Jesus knew the conditions that had brought about her sinful lifestyle. To Nicodemus, the earnest, searching Pharisee, Jesus said that he must not rely upon his religious position but upon a Savior for His spiritual need. He is our counselor. He is on your side and You can trust Him to give YOU perfect advice.
Because Jesus’ council is perfect, Jesus does not merely give you suggestions and He is more than a negotiator. His counsel is authoritative. Jesus commands. Because the dominion and rule are carried by Him, He advises but He also has been given the power to judge. Most human judges are first of all attorneys because they must KNOW the law before they can apply and rule by law, but Jesus is by far the most unique.
HE KNOWS THE DEPTHS OF TRUTH and the law because he is the truth! Truth is unchanging and unwavering and never plays favorites. The truth doesn’t care how you feel about it, it just stands and works and cannot be taken down. If the government outlawed the truth, Jesus still stand as THE counselor.
Because of His Everlasting counsel, judgment, and infinite wisdom concerning us and the entire world in which we live, Jesus comforts us; he brings consolation through the Father’s power and love in His own life but also today through the Holy Spirit, who is called The Counselor in John 14:26:
“But the Counselor, (Helper, defense, paraklete, the one who stands beside you to defend and comfort) the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” He teaches us and reminds us constantly of all the works and wonders of God: His Word, His Love, the Body of Christ (His Church), forgiveness t the Cross, the new life of the Resurrection, the eternal nature of His Second coming. His comfort and counsel give Joy in spite of a hostile world, peace in the middle of turmoil, it is ageless and timeless, He always works 100% of the time, and Jesus takes into account all that we don’t know because he already knows about it all!
Listen to this verse from Romans 11:33-36: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" 35 "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”
As we look forward to Jesus’ Coming, our ability to rejoice is all wrapped up in this wonderful counselor. Our joy is not based on the fact that we know something that others do not know; It is based on the fact that we know THE ONE who knows EVERYTHING!
OUTLINE
I. Jesus would shoulder all dominion.
A. Jesus’ dominion is characterized by His Names.
B. Jesus’ life was characterized by His Names.
C. Jesus would shoulder a cross.
II. Jesus’ name is “Wonderful”:
A. Jesus is singularly unique.
B. Jesus is beyond human understanding.
C. Jesus’ name represents His vast power.
III. Jesus is “Counselor:”
A. Jesus consults.
B. Jesus commands.
C. Jesus comforts.
