Wonderful Counselor

INTRODUCTION

We may look around the world this morning and find that this is a very tumultuous time.

Some say that we are on the brink of World War III with the conflicts carrying on in Eastern Europe and the Middle East

We have a labor shortage in the country that is impacting business in all sorts of ways

Inflation is an issue impacting the wallets of Americans all across the country

Morally, things are a mess.

Many people struggle to define what a man is or what a woman is.

Human abortion numbers are up considerably in 2024, as compared to 2022 and 2023.

Drug addiction rates are increasing year over year

And of course, that isn’t even taking into account what is happening in our individual lives. Plenty here this morning are facing difficult realities and challenges:

Financially

Physically

Mentally

Some of you approach this holiday season filled with the dread of grief because this time of year reminds you of someone that you miss dearly.

Some of you are unsure and feel anxiety about what 2025 might bring to your house. Your family. Your job.

If you can identify with any of this, I want to tell you that the Scriptures have hope to offer you in our Isaiah 9 series.

Maybe you would scoff at the idea and think, “What could the Bible have to say to me today? What does a passage of Scripture written almost 3,000 years ago have to say about my world?”

Well, a ton actually.

I think by the end of this morning, you will find that your world and Isaiah’s world have a lot more in common than you think.

Let me read the passage for us:

TEXT—these are the very words of God.

Isaiah 9:1–7 ESV

But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. 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. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

ROAD-MAP FOR THE MORNING AND SERIES

During the month of December, we will spend our time in the first seven verses of Isaiah.

I want to encourage you to read these verses multiple times a week throughout this month. Work it into your daily Bible reading time.

Throughout the month, we will be looking at the four titles given to the Messiah by Isaiah:

Wonderful Counselor

Mighty God

Everlasting Father

Prince of Peace

And then on the last Sunday of the year, we will spend some time talking about the nature of the Messiah’s Kingdom.

So this morning, we will be spend our time considering how the Messiah is Wonderful Counselor.

But before we get there, I want to spend some time putting you in the mid-700’s BC.

I want us to understand the events that are swirling around Isaiah as he utters this prophecy about a coming Ruler for the people of God.

So that is our roadmap this morning:

We are going to journey back 2700 years to consider what was happening in the world of Isaiah 9.

We are going to examine the first title given to the Messiah in Isaiah 9:6.

And then we will close with three points of application, which will be:

1. The Wonderful Counselor listens to us.

2. The Wonderful Counselor guides us.

3. The Wonderful Counselor dwells in us.

THE WORLD OF ISAIAH 9

But we begin this morning with the world of Isaiah 9.

There are some basic things we should know about Isaiah’s time.

First of all, Isaiah lived in a time in which the kingdom of Israel was divided.

From 1050 BC to around 930 BC, all of the 12 tribes of Israel were united under one king.

This was the case during Saul, David and Solomon’s reigns.

However, the kingdom became divided over the issue of taxes and two separate kingdoms came out of it:

There were the 10 tribes in the North, who had Samaria as their capital. This was Israel.

There were 2 tribes in the South, with Jerusalem as the capital. This was Judah.

Secondly, Isaiah’s ministry stretched across the reign of four different kings Judah.

Isaiah 1:1 ESV

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Thirdly, Isaiah 7-12 are known as the Book of Immanuel and they are dealing with a particular time during the reign of King Ahaz.

This is the time period we are hanging out in during this series.

So—I want you to imagine that you live in Jerusalem around 735 BC.

You have three political powers that are a threat to the existence of your nation. You feel like a mouse in a house that is trapped and sure to die.

First of all, there are two rats that are hunting you and attacking you.

Israel—the Northern Kingdom

Syria

Pekah is the king of Israel

Rezin is the King of Syria or Aram

Secondly, there is a giant cat that is an imminent threat.

His name is Assyria.

Assyria is a brutal kingdom that seems to be ever-expanding, gobbling up smaller nations—pillaging and plundering the best the nations have to offer and leaving a trail of dead in their wake

Rezin and Pekah came to your king-- Ahaz, the King of Judah, and they asked for an alliance to be formed. Three nations together against Assyria.

