Sabbath Sanctuary: Crucible Hill; God Was In Christ

Lent is upon us. This past Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, and though my church does not follow the liturgy of the church, I love it and miss it; especially Ash Wednesday. 

The Lenten season has me reflecting on the death and resurrection and it has urged me to continue with my series on the Incarnation. How appropriate then that we examine the testimony of the prophets in the Old Testament who prophesied about His coming. Isaiah speaks about the coming Messiah more than any of the prophets.  

 Isaiah prophesies Jesus’ birth, but also foretells His Incarnation; “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel” (Is. 7:14). Matthew quotes this prophecy in his gospel in 1:23 to recognize Jesus as the One Isaiah spoke of dwelling with His people. Isaiah prophesied Jesus birth and His name, and each name describes His attributes:

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. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this (Is. 9:6-7).

Again, this is fulfilled in Matthew that Jesus is the long-awaited King, the rightful heir to David’s throne, the Ruler of God’s people.[1] 

Isaiah also prophesied about the suffering and death of Christ, the Man of Sorrows in Isaiah 53:

Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,
And as a root out of dry ground.
He has no form or comeliness;
And when we see Him,
There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth (Is. 53:1-7 NKJV).

We reflect on Jesus, who walked up Crucible Hill, the Man of Sorrows, the Suffering Servant, who died on our behalf. He carries those things that hurt, the pain we suffer—He bore it all. He took upon Himself our sickness, our stress, our heartbreak—our sin.

 
The prophet Micah also prophesied the Incarnation. He warns Bethlehem of their coming deliverer and speaks of His pre-incarnational existence, “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” (Mic. 5:2 NASB bold emphasis added). This is the strongest possible language concerning His pre-existence, “The plain antithesis…shows that the eternal generation of the Son is meant. The terms convey the strongest assertion of infinite duration of which the Hebrew language is capable.”[2] The prophets, through God’s Spirit, saw the coming of the Messiah. Matthew calls upon this prophetic verse to proclaim that Jesus is the fulfillment of this Messiah who existed with and came from the Father (Matt. 2:6).

Throughout the history of mankind, God has used numerous methods and mediums to communicate with His creation and to give them His message. The prophets gave us God’s words. But Jesus is the very Word of God. The book of Hebrews tells us that “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world” (Heb. 1: 1-2). This is just one more claim by Scripture to the deity of Jesus Christ.

I pray that you meditate on His Word during this season of Lent. Christ left the glory He shared with the Father, to suffer and die so that you are no longer captive to the power of sin. Meditate on what He sacrificed for and how much He loves you. His love is eternal.

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[1] Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum, and Charles L. Quarles, The Craddle, The Cross, And The Crown (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2009), 220.

[2] A.R. Fausset, David Brown, and Robert Jamieson, eds., Jamieson, Fausset & Brown’s Commentary On The Whole Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1961), 817.

 

God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 21

 Day 21 Luke Chapter 21

“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” {vv. 27-28}.

I love it when the Old Testament meets the New. Jesus speaks of yet another fulfillment of God’s Word that He poured into His prophets concerning things to come. And Jesus, the Son of Man, stands before them in fulfillment of the prophet Daniel’s words given by God. Jesus came to save the world and to offer salvation to those who will receive the precious gift. Those who choose Him become citizens of the glorious, universal Kingdom of which Daniel foretold. The Jews have been harassing Jesus for a sign that He is who He says He is, and He answers their demand. 

“I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him” {Daniel 7:13 NASB}.

“Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen” {Revelation 1:7 NASB}.

We must remember that though Christ came as a baby, He is a grown, real person who grew in wisdom and stature before the Lord {Lk. 2:52}. Christianity does not follow a certain set of rules but a real faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He came to us and now lives in us through His Spirit. He lived and died and rose again to redeem you and me. At the Second Advent, He will judge our mortal lives, our decisions, and whether or not we lived for Him. This is a time to reflect on our lives and consider whether any part of our life does not please Him. The One True God is holy and hates sin, but He loves us immensely, so much that He sent His Son to redeem the world. Because we are living for Him His Second Advent need not be a terror in the night. Only those who persist in their wickedness need fear His coming. If we submit our lives to Him now, we will be accepted when He appears on that Great Day.

His message is urgent: We believers on earth must be ready. The tribulation and tumult of the earth will not last forever. Just when it looks as though the anguish and despair can only worsen, Christ will be revealed in the heavens, and every eye shall see Him. And the old prophet Zechariah’s words concerning His appearance will come to pass, “they will say where did you get those marks in your hands? And he will say, ‘in the house of my friends’” {see Zech. 13:6}. Then, according to the Apostle Paul, the Jewish nation will be born in a day, and all of Israel will be saved.

