“6 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, and Prince of Peace. 7 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.”
Table of Contents
news that changed the world forever
The words ‘for to us a child is born,’ ignite countless memories of Christmas time listening to my grandma recite the Christmas story from Luke chapter 2 and using her little stone manger scene to paint the picture of what it might have been like on that night in Bethlehem. I always remember my grandma ending that tradition with a sweet presentation of the good news of the Gospel.
Isaiah, in verse 6 and 7, was doing the same thing to Israel. Israel had been under judgment from God and God used Isaiah in these verses to bring a glimpse of hope; some good news within a prophecy that would change the world forever.
These two verses are about the same baby my grandma shared about every Christmas of my childhood, Jesus. Isaiah’s prophecy describes the child with names directly alluding to the attributes and characteristics of Jesus that are so real to us today. Jesus is Wonderful Counselor that leads you into wisdom and discernment. Jesus is Mighty God whose dominion holds power over the enemy and your problems. Jesus is Everlasting Father that protects and loves you because you matter to Him. Jesus is Prince of Peace who will bring a calm to the storm in your life with his righteous and faithful nature.
a hope that carries us through
Isaiah was used to bring hope to the people of Israel through this prophecy; a hope that, according to verse 7, will last ‘from that time on and forever.’ Forever includes today. The hope we have in Christ is one that can carry you through the loneliness of a new school, the bad news that might arise in your family, the sin that tries to bind you up. These things don’t have to define you when our hope is in the Son that was given to die for you and for me to live in freedom forever.
pray
“God, Thank you that you sent your son to be born among us to serve us and to die for us. Lord, may your nature as a counselor, as mighty, as Father, and as a Prince of Peace become real to us. Even right now God, I pray and ask that you help me to see you as these things. From that place God, may I rest in the hope that doesn’t disappoint. Thank you God for your faithfulness to us. I love you and I thank you for loving me first. Amen.”
– Ladd Morgan