Two rats and a mouse vs the cat.

But Ahaz said no. He rejected the alliance.

This angered the two rats.

And this has results in the rats attacking the mouse.

Isaiah 7:1 ESV

In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it.

They planned dethrone Ahaz and install their own king in Judah—one who would align with their interests.

This has put your nation in a tough spot. And yet, you are not alone.

God is still watching over Judah. Yahweh has not forgotten His people.

The word on the street is that God has sent the prophet Isaiah to your King and he has told him that the Lord will provide a sign that God will protect Judah.

He promises that a child will be born from a maiden.

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Before this child can decide right and wrong for himself, the Lord will see to it that the two rats of Israel and Syria are seen off.

His name means “God With Us,” because God has not abandoned Judah.

One chapter later, we find out more about this child.

He shall also go by the name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, and he will actually be the son of Isaiah.

Isaiah 8:3–4 ESV

And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, “Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz; for before the boy knows how to cry ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”

Before Isaiah’s boy utters his first words—before he says Mama or Dada, the rats of Israel and Aram will be defeated.

But here is the problem—Ahaz rejected the sign from the Lord and instead of trusting in God, he turned to the cat in the house and said, “Please kill these rats for me.”

Judah turned to the bully on the block, Assyria, and they put their trust in them.

Assyria—eager to expand their empire and get access to lucrative trade routes—were all too happy to come and squash Israel and Syria, and that is just what they did.

But here is the problem with cats—they don’t just eat rats—they eat mice too.

It was only a matter of time before the bully would turn its attention to Judah and that is exactly what happened.

So then, as we get to Isaiah 9, here is the problem that we have:

First of all, Judah’s king has proved himself to be wicked.

He made molten images for worship

He worshiped the gods of Damascus

Shut the temple doors

Put out the lamps and stopped the offerings of incense and sacrifice

He trusted in Assyria instead of God

And secondly, as a result of his foolish alliance with Assyria, Judah now is up to their neck in the floodwaters of Assyria’s threat.

They are in danger of drowning in Assyria’s violence, just like their northern neighbors

So THAT is the situation as we enter into Isaiah 9.

It is the early 730’s BC.

Syria has been overthrown

Damascus has been destroyed

Assyria has come into Northern Israel, along the Jordan

The cat is now staring at the mouse who asked for its help

The mouse stands between them and Egypt

What happened to Israel seems destined to happen to Judah

Isaiah’s prophecy has revealed:

Superstitions (2:6)

Materialism (2:7; 5:8-9)

Idolatry (2:8, 20)

Arrogance (2:12-17; 5:15)

Lack of godly leadership (3:1-4)

Social Disintegration (3:5-6, 12-14)

Sensuality (3:16-26)

Alcoholism (5:11-13, 22)

Political uncertainty

Syncretistic religion:

Israelite religion had been mixed up with pagan practices from Canaanites, Assyrians and Egyptians

Children were sacrificed to Molech, the god of the Ammonites

Even King Ahaz participated in this disgusting business

All of these things—from Ahaz rejecting the sign, to the rampant immorality and idolatry in Judah, the people are under God’s discipline.

Understanding these things, suddenly we realize that God’s Word has very much to do with our world in Isaiah 9.

We might even say that we could look at it like something of a mirror, for in it, we see a reflection of much of our own society.

And as you imagine the fear of the people living in Jerusalem, maybe you identify with them because of the fear you feel in our modern age.

We do not have the floodwaters of the violent Assyrians breathing down our necks, but we certainly live in the midst of plenty of uncertainty and instability.

We certainly live in an age where moral decay is all around us.

When we hear that Isaiah’s world was filled with idolatry, arrogance, a lack of godly leaders, obsession sexual passions and desires and alcoholism, we don’t have to work hard to connect dots to our own time.

DARKNESS GIVES WAY TO LIGHT (v. 1-5)

But as we turn to Isaiah 9:1, suddenly, there is a great hope that is offered.

Against the bleak backdrop of the end of Isaiah 8, the Lord says that there will be “no gloom for her who was in anguish.”

