Advent Series 2025

The Herald of Hope

Isaiah 9:1–7 “Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan— The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”

This is the beginning of ADVENT, taking us to the Fourth Advent Sunday, December 21, 2025 and to Christmas Eve when it ends to make way for Christmas Day!

It is a time to reflect on the prophecies of a Saviour and to prepare your heart to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas - Jesus who brings hope, peace, joy and love!. 

“The Nativity of Christ.—He has come upon earth, He Who in the beginning created us from earth and breathed His Divine breath into us; He has come Who “giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25) ~ John of Kronstadt

We were reminded recently in a sermon of the role of a Herald.

A medieval herald was an official messenger for a monarch or nobleman, often carrying messages between princes or sovereign powers.

Of course a Herald would deliver whatever message was given - it could be BAD NEWS of an impending war and a call to arms; or an increase in taxes or the warning of an impending plague BUT it could also be GOOD NEWS of a great celebration or even a Royal visit and a time to prepare for the coming of a King!

Isaiah 9:1-7 is the announcement of GOOD NEWS - the Heralding of the coming of a Royal King who is going to change the fortunes of the nations, indeed the whole world! It is an announcement of HOPE!

CONTEXT:

In Isaiah chapter 7, King Ahaz of the Southern Kingdom of Judah was greatly distressed because, “King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.” To try and discourage Jerusalem, “the house of David was told, “Aram has allied itself with Ephraim”; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.”

In response to these political alliances against Judah, God sent Isaiah to Ahaz to assure him that the plot against him would come to nothing - “Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood—because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. 5 Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have plotted your ruin, saying, 6 “Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.” 7 Yet this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “ ‘It will not take place, it will not happen.”(Isaiah 7:4-7).

Indeed Ahaz was told that God would in fact bring an end to this alliance and within 65 years the Northern Kingdom, in spite of its Aramean(Syrian) alliance, would be 'broken' - This happened, In 732 BC when Assyrian forces conquered Syria, sacking Damascus and despoiling the Northern Kingdom. Severely weakened by the loss of its ally, Samaria fell to the Assyrians in 722 BC and GLOOM, DISTRESS and DARKNESS came over the land (so Isaiah 9:1-2). A system of deportations took place with the cream of Israelite society being replaced by non-Israelites completed by 669 BC at the beginning of Ashurbanipal's reign (c/f 2 Ki 15v29;17v24ff;Ezra 4v2,10).

At this point Ahaz is offered a choice, a way of escape. He can trust the Lord and stand firm in his faith but he is also warned! - “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.’ ”(Isaiah 7:9).

To bolster his weakening faith, God further offered him a sign - “Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, “Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”

Nothing is beyond limits or out of the question. He could have asked for anything. He was not to limit himself in any way, anything extraordinary or miraculous could be requested(c/f Is 7:11). BUT TRAGICALLY, Ahaz was faithless, “But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test.” (Isaiah 7:9-11).

Now, one could argue that at this point Ahaz is simply following the teaching of Scripture which says “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”(Deut 6:16). Except we know from Scripture that he had already made up his mind to rely on Assyria (c/f 2 Ki 16:5-9) to come and save him from Samaria and Aram - “Ahaz sent messengers to say to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, “I am your servant and vassal. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram and of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.” And Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the temple of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria complied by attacking Damascus and capturing it. He deported its inhabitants to Kir and put Rezin to death.”

So, although he feigned great piety, and since he would not ask, God himself would give a sign, a sign which would have great implications for the entire nation of Judah and its future - “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. He will eat curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right. But before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.”

That sign as Matthew states it has an immediate fulfilment in Ahaz’ day but its true fulfilment was in Jesus - The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Isaiah 8 ends with a prediction of the coming desolation upon Israel. 'Distress...darkness and fearful gloom' shall be the lot of those who rebel against God and put their trust in men or superstition. Chapter 9 opens with the promise of better days to come.

These words of Isaiah brought a glimmer of hope to difficult and gloomy days (v1).

