lesson 1:

No doubt the great Prophet and Preacher had our Lord in mind!

Read with me the rest of the verse.  "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." 

The "Child" of Whom Isaiah speaks is Jesus!

The "Son" is also our dear Lord, Jesus the Christ!

A wonderful Child!

A wonderful Son!

But, what does that mean?

The Hebrew noun "pele" of course means "wonder!"  Also ... that which is extraordinary!  Marvelous!

In exactly the same form as Isaiah used it, the word occurs seven times in the Bible!

I will capitalize it in each of the following verses.

The best way to understand any word in Scripture is to simply observe how the Holy Spirit uses it!

Exodus 15:11 says:  "Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" 

The verb "doing" here is "asah" in Hebrew and actually implies a work of art!  Something beautifully fashioned or molded by skilled hands!

Our God is a Doer of Wonders!  Little surprise that Jesus would be named Wonderful!  Notice that there is none like our great God! 

Psalm 77:14 adds:  "Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people."  Again we have the verb "asah" as "doest!" The Almighty Artist is at work again!

And here notice that the "wonders" of God are associated with His strength! Then, an omnipotent God can perform unlimited wonders!

Psalm 78:12-16 presents another example.  "Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap. In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers."  These wonders all involve God's saving His people Israel and safely guiding them through their wilderness journey to the Promised Land!

God did some wonderful things when he saved you and me too!

Psalm 88:10 asks a question!  "Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah." 

The answer to that question, which would have been surprising to Job, is yes! Our God does show wonders to the dead!  Those who are physically dead ... yet spiritually alive!  Again answering the verse, the dead certainly will arise and praise our great Lord!

And guess what the verb for "show" is!  It's "asah" again!  Poetic power!

Then in Isaiah 25:1 God's wonders are associated with His precious Word.  "O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth."  Here's "asah" again! 

Truly God's Book is wonderful!  That's why the Psalmist says:  "Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them."  Psalm 119:129

But ... God's wonders are not always predictable!  He cannot be forced into a formula!  In Isaiah 29:14 the Lord says:  "Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wONDER: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid."

This time the "wonder" God has in mind is His Hand of Judgment falling upon sin!  The proud vain knowledge and understanding of the world's wisest men will be brought low ... reduced to nothing ... extinguished ... in the light of God's amazing Mercy and Grace!

Look!

The Wonder of our Lord Jesus Christ is associated with His uniqueness, His Power, His Salvation, His Life for all eternity, His Word and, finally, His Judgment upon iniquity!

That actually comprehends His whole Ministry!

... And that's why it was often reported of Jesus ... "They saw the wonderful things He did!"  Matthew 21:15

We need not be surprised!

His very Name is ... WONDERFUL!

This Friday morning get off alone with Jesus ... and adore Him a few minutes, basking in His great Wonder!

                                                                               --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Now I would like to make an observation.

I suspect Jesus will never become a Counsellor in anyone's life ... until, first, He has been made the "Wonderful" One in that life!

Yes, when we finally see His Wonder, realize His Glory and begin to comprehend His marvelous Essence ... we will have no trouble acknowledging Him as the Counsellor supreme!

Isaiah said it right.  "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor ...." 

Jesus ... Son of God ... Wonderful, Counsellor and so much more!

Using this very Hebrew noun for "counsellor," spelled "yaatzs," I find several interesting pictures in Scripture.

Nahum the Prophet mentions a "wicked" counsellor!  "There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor." Nahum 1:11

But Jesus is a Holy Counsellor!  Pure and spotless, without sin!

Isaiah mentions incompetent counsellors!  "For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. " Isaiah 41:29

Jesus does know what to answer!  He said: "The Lord GOD hath given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth Mine ear to hear as the learned." Isaiah 50:4

And if a nation finally persists in rebellious sin continuously, God might do this. "For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah ... the mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, the captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the COUNSELLOR ...." Isaiah 3:1-3

No counsellors, due to sin!  Due to God's Hand of judgment!  This is happening to America right now! 

The inspired historian of Israel tells us about a wise man, a counsellor who was also a scribe!  Now a scribe is one who loves the Scriptures!  Who is dedicated to their safety and preservation!  "Also Jonathan David's uncle was a counsellor, a wise man, and a scribe ...." 1st Chronicles 27:32

Jesus too is a Counsellor Who loves Scripture!  I believe He alone perfectly fulfills the prophecy of Psalm 1.  Our dear Saviour is ... "The Man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But His delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth He meditate day and night." Psalm 1:1-2

Then let's not fail to meet ... "Zechariah, a wise counsellor" in 1st Chronicles 26:14.  He was a gatekeeper in Israel!