Zebulun and Naptali, the two northernmost tribes of Israel, had been laid to waste by the Assyrian army.

People had been taken from their homes and forced to live as Exiles hundreds of miles away in places like Nineveh.

The Assyrians had coveted this territory in northern Israel because it was the main trade route from Mesopotamia to Egypt and it was filled with rich farmland.

And yet, this place of desolation in the year late 700’s BC will become a glorious place.

This is because Galilee of the nations will be the place where the Messiah begins His ministry.

Luke 4:14–15 ESV

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

This is the place where the Messiah did His first public miracle.

After John records Him turning water into wine at the wedding, he says:

John 2:11 ESV

This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

When Jesus moves from Galilee to Capernaum, Matthew actually quotes this passage and says that Isaiah 9:1-2 is fulfilled:

Matthew 4:14–16 ESV

so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”

The people had been in darkness, but through the Messiah a great light had come upon them.

And through this Messiah, the nation will be multiplied (v. 3).

It’s joy will increase as if it is harvest time or the time of victory after a war (v. 3).

The yoke and burden and rod of every enemy of God will be broken, as the Midianites were broken by Gideon and his army of 300 in Judges 7 (v. 4).

The fire of God’s judgment will eat up every boot that trampled upon His people and every garment stained with their blood (v. 5).

In the midst of the looming threat of a brutal opponent—the bully on the block; the cat in the house—and in the midst of total moral failure, God breathes out hope of victory and restoration to His people.

He promises them light and peace.

And v. 6 tell us how this will come about:

Isaiah 9:6 ESV

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.

THE CHILD THAT IS BORN (v. 6)

With our New Testaments in our hands, we know who this Child is.

He is the One who would grow up, coming out of Nazareth, teaching and performing miracles and fulfilling prophecies.

It is Jesus.

It must be him.

We can no longer be talking a son that would come from Isaiah’s family.

This child is clearly not just human, but divine.

Isaiah’s son is not an everlasting father. Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz could never be described as “Mighty God.”

And knowing this, we can actually go back to Isaiah 7 and suddenly understand that the prophecy there wasn’t just about a boy that would come from Isaiah’s wife.

When Isaiah says, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive,” the Hebrew word for virgin is alma.

This word translates just as comfortably to maiden.

Isaiah’s wife was the maiden that gave birth to Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, but Isaiah’s Lord was born by the virgin Mary.

And as Matthew wrote his account of Jesus’ birth and what the angel of the Lord said to Joseph about Mary having a child conceived in her that is from the Holy Spirit, he says this:

Matthew 1:22–23 ESV

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

This is how Isaiah would often prophesy.

His prophecies would have both near and far fulfillments.

The near fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14 was his own son being born.

The far fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14 was the Messiah being born.

Think of it like scaling a mountain.

You might climb a mountain and think that it has nothing behind it because in the moment the mountain all you can see.

But once you get to the top, you see another mountain range in the distance.

You knew there was a mountain near that you are climbing, but you didn’t realize there was another one on the horizon until you got a different perspective.

From Matthew’s perspective, as a disciple of Christ who saw and heard Jesus’ ministry with his own eyes, he is able to tell us that Isaiah 7:14 wasn’t just about Isaiah’s son—it was about God’s Son.

And this Child is the great hope for God’s people.

He is the great hope for anyone who is tired of being beaten down by the oppression of their own sin that eats at their conscience.

He is the great hope for anyone who wants victory over Satan and the grave.

But how can all this hope be wrapped up in this one Child?

Well we find out by examining the four names that He is given in Isaiah 9:6.

For the rest of our time today, we will focus on the first one—Wonderful Counselor.

WONDERFUL COUNSELOR

When we say that Jesus the Messiah is a Wonderful Counselor, we are essential saying, He is a wonder of a Counselor.

And this word—wonder—is meant to draw our attention back to God’s miraculous and powerful works that He has performed in front of Israel.