Jesus will also place His precious, nail-pierced feet on the Mount of Olives. The prophet Zechariah tells us that Christ, accompanied by His raptured saints, will enter the great city of Jerusalem. The returning saints, along with believers on earth, will gather to crown Him King of kings and Lord of lords, and Christ will begin His millennial and eternal reign.

Are you ready for His return? What part of you are withholding from Him that you may offer Him as a gift this Advent season? Is there room in the inn of your heart for this precious gift of the promised Redeemer?

Let’s not deceive ourselves. “Your redemption is drawing near” {Luke 21:28}, whether we know it or not, and the only question is: are we going to let it come to us too, or are we going to resist it? Are we going to join in this movement that comes down from heaven to earth or are we going to close ourselves off? Christmas is coming—whether it is with us or without us depends on each and every one of us. Such a true event happening now creates something different from the anxious, petty, depressed, feeble Christian spirit that we see again and again, and that again and again, wants to make Christianity contemptible… Advent creates people, new people. We too are supposed to become new people in advent.[1]

 

 

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[1] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In The Manger (Westminster: John Knox Press., 2010), 40.

Sabbath Sanctuary God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 20

 Day 20 Luke Chapter 20

“How is it that they say the Christ is David’s son? For David himself says in the book of Psalms,‘The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet. Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord,’ and how is He his son?’” (vv.41-44 NASB).

I love this exchange between Jesus and the religious leaders. Once again, wisdom is vindicated by all her children {Luke 7:35}. This speaks to the dual nature of Jesus, which the Jewish religious leaders never understood, though the Old Testament told them to look for these signs in the Redeemer. Jesus validates this by quoting from the verse in which the Lord gives dominion to the King. He solidifies the inspiration of the Old Testament Scriptures.

What they did not understand is that Jesus was telling them that this implies both the future existence of David’s throne and the authority of the Messiah over all that has been given Him by the Father, His spiritual authority as King over the nations.

The Sadducees were silenced once again by Jesus, who as fully God {the preexistent Christ} was David’s Lord, and as fully man was David’s son. This same account in Matthew’s Gospel tells us that He so confounded them that “No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question” {Matt. 22:46 NASB}. Jesus again bewildered His adversaries.

In God’s holy promise of the coming Savior into the world, it was imperative that the prophecies reveal both the true God and true man nature of the Holy Savior. The revelation of the coming Redeemer of man-kind—this holy truth—caused the Old Testament prophecies to declare of Him, “And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace,” as well as being the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief {Is. 9:6; Is. 53: 1-12}. 

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Sabbath Sanctuary God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 19

Day 19 Luke Chapter 19

“The whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, shouting: ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’” {vv.37-38 NASB}.

In the third chapter of Luke’s wonderous gospel, we again see people crying out to God. The ten lepers, blind Bartimaeus, cry out in anguish for mercy. Now, the crying rings of anguish have become praise for the miracles they have seen, a stark contrast from the nine who went their own way. One wonders if they were in the crowd that day.

Rejoice Zion! The prophecy is fulfilled in their very presence:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey” {Zech. 9:9}.

Advent is a season in which we look for the crèche, the babe in the manger, and rightly so. But I think that when we read about Christ’s triumphal entry, we tend to lose the seriousness of what this particular day means. This entry into Jerusalem is definitely revered on Palm Sunday, but do we understand the whole meaning of this day? What are we seeing?

We have become accustomed to the idea of divine love and of God’s coming at Christmas that we no longer feel the shiver of fear that God’s coming should arouse in us. We are indifferent to the message, taking only the pleasant and agreeable out of it and forgetting the serious aspect that the God of the world draws near to the people of our little earth and lays claim to us. {Dietrch Bonhoeffer, The Coming of Jesus in our Midst}.

Reflect and prayerfully seek God about what His coming truly means for this world. He is the Light in darkness that was foretold from ages past. He is the blessed King who comes in the name of the Lord, bringing Peace for those enduring this chaotic world—this weary world rejoices…the promised King is here. Yes, He was a babe in a manger, which is what we are celebrating in this hushed season of Advent—don’t let go of that holy hush. Let us also remember that He is our King and is coming again.

 

 

 

 

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God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 18

Day 18 Luke Chapter 18

“‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’” (vv. 38-39 NASB).

