We are just two days away from celebrating of the birth of our blessed Redeemer. During this final week before Christmas, we’ve been looking at the prophetic utterances contained in Isaiah 9:6, which presents three of the many promises that Christmas has kept. On Monday we looked at our first promise: a child who would be born and a Son given. On Wednesday we saw how the government will be upon His omnipotent shoulders. Today, in our final installment, let’s discover the promise in His names.
Promise #3
He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
He will be called Wonderful Counselor
We all know what a “counselor” is and does. Here we see the ultimate Counselor, who was Truth incarnate. Even His enemies continually testified to the power in His counsel. The temple guards who had been sent to apprehend Jesus admitted, “No one ever spoke the way this man does” (John 7:46). Even the spies who had been tasked with trapping Jesus with His own words fell silent when He commanded, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Luke 20:25). Jesus is the cosmic Counselor who always speaks the truth and nothing but the truth, shining the light of truth into a world filled with darkness.
He will be called Mighty God
The gospel of John opens with these words: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Jesus is the Mighty God who was “in the beginning” God and will forever be! He is “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God” (1 Timothy 1:17). Jesus not only gives us eternal truth through His wonderful counsel, He also provides us with the ability to live it out. Jesus is the Mighty God who is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him (Hebrews 7:25). He will strengthen His people and protect them from the Evil One.
He will be called Everlasting Father
Here we see the promise of eternal care, because Jesus is our Everlasting Father. Jesus is the eternal, timeless, self-existent One; “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). From eternity past to eternity future, all those who, by grace through faith, place their trust in Jesus Christ have been in the care of our Everlasting Father. He has loved us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). Never was there a time when we were not loved or cared for!
He will be called Prince of Peace
Make no mistake, peace is not just the absence of war. True peace is the presence of Jesus Christ, our Prince of Peace. The promise of His coming government will be one of absolute peace and justice. Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, our world has been marked by turmoil and trouble, wars and rumors of wars. But when Jesus returns to consummate His kingdom, we will experience the peace that passes all understanding. On the night of His birth, a multitude of the heavenly host proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14).
It is my prayer that these precious promises we have unwrapped this week will both encourage and strengthen you throughout this Christmas season, regardless of where this finds you . . . whether this is a season of great joy or great sorrow. Remember, God never breaks His promises, and that means you can take Him at His Word. Let these and countless other promises rekindle in you a Christmas joy unlike anything you have ever experienced in the past.
May you and all those you love have a very merry Christmas!
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 