The Divine Names of Jesus in Isaiah 9:6
On December 25th, Christians celebrate the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given” (Isaiah 9:6a). There is far more to this prophecy than the birth of a baby boy. Isaiah also declares the divinity of God’s promised Son, identifying Jesus as the Christ by declaring His divine names. This Bible study will demonstrate that Jesus is God by examining the meaning of His names given in Isaiah 9:6.
Isaiah 7:14 promised that a baby boy would be miraculously born to a virgin, and His name would be “Immanuel”, which means “God with us.” We see the fulfillment of this prophecy in Matthew 1:1-20-23 and Lk 1:31-35. Mary conceived her first child as a virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was a human, born of a woman, but He was much more than a mere man. He was “God with us,” God took on human flesh to dwell among us (Jn 1:14) and save His people from sin (Mt 1:21).
Isaiah 9:6 also promises that a child / Son would be born / given. Surprisingly, Isaiah 9:6 is not quoted directly in the gospels, but it clearly identifies that the child who would be born would be the Son of God. Isaiah 9:6 shows the deity of the promised child by revealing His divine names. This son whom God promised would be the Messiah, God’s anointed, the ruler of all. The child God promised would be His Son; He would be both God and man.
Isaiah 9:6 Bible Study
Isaiah, and others, made many other prophecies about Jesus (most notably, Isaiah 52:13-53:12) that identified Him as the suffering servant who would die to bear the iniquities of sinners to provide salvation for us all. But Isaiah 9:6-7 says nothing about a humble servant or a lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.
Isaiah 9:6-7 promises the birth of a supreme king, who would rule over the throne of David and his kingdom forever. The promised child would be the all-powerful God in human flesh. He would control governments and establish peace. This was the Messiah the Jews were looking for when Jesus walked the earth. They were looking for a king who would conquer the Romans, not a humble savior who would die to pay for sin.
It is worth noting that the language of this verse is clear. There is little variation between English translations. The English words accurately convey the meaning of the Hebrew text.
We will now examine Isaiah 9:6 phrase by phrase to demonstrate that the promised child would be the Son of God. The names by which this child would be called are the names of God almighty, king of heaven and earth.
Unto Us a Child is Born
The promised child was born “to us”. There is no mention of Mary or Joseph in this promise. However, the angel who announced Christ’s birth to the shepherds said, “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). This child was born to the entire, fallen human race. This child was the promised seed of the woman who would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:14-15).
It is interesting to note that we all need to be born again (spiritually) because we are all born dead in trespasses and sin (John 3:3-7). However, this child is the eternal Word of God, who has been alive spiritually since before creation (John 1:1-4). But to become our savior, He needed to be born physically (once) as a human child and live a sinless human life, so “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
Unto Us a Son is Given
The promise of a child being born might not seem very remarkable. But this was no ordinary child. The child God promised was His Son! This child would be the Son of God; God in human flesh! God promised to give His Son to provide everlasting life to those who believe in Him (Jn 3:16).
The angel told Mary that she would give birth to a son who would rule over the throne of His father David and the house of Jacob forever” (Luke 1:31-33). Even as a virgin, Mary would miraculously conceive this child by the power of the Holy Spirit, so her son would be called “the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).
Isaiah continued his prophecy identifying exactly who this child / Son would be. He would be the Messiah, the God-man, the one and only Son of God.
The Government will be upon His Shoulder
This child, the Son God would give, will become the supreme ruler of human government. He would sit on the throne of His father David, and rule over David’s kingdom (all of Israel) forever. (Isaiah 8:7; 22:22; Luke 1:32-33).
But the extent of His government would not be limited to Israel. There will be no end or limit to His governmental power. He will rule over all nations (Rev 12:5). All power in heaven and earth has been given to Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Matthew 28:18).
The Names of Jesus
Isaiah lists four divine names by which this child, the Son of God, would be called. These names are all titles of God. These names clearly identify Jesus, the promised Son of God, as God. The four divine names are given as two noun couplets, which we will now examine.
“Wonderful Counselor”
This child would be called, “Wonderful Counselor.” The KJV, NKJV and WEB include a comma after “Wonderful”, splitting this couplet in two. There is no punctuation in the Hebrew text, so this comma is interpretive. It makes sense to read these words together (as Wonderful Counselor) like the three following names rather than separately.
Wonderful – This word means: extraordinary, marvelous, astonishingly wonderful, amazing.
Counselor – This word refers to a counselor or adviser, one who provides wise, valuable advice.
Wonderful Counselor – This promised child (Jesus) would be an extraordinary adviser. His wisdom and counsel would be amazing.
People marveled at the extraordinary wisdom of Solomon during his day, but Jesus was “greater than Solomon” (Matt 12:42; Luke 11:31). When Jesus completed His ‘Sermon on the Mount,’ the crowds of people were astonished at His teaching because He taught as one having authority (Matt 7:28-29). Even as a twelve-year-old, teachers in the Temple were amazed by Christ’s understanding and answers (Luke 2:46-47).
