Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given"

One of my favorite verses at Christmas is Isaiah 9:6. Isaiah states, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This is such a rich verse. I am a firm believer that God says what He means and means what He says. The Holy Spirit inspired the prophet to write, “a Child is born, a Son is given.” I think it is important to understand the significance of what is being said in that simple statement. It contrasts a “Child” and a “Son”. Why do we not simply read, “A Son is born”? The contrast of child and son shows that the Son preexisted the child born in the manger. The Son has existed as part of the Godhead since before time began. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word (Jesus) was with God and the Word (Jesus) was God.” You might ask if that is taking liberty with the text by inserting “Jesus” to explain the meaning. In verse 14, John makes clear that the Word he is writing about is indeed Jesus. Verse 14 states, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” So the Son was preexistent, but the Child was born that day in Bethlehem.

Isaiah 6:9 says so much more about Jesus by listing some of the names, He is given. Here are those names in this verse.

1. Wonderful Counselor – In looking for a counselor a person tries to find someone who understands them, who can help them, and who will accept them unconditionally no matter what they say and share. Jesus is all of that and more. You may not feel like Jesus understands you and your situation but He does. Hebrews 4:15 states, “He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus understands the struggle against sin’s pull; this verse says He was tempted (but did not sin). He has walked where we walk. Maybe this Christmas your life is in turmoil. Holidays tend to magnify family issues, financial needs, and health crises. Do not do what I have too often done in the past. Do not make Jesus your last resort; turning to Him once you have tried everything else. Turn to Him first because He really is a “Wonderful Counselor”. 
2. Mighty God – This helpless baby born in a manger is “mighty”.  The Hebrew word suggests someone victorious in battle. We face battles every day and we desperately want victory over the things we fight against, be it sin, doubt, temptation, or whatever. There is a Michael W. Smith song entitled “Surrounded”. The words are very repetitive, and I will admit when I first heard it I was annoyed that there were not more words than what Smith simply repeats. However, as I have reflected on the song, I think Michael W. Smith is onto something here, something that Isaiah was inspired to write about. The song simply states, “This is how I fight my battles. It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by You.” Whatever area of your life you need strength in this Christmas, will you allow the One who is called “Mighty God” to fight the battle for you and deliver to you the victory? It truly may look like you are surrounded and there is no way out. Just remember, you are indeed surrounded, but not by the enemy. You are surrounded by the One who will fight and deliver to you victory. 
3. Everlasting Father – We know our Heavenly Father as we get to know the Son better. As an equal part of the Godhead, Jesus helps us to understand the love the Father has for us. As the perfect father figure, Jesus puts on display His great love and compassion for us. In John 3:16 we read, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Notice He “gave” His Son so that we might receive eternal life. We do not earn His forgiveness; we simply receive it as a gift offered through Jesus. John 1:12 promises, “To all who received Him (Jesus), to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” Will you accept for the first time His forgiveness offered in Christ? Or, for some of you, it simply means receiving forgiveness for the sins that have pulled you away from Him. 
4. Prince of Peace – No king or kingdom has ever been able to usher in a lasting peace. Many have tried but all have failed. We are far from peace in the world today. However, one day, the One who called, “King of kings” will usher in a peace that will never end. But, there is a more practical application of this name. The greatest peace in the world is when one has made their peace with God, and this only comes through faith in the child that was born, the Son that was given. Whatever turmoil you face today, will you cry out to the only One who can bring peace in your storm? Jesus does not promise to take us around our storms, but He does promise to be with us in the midst of them, and deliver us safely to the other side.