The True Gift of Christmas (Part 2)

In the last blog, I wrote about the familiar prophecy from Isaiah 9 concerning the coming of the Messiah.

The Lord spoke of at least five things through the prophet Isaiah. I mentioned the first three previously:

1. HE SPOKE OF SOMETHING PERSONAL
2. HE SPOKE OF SOMETHING PROVISIONAL
3. HE SPOKE OF SOMETHING PROPHETIC

In this blog I’ll cover the final two:

    4. HE SPOKE OF SOMETHING POSITIONAL

“… his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

Some 700 years before the Savior would come, those anticipating His arrival were able to learn something of His relationship to man and His position in the cosmos before He even arrived.

Notice the attributes Isaiah said the coming Messiah would have.

“… his name shall be called Wonderful”

Wonderful comes from a word in Hebrew that means an “extraordinary, hard to understand thing,” and can also be used to describe “God’s acts of judgment and redemption.”

Christ’s life and ministry would certainly qualify to be called wonderful.

Every component of His life was marked by something extraordinary.

In His birth, God became a man.

In His life, God lived among men.

In His death, God died for men.

In His resurrection, God defeated death for men.

At His ascension, the apostles were told that just as they had seen Him go, He would return for man.

To consider all that He has already done, and the promises yet to be fulfilled, and to know that it was and is all for us as fallen man should fill our hearts with awe and wonder. How fitting then to call Him Wonderful.

“… his name shall be called … Counsellor”

Counsellor comes from a word in Hebrew that means “to advise, consult, give counsel, devise, plan.”

As believers, it should be Jesus to whom we look for guidance in our daily lives.

Unlike human counselors, who are good and necessary at times, yet fallen, Jesus will never lead us wrong.

He can relate to us in our times of difficulty: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

His counsel is free: “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Isaiah 55:1).

No appointment is necessary: “… I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:20). “… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

His counsel will always be perfect and true: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth …” (John 16:13). “The law of the LORD [is] perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD [is] sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD [are] right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD [is] pure, enlightening the eyes.” (Psalm 19:7-8).

Navigating the often rough waters of earthly life would be terribly difficult without a guide. Many are attempting to do so, and it’s no wonder they are walking in darkness.

But praise God the believer has a Counsellor in Jesus who will walk with us and guide us each step of the way.

“… his name shall be called … The mighty God”

A simple understanding of our sin nature would cause one to conclude that we needed a mighty Savior to deliver us from the penalty we deserve.

That deliverance was accomplished through the mighty God – Jesus Christ.

His might delivers us from being dominated by sin: “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. ...For sin shall not have dominion over you” (Romans 6:12, 14).

His might delivers us from the fear of death: “O death, where [is] thy sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

His might delivers us from being held captive to the grave: “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay” (Matthew 28:5-6).

“But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:20-21).

His might secures for us eternity: “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28).

Some scholars have suggested the word mighty in the title “mighty God” could be used to describe a soldier or even a hero.

How fitting to think of our Lord fighting a battle we could not fight, gaining a victory we could not win, to secure for us a salvation we do not deserve. He is a hero indeed. What a mighty God we serve.

“… his name shall be called … The everlasting Father”

The two Hebrew words behind this title intimate that Jesus is the eternal source of all things.

That may be what Paul had in mind when he wrote:

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist (Colossians 1:16-17).

Perhaps the writer of Hebrews had something similar in mind when He said God:

Hath in these last days spoken unto us by [his] Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:2-3).

It's both humbling and awe-inspiring to consider that our universe, our very existence, consists by Him and is upheld by the word of His power.

“… his name shall be called … The Prince of Peace”

How those in the Southern Kingdom at that time welcomed the news of One who would bring peace to their land.

They were plagued with terrible leaders, suffering from perpetual rebellion, and if Isaiah’s words were correct, they had some dark days ahead.

For those who would trust in the coming of this Messiah, they could finally attain the peace they so desperately needed.

In like manner today, those who are desperate and searching for peace will only find that need met in the person of Jesus Christ, The Prince of Peace.

John Calvin masterfully summarized the preciousness of these titles to the Christian who would but stop to consider the great help they are to us:

“Whenever, in short, it appears to us that everything is in a ruinous condition, let us recall to our remembrance that Christ is called Wonderful, because he has inconceivable methods of assisting us, and because his power is far beyond what we are able to conceive. When we need counsel, let us remember that he is the Counselor. When we need strength, let us remember that he is Mighty and Strong. When new terrors spring up suddenly every instant, and when many deaths threaten us from various quarters, let us rely on that eternity of which he is with good reason called the Father, and by the same comfort let us learn to soothe all temporal distresses. When we are inwardly tossed by various tempests, and when Satan attempts to disturb our consciences, let us remember that Christ is The Prince of Peace, and that it is easy for him quickly to allay all our uneasy feelings. Thus will these titles confirm us more and more in the faith of Christ, and fortify us against Satan and against hell itself.”

    5. HE SPOKE OF SOMETHING PERFORMATIVE

“… The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:7).

With the backdrop of impending gloom and darkness, the people of the Southern Kingdom may well have thought, “This all sounds too good to be true.”

They likely feared that such a man would be prevented from ever bringing them such peace.

Maybe they looked inward and feared that in themselves they would never be able to produce such a man that could bring about all these promises they desperately needed.

I think the Lord provided those words at the end of Isaiah’s prophecy to allay any such fears.

“Don’t worry,” the Lord seems to say. “I know you can’t do this. But I can. And I will.”

Praise God our salvation is not dependent on what we as fallen man could do.

Our salvation rests on the finished work of what Christ has done.

Christmas is now behind us, but the gift of a Messiah who has come, and is coming again, is a gift that should fill our hearts with joy and comfort every day.