Wonderful Counselor
“And she gave birth to her first-born Son; and she
wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for
them in the inn” (Luke 2:7)
Isaiah the prophet lived and wrote hundreds of years before Jesus Christ was
born on this earth. He wrote about the Messiah (the Christ), stating: “His
name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of
Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Immediately before, Isaiah had identified the
Messiah as Someone who would be identified with “Galilee
of the Gentiles” (Isaiah 9:1), stating that “The
people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark
land, the light will shine on them” (Isaiah 9:2).
And lest we think that the Messiah, the Christ of would come to us in a
non-physical form, God, through Isaiah was very clear that the “Mighty
God” of Isaiah 9:6 would be sent to us through the miracle, the wonder
and the pain of human birth, “For a Child will be born to
us, a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders”
(Isaiah 9:6).
C. S. Lewis, writer of the “Narnia” stories for
children, was an Oxford “Don,” a brilliant man who originally set out to write a
book refuting the Bible, but his quest ended in his conversion to Jesus Christ.
Lewis made an interesting comment about human birth. He said that if you skipped
all the talk about cabbage leaves and storks and simply TOLD children how birth
really happens, they wouldn’t believe you! That’s true of human birth and it’s
true of much of human existence. We don’t think the way human beings come into
this world is strange because it’s just the way it is, but it IS odd, and
especially it is amazing that the Christ came to this earth through birth as a
child.
In much the same way, what we call “death” is truly strange, though it is all
around us and we think that’s the way things must be! Most incredible of all,
the Messiah, Jesus the Christ experienced death on our behalf. Death, hatred,
fear, divorce, wars, murder, lies and cheating fill this world to the point
where statistics are compiled about such things, but we really don’t have any
idea what to do about it!
Birth is odd, life is strange, and so is death, and yet, when we look into
Scripture as C. S. Lewis did, we discover that God created, you could say He
“invented” birth and He also invented death. No one who had not experienced such
processes would expect them to occur, but they’re all around, and therefore we
consider them “natural.” But take a look at Genesis Chapters One and Two, and in
doing so, you’ll catch a glimpse of a time when birth was not like it is now,
and death simply did not occur.
Decades ago, Pastor Gayle Erwin made the interesting statement in a sermon
that if he were God, he would do things differently. Instead of a baby in a
manger who would grow up to die for the sins of the world, Pastor Gayle would
have “placed a microphone on the moon” and shouted to the world, “Repent!” A lot
of people might do things differently than God did (and does), and I think you
may agree that it’s a good thing we’re not God!
God actually did urge us to repent through His prophets, like John the
Baptist, the human cousin of Jesus, who went about preaching “repentance
for the remission of sins” (Luke 3:3). And we NEED to repent, for we, as
a race of beings, are selfish, self-willed, self-motivated and must be CHANGED
in order to become acceptable to our holy God.
God the Father sent Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, as HIS way of dealing with
your sins, my sins, and the sins of the world. He sent the One who C. S. Lewis
recognized as the “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). We should recognize Him
also, but all too often we’re absorbed by the cares of this world and have
missed the wonder of the Babe “wrapped in
(swaddling) cloths,” Jesus Christ, who was and is
the Wonderful Counselor we so desperately need.
The swaddling cloths consisted of small blankets or other soft material that
tightly wrapped the newborn baby, giving Him a sense of comfort and security. It
also restricted His movements. Can you imagine the newborn baby Jesus, who came
from “everlasting” (Micah 5:2), the One who is “King
of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Revelation 19:16), becoming a vulnerable,
restricted human child, out of His concern for you and me?
Peter the Great, the Czar of all Russia, wanted to learn shipbuilding for his
Russian people and accomplished his goal in a surprising way. In 1697, William
III, who was king of England and Holland, learned that Peter the Czar had
quietly left his native country and was working in the little village of Zaan,
as a dock worker. William found Peter dressed in the clothing of the local
boatmen, including a red waistcoat with large buttons, a short jacket and wide
breeches. He was living in a small bare cottage made of wood, with a mattress on
the floor for sleeping.
It became known who Peter was and so he quietly left for Amsterdam, where he
worked for four months, helping in the building of a ship. He rose early, lit
his own fire, cooked his own food and lived like a simple workman. In Russia, he
had been surrounded with luxury from childhood, dressed in satin, silk, velvet,
trimmed with precious jewels, riding in a golden carriage drawn by miniature
ponies. The Duke of Marlborough visited Amsterdam and found Czar Peter – The
Duke offered Peter the ship he had been building. Peter was invited to England,
where he learned all about shipbuilding. Peter used his knowledge and built a
navy upon his return to Russia. He also created a standing army and built the
city of St. Petersburg that is named after him.
In leaving the comforts of Russia, Peter the Great accomplished a lot for his
country, but if you think about it, his actions had little personally to do with
us. In leaving the comforts of heaven, Jesus Christ accomplished much for
everyone who has ever lived, and it has EVERYTHING to do with you and me.
Peter the Great became vulnerable when he left the soldiers in Russia who
guarded Him. The Babe in the manger became vulnerable to an extent that is
difficult for us to even comprehend, if you compare His previous state to what
He became. And note that, as to our King, Jesus Christ, and his earthly parents,
there was “there was no room for them in the inn”
(Luke 2:7). Will you make room for Jesus (in your heart and life) today?
Lord, please forgive my sins and come into my heart and life today. In
Jesus Name. Amen.
