Wonderful Counselor 9:2-7

Whether times are good or difficult, the birth of a child is an occasion for celebration and joy. One of the tasks new parents sometimes struggle with is coming up with the perfect name for their child. I remember that struggle. Back in the day, my wife and I bought a book of baby names hoping to find just the right name. Today, many parents Google baby names.

I did my own Google search last week and found some interesting names. I found a child whose name is Jed (middle initial) I Knight. I found man in Lake Norman, North Carolina whose name is Bud Light. There is a professor at the University of Rhode Island whose name is Dr. Joelle Rollo- Koster. In New York City, there is a lawyer of Chinese descent whose name is Sue Yoo. In Albuquerque, NM there is a dentist named Dr. Ken Hurt. Who in the world would go to Dr. Hurt for their dental care? In Fresno, there’s a man named Brock Lee. I also found an IT professional named Jurassic Park. But here was the strangest name of all. There’s a young man in Madison, Wisconsin whose name is Beezow Doo-doo Zopittybop- bop-bop.

When we look in the , names are filled with prophetic significance. For example, the name means “the father of a multitude.” The name Moses means “drew out.” The daughter of Pharaoh drew Moses out of the River when he was hidden in a basket in a patch of reeds near the shoreline. In Isaiah chapter 8, God spoke to the prophet Isaiah and told him to get a scroll – and write the name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. Not long after that, Isaiah and his wife learned they were about to have a child. God told Isaiah to give the child the name he had written on the scroll: Maher- Shalal-Hash-Baz. The name meant: “Plunder.” God said to Isaiah, “The nation of will soon be plundered and the people will be taken into exile.”

In Isaiah chapter 9, we find the prophecy of the birth of another child - but this child would be born 700 years later. This child would have several names of prophetic significance. We read in verse 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, Prince of Peace. What child is this? This child is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. According to Nave’s Topical Bible, there 2 are over 250 different names for Jesus found in the Bible. In these four weeks of Advent we’re going to look at four of those names – one for each week. These are, by no means, ordinary names. They’re names for God! Today, we’re going to consider the name Wonderful Counselor.

Let’s put this prophecy into context. When Isaiah wrote these words, the northern kingdom of Israel was about to be invaded by the Assyrian army. The last verse of chapter 8 tells us that Israel would experience distress, darkness, fearful gloom and utter darkness. God’s people would be forced into slavery and would experience unimaginable misery. In the next chapter, Isaiah shares a very different prophecy. Against the backdrop of despair, he prophecies about the coming of a glorious kingdom. Isaiah envisions the dawning of the light of salvation which will result in great joy for God’s people. God is going to liberate His people. Even more, He’ll bring about the end of war once for all.

This is good news! But it begs the question: How is God going to do this? Through the birth of a very special child. Isaiah said: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. Could there be a more surprising answer to all of the problems in this dark, fallen and corrupt world than the birth of a child? Dr. Ray Ortlund put it so well: “God’s answer to everything that has ever terrorized us is a child. The power of God is so far superior to the Assyrians and all the big shots of the world that He can defeat them by coming as a mere child. His answer to the bullies swaggering through history isn’t to become an even bigger bully. His answer is Jesus.”

What is the significance of the name Wonderful Counselor? The name wonderful in Hebrew is the word, “pele’.” In the , the word “pele’’” speaks of something magnificent – something only God can do. This word was used by Job when he said of God: He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. Had we been present when the Israelites walked through the parted waters of the Red Sea on dry land - we could have said, “That’s wonderful. Only God could do that!” Had we been standing by Joshua when he commanded the sun and the moon to stand still so he could conquer the enemies of Israel, we could have said, “That’s wonderful. Only God could do that!” Had we 3 stood on by Elijah when fire fell from heaven and consumed the altar and the 450 prophets of Baal were defeated, we could have said, “That’s wonderful. Only God could do that!” This is what Isaiah wants us to understand: The child who is coming will do things only God can do!

When we hear, see or read the word counselor we usually think of someone who is a therapist – a person who listens to the problems of people and offers understanding and guidance. The English word “counselor” comes from the Hebrew word “Yo’hetz.” The Hebrew word speaks of someone who is a strategist, not a therapist. It’s important to bear in mind that the context of Isaiah 9 is political – not therapeutic.

