6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
Wonderful Counselor…
Abba,
Of all the names the list, the four in Isaiah 9:6 ought to catch our attention.
Wonderful Counselor – 1st
Mighty God – 2nd
Everlasting Father – 3rd
Prince of Peace – 4th
You have many names, Abba. Why these four? Why this order?
Wonderful counselor denotes Your willingness to provide Your knowledge and wisdom and counsel to us. It denotes the manner of Your wisdom and Your person in supplying it. The fact that You desire to impart Your wisdom and knowledge to us at all…
The fact that You offer to share Yourself with us…
It is a bewildering truth…
I think of what You, Jesus, said to the disciples…
John 15:15 (ESV): 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
No longer do I call you servants…
For servants do not know what the master is doing…
But because You revealed Your will and plan to them, You now call them, You now call us, Your friends.
FRIENDS!!
The impartation of wisdom and knowledge changes the nature of the relationship. The sharing of knowledge and wisdom is an intimate thing.
I think back, usually with fondness and thankfulness, upon those those instructed me, who taught me, who shared wisdom and knowledge with me. Even if I didn’t always love every teacher, I am thankful for them all. Their impartation of knowledge changed me, shaped me. How much more so with You, Abba?
You are good to share with us. You are generous and kind. You are never obligated to share but You chose to. You chose to come near, to share Your person and Your plan with us, to include us in the knowing of what Your plan and will for creation was.
So, why Wonderful Counselor first?
BECAUSE first and foremost, You came to initiate intimacy with us. First and foremost, You came to share Yourself with us. You came to make Yourself known.
Knowledge is power. Knowledge is control. This is why world leaders will fight to control the flow of information. This is why people who seek control will limit access to knowledge. With it, one has the ability to manipulate and control.
You come offering it freely as a means to develop intimacy with us. Certainly You, in Your divine wisdom, do not plunge us into the full depths of Your knowledge all at once but You do share, counsel, and make yourself known when we are ready, when Your perfect will dictates it is time. And we can trust Your wisdom and goodness because You have proven true time and time again. You have proven Your love.
So, You came to be our Wonderful Counselor and initiate intimacy with us by sharing Yourself with us.
What’s more is that You are the perfect and wisest counselor there is. A counselor is one who is able to make wise plans. There is a level of discernment and insight that is necessary for one to properly counsel another. And You, Abba, You Jesus, are perfect in wisdom and knowledge. What a comfort and a wonder that we can trust in You and rest in Your incredible counsel!
The Righteous Reign of the Branch
11 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
Isaiah 11:1–2 (ESV)
A Singular Passion 