These two chapters of Luke speak volumes to the pain and suffering in the world. Two accounts of hurting and sick people crying out for the mercy of God. If He does not see their pain and intervene, they have no hope.

Bartimaeus has lived in a blind existence. His world was dark and lonely. Jesus said that while He is in the world, He is the Light of the World {Jn. 4:5}. Isaiah prophesied of the coming Child that He came to give Zion a happy future;

“Say to those with anxious heart, ‘Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy’” (Is. 35:4-5 NASB).  

Mary did you know that your baby boy would give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God…

The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the Lamb

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
That sleeping child you're holding is the Great I Am.

(Mary Did You Know? Mark Lowery, 1984)

How often have we faced trials and circumstances that have brought us to our knees and caused us to cry out with anguished desperation, “Jesus, have mercy on me!?” The darkness, the sickness; this lost, dark, evil world gives many an opportunity. I have been brought to cry out on many occasions. 

“God doesn’t miss a single sigh that escapes our lips. But historically, God’s people most often cried out in spoken words that sprang from the depths of their being. 

Remember this Advent that He came to set the captives free—giving sight to the blind and opening deaf ears to hear the Good News of His coming Kingdom and to see Him when He arrives. Keep your eyes open. He will be arriving soon. 

 

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Advent: Seeking Christ Day 21

Day 21 Luke Chapter 21

“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” {vv. 27-28}.

I love when the Old Testament meets the New. Jesus speaks of yet another fulfillment of God’s Word that He poured into His prophets concerning things to come. And Jesus, the Son of Man, stands before them as the fulfillment of the prophet Daniel’s words given by God. Jesus came to save the world and to offer salvation to those who will receive the precious gift. Those who choose to Him become citizens of the glorious, universal Kingdom of which Daniel foretold. The Jews have been harassing Jesus for a sign that He is who He says He is and He answers their demand. 

“I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him” {Daniel 7:13 NASB}.

“Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen” {Revelation 1:7 NASB}.

We must remember that though Christ came as a baby; He is a grown, real, living person; who grew in wisdom and stature before the Lord {Lk. 2:52}. Christianity is not a religion that follows a certain set of rules, but it is a real faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He came to us and now lives in us through His Spirit. He lived and died and rose again to redeem you and me. At the Second Advent, He will judge our mortal lives and the decisions we made and whether or not we lived for Him. This is a time to reflect on our lives and consider whether there is any part of our life that does not please Him. The One True God is holy and hates sin, but He loves us immensely, so much so that He sent His Son to redeem the world. Because we are living for Him His second advent need not be a terror in the night. Only those who persist in their wickedness need fear His coming. If we submit our lives to Him now, we will be accepted when He appears on that Great Day.

His message is urgent that we believers on earth be ready. The tribulation and tumult of the earth will not last forever. Just when it looks as though the anguish and despair can only worsen, Christ will be revealed in the heavens and every eye shall see Him. And the old prophet Zechariah’s words concerning His appearance will come to pass, “they will say where did you get those marks in your hands? And he will say, ‘in the house of my friends’” {see Zech. 13:6}. Then, according to the Apostle Paul, the Jewish nation will be born in a day; all Israel will be saved.

Jesus will also place His precious, nail-pierced feet on the Mount of Olives. The prophet Zechariah tells us that Christ, accompanied by His raptured saints, will enter the great city of Jerusalem. The returning saints along with those believers on earth will gather to crown Him King of kings and Lord of lords and Christ will begin His millennial and eternal reign.

Are you ready for His return? What part of you are withholding from Him that you may offer Him as a gift this Advent season? Is there room in the inn of your heart for this precious gift of the promised Redeemer?

Let’s not deceive ourselves. “Your redemption is drawing near” {Luke 21:28}, whether we know it or not, and the only question is: are we going to let it come to us too, or are we going to resist it? Are we going to join in this movement that comes down from heaven to earth or are we going to close ourselves off? Christmas is coming—whether it is with us or without us depends on each and every one of us. Such a true event happening now creates something different from the anxious, petty, depressed, feeble Christian spirit that we see again and again, and that again and again, wants to make Christianity contemptible… Advent creates people, new people. We too are supposed to become new people in advent.[1]

Graciously consider subscribing to the blog?

---

[1] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In The Manger (Westminster: John Knox Press., 2010), 40.

Advent: Seeking Christ Day 20

Day 20 Luke Chapter 20

“How is it that they say the Christ is David’s son? For David himself says in the book of Psalms,‘The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet. Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord,’ and how is He his son?’” (vv.41-44 NASB).