For example, after God led His people out of Egypt and Pharaoh and his army were defeated, Moses sang:

Exodus 15:11 ESV

“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

The Psalms are also filled with this sort of description of God’s works. Here is an example in Psalm 139:

Psalm 139:14 ESV

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

The repeated emphasis of Scripture is that the works of God are wonderful.

They are awe-inspiring.

As the people of God, when we read our Bibles and look back over what He has done, our souls should be stirred and excited with wonder, knowing that we know this same God.

His awesome deeds reveal His awesome character and it should leave us in wonder.

And of course, the greatest of these wonders if that He should love us and send His Son to die for us and save us from the wrath we deserve for all of our sinning.

The wonder of all wonders is to us a child is born, that is destined to die for our lowly, lost souls:

And that is the wonder of all wonders, that God loves the lowly.… God is not ashamed of the lowliness of human beings. God marches right in.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

But what this Messianic title does is connect the wonder of God’s works to the counsel of God’s Word.

Isaiah says it this way later in his prophecy:

Isaiah 28:29 ESV

This also comes from the Lord of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.

This shows us that it is not just God’s works that are wonderful, but His words.

His instruction is incredible.

His mandates are magnificent.

His guidance is grand.

The Counsel of Christ is wonderful and should fill us with wonder.

It is unlike what we would receive from any mere man.

As the Messiah, He is the God-Man.

He has two distinct natures in one Person

He is by nature fully God.

He is by nature fully man.

No one else can make this claim.

And since we know that is true, no one else has wonderful, awe-inspiring counsel like the Lord Jesus Christ.

Understanding these things—here is what we can then expect from Christ in our own times of darkness...

Here is what we can expect from Christ as our Wonderful Counselor during our seasons of internal gloom and external threats...

He will listen to us.

He will guide us.

And through His Spirit, He will dwell in us.

And so for the rest of our time, I want to briefly touch on each of these aspects and then we will be finished for the day.

HE LISTENS TO US

So let’s start with this first aspect:

1. The Wonderful Counselor listens to us.

If you go to a counselor to talk out some issues you have in your life, one of the very first expectations you would have is that they would listen to you.

We should expect nothing less from Christ the Messiah.

He listens to us. He hears us.

Before the death of Christ, God’s people were represented by priests to God.

The priest would intercede with God on behalf of the people.

They would come and offer sacrifices for the people and themselves.

They would come and pray to God for the people of Israel.

But now, Christ has come and lived, died and resurrected as our Great High Priest.

He offered His body up once and for all for the people of God.

He offered no sacrifice for Himself, because He is sinless.

But He laid down His own life and paid for our sins with the blood of His veins.

And we know that His priestly sacrifice was accepted fully by God the Father, because God raised His Son from the dead.

And now, His Son has ascended to Heaven and is seated at the right hand of God.

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

So here is what this means—anyone who looks at the crucified, resurrected, ascended Jesus with eyes of faith, has access to the throne of God in prayer.

If you agree with God that the sins you have committed, which were laid on the Messiah at the Cross, are evil and you turn away from them and you turn to Christ in faith, you will be forgiven.

You will have eternal life.

And you will have the ear of the Wonderful Counselor.

And if you have His ear, you have God’s ear.

So whatever is on your heart...

Whatever is causing you sorrow...

Whatever you are thankful for...

Whatever you are concerned about...

You have a Wonderful Counselor who is ready to hear your prayers.

In fact, He suffered and died so that He could hear your requests and take them to God.

He died on the altar of Calvary to give you access to the altar of Heaven.

Draw near with confidence to the Wonderful Counselor.

HE GUIDES US

Now with that said, if we go back to our analogy, you don’t just go to a counselor to be heard.

You want some sort of response.

If you go and pay your co-pay to a counselor and they listen to you for 45 minutes and then they say, “Hey—all that is great. Thanks for coming,” and send you on your way, you would probably find a new counselor.

We expect counselors to guide.

2. The Wonderful Counselor guides us.

We need guidance when we feel like we are in the dark.

Much like the land of Zebulun and Naphtali were in the darkness, we often feel like circumstances have thrust us into darkness.

Death brings darkness.

It steals those we love.

It leaves us reeling in grief.

