His Name: WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR
by J. B. Rowell Victoria, British Columbia
peace there shall be no end . . .” (Isaiah 9:6, 7 ).
O ur L ord is proclaimed “Wonderful Counsellor,” and as “Wonderful” — “Admirable” in Him self. Humanity had nothing to contribute to His Person. He came as “ the Lord from heaven” and was adequate as Saviour in His own rights (Isaiah 9 :6 ; I Cor. 15:47). Out from a barren Israel He came in His humanity, as the Prophet Isaiah re cords “as a root out of a dry ground,” but possess ing the inherent life of the Eternal Son of God. “Unto us a CHILD is bom”—Evidence to His humanity “Unto us A SON is given”—Affirming His deity. The Progression Outlined Lange, emphasizing this amazing truth, spoke Of “The Light of the future proceeding from A Child is to be born o f the race of David.” We shall note the two stages: First, The Darkness: “No light in them;” “ And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; . . . driven to darkness” (Isaiah 8:20, 22). Second: The Dawn of a Light from Heaven: “ The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shad ow of death, upon them hath the light shined” (Isaiah 9 :2). The Blessings Enumerated The dynamic power for the great deliverance is told in this emphatic statement, “ The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” This is linked with the program for light and deliverance: “ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase o f his government and
Counsellor in the Holy Trinity Jesus of Nazareth as Pre-Incarnate Son of God was Counsellor in the Trinity of the Godhead ere time began. Our Lord in His high-priestly prayer claimed “ The glory which I had with thee before the world was [existed]” (John 17:5). Thus, in the Divine Essence, he was concerned in all the counsels and decrees of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit by the prophet Isaiah declared, “ This also cometh forth from the L ord of hosts — wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working” (28:29). Biblical proof that our Lord was Counsellor in the Trinity seems abundantly confirmed. First, Because nothing was done without Him — “ All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made” (John 1 :3). Second, He was the Wisdom Who counselled, since He is the Wisdom of “ The Book of Proverbs,” where His claim is made “ Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength . . . I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was” (Proverbs 8:14, 23). Linking this tremendous utterance with the New Testament revelation concerning Jesus Christ, the conclusion stands confirmed: “ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” The emphasis is, “ In the beginning existed the Word,” stressing His eter nal existence with the Father. This is further em phasized in the Epistle to the Colossians, “ . . . all things were created by him, and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist [or, are held together]” (1:16, 17). Third: As the great Counsellor He was to order His kingdom “and to establish it with judgment and with jus-
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DECEMBER, 1966
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