I love this exchange between Jesus and the religious leaders. Once again, wisdom is vindicated by all her children {Luke 7:35}. This speaks to the dual nature of Jesus, which the Jewish religious leaders never understood, though the Old Testament told them to look for these signs in the Redeemer. Jesus validates this by quoting from the verse in which the Lord gives dominion to the King. He solidifies here the inspiration of the Old Testament Scriptures.

What they did not understand is that this implies both the future existence of David’s throne and the authority of the Messiah over all that has been given Him by the Father; His spiritual authority as King over the nations.

The Sadducees were silenced once again by Jesus, who as fully God {the preexistent Christ} was David’s Lord, and as fully man was David’s son. This same account in Matthew’s Gospel tell us that He so confounded them that “No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question” {Matt. 22:46 NASB}. Jesus again bewildered His adversaries.

In God’s holy promise of the coming Savior into the world, it was imperative that the prophecies reveal both the fully God and fully man natures of the Holy Savior. The revelation of the coming Redeemer of man-kind—this holy truth—caused the Old Testament prophecies to declare of Him, “And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace,” as well as being the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief {Is. 9:6; Is. 53: 1-12}. 

Graciously consider subscribing to the blog?

Advent: Seeking Christ Day 19

Day 19 Luke Chapter 19

“The whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, shouting: ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’” {vv.37-38 NASB}.

For the third chapter succinctly in Luke’s wonderous gospel, we see again people crying out to God. The ten lepers, blind Bartimaeus, both crying out in anguish for mercy. Now the crying rings of anguish have turned into praise the miracles they have seen; a stark contrast from the nine who went their own way. One wonders if they were in the crowd that day.

Rejoice Zion! The prophecy is fulfilled in their very presence:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey” {Zech. 9:9}. 

Advent is a season in which we look for the crèche, the babe in the manger, rightly so. But I think that when we read about Christ’s triumphal entry, we tend to lose the seriousness of what this particular day means. This entry into Jerusalem is definitely revered at Palm Sunday, but do we understand the full meaning of this day; what we are seeing?

We have become accustomed to the idea of divine love and of God’s coming at Christmas that we no longer feel the shiver of fear that God’s coming should arouse in us. We are indifferent to the message, taking only the pleasant and agreeable out of it and forgetting the serious aspect that the God of the world draws near to the people of our little earth and lays claim to us. {Dietrch Bonhoeffer, The Coming of Jesus in our Midst}.

Reflect and prayerfully seek God about what His coming truly means for this world. He is the Light in darkness that was foretold from ages past. He is the blessed King who comes in the name of the Lord bringing Peace for those who are enduring this chaotic world—this weary world rejoices…the promised King is here. Yes, He was a babe in a manger which is what we are celebrating in this hushed season of Advent—don’t let go of that holy hush. Let us only remember that He is our King and is coming again.

Graciously consider subscribing to the blog?

Advent: Seeking Christ Day 18

Day 18 Luke Chapter 18

“‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’” (vv. 38-39 NASB).

These two chapters of Luke speak volumes to the pain and suffering in the world. Two accounts of hurting and sick people crying out for the mercy of God. If He does not see their pain and intervene, they have no hope.

Bartimaeus has lived in a blind existence. His world was dark and lonely. Jesus said that while He is in the world that He is the Light of the World {Jn. 4:5}. Isaiah prophesied of the coming Child that He came to give Zion a happy future;

“Say to those with anxious heart, ‘Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy’” (Is. 35:4-5 NASB).

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?

Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God…

The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect lamb?
That sleeping child you're holding is the Great I Am?

(Mary Did You Know? Mark Lowery, 1984)

 

Pentatonix: Mary Did You Know?

How many times have we been faced with trials and circumstances that have brought us to our knees and caused us to cry out with anguished desperation, “Jesus, have mercy on me!?” The darkness, the sickness, this lost, dark, evil world gives many an opportunity. I have been brought to cry out on many occasions.  

“God doesn’t miss a single sigh that escapes our lips. But historically, God’s people most often cried out in spoken words that sprang from the depths of their being! God heard their petitions…and shook their worlds” {The Power of Crying Out: When Prayer Becomes Mighty, Bill Gothard}.

Remember this Advent that this is why He came—to give us a happy future. He came to set the captives free—giving sight to the blind and opening deaf hears to hear the good news of His coming kingdom and to see Him when He arrives. Keep your eyes open, He will be arriving soon.  