Broken relationships bring darkness.

They leave us confused--

Wondering how we got to the point that we are no longer communicating with those we once were so close with.

Financial woes bring darkness.

It is a hard thing to not know where the next paycheck is coming from.

It is terrifying to stare down bills that you don’t have the money to pay.

And we could go on right—there are a myriad of things that show up unexpectedly on the timeline of our lives and cast us into dark valleys.

But this is where we are reminded of what Isaiah said in verse 2— “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light...”

That prophecy came true when the Light of the World was born in Bethlehem.

It was fulfilled when the light of the star led the wise men to find a much greater and brighter light in the house of Joseph and Mary.

In John 8, Mary’s son and Joseph’s step-son is grown-up—is teaching in the temple.

Here is what Jesus says:

John 8:12 ESV

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In saying this, Jesus is proclaiming Himself to be the very light that is prophesied about in Isaiah 9.

He is saying He is the light of Isaiah 42:6

Isaiah 42:6 ESV

“I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,

And of Isaiah 49:6

Isaiah 49:6 ESV

he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

He is declaring that He is like the Sun, rising to bring light to men and women from every nation.

And any of them who reject the night and choose to walk in the Sun, will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.

Whoever will be His disciple will have living light. Spiritual light.

And though this light can be compared to the sun, ultimately it is superior to the sun.

The light of the sun is dependent on your placement.

For half of a day, the sun is hidden from us due to the rotation of the earth.

But it is not this way with the Light of the world.

The light that Christ gives to His disciples is with us always.

The spiritual light that Christ gives is independent of time or place, is not affected by sickness or death, burns on forever and cannot be quenched. The one who has it shall feel light within their world to come; will have light shining around them, guiding them in their journey through life.

JC Ryle

And so if you are a Christian this morning, be encouraged.

The same light that guided you out of sin and death and removed the oppression of the those enemies from you, will guide you in all things.

In your grief. In your sorrow. In your worry. In your mental health battle.

In your chemotherapy. In your job search. In your deepest concerns.

The light of life is yours, because the Light of the World has dawned.

HE DWELLS IN US

So the Wonderful Counselor hears us. He guides us.

And now, our final point this morning:

3. The Wonderful Counselor dwells in us.

Before we wrap up today, we cannot disregard the Trinitarian aspect of this Messianic title.

Listen to how Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit in John 14:26.

Christian Standard Bible (Chapter 14)

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

John 14:26, CSB

Jesus goes on to tell His disciples that the Counselor is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father and He testifies about Christ. (15:26)

The Counselor will come to them after Jesus ascends to heaven (16:7)

He will convict the world about sin, righteousness and judgment (16:8)

He will guide them into all truth (16:13)

He will glorify Jesus by taking what is Jesus’ and declaring it to the disciples of Jesus (16:14)

Now to be clear, we believe in one God in three Persons.

One What and three Who’s.

But listen to how Paul talks in Romans 8:9-10

Romans 8:9–10 ESV

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

One thing we can glean from what Paul is saying is this:

Christ dwells in us through the Spirit.

The Messiah dwells in us through the Spirit of Christ.

Paul takes this idea of “the Spirit of Christ belonging” to us and equates it to Christ being in you.

If you have the Spirit of Christ in you, you have Christ in you.

It is similar to John 14 when Philip asks to see the Father and Jesus says:

John 14:9 ESV

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Jesus and the Father are One.

If you have seen Him, you have see the Father.

And in the same way, Jesus and the Spirit are One.

If you have the Spirit in you, you have the Son in you.

And so this is my final encouragement for you this morning.

Not only does the Son hear you from heaven.

Not only does He give you light from outside of yourself.

Through the Spirit, the Son dwells in you.

In the Counselor, you have the Wonderful Counselor, shedding light on your heart from within.

He is reminding your weak memory of His Word.

He is recalling to you the lessons you have learned from sermons.

He is convicting you of wrong and compelling you to do what is right.

And He is constantly reminding you that you are not alone.

Immanuel has been born.

The Light has come.

The day has been won.

And the Wonderful Counselor is with you always.