Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor...
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
What's in a name? The Christ-Child would not have only one name. He would be called, "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." He would be one who is just and right in judgment. A counselor meets with his patient, seeks to identify his problem, and then uses his good judgment to suggest ways for the patient to solve that problem. As our Counselor Jesus is right, that is, accredited and authorized to identify man's problem and to solve that problem.
A good counselor has certain credentials. For example, in order to be a certified counselor for drug abuse a person must have a degree in counseling or have so many hours of experience working in that field. In some places there are even levels that one can attain in this certification.
In order for the Child in our text to be our Wonderful Counselor, He needed to have certain credentials as well. But these credentials could not be granted by any earthly authority. His accreditation came from above.
Jesus is uniquely qualified to be our Wonderful Counselor because He alone is true man and true God. He was given as the Son of David, born of a virgin, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies concerning Him. And He is the Mighty God, holy and righteous, without sin, and with all the power and authority of God. The government of all things is on His shoulder. He is seated at the right hand of God the Father, as Scripture says, " ... far above all principality and power, and might and dominion" (Ephesians 1:20-21). From eternity Jesus has met all of the requirements to be the Wonderful Counselor.
And He comes, not only counseling us with advice, but counseling us that we would not despair over sin and death, for "I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:1-18).
That is wonderful counseling!
