His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).1
Spiritual darkness marked the people, the spectre of death hung over them, and social disorder weakened them, but the prophet Isaiah brought a message of hope. There would be a divine intervention in their situation. This is what the gospel declares and why it is called good tidings.
The Lord saw the people’s need. Deliverance would come to individuals personally and to the nation prospectively. Consider the Deliverer in the prophet’s message: “For unto us a child is born” – this speaks of His human connection; “Unto us a son is given” – this declares His relationship to the throne of heaven. In wondrous grace God the Son entered the stream of humanity that He might reach us in our darkness and the distress and destitution of our moral condition. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23).
First, the Deliverer is called “Wonderful.” He has the very nature of God for He is God manifest in flesh (1Ti 3:16). The prophet realized that this One surpassed all that human minds could comprehend and human language could express.
“Counsellor.” Scripture reveals that even as a youth He amazed the wise and learned Jewish men with His spiritual understanding. The Gospel of John recounts His instructing a renowned teacher of the Jews about the kingdom of God (ch3), and in the next chapter revealing to a misguided woman the way to have lasting satisfaction in life.
The third title is “The Mighty God.” This highlights His power in creation, His control of the forces of nature, and His miraculous ability to heal diseases; but it climaxes in the salvation that He provided through His sacrifice at Calvary and resurrection from the dead. No one else could endure the judgment of God against sin and bring new life to us. God has provided a Saviour who both meets our need and satisfies His heart.
Fourth, He is called “The Everlasting Father.” This underlines His tender, compassionate care. “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him” (Psa 103:13). The Saviour said, “I am in the Father, and the Father in me” (Joh 14:11). The Father and the Son are united in their love and compassionate care for the child of God. None can ever slip from His hands or be turned away.
Finally, Christ is described as “The Prince of Peace.” Paul wrote that Christ “made peace through the blood of his cross … to reconcile all things unto himself,” and that we “were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works” (Col 1:20-21).
This is the Deliverer whom God has sent. He came. He was here. He suffered for sins to bring us to God. In His resurrection and exaltation to God’s right hand, He is able to fully save all that come unto God by Him. Our troubled world will ultimately know the blessings of His government. If you are not yet saved, you too could be brought into the blessings of His great salvation by trusting Him as your Saviour and Lord (Rom 10:9-10).
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV.
