The Wonderful Names of Jesus- Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God
Notes
Transcript
For to us a child is born. Today in the world approx. 350k children will be born. Of these children very few if any will have anything to do with you or me. These children will be born into or adopted into a singular family. Of all the people who have been born through the ages only a few people will have a relationship with these children who are born today. That is because they will not be born to us but rather to someone else.
In the 9th chapter of the book of Isaiah during a very difficult time in the lives of God’s people. A time when they were beginning to be overtaken by the Assyrian army, to help bring about hope to a nation that desperately needed it, Isaiah prophesied or foretold of a time when a child would be born. But not just any child, This child unlike the 350k children who will be born today, this child would be born for us.
Isaiah 9:6 a says…
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.
Isaiahs speaks of a time when a child will be born not just for one family but for all families. For to us a child is born. For the people in Isaiah’s day, for you and me and the whole world a child is born.
This child who was to be born would be born for us and to us. He would be born with us in mind. He would be born for our benefit and blessing.
This child who was to be born for us was in fact born over 2000 years ago in a town called Bethlehem.
This child who was to be born to us is a child that many people around the world are currently celebrating during this holiday season. They are celebrating him because he was born for us to save us. John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Although it is very important that we do not miss the fact that this child was born to us, over the next couple weeks we are going to focus on the names that were given to this child in the second half of this prophecy in verse six. Isaiah 9:6
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.
This child who was to be born to us has many names. I haven't taken the time to count them all but it is said that there are over 200 names given to this child in the Bible. Before we get to the names in verse 6 it is important to note that Isaiah prophesied that his name would be Immanuel, Isaiah 7:14. In Matthew 1:20-21 an angel told Joseph that his name would be Jesus.
But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
In our text for this morning Isaiah tells us four different names by which this child would be called.
These four names sum up for us the character and perfection of this child who was to be born.
This morning I want to take a closer look at just the first two names that our mentioned in verse 6.
Let’s first look at the second name mentioned in this text. Mighty God. This name given to this child who was to be born to us is one of the most powerful names and prophecies because this name testifies plainly and clearly that this promised child would, in fact, be God Himself born in human flesh. This child that is born, the son that is given, is to be called "Mighty God.
What does that mean? Well it means that this child that was born in Bethlehem some 2000 years ago was in fact God. He was and is equal with God his father.
This morning very briefly I want to answer the question “Is this child that was born in fact God Almighty.
To answer this question we must first understand that this prophesy of a child being born was in fact Jesus Christ.
Speaking about this same child, Isaiah prophesied that his name would be Immanuel, Isaiah 7:14. In Matthew 1:20-23 we see this prophecy coming true when an angel told Joseph that the son that was to be born to his soon to be wife, Mary, would in fact be called Immanuel.
But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
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).
Not only does Matthew inform us that this child prophesied in Isaiah was Jesus but he also shows us that he is God because his name Immanuel means God with us.
So first we see that Jesus is God because his name means God with us.
But secondly we understand that he is God because Jesus makes it very clear that he is God all throughout his ministry.
In fact this is the very reason why the Jewish leaders wanted him killed. In John 5:18 is says...
This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
Not only does Jesus claim to be God but he claims the same name of God in the OT. In Exodus 3 while speaking to Moses at the burning Bush God tells Moses that his name is I am. Moses says to God, when the people ask me what is the name of the one who spoke to you what shall I tell them. God responded in verse 14 by saying tell them that my name is I am. Exodus 3:14
God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”
In the OT the name of God is I am and then in the NT in John 8:58 Jesus says that before Abraham was, I am. In other words before Abrahams born I was ruling as the I am. The same I am that spoke to Moses at the burning bush.
This statement by Jesus and the words recorded in John chapter one teach us that God of the OT and Jesus of the NT are one and the same.
Thus far we have see That Isaiah, Matthew and Jesus himself has revealed to us that Jesus is in fact God Almighty, but let me share with you one more example.
After Jesus rose from the dead he met with some of is disciples. Thomas who was one of the twelve was not present during this first meeting.
After hearing from the others that Jesus was alive he told them that he would not believe until he himself was able to see his hands and touch his side.
Eight days later Thomas got his wish and after seeing Jesus listen to his response John 20:28
Thomas at this moment in his life understood who Jesus was. Jesus was and is God. He is God Almighty.
Although Jesus and others made the claim that he is God for some that’s not enough.
You see It’s one thing for Jesus to to say that he is God but its another thing if he can prove that he is God.
Let me quickly give you three ways in which Jesus proves to the world that He is God Almighty.
Jesus is God because he is eternal. You see we already know that God is eternal because he created everything in the beginning. Genesis 1:1.
But notice what John says about Jesus in. John 1:1-2.
The Word was in the beginning with God and the word created everything in the beginning. Then if you look at verse 14 we see that the Word that was in the beginning there fore is eternal is in fact Jesus. John 1:14.
So first Jesus proves that he is God because he is eternal. Secondly we see that Jesus is God because he is all knowing.
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