Isaiah said, “the LORD of hosts” is “wonderful in counsel” and excellent in wisdom (Isaiah 28:29). The name of “Wonderful Counselor” equates the promised child (Jesus) with the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel.
The “Mighty God”
There is no direct object in the Hebrew text, but otherwise this title means exactly what our English translations say. “God” is “el,” which means God or god. And “mighty” means: strong, mighty, powerful. This promised child would be the “Mighty God.”
This title is clearly identified as applying to the LORD, God of Israel in the following Scriptures:
- “For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome . . .” (Deut 10:17 / NKJV).
- “Now therefore, our God, The great, the mighty, and awesome God, Who keeps covenant and mercy . . .” (Neh 9:32 / NKJV).
- “The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, To the Mighty God” (Isa 10:21 / NKJV).
- “You . . . the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts” (Jer 32:18 / NKJV).
The title of “Mighty God” identifies the Son of God promised in Isaiah 9:6 as being the LORD, the God of Israel.
Everlasting Father
Of all the names Isaiah gave for this child, the name of “Everlasting Father” stands out the most to me because it equates Jesus (the second “person” of the Trinity) with His Heavenly Father (the first “person” of the Trinity).
The meaning of the Hebrew is accurately translated into English by “Everlasting Father.” The Hebrew word for “everlasting” means ‘eternal, continual, forever, an unlimited duration without end.’ While “father” can refer to a grandfather or other ancestor, the primary meaning refers to one’s male parent, their father. So, “Everlasting Father” is a good translation.
You might ask, ‘how could Jesus, the Son of God, be the Everlasting Father?’ After all, you may have heard that the one true God exists as three distinct “persons” (i.e.: the Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit). Three distinct aspects of God’s being are clearly revealed in Scripture, but the Bible never refers to them as “people / persons” nor does it teach that they are independent of each other. The “Father,” “Son” and “Holy Spirit” are three interrelated aspects of God’s being, just as people (created in the image of the Triune God) have three aspects to their being (a mind, body, and soul).
Jesus, the Word of God made flesh (John 1:14) is the revelation of God. He is ‘the exact image (expression, representation) of His being (essence, nature)’ (Hebrews 1:3). Isaiah said, “You, O LORD, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name” (Isa 63:16). Isaiah referred to the God of Israel being both their Father and Redeemer from Everlasting.
During ‘the Last Supper,’ the night before His crucifixion, Jesus identified Himself to His apostles as being one with “the Father”.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. (John 14:6-11 / NKJV)
Prince of Peace
Isaiah proclaimed the promised child would be the “Prince of Peace.” Jesus would be the head / ruler / leader / prince of peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace in two ways. He provides peace with God through the forgiveness of sins for those who trust in Him for salvation. As Isaiah prophesied, ‘Jesus was wounded for our transgressions, the chastisement for our peace was upon Him’ (Isa 53:4-6).
As Ephesians 2:14 teaches, Jesus is our peace:
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. Ephesians 2:13-16 (NKJV).
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.” Isa 26:3
In addition to being the source of eternal, spiritual peace with God for individual believers, Jesus will one day ruler over all the nations of the earth with “a rod of iron” (Ps 2:9; Rev 12:5; Rev 19:15). When Jesus rules over all nations, He will establish peace on earth (Isa 2:4; 11:6-9; Micah 4:3; Ps 72:7).
And as Isaiah 9:7 says, “Of the increase of His government and peace, there shall be no end.”
Summary
This article examined Isaiah 9:6 and described the awesome names of a special child who would be born. God promised to give His Son, who would be a “Wonderful Counselor,” the “Mighty God,” the “Everlasting Father,” and the “Prince of Peace.” This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus, the Christ, the Word made flesh who dwelt among us to take away the sins of the world, so we might have peace with God.
We will end this Bible Study with a question and a prayer.
Is Jesus God?
Some people might ask, “Is Jesus God?” or “Was Jesus God’s Son?” The answer to both questions is an emphatic “Yes!’ Isaiah 9:6 proclaimed that the Son God was giving would be a “Wonderful Counselor,” the “Mighty God,” the “Everlasting Father,” the “Prince of Peace” who would inherit the throne of David, ruling over Israel and over all the earth. These divine titles all demonstrate that Jesus was God in the flesh.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for loving people so much that You sent Your Son to rescue us from sin and its penalty. We thank and praise You that You were willing to empty Yourself, leaving the splendor of heaven to take on human flesh in the form of a servant, to live a humble, obedient life as a man and die a terrible death on the cross, shedding Your blood to pay for my sin and the sin of the whole world.
Thanks be to You God for your unspeakable gift!
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The Christmas Prophecies of Isaiah
Go here for a Christmas oriented Bible study on Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6.
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