For the Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us;
and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6,
NASB)
That multi-part sentence's wordiness
may make it hard for readers to understand its meaning. Possibly, those readers
might have memorized it for a pageant, speech, or choir anthem. But has each part
of this bulky verse been considered individually and as part of the whole
prophecy? To understand what a passage meant to people back then, Bible
students should examine the full text and its historical context. Only then can
they truly carry its intent into their lives and times.
To understand this passage, we will review
what we learned from verses one through five first, then consider verse six. Recall,
Isaiah, a prophet, spoke to the northern kingdom (called Israel after the split)
of the Promised Land after the split of Israel. Isaiah prophesied to them what
God told him to say. He said their adversary would overthrow Israel and would
capture them, making them slaves in a foreign land. (Assyria did this in 722BC.)
Yet God wanted the people of Israel to have hope. Consider now what Isaiah said
in verses one through six.
Isaiah prophesied to the people of Israel,
which included Jews and Gentiles from the northern border tribes of Zebulun and
Naphtali. From this, as the study titled The Dawn of the Light (Thoughts from Another Home ©: The Dawn of the Light)
showed, we understand God’s promise is for all people, Jews and Gentiles. God
wants all people to listen to Him and heed what He plans to do and give.
God, through Isaiah, said He would
send a great light to the people, to the ones who live in a dark land. He would
give them hope. God gave a continual hope, not a stagnant hope.
In verse three, God also stated He
would multiply the nation—geography and numbers of His children. (Thoughts from Another Home ©: Gift of Joy)
He said He would increase the people’s joy. With these promises, the people
captured by Assyria held onto hope because the promises came from the
ever-faithful God. He Himself would supply their light, increase their nation,
and increase the people’s joy. The people of Israel they were not be alone,
they realized. They still had a champion.
When God gives, especially when He gives
joy, a natural reaction occurs—rejoicing. Isaiah the people would rejoice, like
when they divided the booty from a battle victory and like when they harvested
their crops. The joy God put into them would cause praising, worshipping, and feasting.
Rejoicing generally includes more than one person; it does not containable in a
person. Joy bubbles, then bursts forth from a person as rejoicing. Like when a
person laughs, other people cannot help but laugh, too. Likewise, when one
person rejoiced, people would join in rejoicing. Rejoicing is a communal
reaction to God’s goodness and blessings. The person whom God blesses, as well
as the community around that person, benefit from God’s blessings. Meals are
shared. Praise bursts forth among them. Dancing and singing occur. Joy is uncontainable.
Isaiah continued prophesying to the
people of Israel in verse four by telling what else God would do. Remember,
these actions of God prophesied by Isaiah would give hope to the people then
and while in captivity. They would help the people realize God had not forgiven
them. These actions by God would give joy and cause a communal response of
praise, worship, and celebration. Now, God said through Isaiah that He would
break the yoke, the rod, and the staff of their oppressor, Assyria. (Thoughts from Another Home ©: Freedom from Oppression)
The people’s captivity by another government, the cruelty of slave masters, and
the burdens of work and of the heart would not last forever. God would rescue
them like He did when He caused the defeat of the Midianites, a regular pest of
the Hebrew people.
Continuing to use the battle
metaphor, God said through Isaiah He would end wars and battles. They would not
need armor and battle clothing. God would make the implements of war fuel for
His eternal fire. (Thoughts from Another Home ©: Gift of Peace)
He would defeat the Assyrians Himself. The Medes and Babylonians defeated them
in 625BC and fulfilled that part of the prophecy.
God gave the people of Israel hope
by saying He would give Jews and Gentiles hope, light, joy, and peace and would
multiply their people. He did not say this would happen once. God is faithful
to His promises. Prior to their captivity, the people heard the prophecy. They
remembered it during their captivity. The people recognized the metaphors and
understood this prophecy foretold the future defeat of their enemies and that
the light contrasted with the persistent darkness (evil) in the world. Aligned
with other prophecies, this one spoke of God’s evil defeat of darkness where He
rules supreme and peace reigns. The people may have hope before the captivity,
during it, and hold on to it forever because God does not change, and their
adversary would continue until the prophesied Messiah arrived.
With this hope and the reminder in
verses one through five of the Messianic prophecies, Isaiah spoke eternal words
of hope that would end all fear. He said, “For a Child will be born to us, a
Son will be given to us” (vs. 6a). Other Old Testament writers wrote about the
Messiah in Psalm 2, 89:26,110:1, 2 Samuel 7:13-14, Proverbs 30:4, and 1 Chronicles
17:13-14. The Old Testament contains numerous Messiah references, including
these few. God gave the people of Israel an eternal that included the past,
present, near future, and eternal future.