Jesus is also a wise Counsellor!  All wise!  That is, omniscient! He is The eternal Gatekeeper too!

But, finally, and now in a negative sense ... let me introduce you to a disloyal counsellor! "And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom." (2nd Samuel 15:12) Ahithophel deserted David, becoming a traitor!  He joined forces with that rebel Absalom!

But I know The loyal and faithful Counsellor, Jesus Christ my dear Saviour!

He has never failed!  His love is everlasting!  He never betrays or ceases to keep His Word!

What a Counsellor we have!

Jesus is Wonderful! And Counsellor too!

Friend, today, is Jesus your Saviour?  That "given" Son of Whom Isaiah spoke long ago?

Is He the very Wonder of your life?

Is He your Counsellor?

If not, why not?

                                                                               --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

It ("El") seems to mean sheer "strength" or "power!"

God is all powerful!

Jesus, God the Son, said of Himself: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Matthew 28:18

The adjective "mighty" is spelled "gibbor" in Hebrew and means something like valiant or chief or champion or even giant.

This term is used in a host of ways in Scripture.

For example, the apostate Nimrod is a "mighty" one in the earth, a "mighty" hunter!  Genesis 10:8-9

David had thirty "mighty" men among his troops!  1st Chronicles 12:4

In Job 16:14 our God is compared to a mighty "giant."

In Psalm 19 the sun is compared to a "strong" man running a race!

And the lion is "strongest" among beasts!  Proverbs 30:30

Yet this mighty God can somehow take His weak children and make them "strong!" Joel 3:10 says: "Let the weak say, I am strong."

The word "gibbon" is specifically used of God in passages like Deuteronomy 10:17 and Nehemiah 9:32 and Psalm 24:8 and Isaiah 42:13 and Jeremiah 20:11 and 32:18.  Plus ... Zephaniah 3:17. "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. "

The Lord Jesus is mighty in the New Testament sense too!

Matthew 9:6 ... "The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins."

Jesus, after His temptation by the devil ... "Returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about." Luke 4:14

And His preaching?  "And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power." Luke 4:32

And His authority over demons!  "And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out." Luke 4:36

Plus ... His healing ability!  "And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them." Luke 5:17

Jesus has power even over death.  Speaking of His Own Life, He said: "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." John 10:18

Power over all flesh!  Jesus prayed to His Father in John 17:2 ... "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him."

And even right now, in Heaven, the Lord is "sitting on the right hand of power," interceding for us!  Matthew 26:64

Truly Jesus is the Mighty God!

Worship Him as such today!

                                                                           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

In fact, His very first recorded words were spoken to Mary and Joseph when He was a twelve year old lad.  "And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" Luke 2:49

Jesus is always associated with His Father!

As people on earth marveled at His mighty works, He always said something like this: "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.." John 14:10

Listen to Him again: "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." John 6:38

Or ... "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world." John 16:28

Jesus spoke of The Father well over a hundred times in the Gospels alone!

Yet, back to Isaiah 9:6, Jesus is named as "The Everlasting Father?"

Using our Lord's Own words again, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." John 14:9

Even Paul, speaking of Jesus wrote: "Who is the image of the invisible God." Colossians 1:15

Blessed is the day when a Believer in Christ realizes the "Fatherhood" of God!

What security that Fact alone brings!

All the "sweetness" that flows from the Model Prayer Jesus gave us to use is the result of knowing God as "our Father!"  Jesus again, "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name ...." Matthew 6:9

As Father ... God loves us!

As Father ... He protects us!

As Father ... He even chastens us when necessary!

And as Father ... He too will some day bring us to His House for all eternity! Remember Jesus' words: "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:2

The adjective "everlasting" that Isaiah uses translates "ad" in Hebrew.  It simply means eternal or perpetual or existing continually!

A Father Who will never die!

I believe Isaiah 9:6 is introducing us to a "progression" of thought! 

When one is first saved, he or she is overwhelmed by Jesus' Wonder!  We are amazed!  Of course, we should stay that way too!  He is Wonderful indeed!

