For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:6-7, ESV)
In yesterday’s devotional, we looked at Jesus’ miraculous birth and role as King of the world. Today, we investigate the identity of this child born in a manger. We begin with his names! The first is Wonderful Counselor. In the original Hebrew, it could be translated Wonder-Counselor or Supernatural Counselor.
It was William Shakespeare who penned the following words, “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” We usually take him to mean that the naming of things is irrelevant. That might be true in the imaginary world of Romeo and Juliet, but in the world of God’s creation, a name is at the heart of reality.
Recall the opening chapters of Genesis. After God created Adam, he assigned him the task of naming all the creatures. Remember, too, as God was creating the heavens and earth, he first created, then named. For example, after creating the light and separating it from the darkness, God called the light day and the darkness night.
A world without taxonomy (i.e., classification by naming) would be a world of mass confusion. When Jesus was eventually born seven hundred years after Isaiah’s prophetic proclamation, the angel specifically instructed Mary to name the child Jesus. How appropriate! The name Jesus is derived from the Hebrew name Yeshua, meaning “to deliver; to rescue.” Or, as we more popularly say, “Jesus saves!”
Naming people and things is a natural part of the ebb and flow of life. Companies are formed around products and services, and in the process, deliberations occur on what to call their creations.
Yes, Jesus has come to redeem! But he is also the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 2). He informs and instructs. He comforts and consoles. He guides and inspires. He unveils and discloses the very mind of God. It was Karsten Solheim’s wife, Louise, who recommended naming his newly-created putter Anser. You see, the correct spelling, Answer, wouldn’t fit on his newly minted creation.
Isaiah, prophesying under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tells us this child will be called Wonderful Counselor. This title is critically important in identifying who he is and what he was coming to accomplish.
Whether it is business advice from a consultant, a medical diagnosis for a baffling physical ailment, legal advice from an attorney, or psychological input for some besetting issue, we all need counsel.
Finding someone who can properly diagnose a set of circumstances and show us the way through is no easy matter. Finding that one person who is wise, competent, knowledgeable, compassionate, patient, and willing to get involved in life’s dilemmas is no small task.
No doubt, each one of us can look back across life’s journey and remember those special teachers, coaches, parents, friends, and colleagues who listened and offered their best advice. Making wise choices at various crossroads usually involves asking for wisdom from someone we can trust.
For thousands of years before and for one hundred years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, prophets and apostles announced that Jesus is the wisdom of God. He is, profoundly so, the very supernatural Counselor of God! Yes, Jesus has come to redeem! But he is also the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 2). He informs and instructs. He comforts and consoles. He guides and inspires. He unveils and discloses the very mind of God. He is Truth! Jesus is, indeed, our Wonderful Counselor.
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Dennis Darville
December 21, 2021
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