Isaiah referred to the Messiah when he
prophesied of the “Child” and “Son” to be born and given by Yahweh God to every
person. God said through Isaiah that this Son—the Messiah—would be the government,
the ultimate leader. Leaders of the people of Israel and other types of leaders
amongst those they encountered included emperors, kings, governors, soldiers, advisors,
priests, town elders, and tribal leaders. Recall these leaders subjugated them,
impoverished them, beat them, etc. They harmed the people in heart, mind, body,
and spirit. What sort of leader would this “Child” and “Son” be?
Isaiah prophesied “the government
will be on His shoulders.” Though fathoming a child carrying the burden of ruling
any group is hard, he did not intend a literal interpretation of this sentence.
Notice, the “Child” is a “Son.” The young child ages, like all people. Consider
God’s divine purpose for this “Son.” He foretold “the government would be on
His shoulders.” This meant the “Son” would bear burdens on his shoulders, like people
and beasts carry heavy-weighted items. This phrase symbolizes strength and
support. It carries the connotation of being a leader and carrying responsibilities.
The “Son” would carry burdensome weight, literally and metaphorically.
By using the words “the government,”
Isaiah meant the “Son” foretold would rule by God’s divine appointment. For
people of the time, particularly Jews, it meant the “Son” would be a king. He
would bring justice and peace among the people. The “Son” will lead people. This
leader, the Jews thought, meant He would be a warrior leading them to defeat
their enemies or a king who would grow their nation into an international
symbol of superiority. People saw leadership in Jesus as a twelve-year-old boy
who remained at the temple and astonished the educated men with His
understanding. They saw it during Jesus’ three-year ministry.
Despite being captives, the people
of Israel held onto hope as they believed in God's ongoing control over
everything. He would punish their captors for battling God’s people. Israel's
people, both Jews and Gentiles, past and present, can hold on to hope for the
arrival of the Messiah, who will rule the world with supremacy. This “Son”
would be their King ruling in righteousness, bringing justice and peace. Compare
that with the current leaders of the Zebulun and Naphtali tribes and of the
entire northern and southern kingdoms. Those leaders ruled selfishly. They
dominated their people. Those rulers sought their own good first. They did not
lead the people to seek and to worship God.
The “Son” in Isaiah 9:6 is the
foretold Messiah. As such, this prophecy states the Messiah will reign supreme
with righteousness. He will bring peace and justice. The Messiah literally will
bear the burden by carrying the cross to Calvary and figuratively by lightening
the burden of God’s people. God’s people would carry a lighter burden because
peace and righteousness would reign and be how the people lived. Revelation 21:4
records the future time of the Messiah’s reign.
He will wipe away every tear
from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be
any mourning or crying or pain; the first things have passed away. (NASB)
What sort of government would this “Son”
bring? How would He rule? The people of Israel may have wondered if He would match
King David’s stature. The prophecies foretold the Messiah would sit on the
throne of David eternally. Isaiah used four descriptors in this prophecy to
tell the people about this “Child” and “Son.” He prophesied in verse six,
saying, “And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal
Father, Prince of Peace.” These descriptors spark hope within in a person. They
sound grand and powerful. What did God mean by them?
“Wonderful Counselor” speaks of
advisors. Counselors are educated men. Today, international, national, military,
community, and religious leaders, et al. have advisors. They are cabinet
members, parliament, congress, and specialists in areas the leaders are not. From
these advisors, leaders gather information to help them make better decisions about
what they consider doing, what occurred, and what transpires in the present. Though
many possibilities exist about which leaders need to be aware, advisors
educated in various facets of life can help him or her make the best decision to
reach the intended goal.
The prophesied “Wonderful Counselor”
would be extraordinary and a marvel to see and hear. He would understand things
beyond human comprehension, things only God knows. This “Counselor” would inspire
awe and reverence for God. What He said and did would represent God’s power and
presence manifested. Because of this “Wonderful Counselor,” God would deliver
His children.
This “Counselor” would show God’s active
involvement in the world. He impacts humanity's past, present and future. The “Counselor”
and Messiah would transcend all understandings or imaginings. This wise
"Wonderful Counselor," possessing complete knowledge and power, needs
no guidance to fulfill his plans. Comparing the “Wonderful Counselor” with
Israel’s much lauded King Solomon, the Messiah would be absolutely correct and
need no advisor. Solomon, renowned as the wisest ruler of all, failed and paled
when compared to the Messiah. The Messiah, not Solomon, is the standard toward
which human counselors/advisors, and all people, should strive.
God’s “Son,” the Messiah, would be
the Wonderful Counselor. He would need no advisor. The Messiah would be
marvelous and awesome in deed and word. No one could surpass Him. For this, people
would clamor to follow Him and be in His presence and kingdom.
The “Child” and “Son” would be the
inerrant, “Counselor” and “Mighty God.” What He intends could and would be done
by Him. Nothing could stop Him. Humans described as mighty in Bible times were
heroes, like Saul, Gideon, and David. People held them in high regard. The “Child”
and “Son” would need no advisor to make the best decision. The Messiah would be
courageous and moral, unlike the Israelite heroes, such as Saul, Gideon, and David.
