Today’s Reading: Isaiah 9: 6
Whenever I hear or read Wonderful Counselor, I instinctively hear Handel’s Messiah,
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon[d] his shoulder,
and his name shall be called[e]
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
– Isaiah 9:6
For several years, Jillian and I were in a professional choir and every year we would perform this portion of Handel’s Messiah, during the Christmas program. Each time that we would sing “For Unto Us a Child Is Born”, I would be overjoyed and excited for the robust and glorious sound that the choir would make. It is a proclamation that the turmoil and strife that the earth and we are experiencing would soon be delivered into something amazing and awesome. This CHILD that would be born to “us” would be something that would erase the darkness and usher in new life, light and hope.
Isaiah is presenting to Israel newness and transformational strength. Several types of leaders had ruled Israel: prophets (Moses), soldiers and warriors (Joshua), judges (Othniel, {Ehud and Shamgar}, {Debora and Barak}, {Gideon, Tola, and Jair}, {Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon}, and Samson), and kings (Saul, David, and Solomon). Isaiah is announcing to the people that the new child would not only be the conquering warrior for Israel, but the complete and final leader that they would need.
The people of Israel over the span of hundreds of years since entering the promise land fell into a vicious cycle of: knowing God, forgetting God, repenting and remembering God, then forgetting God. This theme seems somewhat familiar. There have been times that I remember where I fall madly in love with God and search his word daily. Then there are times I on occasion would remember to look at my daily devotional. Then there are times that the busyness of life overwhelms me and I do not get into the word for days to weeks. Then I am reminded of the goodness of God and then I start to revisit the scriptures. This pattern is not by accident, but it is purposeful distractions that are presented to us from the adversary. Unlike the people of Israel whom Isaiah is writing, we have a Wonderful counselor that will redirect our thoughts to reconnect and refocus our passion.
An interesting part of the scripture is where Wonderful Counselor is placed. It is the first name that is given in this context of the new child. Over the last several posts, I have seen that the particular placement of words and phrases has a profound effect and impact of the word of God. In the last post, the phrase that I had was the last words that were utter by Christ in the bible Revelation 22:16
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
The phrase that we are presented with today is Isaiah 9:6 that is mentioned at the beginning of this post , it is the first name that Christ is given in Isaiah. There is power in the placement of words.
Wonderful Counselor is a title that shows God has heard the cries of the children of Israel and will send a judge that would not have any of the flaws of the previous judges, but higher power and authority and will deliver the people forever. Jesus has the final say for the pain, hurt, despairs, and anguish that we all suffer. This Wonderful Counselor creates and maintains wholeness for all that are in need of peace. We have to know how to recognize and accept his peace.
Be Blessed.