Soon, however, we need the Knowledge of God on some matter.  We need His Wisdom and find Him to be the Perfect Counsellor also!

Then almost immediately we must rely on His great Power.  We find Him to be "The Mighty God!"  He can do anything.  He is omnipotent!

Then again, as we are seeing today, Jesus is the One Who loves us infinitely! The One Who introduces us to The Father!  The One Who is the Visible Manifestation of the Father!  The One Who reveals the Father too!  "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." John 1:18  (That verb "declared" is the basis for our English word "exegete!"  Jesus exegetes the Father!)

Jesus makes known to us "The Everlasting Father!"

Oh, how we need His love ... and protection ... and discipline ... and everlasting care!

Now, do not misunderstand me please.

It's not that Jesus is changing in any way!

No!

He is the same ... "yesterday, today and forever!"  Hebrews 13:8

It's just that we are developing in our capacity to realize Who Jesus really is!

Our comprehension of Him is growing!

And, know what?

I have a feeling we don't yet know "half" of His Essence!

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 2nd Corinthians 2:9

Amen!

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

In the beginning ... each of us hears of Jesus as that little "Child" of Bethlehem!

But before long, if we are around Bible preaching, we learn that He is also the darling Son of God!

Then we eventually discover that He is coming back again to earth!  And the government will be on His Shoulder!

Again, progressively, we find our Lord to be "Wonderful!"  In fact, His "wonders" never seem to end!

But in the midst of our worshipping this Wonderful Saviour, we often need some advice, some wisdom from God!  Then we experience Jesus as the Counsellor!  The One in Whom resides all the treasures of Knowledge and Discernment!

Soon a situation arises in our daily living where we need God's help and strength and power.  They are available ... through our Lord Who is also "The Mighty God!"

And the longer we serve Him and further we walk with Him ... the more we realize that His Love is everlasting and unconditional and deep and broad and thrilling!  He is the perfect Father!  The Everlasting Father!

But, knowing that trials and heartaches are simply a part of earthly life, we sooner or later sail through some troubled waters ourselves!  Then we personally learn of Jesus Who is certainly the Prince of Peace!

See!

This verse may be giving us a "map" of the Christian life!

Jesus ... and peace!

Listen to what Paul says about Him in Ephesians 2:14.  "For he is our peace." That's amazing!

And Jesus clearly said:  "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  John 14:27

Peace implies the cessation of battle!  Therefore Jesus promises ... "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Folks, even at death, Jesus brings Peace!  "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

Peace so full that Paul, even when in a Roman prison, calls it: "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding." Philippians 4:7

And Heaven ... among its many other glorious attributes, is certainly a place of Peace!

The noun "Prince" in Isaiah 9:6 is spelled "sar" in Hebrew.  It means the Ruler, the Chief, the Captain, the General, the Commander or the Overseer!

And of course that noun "Peace" is "shalom!"  That all encompassing word the Jews use yet to this day! It means safety and welfare and soundness and tranquility and contentment and completeness as well as peace!

Often after His Resurrection, Jesus greeted others with the precious words:  See Luke 24:36 and John 20: 19, 21 and 26.  For example ... "And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you."

Paul adopted Jesus' greeting!

He used it at the beginning of His Epistles!

And I use it today to pray for each of you Believers, "Grace and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ!"

Amen.

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

This is spiritual darkness, mind you!

But, behold, suddenly Light appeared in the darkness!

Read it with me: "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."  Isaiah 9:2

That Light is Jesus!

Matthew, quoting Isaiah here, says so!  "Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, the land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up."  Matthew 4:12-16

Amen! 

Then John, quoting Jesus Himself, adds: "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."  John 8:12

These things being so, Isaiah 9:6 can only have application to One Person, our Lord Jesus Christ!

It is He of Whom the Prophet speaks!

Let me print it again here and now.  "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

Jesus is Wonderful!  He in that sense ends all the dullness of life!

Jesus is Counsellor!  He therefore can make all the decisions of life!

He too is The Mighty God!  He can meet all the demands of life!

And as the Everlasting Father Jesus Jesus adds a new dimension to life! A heavenward one!

Then certainly Jesus is the Prince of Peace too!  He thus calms all the disturbances of life!

Jesus ... the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Author and the Finisher, and so much More!

Glory to His Name!

                                                                             --- Dr. Mike Bagwell