All wise rulers surround themselves with trusted counselors. Historians tell us that one of the reasons why Queen Elizabeth I was such a remarkable monarch was become she followed the strategic wisdom of her Privy Council – most notably William Cecil and Francis Walsingham. Cecil and Walsingham were astute, fearless and unswervingly loyal to their Queen and country. They always told Queen Elizabeth what they thought was best for the crown and for England - even if it made her angry. Queen Elizabeth often unloaded on them with her infamous temper. But when William Cecil died in 1598, Elizabeth said, “No one in Europe had a better and more devoted counselor.” Jesus Christ is the Wonderful Counselor. He has a strategy for using you and me to advance the interests of His kingdom. He sees the big picture and our tiny part in it. This means we can trust Him. We can follow Him with the confidence He’ll always lead us in the right direction.

What is it that makes Jesus a Wonderful Counselor? This is a subject we devote an entire series of messages to - but I’d like to share three things that Jesus does in our lives. Here’s the first:

1. He understands our struggles. We read these words about Jesus in Hebrews 4:15: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. What is this passage saying? Jesus knows exactly what it’s like to be you! You may be going through a problem this morning that’s extremely painful and disconcerting. Sometimes when we’re struggling with a problem a friend may say, “I 4 understand what you’re going through.” It’s a great blessing to have a caring friend – but if that person hasn’t experienced that same difficulty, those words ring hollow.

But Jesus understands. He’s been there. Have you ever been betrayed? He has. Have you ever been wrongly accused? He has. Have people ever gossiped about you? Have you ever suffered physical pain? Have you ever felt lonely? Have you ever felt abandoned? Have you ever suffered deprivation? Jesus understands. He knows exactly what you’re going through. He can relate to you. He knows your heart. He knows your every thought. Jesus not only understands - He invites us to talk with Him about our problems. Look at the next verse: Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

An author by the name of Jeffrey Eugenides wrote a Pulitzer Prize winning novel titled, The Marriage Plot. One of the characters in the book is a young man named Mitchell. Mitchell wanted to do something significant with his life, so he went on a pilgrimage to India to care for the sick and dying. Shortly after arriving, he began caring for a man who was desperately ill. When Mitchell went to check on the man early one morning, he discovered that the man had soiled his bed overnight. Mitchell was violently repulsed by the sight and the smell. He suddenly realized he couldn’t do this kind of work. There were depths of caring into which he could not and would not plunge. So, Mitchell gathered up his belongings, ran out of the home and caught a train in order to escape.

Jesus didn’t do this. We read in the prologue of John’s gospel that The Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus came from heaven to earth. In a mystery that defies our comprehension, He was fully God – and yet fully human like us. But Jesus went down further. He suffered betrayal, grief, degradation, betrayal and torture. He then died in the worst way possible. His unimaginable physical pain was accompanied by the mental anguish of being abandoned by God. There’s no darkness into which a human being can descend that Jesus hasn’t already experienced.

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Jesus knows how cruel people can be. He knows how hard life can get. We can turn to Him today – knowing that He understands our struggles. This is one reason why He’s called the Wonderful Counselor. There’s a second reason:

2. His counsel is wise and trustworthy. A good counselor is not only empathetic – they must also know how to help people. We can feel the pain of others – and yet, not have a clue about how to help them. This reminds me of the story of a man in Philadelphia who was beaten-up and robbed. As the man lay on the sidewalk unconscious and bleeding, a psychologist walked by. The psychologist rushed up to this man in dire straits and said in an indignant voice, “Whoever did this needs help!”

There’s an old saying, “Advice is only as good as the person who gives it.” There’s a lot of wisdom in that. Sometimes the only advice we heed is the advice we want to hear. I’m reminded of the story of King Ahab in 1 Kings chapter 22. When King Ahab sought counsel, he consulted only the prophets that he knew would approve of the course of action he wanted to take. In the end, their advice brought his demise when he was killed in battle at Ramoth Gilead.

There’s a remarkable story found in the synoptic gospels – the story of the transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus took Peter, James and John up to a mountaintop to pray. Jesus began to pray - but the disciples began to doze off. Luke tells us that as Jesus prayed, His appearance changed. Brilliant light emanated from every pore of His body. And then, Jesus found Himself in the company of two biblical legends – Moses and Elijah.

Luke tells us that while Jesus, Moses and Elijah were talking – the disciples woke up and saw what was happening. It must have been an incredible sight to behold! We can almost see them blinking and rubbing their eyes in amazement. At this point, Peter came up with what he thinks is an ingenious plan. He said to Jesus: Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Luke adds the parenthetical comment (He didn’t know what he was saying). Here’s another instance in Scripture where impetuous Peter gets a bad rap. 6

But who can fault him? He’s only thinking out loud about how this glorious moment can be preserved!

