Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God

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

A person’s name can tell you a lot about them, but their nicknames can tell you even more. Cause with nicknames there’s often a story, some reason why they received that nickname. Let's look at two of the nicknames Isaiah 9:6 gives to Jesus, and let's see what they reveal to us about the baby in the manger.

‌The first title Isaiah gives this baby is “Wonderful Counselor.” Most kings had counselors or wise men whose job it was to give the king sound advice. But Isaiah tells us that the Messiah will be a king who won’t need any counselors because He will be the wisest counselor of all. Isaiah says that the people will call Him “Wonderful Counselor” because they will gladly listen to and heed His counsel. [John A. Martin, “Isaiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1053.]

I can’t help but wonder though, how true is that in your life? Colossians 2:3 says that “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ.” No one teaches or gives wise counsel like Jesus! But do you receive His counsel? Do you listen to His advice? Or have you gone your own way? Live your life according to Jesus' wise counsel and you will not regret it. 

The next title the people will give to the Messiah is “Mighty God.” Shockingly, Isaiah reveals way back in the Old Testament that this Messiah, this child in the manger, is the one and only Mighty God in the flesh ruling over His people. Jesus is our Mighty God!

‌But so many believers think of Jesus only as their friend and Savior. Jesus is both our friend and our Savior, but He is more. He is the Mighty God and we must receive Him and respond to Him as such. Jesus came not only to save you but also to be your God. Do you remember what the wise men did when they found baby Jesus? "They bowed down and worshipped Him" (Matthew 2:11). Jesus is our mighty God. As you celebrate Christmas this year, treat Him like it.

Christ: First in All Things

And [Jesus] is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

Colossians 1:17-18

Colossians 1:15-20 is a tightly packed master class on Christology. If you want to understand who Jesus was, His nature, His role in the cosmos, and the importance of His death, it's all here. One undeniable implication of this passage is that Jesus is of the highest importance. He has first priority. He is supreme. 

This is evident in verses 17-18. Verse 17 says that "He is before all things," and in case that wasn't clear enough verse 18 adds that God has worked all things out so that "in everything [Jesus] might be preeminent." That word 'preeminent' is rendered in various Bible translations as supremacy (NIV), preeminence (ESV, KJV, NKJV), or to have the first place in everything (NASB, HCSB, NLT & NET). This last rendering is the closest to the literal translation in the original language which is to be first or to hold first place. 

So then Jesus holds the highest priority in reality. Not just Christian reality or spiritual reality, but REALITY. This has major implications. Here are a few.

First, this explains why putting other things ahead of Christ in our lives is idolatry. Doing so moves Jesus out of His rightful place of supremacy and bows our hearts in worship to someone or something else. To attempt to remove the One who is infinitely worthy from His place of primacy and set something up in His stead is exceedingly sinful.

Second, placing anything or anyone ahead of Jesus is both damaging to ourselves and is delusional. When we place a higher priority on something that isn't Christ we reveal our own understanding of what is ultimately true and of infinite worth. The reality that Jesus holds first position in everything hasn't changed; we have simply revealed that our perception of reality is off. We legitimately think Jesus is not of the highest priority. This means we are detached from reality. We no longer see it as it truly is. 

Third, it is entirely unfathomable that a Christian would place a higher priority on anything or anyone over above Jesus. It is crazy to think that a Christian (of all people) would attempt to dethrone the one whom they claim as their Savior, Lord and God by putting other things ahead of Him. Sadly we do this regularly. I do this regularly. WE MUST STOP!

Lord, help me to learn to treasure Jesus above all else. Help me to keep Him first in my life. Help us to see all the ways that Jesus is already truly first in all things. And help us to live in light of that truth every day. I pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.