Isaiah 9:6
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. (NIV)
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 9:1-7
So who is this ruler that will be born fully human yet also be fully divine and the Son of God?
“And he will be called …”
Over the next four days we will look at each name. But these aren’t literal names for Jesus, they are more like aspects of his character. They give insight into who Jesus is and what he is going to do.
“And he will be called Wonderful Counselor.”
The word Wonderful is the Hebrew word pele’ and literally means “incomprehensible.” The life and actions of Jesus would fill us with wonder. It’s heavier than we would use the word wonderful today to describe a great vacation. Jesus would be wonderful in the sense that he will blow your mind. The angel of the Lord used this same word in Judges 13:18 when he said to Manoah, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.” Jesus would be so wonderful that it is beyond understanding.
Just as Wonderful conveys a hint of the divinity of Jesus, Counselor portrays him as a wise king. Jesus would give divine guidance to his people. John tells us that Jesus “did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person” (John 2:25). Jesus is rightly qualified to advise his people because he had a divine wisdom beyond our understanding.
Jesus is Wisdom. “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1 Cor 1:30). Whatever Jesus does is wise because he is Wisdom. Paul tells us that in Jesus “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3). Jesus knows what is best for his people at all times.
This Wonderful Counselor would be perfect wisdom who became a man to become obedient to God in our place. He would be a perfect ruler who leads his people and stands tall in the face of evil. We can trust him to guide us in the right direction. My favorite proverb says:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight” (Prov 3:5-6).
We can be certain that Jesus loves us and wants what is best for us. His love for us is beyond our understanding. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). Jesus is worthy of our trust and we can look to him for wisdom because he is the Wonderful Counselor.
Christ in the Old Testament 
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