Why 'Galilee of the Gentiles'? covering the tribal regions, 'the land of Zebulun' (bordering Naphtali, midway between the sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean - Josh 19v10-16,32,39) and 'the land of Naphtali' (Adjoining the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, extending northwards).

It would appear that Isaiah wishes to draw attention to the ethnic mixture of its populace. Solomon ceded this area to Hiram (1 Ki 9v11) because of the failure of Naphtali and Zebulun to oust the original Canaanites from that area and this helps us to understand something of the unsatisfactory character of the region in the mind of pious Jews. Certainly the phrase suits Isaiah's purpose of sharing the universal implications of Messiah's mission.

But also because the desolation and destruction would come from he North, Upper Galilee, the first to be destroyed by the army of Tiglath-pileser of Assyria who had destroyed the armies of Syria and Ephraim in 734-32 B.C. would be the first to have their desolation turned to joy - 'The first part of Israel to succumb would be the first to see the glory"(Kidner).

So, this looks forward to a day when those in 'darkness' would see 'a great light'(v2).

I. There is Hope - The Gloom will Lift! (Isa 9:1-2).

Things are going to change for the better and in chapter 9:1-7, I want you to notice that all the activity is on God's side:

(i). 'He humbled' BUT 'He will honour'(v1).

(ii). The people are in 'darkness' because of their rebellion against God BUT they shall see 'a great light' only because of the grace and mercy of God (v2).

(iii). God desolated the nation BUT He shall 'enlarge' it (v3).

(iv). God by His judgment brought great 'distress' upon the nation BUT He shall 'increase' its 'joy'(v3).

(v). Just as God acted in the Exodus to deliver from bondage and through Gideon's handful of men to shatter Midian(particularly for the sake of Asher, Naphtali and Zebulun - Judg 6v35) the oppressor of Israel so He will act again to shatter all Israel's oppressors and to lift the burden of their slavery (v4,5 c/f Dt 13v6).

(vi). And all shall come about because of the gift of a 'child'(v6 see 7v14).

Salvation is always of God - in its initiative; its application and its intention. He is a God who saves, “not by might, nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord of Hosts”!

Because of God. There is Hope! It’s as Isaiah says in chapter 810, “Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us.” So, because God is with us the Ruins of the Past will be Reversed! (Isaiah 9:3-7).

They can therefore looked forward to a day:

when the people once 'humbled' will be honoured(v1).

when those in 'darkness' would see 'a great light'(v2).

when the people once in great 'distress' shall know great 'joy' and prosperity(v3).

when desolate places like upper Galilee would have their desolation turned to joyous prosperity.

when great deliverance would take place and the burden of slavery would be lifted. with the The people once under the yoke of the oppressor being emancipated(v4).

when the soldier's military hardware would be fuel for the fire (v5,6).

when the people who once knew 'fightings and fears' shall live in a never-ending Kingdom of peace, justice and righteousness(6,7).

We are being told here that God is the great deliverer of His people!

The Scripture says, “blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord”(Psalm 33:12). At the end of the Second World War in Europe our then King George VI wrote in his diary (May 8, 1945): "We look back with thankfulness to God that our tribulation is over". Parliament decreed that its Members should: "attend at the Church of St Margaret's to give humble and reverent thanks to Almighty God for our deliverance".

And it is not just a nation that should look back in thankfulness for God’s deliverance but also we as individual as well - Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God. (Isa 50:10) - John of the Cross said: “Live in faith and hope, though it be in darkness, for in this darkness God protects the soul. Cast your care upon God for you are His and He will not forget you. Do not think that He is leaving you alone, for that would be to wrong Him.”

THERE IS HOPE! The battle belongs to the Lord and Victory is certain because God 'Almighty' has purposed it “the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish it”(v7).

THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE! As, Sir Wilfred Grenfell, medical missionary in Labrador, found himself adrift on an ice flow, headed out to sea. He mercifully killed his dogs, made a coat out of their hides, put up a distress flag, and lay down and slept. Later he said, "There was nothing to fear. I had done all I could, the rest lay in God's hands."

