Today’s weather report from heaven: Sunny and bright with an abundance of light, and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Scripture: “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.”- Isaiah 9:6
Insight: The Pastor of the local church my family and I attend inspired me to write a few days about the various names that the Bible uses to announce who Jesus is to a watching and weary world. Yesterday we looked at one the Pastor had mentioned that Pharisees and Jewish leaders had used to refer to Jesus in a derogatory name, as a “Friend of Sinners,” but which God used as the greatest sign of hope to those of us who are aware of their sinfulness and hence their need for a Savior. What a great name filled with the essential hope we as Christians carry with us. Today, we will consider some names that the Prophet Isaiah spoke about Jesus some 700 years before His incarnation came to pass. In Isaiah 9:6 he refers to Jesus as a “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.” Boy, are those four names that carry some weight. Each name speaks to a slightly different characteristic of who Jesus is in both his humanity and his deity. He was a Wonderful Counselor because he had wisdom above all else, and he was willing to sit and listen and interact with anyone who wished to spend time with him. He was a man who was fully accessible, even though he was fully God. He was and is a Mighty God because there is nothing that is impossible for Him. He alone can move the Mountains, heal the sick, bring sight to the blind, speech to the mute and hearing to the deaf. He is an Everlasting Father because His Kingdom knows no end. Colossians 1:17 says “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Finally, He is the Prince of Peace, because His love, mercy and grace were the weapons he used to attract people to Him. He was not a man of violence and He didn’t use weapons or military tactics to advance His Kingdom. He taught forgiveness, not revenge and He said “blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God,” in Matthew 5:9 Jesus is indeed worthy of all of these names, and they still are only a fraction of the names the Bible uses to describe him. Tomorrow we will continue our look at some others.
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for all the myriad of characteristics you had that were meant to draw us closer to your Eternal Kingdom. You are worthy of all of our praise. It is in your name we pray. Amen!
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