Luke tells us what happens next in verses 34-35: While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” Let your eyes train on the words: Listen to him. God is saying, “Stop planning, Peter! Just listen to Him – because when you listen - the voice you hear is the voice of God!”

How do we listen to Jesus? The most common way is by listening to the voice we’ve already heard in Scripture! Interestingly, Peter heard nothing about Jesus on the mountain that day that God had not already said before. These words from heaven had already been spoken at Jesus’ baptism. Jesus counsels us through His Word. He counsels us through the Holy Spirit – who (interestingly) is called the Counselor in the Word of God. Jesus speaks to us through the counsel of His people – and there are times Jesus speaks to us through circumstances that line up with His Word.

However Jesus may counsel and guide us – we can take this to the bank: He will never lead us astray. His counsel is true and reliable and will lead us into a life of blessing if we will take it to heart and do what He tells us to do. The psalmist testified: You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

There’s a third reason why Jesus is a Wonderful Counselor:

3. He cares for us. Psalm 8 is a poetic reflection of the creation account recorded in Genesis chapter 1. In this wonderful psalm, is amazed that the great and glorious God of creation would pay attention to the sinful and frail people of earth. When he compared himself with the vast scope of the universe – he asked this question in verse 4: What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? David marveled that humanity is even on God’s radar screen.

The late astronomer Carl Sagan once wrote these words, “As long as there have been humans, we have searched for our place in the cosmos. Where are we? Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a 7 humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are more galaxies than people.” Did you catch those words, “insignificant – humdrum -forgotten…” Is that what we are?

When David asks, “What is man…?” We might expect a negative answer. Creation is so big – and human beings, by comparison, are nothing. But David doesn’t say that. He’s utterly astonished that God is mindful of us! God cares for us! In his book, The Purpose-Driven Life - Pastor Rick Warren writes, “Why did God go to all the trouble of creating us? Because He loves us! We are the special object of God’s love and care!” We read these words in : I have carried you since you were born; I have taken care of you from your birth. Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when your hair has turned gray, I will take care of you. I made you and will take care of you. I will carry you and save you.

When I was in seminary, I took a course in pastoral counseling. My professor was Dr. Benton Ruth. I enjoy telling people that I studied counseling under Dr. Ruth. Some of you get that! Anyway, I remember Dr. Ruth warning us that in a counseling situation, we must not allow ourselves to get too wrapped up and emotionally involved in the problems of people. He stressed the importance of maintaining a degree of professional distance.

Jesus doesn’t maintain a degree of professional distance when it comes to dealing with our problems. He gets involved. He’s always available. He never requires an appointment. No one can listen like Jesus listens. We read these familiar words in 1 Peter 5:7: Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. God cares about our character. He cares about our spiritual growth. He cares about the pain we suffer. He cares about the things we feel anxious about. He cares about we’re going through today.

How do we know Jesus cares? His loving care for humanity was most powerfully seen when He went to the cross. When the mob came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane - He could have called “twelve legions of angels” (72,000 angels) to protect Him - but He didn’t. Jesus had the power to walk away from the interrogations of the Sanhedrin, Pilate, and 8

Herod - but He didn’t. He chose to endure ridicule and physical torture beyond our imagining. The God of all creation has one Son - and that Son died to save you and me. If that doesn’t tell us how much God cares for us - nothing ever will.

I’d like to leave you with a challenge during this first week of Advent. Spend some quiet time this week with Jesus – the wonderful Counselor. Open your heart up to Him. Tell Him what’s going on in your life. No one understands your struggles better than Jesus. He loves you and cares for you. He’ll always lead you in the right direction.

The Reader’s Digest tells the story of a woman who was driving her car late one night in the middle of winter. She was trying to make her way back to the city of Denver, Colorado when all of a sudden she drove into a terrible blizzard. The snow was coming down so hard - she could hardly see the road in front of her. She became disoriented and lost her way. She began to panic. But moments later, to her great relief, she pulled up behind a snowplow. She decided to follow closely behind it because she thought the snowplow would eventually lead her to a road she would recognize. She followed the snowplow for several minutes. Eventually, the snowplow stopped and the driver jumped out of the truck and approached her car. She cautiously rolled down the window. The driver asked, “What in the world are you doing?” She said, “I’m trying to find my way back to Denver.” He said, “You’ll never get there following me. I’m plowing a parking lot!”

Sometimes in life the way forward isn’t clear – and we feel disoriented, confused and lost. Is that you today? Rest in this promise found in Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.