“His Name . . . Counsellor”

Merry Christmas folks. I hope this doesn't throw y'all off. I am going to post my Christmas sermons for the next few weeks. Don't worry I will pick up where we left off in Colossians in January. I am doing a series called "His Name," and I am looking at Isaiah's prophecy in Chapter 9 and verse 6 which I believe refers to Christ Jesus. Again I pray you have a wonderful Christmas and that you will enjoy this series.

Isa 9:6
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

In a stunning upset, the ancient boys' name Atticus has jumped to the top of the baby name popularity list for 2017. And Olivia the top girls' name for the second year in a row. Names with ties to mythology, ancient cultures and classic literature, dominate Nameberry’s popular names list. Atticus qualifies on two counts. It’s the name of a Roman literary figure as well as the first name of the hero of Harper Lee’s beloved novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird."

Names are important. They often reveal something of a person’s nature and character. This is true of the names given to Jesus by the prophet Isaiah. Nearly eight hundred years before Christ was born, Isaiah called Him “Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Over the next few weeks I would like to look closer at these names for Christ Jesus. This Sunday let's consider Christ Jesus as Counselor.

1. His name “. . . Counselor.”

Some translations link the first two names of the text together and make the verse read, “His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor.” The joining of these two titles into one name does not present a textual problem.

The Hebrew word for “counselor” isיָעַץ‎ (yaw-ats'), and it means to give counsel, to advise, to direct, or to guide. By a counselor our world fell into sin and disobedience. Satan advised Eve with deceit and lies. He questioned God’s word: And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, "You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"...The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:1, 4 – 5). So Satan, masked in the beauty, advised Eve to disobey the command of God. This was giving counsel to sin.

By an evil counselor sin came into our world and created a barrier between us and God. Isn't it fitting then that by a righteous counselor we should be restored to a right relationship with God? But restoration takes more than good advice. It is easy enough to counsel unwisely and cause mischief, however it is difficult to counsel wisely! It took a divine Counselor (God/man) to restore order to obedience, to sweep away evil, and to forgive sin.

Who could be this kind of counselor? Our Lord, Christ Jesus — ​He is the Wonderful Counselor. And He is waiting to restore your relationship with a Holy and just God. What is keeping you from a restored relationship with God today?

Christ Jesus is not only Counselor, He is the Wonderful Counselor. פֶּלֶא‎ (peh'-leh) is the Hebrew word used here for counselor and it means marvelous things.

2. Wonderful Counselor in the Past.

Before the beginning. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1-2). Before the worlds were brought into existence, Christ Jesus was Counselor with the Father. Before the worlds were fashioned, a divine council was held in the chambers of heaven. 

Why was this heavenly meeting held? Not for insufficiency of knowledge. God is omniscient; He has all wisdom and knowledge. It was not because God need a season for deliberation. People may take weeks or even months to make up their minds. But that is not so God, He does not need to take time to make up His mind. The council was not held for want of agreement. A person seeks the counsel and advice of their friends, family, or those who they respect in order to hear them say, “Yes, I think you are on the right track. Go ahead.” God does not need any kind of confirmation for His proclamations. 

Why, then, was the heavenly council held? It was to show the unity and work of the Godhead. The divine Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one. God did not say, “I will make man,” but he did say, “Let us make man.”

In creation. Christ Jesus was Counselor with the Father and Holy Spirit in matters of creation. John 1:3 says, “All things were made by him [Christ, the Incarnate Word]; and without him was not anything made that was made.”

And again in Hebrews 1:10: "YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS;”

Christ Jesus was Counselor with the Father when the mountains were weighed, when the limits were fixed for the seas, and when the sun was called forth out of the east. By sovereign counsel the stars were hung in space. All things, small and great, were determined together in heavenly counsel, and Christ Jesus was apart of it. And He wants to be here with you. Christ Jesus, who spoke all things into existence wants a personal relationship with you. Are you ready for something amazing?

3. Wonderful Counselor in the Present

In providence. One of the definitions of providence is “the protective care of God.” Christ Jesus is Counselor in matters of providence. God does not act toward the world like a man who winds a watch and then sets it aside to run down. He does not leave the world to itself. We may still sing with truth, “This is my Father’s world.” 

How strange the providences of God may seem to us! Our path often looks like the zigzag trail across a field. First it goes one way, then back again, then to the right and then to the left.

This is how the providential hand of God must have seemed to Jacob. His beloved son Joseph was taken from him and reported dead. Instead, Joseph had been sold as a slave to Potiphar in Egypt. How could this be God’s will?

Then came a great drought. The pastures dried up and the waters ran dry. Could this be God’s will? On an errand to purchase grain in Egypt, Jacob’s sons were accused of stealing and his “baby boy” Benjamin was held for ransom. Could this be of God?

What Jacob did not know was that God was preparing in Egypt a secure place for His house. There His children would grow and flourish. There they would become a great nation, and after four centuries they would be delivered to return to their homeland again. Jacob could have cried, “All things work together against me.” But the Bible says, “All things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28).

As hard as it is you need to learn to leave the mysteries of providence in the hand of your Wonderful Counselor. He will ordain for you only that which is for your good. The writer of Hebrews declares, “He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

The last book of the Bible pictures Satan as the accuser of the brethren — ​still the counselor of lies and deceit. But don't worry, Christ Jesus, your Counselor, is your intercessor. He is your Moses, so to speak; who will safely guide you through the wilderness to the Promised Land.

In grace. Zechariah says in a messianic passage, “And the counsel of peace shall be between them” (Zechariah 6:13). How would the Trinity play out humankind’s salvation? God the Father would satisfy sin by the gift of His Son. Christ Jesus would give His life as a ransom. The Holy Spirit would call and convict the hearts of people on the basis of Christ Jesus' sacrifice. 

It was agreed that salvation would be the gift of God to all who would come to Christ Jesus in repentance and faith. The cross was no accident in history. It was agreed upon by divine counsel before the worlds were brought forth. The apostle Peter wrote: “knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold ... but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, ... so that your faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter 1:18 – 21). Have you accepted this heavenly counseled grace for the saving of your soul? To you, then, Christ Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor.

In life. Is Christ Jesus your Guide? No one who ever sought His guidance did so in vain. None ever regretted following His counsel. Today in homes everywhere His living presence is felt.

What Christ Jesus was in His time on earth, He is now. Was He compassionate? Was He kind? Was He the friend of sinners? Did He love children? Was He forgiving? Was He calling the wayward home? So He is today! Come home right now.

Conclusion

Who among you feels the need of God? Who hungers after righteousness? Who desires to drink of the Living Water? Come, then, to Him of whom the prophet Isaiah said, “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor.”