The Great Light

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

What a remarkable picture! It hardly needs any exposition. Suddenly, after a great time of trouble, the nation will realize that this glorious King, their Messiah, once came as a little child: to us a child is born. He who was for eternity the Son of God was given to them as a little Baby in Bethlehem. They recognize at last, after centuries of rejection, that this One rightly deserves divine titles. This is Immanuel, God with us.

The four titles Isaiah lists represent that: Wonderful Counselor. Did anyone ever fulfill that more fully than Jesus? He unveils to us secrets about ourselves, counsels us how to avoid the heartaches and problems that otherwise would beset us, showing the way of deliverance from the taint and pollution of sin.

Mighty God. That unquestionably divine title can only describe God. He is the Mighty One, and in 10:21 the same term is used of God unmistakably.

The next title is more than simply Everlasting Father. It is actually Father of Eternity. This is surely a reference to the fact that Jesus alone can give eternal life; he is its father for it originates with him. As many as believe in him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God. (John 1:12)

No one contests the last title, Prince of Peace. He stated himself, My peace I give unto you, (John 14:27). Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end. This phrase captures the universal character of the Messiah's reign and its extension at last to the whole created cosmos.

The key, of course, is in these words, to us a child is born, to us a son is given. Even though these events, both in Isaiah and in the gospels, took place thousands of years ago, when a nation (or an individual) first comes into personal contact with the Lord of Glory it seems as though he is the recipient for the first time of this wonderful gift. That is why we describe that we found the Lord, and how he came to us, because it is so real in our own experience. It is to us that he came, to us he is born. He is God with us, to strengthen and guide us, to meet our needs, to solve our problems.

A woman told me of her struggle with a sense of being abandoned, left without guidance, needing his presence. And thankfully I could point her back to these marvelous promises. The Lord IS with us.

Father, thank you for not just sending but giving your son to us. He is the most wonderful gift of all!