“And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6
Names are important. When my son was born, we decided to be surprised by the gender and so we came prepared with a list of boy and girl names to choose from while in the hospital. We had a rock-solid girl name, but we had a few boy names that were in the running. A few days after my son’s birth we were informed that to leave the hospital, which I desperately wanted to do, our son needed a name. We just were not sure who this little human was yet, but landed on Beck and it fits him so well.
In our reading for today we encounter a few different names that are given to people. We meet Maher-shalal-hash-baz in Isaiah 8 and then we encounter a few names for the Messiah in Chapter 9.
“Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
These are not just titles, but they are attributes given to the Messiah and his rule. Wonderful Counselor points to God’s wisdom. Connecting this ruler not with those of this world, but with those of God’s own heart and mind. When we read Mighty God, we are reminded that the Messiah will be of God’s divine nature. Not only human, but also God.
Everlasting Father brings up a new image in our minds about this Messiah. This name points us to the promise that we will be eternally led and cared for. This is not just a one-time fix, but instead we will have the Messiah with us forever. And finally, Prince of Peace provides the promise that the Messiah will be a leader who brings peace to this world. In a world filled with turmoil the promise of peace is so refreshing, isn’t it?
As we reflect on these names of the Messiah we can look to the ministry and promises of Jesus. Someone who embodied all these names and many more. We realize that the Wonderful Counselor is the Mighty God. We recognize that the Everlasting Father is the Prince of Peace.
Questions for reflection:
- Do you like your name? Why or why not?
- When you read the promises of the Messiah, what do these names mean to you and your faith?
- Isaiah 7:14 gives us one more name, Immanuel, which means “God is with us.” How do you think this name works in the beautiful tapestry of names of the Messiah and to who Jesus is?