Wonderful Counselor

Isaiah 9:6 ESV

6 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.

Intro

This scripture is a promise that comes to a people who are in Assyrian captivity. They are at a point that seems so hopeless. Isaiah prophecies to this people the coming of a king that will deliver them from this captivity. As he is prophesying he is telling them the “names” of this king. The declaration of his names is a description of his rule. Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. It is interesting that this prophecy comes to a people that won’t actually be around for his actual arrival. I believe that this is because the ruling of Jesus, Carrying all of those names, is not just for the people then, but for the people of today.

We may not be stuck in the captivity of some foreign nation, however, we do find ourselves in need of a ruler that can deliver us from sin, and our own foolishness.

Wonderful Counselor

I don’t know about you but I do not have all the answers or always know what to do. I have found many times that I am in need of a counselor. I find myself facing situations that require a level of wisdom that is not of this world. Worldly wisdom only ever leads to destruction or at the very least, is incomplete in its ability to lead me in the right direction. Thankfully, the first name in Isaiah 9:6 is “Wonderful Counselor”. In the Hebrew the word for wonderful also means “miracle”. This speaks to the level of greatness that is the wisdom of God. His wisdom is so great that it is classified as a miracle.

We spend a lot of time looking for God to move with supernatural power. I wonder how many times we don’t see results because it’s not the “power” that is needed. Perhaps we don’t always need supernatural power to come thru for us, maybe more often than we realize we need supernatural wisdom so that we don’t need supernatural power as much. If we walked in Godly wisdom we might not find ourself in trouble as often.

Accessing this wisdom

We access the wisdom of God through the Spirit of God

1 Corinthians 2:6–13 ESV

6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

We cannot access the wisdom of God through human understanding and human wisdom. We see in verse 6 that Paul states that this wisdom is not like the wisdom of this age. He even goes on to say that the wisdom of this age will pass away. The way people think and understand things always is shifting and affected by culture, technology and new findings. However, the wisdom of God is timeless and can’t be limited by the methods of human understanding and wisdom 1 Corinthians 2:9 “9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—”. It is not a wisdom that can be understood by the normal methods of understanding. We typically understand things based what on what we hear, see, and can imagine in our minds. But when it comes to the thing of God, what he has to offer is so far beyond our ability to comprehend with normal methods that we simply can’t understand it. Not without the Holy spirit.

The wisdom that is from God is only understood by the Spirit of God. If we are to have access to his wisdom, it starts by being connected to his Spirit.

The Significance of Wonderful Counselor

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible Chapter 2

It is the great privilege of Christians, that they have the mind of Christ revealed to them by his Spirit. They experience his sanctifying power in their hearts, and bring forth good fruits in their lives.

James 3:17 ESV

17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

In other words the wisdom that God gives us will never lead us to destruction. God’s wisdom will produce good fruit for us. It is a wisdom worth pursuing. It is wonderful counsel that we get. God will never lead us astray or to anything that opposes his character. When we walk in God’s wisdom, we walk in righteousness. A good way to tell if the wisdom is from God, is to compare it to the scriptures. If it contradicts then it can't be God.

Isaiah 55:9 ESV

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God’s wisdom far exceeds any idea or thought that we could ever have. Our best idea is no comparison to God’s idea. 1 Corinthians 1:25 “25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

God’s wisdom is the perfect divine judgement and insight arising from his infinite knowledge and this wisdom is something he shares with his creation according to their need and for their good.