Unwrapping the Names of the Messiah:
Wonderful Counselor
Psalm 25:1-10 and Luke 21:25-36
First Sunday of Advent
December 1, 2024
As I began to consider what theme I would use for this year’s Advent, I came across a very intriguing idea of looking at the many names of Jesus, and, WOW! There are a lot!
I found two books, “Unwrapping the Names of Jesus” by Asheritah Ciuciu (Sigh-is-u), and another titled, “Names for the Messiah” by Walter Brueggemann.
I also began considering different scriptures that held the different names of Jesus in the New Testament, and ironically came across this scripture from Isaiah 9:6 in the Old Testament, one which I have heard many times, but perhaps not putting together the pieces of how it appears in the Old Testament as prophesy.
For a child has been born for us, a son given to us,
authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6)
While the Advent Devotional, “Unwrapping the Names of Jesus” lists 20 different names of Jesus, only one of the above names is listed Ciuciu’s (Sigh-is-u’s) book. This is certainly no discount to her book, rather a deeper look into the Bible of the many names of Jesus by which we are blessed.
However, since we only have four Sundays of Advent, we will be taking a closer look at the names foretold in the Old Testament writing of Isaiah, beginning with “Wonderful Counselor,” and how this title parallels with the gift of hope that comes with the birth of Jesus, The Christ Child, The Messiah.
Although, you will most likely hear other names of Jesus as we make our way through each sermon, that is, if you stay alert!
I’m sure many, if not all of you, have at some point read Dear Abby. Am I right?
Dear Abby, if you don’t know, was the most widely syndicated columnist in the world that became a household name. She was known for sound, compassionate advice that was delivered with the straightforward style of your good friend.
Many of us could not start our day without reading the column to see what words of wisdom were going to be shared to those brave enough to write in with their issue they deemed unsolvable within their own means. Often, you could note their exasperation in the writings, and their urgent need to seek the solid advice from Dear Abby.
Now I’m not going to say that I totally agreed with everything that Dear Abby advised to her writers but it was always entertaining to read the letters and her comments. Many would consider her a wonderful counselor with sage advice.
Having just celebrated Thanksgiving Day this week, here is just one example of a letter to Dear Abby and her response (by Abigail Van Buren):
‘Dear Abby: My stepson invited my husband and me to his home for Thanksgiving this year. After agreeing to go, I found out that the meal will consist of a vegetarian lasagna. I feel this is inconsiderate of my stepson and his wife because they know my husband and I have always enjoyed traditional Thanksgiving (including the Thanksgiving meal of roasted turkey). Please, what is your opinion? I feel like it’s just not Thanksgiving without the turkey. – WANTING A FEAST IN THE SOUTH
Dear Wanting: I’m so glad you asked. The Thanksgiving celebration is a tradition in which families and friends join together to give thanks for being together and enjoy food, friendship and the freedoms we are privileged to have in this country. If you need protein, have some before you go.’
Now I’m sure we can laugh about this, and maybe we have even had similar experiences when gathering with family and friends. However, as entertaining as this letter might be, and as wonderful as Dear Abby was at counseling her writers, there is no comparison to our spiritual Wonderful Counselor in which we find hope for peace in eternity.
People wrote Dear Abby in hope to have problems solved, however, our Psalmist directs us to hope in the Wonderful Counselor, the Messiah to come that will bring eternal peace.
The Psalmist trusts in God, the God of salvation. How long does he wait…all day long…because he knows his Lord has sustained his ancestors. Because of the steadfast love and faithfulness of his Lord, he knows he will be lead in truth as long as he remains humble and opens himself up to the journey.
As we move into our New Testament scripture, we see a repeated theme in Luke of a great hope in a message delivered by the Christ Child, the Son of God.
Luke reminds us of all that we can hope for when we stay alert. When we are on guard, and when we pray.
The Wonderful Counselor has told us to hope in the signs of the sun, moon and stars. To be alert to nations that are distressed and perplexed. Watch for roaring waves and seas.
Look at the fig trees and all trees and when they sprout, know that the summer is near. There is hope in the summer, in new growth, in new creation. Hope is the message.
The Wonderful Counselor tells us that we have hope even when heaven and earth pass away, because his words will not pass away.
There is hope when we stand in the presence of the Son of Man.
The Wonderful Counselor that we know not only gives sound advice, words of encouragement, and words of warning, he also gives us wise governance. Because of the words that have been delivered to us throughout the years, words that have been passed down, we are also witnesses to a counselor of wonders.
We see in the gospel of Luke, a Wonderful Counselor providing wisdom and foresight about planning and how to live into hope that provides love, peace, and joy.
When we consider Jesus, the Messiah, in his role as “wonderful counselor,” he was an agent of extraordinary plans and policies for a new order of his people that came amid the power and command of Rome.
Jesus was wise, and great deeds, even great wonders, were done by his hand as the Son of Man, sent by God.
Jesus is extraordinary and wonderful in his teaching because he exhibited an authority unlike the scribes. People were amazed by his answers, and they were given a new hope.
His teaching was contradictory to that of the authorities, and the oppressed people liked what they were hearing. They liked the idea of an alternative rule of law that were not abusive. Things that had been impossible were suddenly becoming possible, and the people were astounded.
The hope in Jesus’ presence, the Wonderful Counselor, was that he scattered the hearts of the proud, brought down the powerful, and lifted up the lowly.
Perhaps his most wise counsel was inviting his followers to continue his mission.
Jesus was the new light, the new way, and once the light is realized, you never want it to go out, and we are promised that it will never go out.
Remember in the dark days of Helene without electricity, we scrambled for candles and flashlights, and generators so that we would have light in our homes. We want the ability to see in the darkness, and Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor, the one sent by God to bring hope, is that light that never goes out, and that allows us to see our way through the darkness.
The more we spread it, the more it grows and becomes brighter and brighter.
Once we receive the light of God, nothing can be as it once was, and the more engaged we become intentionally, the more we want to share with others this hope of the Gospel.
We wait in hope for divine redemption, and we hear these words in a later Psalm (130:5):
“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope.”
This Sunday, we begin another year in the season of Advent, and we wait…and we hope. We hope in the word of our Wonderful Counselor, our spiritual counselor. Words of healing, words of peace, words of joy, and words of love.
O, how our souls wait and hope for our Wonderful Counselor.