In Isaiah 9:6, Jesus is prophesied as the coming Messiah and referred to as “Wonderful Counselor.” This name reveals an important aspect of who Jesus is and what He came to do. As our Wonderful Counselor, Jesus serves as an excellent advisor and guide for all who put their faith in Him.
The prophecy of the coming Messiah
Isaiah 9:6 says, “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.” This passage points to the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He would be born as a child and take on human form. Yet His names show that He is much more than just a human. He is the all-powerful, eternal God who will establish His kingdom of peace. “Wonderful Counselor” is the first descriptive name given that reveals an important role of the Messiah.
What does it mean to be a counselor?
A counselor is someone who gives advice, guidance, and direction. They are consulted to provide wisdom, insight, and solutions to difficult situations and decisions. The Bible says that without wise counsel, plans go awry (Proverbs 15:22). But when people seek and follow wise counsel, they find success in pursuing God’s will (Proverbs 20:18). The role of a counselor is vital for making wise choices and walking in truth.
Jesus as the Wonderful Counselor
As the Wonderful Counselor, Jesus is the source of perfect wisdom and guidance for all who seek Him. He knows all truth and sees all things clearly, including the past, present, and future. There are several key reasons why Jesus serves as such an excellent counselor for His people:
- He is fully God and fully understands everything (John 2:24-25).
- He has an eternal perspective and sees how all things work together for good in God’s plan (Romans 8:28).
- He is always available to give counsel as believers pray to Him continually (Hebrews 4:16).
- He is perfectly trustworthy and only speaks what is true, right, and helpful (John 14:6).
- He cares deeply and personally for each individual (1 Peter 5:7).
- He lived on earth and experienced firsthand the struggles we face (Hebrews 4:15).
The Bible is filled with examples of Jesus providing wise counsel, insight, and direction to those who came to Him. For instance, Nicodemus came to Jesus confused about being born again. Jesus clarified the meaning of spiritual rebirth (John 3:1-21). The Samaritan woman came to Jesus focused on physical water. Jesus counseled her to seek eternal living water instead (John 4:1-26). No matter the situation, problem, or question, Jesus had perfect wisdom to bring counsel, clarity, and solution.
The key role of God’s Word
Though Jesus is no longer physically present on earth, believers today can still experience Him as their Wonderful Counselor. How? They can encounter His voice through the Bible, which is God’s perfect Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Holy Spirit also convicts, instructs, and guides believers into truth through Scripture (John 16:13, 14:26). So while believers do not have audible conversations with Jesus, they can hear from Him as the Wonderful Counselor by reading, studying, and meditating on the Bible. Through God’s Word, Jesus still provides wise counsel that transcends all worldly advice.
How Jesus counsels and guides
Here are some key ways Jesus provides wise counsel as the Wonderful Counselor for those who seek Him:
- Conviction of sin – The Holy Spirit uses God’s Word to convict believers of sin and the need to repent (2 Timothy 3:16-17). This conviction protects from harm and aligns behavior with God’s will.
- Wisdom for decisions – As believers pray, study the Bible, and seek godly input while weighing choices, Jesus guides their decisions with supernatural wisdom (Proverbs 2:6-9, James 1:5).
- Discernment of spirits – Jesus helps believers discern between truth and deception by enabling them to assess teaching, prophecies, and spirits against Scripture (1 John 4:1-3).
- Future direction – Through God’s Word, prayer, wise input, and circumstantial signs, Jesus makes His will for future plans clear (Romans 12:2, Proverbs 16:9).
- Strength in suffering – During trials, Jesus speaks words of comfort, encouragement, and perspective through the Bible to give strength (Psalm 119:50).
- Reproof and correction – Jesus lovingly corrects wrong thinking and behavior through Scripture, bringing repentance and restoration (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The blessing of Jesus’ counsel
Those who continually seek and follow the Wonderful Counselor’s guidance experience great blessing and benefits, including:
- Avoiding harmful mistakes and pitfalls in life (Psalm 119:24).
- Receiving supernatural wisdom and perspective for decisions beyond worldly advice (James 3:17).
- Staying on the righteous, life-giving path instead of destructive alternatives (Psalm 16:11, Jeremiah 6:16).
- Finding solutions to problems that confound worldly experts (Proverbs 3:5-6).
- Discovering purpose, meaning, and fulfillment in one’s unique kingdom calling (Ephesians 2:10).
- Being filled with spiritual discernment, understanding, and truth (Colossians 1:9-10).
- Experiencing the presence, comfort, and power of Jesus through trials (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
- Continually maturing into Christlikeness (Colossians 1:28-29).
Seeking Jesus’ counsel daily
In a world filled with confusing voices, Jesus’ words bring clarifying truth. The key is to continually seek His Wise Counsel each day through:
- Reading the Bible – God’s Word is the primary way believers encounter Jesus’ counsel.
- Praying for guidance – Jesus instructs those who humbly ask for wisdom.
- Meditating on scripture – As God’s words fill the mind, the Wonderful Counselor’s voice resonates.
- Obeying known truth – Obedience positions believers to receive further counsel.
- Fellowshipping with Christians – Wise believers can help apply Jesus’ words.
- Evaluating counsel biblically – All input must align with God’s revealed truth.
Jesus’ counsel compared to worldly advice
Unlike worldly counsel, Jesus’ wisdom is perfect, eternal, all-knowing, and absolutely trustworthy. Human guidance, while sometimes helpful, has limitations and flaws. But Christ’s counsel leads to blessing, growth, freedom, and abundant life, as believers align with God’s will and way. The Bible reminds believers to highly value Jesus’ words over any other advice or input (Psalm 119:24, Prov. 3:5-6). His counsel stands supreme.
Jesus cares personally about each believer’s life
The Wonderful Counselor is no distant advisor. He knows believers intimately and cares deeply about each aspect of their lives. Jesus experienced humanity firsthand and understands every struggle and need. His Spirit lives within believers to comfort, guide, and conform them into His image. There is no problem too small or too big to bring to Christ’s attention. Jesus longs to guide each step of the journey with those who seek Him.
In summarize
Isaiah’s prophecy reveals Jesus as the coming Wonderful Counselor. As God incarnate, Jesus is the source of unmatched, perfect wisdom and guidance. His Spirit works through God’s Word to convict, instruct, and counsel believers daily. For all who continually seek the Wonderful Counselor’s voice, He leads them to blessing, purpose, and the abundant life He promises. Though the world offers flawed advice, Jesus’ words stand supreme as believers’ guide. His wise counsel is a precious gift and resource believers can access through scripture prayer!