Advent Seeking Christ: The Names of God

This Advent I have been going through the book of Luke (you may find the writings here) for reflection as we examine Christ’s coming, life, and ministry. I also though, cannot go through this season without reflecting on how Christ fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament {you may find here} and was not just simply a man who claimed to be the promised Messiah.

I want to reflect on the book of Isaiah which contains many prophetic utterances concerning the promised Redeemer. I also want to look at the Names which were given to Him foretelling His coming; the most wonderful event this world has ever witnessed.

This is the first post for Isaiah 9:6 and the Names bestowed on the promised Messiah. I encourage you to read the entire ninth chapter of Isaiah as we delve into the Names listed therein.

“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” {Isaiah 9:6 NASB}.

Isaiah chapter nine begins with the birth and reign of the Prince of Peace. It is a dark time; a time of gloom and despair. The land, Isaiah describes, is in deep affliction. It is a time of anguish, despair, and darkness, but God’s promise is that He will make it glorious again. For the unrighteous, it will remain dark, but for the righteous—the people of God— the despair will end for a Great Light is coming to dispel the darkness. It is into this brokenness that Isaiah delivers the promise of a child. God promises these people who have lost so much and were under the tyranny of enemy forces and governments, they will one day be comforted by the promise of a new government. A government with a leader who will lay down His life for them and care for them like no previous leader had to date. They who receive this Light will do so with joy. They will have great joy in being in God’s presence again. It is a holy joy just as Jesus experienced in Luke 10: 21.

This Light, this mighty yoke-breaker and deliverer—this child is Immanuel—God with us, the Son of God, and the Son of Man and He shall be called Wonderful Counselor. His people will know Him and worship Him by this name. This name is precious and holy. He is called wonderful because He is both fully God and fully man. 

The Targum {an ancient Aramaic paraphrase or interpretation of the Hebrew Bible}so poetically reads;

“And there was called His name from of old, Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, He who lives forever, the Messiah, in whose days peace shall increase upon us.”[1]

He is wonderful! He is the Counselor for He was intimately implicated in the counsels of God from the beginning—eternally and gives counsel to men. All the works of God are wonderful and miraculous. Jesus’ birth was wonderful in that He had a human mother but is the only begotten {unique and one of kind}of the heavenly Father.

The teaching of the Messiah was wonderful, His life and ministry captivated humanity. There has been no teacher or sage equal to Him. He was sinless which described His character which was and is and forever will be wonderful.

His death and life were truly wonderful, for He laid His life down and took it up again by His wonderful power {Jn. 10:17-19}. His first coming was wonderful and His second coming will be just as wonderful.

Isaiah 25:1 rightly brings fame to God’s name Counselor for His counsels are from old and He is faithful and true:

“O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness” {NASB}.

Ephesians 1:11 encourages us that He works all things by the counsel of His own will and that His counsels are unchangeable {Heb. 6:17} and that His counsel is far above the counsels of men. We benefit from God’s counsel through His holy Scriptures for it is the infallible rule of life which guides us to live according to His will. We see His counsel by His providence and His divine hand that upholds and sustains everything {Col. 1:16-17}. Finally, we experience His counsel by the Holy Spirit who by following Him we are called sons of God{Rom. 8:14}.

This Holy Child that was promised so long ago is also evidence for the Trinity, as He is referred to as a Child and is from old while in the same verse is called the Eternal Father. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in a holy community of three.

How wonderful and holy the Messiah is and He deserves our praise. We should stand in awe of Him and His wonderful works and for His wise counsel which guides our lives and leads us by the Spirit. Praise and glory unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or imagine, according to the power that works in us; to Him that is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, and to sustain us body, soul, and spirit; to the Almighty God, our heavenly Father, the King eternal, immortal, invisible—the only wise God—be honor and glory forever and ever {Ps. 119:116; Rom. 16:27; Eph. 3:20, Jude 24}.

“Wonderful Counselor is the name of this child. But because this child of God is God's own Wonderful Counselor, He Himself is a foundation of all wonders and all counsel. For those who recognize in Jesus the wonder of the Son of God His every word and deed becomes a wonder; they will find Him the last, deepest, most helpful counsel for all their trials and troubles. Go to the child in the manger, believe in Him the Son of God and you will find in Him wonder upon wonder, counsel upon counsel.”  ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer The Mystery of Holy Night

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[1] Text in J.F. Stenning The Targum Of Isaiah (Oxford, 1949), quoted in Edward J. Young, The Book Of Isaiah Commentary, Volume 1, (Grand Rapids: Eerdman’s Publishing Company, 1965), 332.