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

It shows a wonderful conjunction of excellencies, that the same person should be a Son, born and given, and yet be the everlasting Father, without beginning or end; that he should be a Child, and yet be he whose name is Counsellor, and the mighty God; and well may his name, in whom such things are conjoined, be called Wonderful. (The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume 1 of 2)

Wonderful Counselor. The translation from the original Hebrew seems pretty straightforward. Wonderful means marvelous or even miraculous. A counselor is an advisor or someone who is able to make wise plans.

Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor.

What makes a good counselor? In our earthly relationships, who do we go to for help in our troubles? We of course want someone who is wise, and we also want someone who is loving and understanding. But we need more than just a listening ear, we need someone who can see to the heart of the problem and direct us in the right way. If that person can also empathize with us, we appreciate it even more.

Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor in every way. The heart of our problem is our sin. But Jesus does more than just point towards the solution, he provides the solution. His death and resurrection paid the penalty for our sin, providing the way for us to walk in new life.

This verse refers to Jesus as a kingly ruler, surpassing any king that Israel had ever known. But he’s more than a distant ruler on high. As the Bible says in Hebrews 4:15:

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

And then in Hebrews 4:16, sweet assurance:

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

He is our help in times of trouble. Our solution, our Savior. Our Wonderful Counselor.

About the author: Staci Eastin is a Christian, a wife, a mother, a homeschooler, and a writer. Her book, The Organized Heart: A Woman’s Guide to Conquering Chaos was published by Cruciform Press in March of 2011. When she is not writing or driving someone to soccer, she enjoys reading, knitting, jogging very slowly, watching the St. Louis Cardinals, and pondering life’s conundrums. Just not all at the same time. You can find her blogging at Writing and Living

Browse through the series here.

You are invited to read a complementary series on The Names of God here.