It is vital to have hope when life is enshrouded with “darkness”

Those who lived through the war-years may have experienced such uncertainty when invasion and occupation loomed large! THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAT UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE FUTURE! What will I do if what I dread occurs? How will I cope? What will come of my husband? Wife? Children? How will we survive?'

And when overshadowed with 'The Shadow of death' people have every reason to fear. The elderly particularly so but even among the young : tempted to think that it will not come near them - "Death goes dogging everywhere" (W.E. Henley. 1849-1903) - Illness strikes - some dreaded disease. Violence robs lives away! Accidents happen.

Death is but a hairs-breath away. Its shadow looms large over all our homes : "Anyone can stop a man's life, but no one his death; a thousand doors open on to it" (Seneca 4 BC).

BUT THERE IS HOPE! THE GLOOM WILL LIFT when the Child to be born and the Son to be given arrives. At His coming, a 'great light' promised will shone into the darkness and utterly transform the situation.

JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD! (John 8:12) He came preaching 'repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is near' (c/f Mtt 4v12-17) is the light that shines in the darkness and He offers to all who follow Him thath they shall “not walk in darkness, but have the light of life"(Jn 8v12).

Zechariah the father of the John the Baptist greeted his child as the forerunner of the Messiah who would be like: 'the rising sun...from Heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death'(Lk 1v78,79).

And Simeon greeted His coming with the words: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel"(Lk 2v29-32).

And this 'darkness' envisaged is not only that of military conflict and economic chaos, it is also spiritual blindness because mankind who do not know God are in 'darkness':

"The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God"(2 Cor 4v4).

Christ comes with His gospel to invade our darkness and to bring in light: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you"(Eph 4v14).

We need His light for Light is good. It makes 'everything visible'(Eph 4v14). It brings heat and life. It causes growth and reveals beauty and in the spiritual realm, once the darkness is removed men become 'light in the Lord'(Eph 4v8) and the effect of this is, as Paul puts it 'the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth' in short anything 'which pleases the Lord'(Eph 4v9,10).

THERE IS HOPE! THE GLOOM WILL LIFT, when a person makes up his mind to please the Lord his life takes on a new dimension of joy and peace.

Problems will not lessen but by the Lord's enablement they shall be lightened: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light"(Mtt 11v28-30).

II. There is Hope - A Saviour Has Come! (Isaiah 9:6-7).

THERE IS HOPE! THE GLOOM WILL LIFT and it will lift because A SAVIOUR WILL COME says Isiah and thanks be to God, according to Matthew, A SAVIOUR HAS COME - Matthew 1:21–23 “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.””

Isaiah, this Herald of Hope to Judah and John the Baptist, the Herald of Hope to the nations tell is that the son that is to be born and the child to be given, is a unique person, with four names! He is telling us here that this child had been given to us to provide us with everything we need!

However, if you place yourself in Isaiah’s position or the position of his hearers for a moment then you would be somewhat surprised even disappointed to find that this great deliverer who would bring light and liberty is a 'child', not a mature hero.

BUT look again this is no ordinary child! This child, occupying a unique position of great dignity, will be the means by which 'the Lord of hosts' will perform this great deliverance. He is 'a son', expressing His maleness. He is to be 'born' as from human parentage BUT he is to be 'given' as a gift from God. Hence we have in this child with four names the fulfilment of Isaiah 7v14. This child is the Immanuel-child, born of a virgin, given as the Lord's 'sign' to Judah!

He is “called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

This child has 4 names

He is given 4 names because it is impossible to cover the unique dignity of this deliverer by a single name.

He is also given four names because each convey some aspect of the amazing, manifold blessings which He brings.

“There are two hundred and fifty-six names given in the Bible for the Lord Jesus Christ, and I suppose this was because He was infinitely beyond all that any one name could express”. (Billy Sunday, in a sermon, "Wonderful”).

Success is guaranteed because “For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government will be on His shoulders, and His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9v6).

Let us consider His names for a while. Jesus is...

(i). 'Wonderful Counsellor':

When people are in difficulties and threatened they need wise advice and more than ever, in this modern world

Counselling is big business today whether it comes from a Psychiatrist; Minister or people like the celebrity doctors; relationship counsellors or even people like Mystic Meg or Oprah Winfrey!