This hero — “Child” and “Son” — would
not be only in human form. He would be God, El. El described the
true, mighty, and powerful One with the people of the Old Testament. For the
Hebrews, El was Yahweh, the eternal One who exists past, present, and
future. He is the pre-existent One who was before creation. He created
everything from nothing. The “Child” and “Son,” about which Isaiah prophesied
in verse six, would be almighty and ever-present (omnipresent). He is mightier
than anything or anybody. He is eternal, with nothing before or after Him.
This “Child” and “Son” would be
mighty and supreme God with, for, and in them. The Jews called Him the Messiah,
the anointed One. He is the chosen One God sent to rectify the relationship rupture
between God and humanity because people’s sins. Only God could be the “Wonderful
Counselor and Mighty God.” God added to these descriptors of the “Child” and “Son.”
He called Him “Everlasting Father.”
The "Everlasting Father,"
referenced in Isaiah's prophecy of the "Child" and "Son,"
signifies God's eternal nature. He is the One who made covenants—promises—with
the Hebrews. The Hebrews did not keep their side of the Mosaic covenant with
God. Yet God faithfully fulfilled His side. He is faithful; God is true to
Himself and His promises. What He promises will occur. Because these people
greatly relied on God’s promises, hearing this prophecy about the “Child” and “Son,”
the Messiah, would give them hope God remembered them and would fulfill His
promises.
The last descriptor Isaiah used for
this “Child” and “Son” is “Prince of Peace.” A prince is a ruler, though
fallible, prone to selfishness and self-aggrandizing, like humanity often does.
The “Prince” Isaiah prophesied about would be a ruler, not a tyrant, enslaver, or
selfish and fallible leader. He would be a champion for His people, promises,
and kingdom. This “Prince” would not be an errant human. This just and
righteous leader would bring peace, justice, and righteousness to the world.
The peace this “Prince” would bring
would not only keep their borders firm. It would bring more than physical
peace. This “Prince’s” peace would be complete and without end. With the total
welfare of each person in mind, God’s peace would give heart, mind, spirit,
body, and soul peace. No uncertainties challenged its mental assurance. No sin
could remove it from the soul and spirit. No trauma could remove it from the
heart, mind, and spirit. And when His kingdom comes, nothing could constrain the
whole and total peace to the body. What El, “Mighty God” gives, nothing
can take from His children or kingdom. The “Prince of Peace,” the Messiah from
God the Father, would give complete welfare in all things. None of His children
will lack anything and peace will reign because of this “Prince of Peace.”
This “Prince of Peace,” “Everlasting
Father,” “Mighty God,” and “Wonderful Counselor” has more significance than
what they appear to mean. Consider these adjectives describing the prophesied “Child”
and “Son” to come. He is the Light in verse two. This “Son” will multiply the
nation with the salvation He gives, which brings complete peace. This “Child” will
bring increasing and everlasting joy. This “Son” will unite Jews and Gentiles
as children of God. This “Son” is the “Mighty God” who breaks the yoke, staff,
and rod of the oppressor. This “Child” will be unlike the aggressor, conqueror,
slavedriver, insatiable, and fallible humanity called Assyria. The “Child” will
be the omniscient Counselor, omnipotent God and King, eternal and omnipresent
Father, and Peace-giving Prince.
God’s prophecy to the people of
Israel is not a history lesson. Like the Israelites who were familiar with God
and held onto His eternal promises, God’s promises apply to our lives today.
The final part of His Messianic covenant written and sealed by Jesus’ death and
resurrection has not yet occurred. Jesus is yet to return to earth for the
second time to distinguish believers from non-believers. He tarries so no one
will die forever separated from Him.
God wants an eternal and right
relationship with each person. He loves each of us that much (John 3:16). Because
humanity broke the Mosaic covenant sealed between God and them, God created an
eternal covenant with humanity that requires just His action to fulfill it. He
began fulfilling it by sending His Son, Jesus the Messiah, to be born in human
form. Jesus will fulfill (consummate) the covenant at His second coming. People
do nothing to receive this covenant except believe Jesus is the Son of God who
died for their sins. This Messianic covenant is a one-sided covenant; humanity
does not have to fulfill a side because they are incapable, since they are
sinful. God gave the covenant and fulfilled and consummates it at Jesus’ second
coming. God gives each person the choice to decide if they want to be part of
this covenant. Paul wrote about this covenant in Romans 10:9-10.
If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in
your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the
heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he
confesses, resulting in salvation. (NASB)
Don’t be confined by weak wisdom, limited
leaders, helpless
heroes, and paltry peace.
Jesus
is the
Wonderful
Counselor,
Mighty
God,
Eternal
Father, and
Prince of Peace.
Believe
in Him and you will have surety, safety, hope, and peace now and forever with
Him in His kingdom.
