What Child is This? (Part 2) - Wonderful Counselor

He will be called Wonderful Counsellor. One of the attributes of God is omniscience which means all-knowing. Human rulers need a cabinet or group of counsellors but God does not need any because he is all-wise. Jesus is all we need to guide us in life. The description of Christ as a perfect guide to life is emphasised by the word Wonderful. In the original language, the word means a miracle, a marvel, unusual or extraordinary.

The Gospels testify that Jesus was indeed a marvellous guide and teacher, a ‘Wonderful Counsellor’. In his public ministry, people were even more amazed at His counsel. At the end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Matthew tells us: “…the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.” The people were amazed because Jesus taught them as though He were God Himself by giving wonderful counsel to His own people.

We all need good counsel in this life. Yet we can be guilty of turning away from God’s Wonderful Counsel by not attending church and Bible Class. Or like King Ahaz in the Biblee, we turn to the counsel of this world and ignore what the Bible teaches us. It is important for us to hear, read and study God’s Word. We should also do this in our own daily schedule. The Holy Spirit uses God’s Word to convict us of sin so that we might repent and put our faith in Jesus, who was born to save us from our sins. The Spirit uses God’s Word to cleanse our minds from the foolish counsel of this world and replace it with the Wonderful Counsel of the Lord Jesus.

The baby boy prophesied by Isaiah was conceived in Mary’s womb. He was given the name “Jesus” because He would save us from our sins. We also call Him “Wonderful Counsellor” – and we will continue to be blessed by His Wonderful Counsel as we hear, read, study and believe His Word.