Active Theology

“For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
   and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, ESV)

Like all kids, my kids love to ask questions. Lately, my daughter Elsie has started to ask a lot of questions regarding the meaning of certain words. It causes me to pause and consider what some of these words mean and how they are used.

We describe things as ‘wonderful’ all the time. It could be a performance, a Christmas light display, or just a scoop of really good ice cream. The way we use words matters, but the meanings may have also changed over time. 

In this passage from Isaiah, Jesus is described as Wonderful Counselor. The word wonderful in this passage literally means “incomprehensible.” This means that Jesus will cause us to be “full of wonder.” Ice cream doesn’t really cause me to be full of wonder.

Wonderful, in this passage, is much weightier than the way it’s used in normal conversation today. We call things wonderful if they are pleasant or likable. Jesus is wonderful in a way that is boggling to the mind.

Not only is he incomprehensible, but he is counselor. In ancient Israel, a counselor was portrayed as a wise king. Jesus is the wise counselor. “He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.” (John 2:25) In Christ is “hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col. 2:3). His wisdom goes beyond any human knowledge. We should stand in awe at this.

Jesus came to this earth as Wonderful Counselor. Full of perfect wisdom. Full of perfect guidance.

And even now, Christ is still Wonderful Counselor. This means that we can go to him with our suffering, problems, concerns, and trust that he will guide us in the right direction. We can be sure that he is listening to us as we pray. We can find great comfort, peace, and hope in this. 

Pray: God, thank you for the gift of your Son. Thank you for his love and care for me. Jesus, I know you are full of wisdom and truth. I pray that I will always come to you for guidance and direction in my life. May the depths of your wisdom guide my path. Amen.

Song: “Be Thou my Vision” by Ascend the Hill

Craig is a worship pastor at Wallula Christian Church and the creator of Active Theology. He loves coffee dates with his wife, reading, and riding his bike. A few of his favorite things are third wave coffee, vanilla ice cream, and plain t-shirts.