The Prince of Peace
“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.”Isaiah 9:6
Reflection
Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, Isaiah described who He would be with impressive precision — and concentrated it all in four names that reveal the fullness of Christ. Each name answers a deep need of the human heart. And most touching is the initial contrast: "unto us a CHILD is born" — the fragility of a baby — and, at the same time, "the government shall be upon his shoulder" — the rule of the whole universe. Shoulders of a baby carrying the weight of the world. The Almighty arrived as a child. It is the impossible combination only God could accomplish: infinite majesty in infinite tenderness.
The first name is "Wonderful Counsellor". For a world full of lost people, not knowing what decision to make, which way to go, Jesus is the Counsellor whose counsels never fail — He knows the end from the beginning and knows exactly what you need. The second is "The mighty God". For those who feel weak before problems too big, Jesus is not merely a good man or a teacher — He is God, and the MIGHTY God, with power over everything that frightens you. Before any giant of your life, that is the name you can run to.
The third name is "The everlasting Father". In a world where everything is passing, where people leave us and nothing lasts, Jesus is eternal — He does not change, does not depart, does not end. He offers a relationship that crosses death and lasts forever. And the fourth name is "The Prince of Peace". Notice that, in a list that includes power and majesty, the climax is PEACE. The greatest gift the King of the universe brings is not brute force, but peace — peace with God, inner peace, the peace the world desperately seeks and never finds in itself. Jesus does not merely give peace; He IS the Prince of it, the source from which it springs.
Think of which of these names you most need today. Are you lost, not knowing what decision to make? He is the Wonderful Counsellor. Do you feel weak before something too big? He is the mighty God. Do you feel alone, abandoned, afraid of what is passing? He is the everlasting Father. Are you without peace, agitated, anguished? He is the Prince of Peace. The beauty of this prophecy is that it does not describe four different persons, but ONE — Jesus — who is all of that at once, and who offers Himself to you whole. The child born in Bethlehem carries on His shoulders not only the government of the universe, but also your cares. Run to the name you most need. He answers to all of them.
Prayer
Jesus, You are the Wonderful Counsellor when I am lost, the mighty God when I am weak, the everlasting Father when I feel alone, and the Prince of Peace when I am without peace. Thank You that You are all of that at once, and offer Yourself to me whole. Today I run to the name I most need — and rest in who You are. Amen.
Put it into practice
Identify which of Jesus’ four names you most need today (Counsellor for a decision, mighty God for a fear, everlasting Father for loneliness, Prince of Peace for agitation) and bring that specific need to Him in prayer, invoking that name.
To reflect on
Of the four names of Jesus in Isaiah 9:6, which do you most need to experience today — and what would it be like to run to Him by that name?
Bible text: King James Version (public domain).