“Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace”
Scripture reading:
Isaiah 9:1-7
In Isaiah 9 the Lord takes the prophet to the future, to the time when a great light would shine on the people who had for so long walked in darkness. The light would make its first appearance from the north—from the land of Zebulun and Naphtali. As we have already noticed, the light was Jesus (Matt 4:12-17); He is the fulfillment of this prophecy for He is “the light of the world” (John 8:12); He is “the true light which, coming into the world enlightens every man” (John. 1:9); his life was “the light of men” (John 1:4), and in Him “the sun of righteousness” arose “with healing in its wings” (Mal. 4:2).
All of the nations (not just the physical descendants of Jacob) would stream to the light; many would say to their neighbor, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us concerning His ways and that we may walk in His paths” (Isa 2:3). When the light appears the nation will grow in numbers and will be glad—it will rejoice in the presence of God with the same joy that farmers have at the harvest and soldiers have when they divide the spoil. They would rejoice because in that day the Lord will have broken the yoke of their burden (vs 4) – the yoke of slavery that had been placed upon their shoulders due to sin, to false religion and from the Law. In that day the yoke would be broken.
In that day they will rejoice because the nation will no longer have need of “the boot of the booted warrior” and his “cloak rolled in blood” (vs. 5) for the nation will be a kingdom of peace. In similar prophecies the prophets reveal that in that day the swords and the spears—other implements of war—would be hammered “into plowshares … and pruning hooks” (Isa 2:2-4), that God “abolish the bow, the sword and war from the land” (Hos 2:18) and that He would “cut off the chariot … the horse … the bow of war … and … speak peace to the nations” (Zech 9:10). And as the next three verses the prophet reveals that this peace will be brought by “a child” who “will be born” … “a son” who “will be given.” His birth will bring peace to his people, for He Himself will be the Prince of Peace (cf. Luke 2:14). And this too will be a reason for rejoicing!
(Isa 9:6 NNAS) 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.
The glory of this child as well as his relationship to Deity is revealed through the name He would be called – “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (vs. 6c). One's name stands for much more than what he is called by his mother; it stands for all that he is – his quality of character, whether good or bad, whether strong or weak. For example, what do you think of when you hear or speak the name Skip or Wally or Mo (the bishops in the Tyngsboro congregation)? Speaking for myself, I think of good men, men who love the Lord, love His word and who love His people. These are good names because they are associated in my mind with men of good character. On the other hand, when I speak or hear the name Jezebel or Judas or of the family name Hitler or Stalin I think of individuals who have a perverse and corrupted nature. To my thinking these are not good names. I say all this because I want us to understand that the name that the child is given in this prophecy is not to be thought of as a proper name, but as a revelation of the child’s character and of his relationship to God.
Before discussing His name, I want to note that in an earlier prophecy (Isa 7:14) this child was named by His mother; and the name that she gives is Immanuel. In this place, however, we are not told who names the child. Some think that it is God. But I am inclined to think that these are the names given to Him by those who have come to know Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God.
“His name will be called Wonderful Counselor.” Or is it “Wonderful, Counselor”? The NASB says translates it the first way, the AV and the NKJB the latter. You can decide for yourself. All that I am interested at this moment is what the words mean.
The Hebrew word translated wonderful is most often used in connection with the miraculous works of God that brought Israel out of Egypt—dividing the sea so that the Israelites could cross over on dry ground and the destruction of the army of Pharaoh by the sea as it pursued Israel to destroy her is called at (Ex 15:1-13, esp. 11; Psa 77)—and the wonders that took place while the nation wondered in the wilderness for the next forty years—the leading by pillar of cloud and fire, the cleaving of the rocks in the wilderness to bring forth water (Psa 78:12-16). All of these mighty miracles are characterized as wonders because they are incomprehensible to man.
According to Edward Young (who believes it ought to be translated Wonderful Counselor) and Delitzsch (who takes the other position) the Hebrew ought to be translated Wonder instead of Wonderful. As Young states it, “Not merely is the Messiah wonderful but He is Himself a Wonder, through and through (Isaiah, vol. 1, 334). Delitzsch says something similar when he wrote: “Not only is this or that wonderful in Him; but He Himself is throughout a wonder…” (Isaiah, 252). The child shall be called Wonder because He incites wonder—amazement—in the hearts of those who behold Him; both friend and foe alike. And when this found its fulfillment in Jesus I would have you to know that they called Him Wonder not just because of His miracles (Matt 13:54; Luke 9:41-43; Acts 2:22) but also because of the teaching that fell from His lips (Matt 7:28; 19:23-25; 22:29-33).
He name shall also be Counselor. He is the Counselor of all His subjects. “Angels and ministering spirits may serve, but the counsel of peace belongs to Him and to Him alone. It is in His two offices of Priest and King that He administers this counsel” (Hailey, Isaiah, 103).