There is of course nothing wrong with seeking advice and counselling when we have a particular need in our life but it is important to go to one well-qualified to give it. BUT in the same way when it comes to our eternal well-being we must go to Jesus who alone is qualified to secure our souls for eternity!

BUT JESUS IS THE COUNSELLOR PAR-EXCELLENCE!

The word 'wonderful' is often used to convey the idea of 'supernatural'(c/f Jdg 13v18 'Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful'). 'The Lord Almighty...wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom' (Is 28v29).

Jesus is a “wonderful counselor”, the one who shows us the Father and lead us to the truth about ourselves and about life.  

The Scripture says of Him - Isaiah 11:2, “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.”

His words are true and they are life! Whoever hears His word and believes in Him who sent Him has “eternal life.” And as part of that deposit He has given us of His Holy Spirit who is our Counsellor, revealing God’s wonderful plan and purpose for us as we seek to follow Jesus.

When it comes to our eternal well-being we must go to Jesus who alone is qualified to secure our souls for eternity!

He UNDERSTANDS & CARES for us in our struggles – When you go through a difficult time and you really believe that no one understood what you were going through, Jesus knows!

Whether it is a personal conflict or temptation or deepest sorrow, Jesus knows! – Heb 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.”. 1

1Peter 5:18 “Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you”!

(ii). 'Mighty God'.

When people are going through darkness they feel they have no power to deliver themselves. This is when they need a deliverer strong enough to get them through it!

The 'child' to be 'born' is called 'God' (c/f Isa 10:21) - He is 'Immanuel'(God 'el' with us). He is MIGHTY GOD - literally He is 'God-hero', the 'strong One'. 'He has nothing less than the full omnipotence of God at His command' (Leupold).

Jesus is the God-man(c/f Jn 1v1,14). He has the power to carry out all that His wonderful plan requires and to accomplish all that His wonderful plan intended because He has the strength to do it!

When Ahaz chose to trust in Assyria rather than God he made a decision that broke him and his kingdom by as Alex Motyer reminds us here - The decisions of a king make or break a kingdom and a kingdom designed to be everlasting demands a wisdom like that of everlasting God"(Motyer).

Little wonder Isaiah says: “When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. “(Isa 8:19-20)

In terms of appliction to us and LINKING THESE TWO NAMES TOGETHER we are being told here that- In Jesus you have a 'Wonderful Counsellor' which means everything is planned and purposed for you and because He is 'mighty God' His plan cannot fail(c/f Is 53 with Lk 1:68-79).

Not only does Christ plan our salvation, He has the power to accomplish it.

As God, He secures our redemption and becomes the Saviour of all who believe in Him.

He can do this because He is God. No mere man can save us. We cannot trust in man (Jer 17v5 'cursed is the man who trusts in man').

He is “mighty God” – your “mighty God” so as Isaiah 8:17 shows, the wise king should say, “I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in him.” rather than trusting in an eartly king who lacks both perfect knowledge and almighty power!

Advent is about 'Immanuel, God with us', to save us from our sins! If you have trusted Jesus and are resting in Him then realize afresh that

He is your “mighty God” so why not rest in His strong hands – “underneath and roundabout are the everlasting arms”

He is the Mighty God so let us worship and serve Him and make time to adore Him and honour Him this Christmas.   

(iii). 'Everlasting Father'.

You will notice the strong paradox here in that the 'child' to be born and the 'son' to be 'given' is from 'everlasting': "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times"(Mic 5:2). Jesus is from 'everlasting' and is to 'everlasting'. He has no beginning and no end: "I am the Alpha and the Omega...who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty"(Rev 1v8).

Another paradox is that this'child' is also an 'Everlasting Father'. “Those who are the recipients of His blessing will find in Him an intimate companion, a "loving, paternal concern...for those who have been committed to His charge"(Leupold): "As a Father pities His children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him"(Ps 103:13).

When people are delivered by a strong ally they need reassurance that their ally will not one day turn on them or tire of them That his favour towards them will last. So it is with Jesus. He is “everlasting father” His love for us does not fail!

