ISAIAH

Isaiah 9:6

quote:

"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."

A Child would be born, who is Christ the Lord! He is the "Son of David", a legitimate heir to David's throne and would be the Sovereign King.

Aside from Immanuel, Isaiah says he was to be called four other names. It was not intended that we understand that the Child would be addressed by these names any more than He should bear the name Immanuel. Matthew 1:21-23 says, "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US."

The designation of these names describe His character and the essence of His being. We are to understand that He deserves to have these names because they are descriptive of Him, but not necessarily the name He would be given. Each of the four names consists of two words. In each of the four names one of the words is a designation of humanity and the other a designation of deity, indicating that He was truly God incarnate!

They are Wonderful Counselor ("Pele Yo’etz"), Mighty God ("El Gibbor"), Eternal Father ("Avi Ad") and Prince of Peace ("Sar Shalom") with "Pele", "El", "Ad" and "Shalom" being the expression of deity.

Wonderful Counselsor. "Pele" actually means "wonder". The Messiah is not only wonderful, but He is a wonder Himself. He is beyond being an extraordinary man, He is God! To sit upon the eternal throne of David requires a wisdom beyond earthly wisdom. This messianic King possesses such wisdom and is able to counsel because He is God.

Mighty God. The word "El" when used alone in Hebrew is reserved for the one true God and for Him alone. "Gibbor" means "hero", so "El Gibbor" may be translated "a heroic God". He is a hero, whose chief characteristic is that he is God. "El Gibbor" implies a God of power and might. Jesus' power is mentioned in various scriptures, one of which is John 16:33, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." Nothing less than the power of a Mighty God could accomplish this.

Eternal Father. "Ad" means "perpetuity" and can have the sense of eternity. The word "Father" designates a quality of the Messiah with respect to how He relates to His people. He guards His people and furnishes their needs. "I am the Good Shepherd" expresses the heart of a Father, encompassing tenderness, comfort and love.

Prince of Peace. The messianic King reigns in peace. He is the one who restored peace between God and man by removing our sin. Having satisfied the charges against us, God in His perfect justice can declare that we, though sinners, are able to stand in a right relationship with Him.

Latter scriptures confirm all that Jesus is and that He truly is the one of whom Isaiah prophesied.

Romans 11:33
"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!"

Colossians 2:2-3
"that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

1 Corinthians 1:24
"but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."

John 14:9
"Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?"

John 10:30
"I and the Father are one."

Romans 5:1-2
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God."

The Lord gives grace and glory! (Psalm 84:11) We are a holy nation, a people for God's own possession who have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light!