(Zech 6:13) “Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the LORD, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.”
It is to this “child,” to this “son” that we must turn for counsel with regard to all spiritual matters. In Him, says Paul “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3). “He is the true Counsellor to whom all may come and find the word of wisdom by which to be guided and by which to solve the problems of life and to understand its principles” (Hailey, 103). Jesus (and no other) has “brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim 1:10). Therefore, though we may at times be perplexed by Jesus and His teaching, we need to understand what Peter and the rest of the apostles understood when, having been asked by the Lord, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” they said (through Peter)…
(John 6:67-69) “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”
Jesus is Wonder (Wonderful), He is Counselor and He is also He is also …
The name “Mighty God” identifies the “child born … the son given,” with the Godhead, both in deity and in power. In deity He is equal with God; in power He comes not behind the infinite One, who is called by the same words in Isa 10:21 is called “the Mighty God” to whom the remnant would return.
This is not the only prophecy that indicates that the Messiah is God. In Psalm 45 the psalmist had written of Him as God, whose throne is forever, who wields the scepter of uprightness over His kingdom (vs. 6). That these words are a prophecy of the Messiah is made clear in Hebrews 1:8 where the prophet, in speaking of Jesus—the Son—applies this Psalm to Him saying
(Heb 1:8) But of the Son He says, "YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.
The Messiah is God, the Jehovah’s Witnesses notwithstanding. And Jeremiah brought this out also when he wrote.
(Jer 23:5-6) “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD our righteousness.’”
It was at the end of His ministry—after His resurrection—that this truth was clearly understood by His apostles. For it was at this time when Thomas, upon seeing the risen Lord confessed Him to be both his Lord and his God to which Jesus replied.
(John 20:29) … Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.
The Messiah—Jesus—is Mighty God.
Like the name “Mighty God,” “Everlasting Father” places the son outside the pale of created beings; He is eternal as is God. When we get back to the beginning, He already was (John 1:1). In his letter to the Colossians Paul writes
(Col 1:16-17) For by Him [Jesus] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
And in case one is tempted to believe that such was never said of the Messiah in the Old Testament writings, think again. For it was written …
(Micah 5:2) "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity."
The son is not merely “Everlasting” but He is “Everlasting Father.” A father is the protector and sustainer of the family. Thus when Joseph said that he had been made “a father to Pharaoh” (Gen 45:8) he was claiming to be Pharaoh’s protector and sustainer. This was what Isaiah was claiming for Eliakim too, when he called him “a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah” (Isa 22:21). The Messiah too is a “Father.” That is, He is not merely builder of the church (Matt 16:18), but He is the protector and sustainer of this new creation. Being “Everlasting” give the church confidence that there will never be a time when the Messiah will not her “Father.”
“As Prince of Peace He comes as a mighty Prince who conquers not by the sword, but by the message of peace directed to the hearts of men. He establishes and maintains true peace, not the peace the world gives John 14:27, but peace which is a result of spiritual fullness and companionship with God and a right relationship with man. This peace comes when sin, the cause of strife, is banished from the individual's life; sin must be removed, forgiven, blotted out. Micah calls the Child ‘our peace’ (5:5). ‘He shall speak peace unto the nations’ (Zech. 9:10). Paul says, ‘He came and preached peace to you that were far off, and peace to them that were nigh’ (Eph. 2:17). Young has well said, ‘In active vigor He is the true David and in love of peace the real Solomon’” (Hailey, 103).
The child … born to us, the son given who would be given all His name There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace (v. 7a). Political governments usually grow through war, only to succumb to corruption, debt, and internal corruption until they become weak and fall at the hand of another. But the government of this Prince shall grow to include those of all nations, for it shall be ‘from sea to sea,’ and from one end of the earth to the other (Zech. 9:10) - and this through the power of peace. Micah adds his testimony, saying …
(Micah 5:4-5a) And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. and they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth. This One will be our peace. …
The nation that has such a ruler over her could not help but rejoice at the grace given to her. But the prophet is not finished. This reign of He who is called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Price of Peace” will know no end and His rule will be established and then maintained “with justice and righteousness.” Justice and righteousness are the foundation of God's throne (Ps. 89:14; 97:2-3); it is by these that He now upholds the Kingdom and shall uphold it till the end of time. “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this” (vs. 7c). Yea, He has accomplished it. For right now, at this present time, the kingdom that we have been reading about has been establish on the earth (cf., Col 1:13).
Conclusion
The night came, captivity engulfed both nations, and the booth of David had fallen (Amos 9:11). Then the child was born, the son was given who came radiating a divine light. He was given throne of his father David (Luke 1:26-38) and the promised kingdom (Dan 7:13-14), which is a kingdom of peace established and maintained with justice and righteousness “forevermore.” Let all men know for certain that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ and let those who believe be baptized in water to the saving of their souls (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38).