And in Jesus we have the promise of the presence of our “Everlasting father” - As a Good Father He is with us always :

He provides the comfort we need in times of heartbreak

He provides the clothing, food, and support we need

He provides opportunities for us to make a real difference in life

He provides people who will stand alongside us and teach us

He answers our prayers and provides healing for our diseases

He opens our minds to spiritual truth

He gives us strength when we feel we can't go on

For Christians Christmas is not just a celebration of Saviour who came in the past, it is worshipping the Saviour who lives in the present.

Unlike Christmas, Jesus doesn't stop on the stroke of midnight of the 25th. The One who came and dwelt in a stable, now dwells in our hearts by His Spirit and is our constant companion - 'Surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age'(Mtt 28v20):

(iv). 'Prince of Peace'.

Christ came to the world on a peace mission: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favour rests"(Lk 2v14). He came to make "peace through the blood of His cross"(Col 1v20). "Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"(Rom 5v1).

Some of you may know that Mark Twain wrote a classic work called 'The Prince and the Pauper' where he tells a story about Tom Canty, born in a poor home in London and Prince Edward born in a palace. These boys looked alike and when Tom was older he went to the palace to see the King and managed to get admission to the palace where he met Prince Edward. To find out how the other half lived they agreed to exchange clothes. Unfortunately for the prince, the guards mistook him for Tom and he is thrown out of the palace. He is mocked and beaten and has to live as a fugitive on the earth while Tom is treated in princely style and finds himself heir to the throne. Soon Tom is called to the King's presence and protests: 'I am but a poor boy from the poorest part of the city. My name is Tom Canty. Your son is somewhere else in this fair city!". The King in turn looks at Tom and says 'My dear son..'!

The lesson we may draw from this is that Jesus, the 'Prince of peace' came into this world and exchanged His royal 'clothes' for that of a 'paupers'. - The Apostle Paul says that Jesus came "in the likeness of sinful flesh"(Rom 8:4); "being found in appearence as a man, He humbled Himself"(Phil 2:8).

'For our sakes He became poor that we through His poverty might become rich. The Prince became a pauper so that pauper's might become princes: "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him"(2 Cor 5v21).

He came to exchange His life so that sinners might be saved - "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"(1 Tim 1v15)! He took our filthy sinful rags and exchanged them for His spotless garment. He left heaven and came to earth so that when we leave earth we might go to Heaven!

Those who look to and trust in the crucified Christ have 'peace with God'. They become part of God's family and are under the rule of the resurrected Christ as 'Prince'!

The people whom He rules are men of 'peace' - peacemakers and the era that He introduces is an era of peace, because He is 'Prince of Peace' and His Kingdom is one “of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”(Rom 14:17).

The concept of a 'peaceful' Christmas still exists even in an increasingly secular world.

People make efforts to reconcile family squabbles because 'its Christmas' but what Christ offers us here is ETERNAL PEACE!

Christ is 'the Prince of peace'. Do you have His peace in your heart? Are you at peace with Him? Is your conscience at 'peace'? It can be. All your sins can be forgiven. You can know Christ and be at peace with Him. Make peace this Christmas:

"Hail the Heaven born Prince of Peace,

Hail the sun of righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings,

Risen with healing in His wings.

Mild he lays His glory by,

Born that men no more may die,

Born to raise the sons of earth,

Born to give them second birth.

Hark! the herald angels sing

Glory to the new-born King!"

(C. Wesley).

APPLICATION:

In closing let us heed the words of that great Reformer John Calvin: “Now to apply this for our own instruction, whenever..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 Counsellor. 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". - John Calvin.

“And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace".

A 'Wonderful Counsellor' to guide and direct our lives in the way they should be lived.

A 'Mighty God' to secure for us the deliverance from darkness that we need.

An 'everlasting Father' to assure us of God's paternal love for us forever.

'Prince of Peace' to quiet our hearts and give us rest in the knowledge that our 'darkness' has been dispelled and we are now safe and secure in God's love.

“When you have nothing left but God, then you become aware that God is enough.” (Maude Royden).