We're turning to the book of Isaiah today, and the chapter is the chapter 7. I want to read one verse from Isaiah chapter 7, and then we're going into chapter 9. So first of all, Isaiah chapter 7, and then we're going to the chapter number 9. We're reading the verse 14 of Isaiah chapter 7. It says, therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel. And then chapter nine in the verse number two, the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light. They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation and not increased the joy. They joy before thee according to the joy and harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood, but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. 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 Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Amen, and we'll end our reading at the seventh verse of Isaiah 9. Let's briefly unite in a word of prayer together. Let's pray. Loving Father, we thank Thee for Thy dear people. We thank Thee that they're dear to us. But Lord, they're dear to thee, for thou didst die for them, thou didst come from the glory, and thou didst take to thyself humanity, and thou didst live for them, and die for them, and rise for them, and thou art today in heaven pleading for them, and we rejoice that we are the objects of thy love. Thy delights where? With the sons of men. And we can say today, what is man? Thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that thou wouldst visit him. And yet thou didst visit us in the person of thy dear son. We thank thee that he is the consolation of his people. He is salvation personified. Thou shalt call his name Jesus. for he shall save his people from their sin. Lord, we pray that this day that thou will come. We say Hosanna, O save, save the lost. Lord, instruct us as thy people. Bless our waiting souls. We offer prayer in the name of Christ our Savior. Amen and amen. As Christmas becomes ever more commercialized, the Christian needs to be on their guard lest they get caught up in the spirit of the world that marks this time of the year. As children of God, we ought to take this season off the year to focus our hearts again upon the miracle of the incarnation and what a miracle it was. The fact that the infinite, eternal Son of God became a man, yet never ceased to be God, will remain the most profound miracle and the most profound mystery in the entire universe. As we make our way towards Christmas Day, my mind was drawn again to the prophetic words here of the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah chapter nine. We looked at this portion before in the gospel, but I want us to consider it again. Rich in messianic prophecy, penetrated deeply with theological truth, these words from the pen of the inspired pen, man, bring us into contact with the incarnate one, the Christ of God. Hundreds of years before He ever came into this world, we find Him spoken of. We speak of Christ when we speak of the child born. and the Son given. And it's Him that I want us to think about today, and God willing, next week in a two-part message that I've entitled Behold the Christ of Christmas. Behold the Christ of Christmas. Now for these two messages, I want to confine my remarks to those words in the verse six and seven. Let's read them again. 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 Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end. Upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Within these two particular verses there are a number of characteristics and qualities presented with respect to the Messiah, the Christ of God, the virgin son that is spoken of in Isaiah 7 and the verse number 14. I want us to simply look at those particular qualities, characteristics of the one that we come to think about or we ought to think about as we make our way towards Christmas day. Now as we behold the Christ of Christmas, I see in these words a reference to Christ's humanity. Christ's humanity. Now the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ is brought to our attention in the opening words of the verse 6. For unto us a child is born. The term child focuses our minds on the human nature that Jesus Christ took into union with his deity for the purpose of our redemption the holy child born of the Virgin Mary was no created angel the Jehovah Witnesses will say that Christ was Michael the Archangel a created angel but not so and yet he was a man a true man with a true body and a reasonable soul but he was a man like no other man a man like no other You see, this man would be a sinless man. This man would be an impeccable man. This man would be a perfect man. This man would be a divine man. In order to become the Redeemer of men, the Son of God first had to become our kinsman. This is something that the writer to the Hebrew Christians speaks of in Hebrews chapter 2 in the verse 14 and 15. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he, speaking of Christ, also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Being a man, he could suffer as a man. Being the son of man, he now, through his life and death, he now would make the sons of men into the sons of God. Therein lies the mystery of the incarnation. The mystery lies in the revealed truth that God was manifest in flesh. In the incarnation, he who was the maker of men now becomes a man himself. That is a marvel. That is a mystery. That is a stoop of condescension like no other. That he who is the creator will become as the creature yet without sin. It's no wonder then that Martin Luther said the following when he came to think about the Son of God and him becoming a man. He said this, the mystery of the humanity of Christ, that he sunk himself into our flesh is beyond all human understanding. to think that God now becomes a man. Think of it. He who is the King of kings, and he who is the Lord of lords, the omniscient God, the omnipotent God, the omnipresent God, the immutable God, the eternal God, stoops to be robed in human flesh. To be born in a despised Galilean and Judean town. To be born in a filthy stable. To come forth from the womb of a simple Israeli woman and without any fanfare and without any pump. And to be laid in the hay of a manger. Oh, what a mystery. Meekness and majesty. We bow down and worship. because this is our God. God becomes a man and yet never ceases to be God. Read in Hebrews chapter 2 in the verse 17, reading on from this thought of him being a partaker of flesh himself, it says, wherefore in all things that behoved him it was necessary to be made like unto his brethren, why, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. This is why he becomes a man. He must take flesh. He must die and be crucified in the flesh in order that we might be reconciled to God. And as a man, it goes on to say that he himself was tempted. He was able being, for he himself has suffered being tempted. He is able to succor them that are tempted. And it's all because he becomes a man. It's all because of his humanity as a man. He felt everything we feel. He hurt like we hurt. He wept like we weep. He hungered and thirsted like we hunger and thirst. He knew disappointment like we know disappointment. And in his death, he would feel the weight of sin as he took that sin to himself upon the tree. We see his humanity. And so today by faith we go to Bethlehem and we gaze with wonder upon the Christ child. We ought to be lost in wonder today that God sent forth his son made of a woman, made under the law. But we remember the reason why, to redeem them that were under the law. that we might receive the adoption of sons. Oh, what worship should ascend these souls of ours as we consider the amazing condescension of God, because this in itself has God becomes a man, and yet that, and yes, that of an infant, not a full-grown man, but simply a child, just a simple baby, in this it manifests the greatness of his love and it also magnifies the riches of his grace for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in that though he was rich Yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich. A.W. Pink says it was for his people and their salvation that the eternal Son assumed human nature and abased himself even to death. And so as we behold Christ's humanity, we're beholding the Christ of Christmas. But in these words in Isaiah chapter nine, I believe that there's reference to Christ's deity, Christ's deity. Look there at the next statement in the verse 6, for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. Now the question that you should immediately ask is whose son? Whose son is this? What son is being spoken of? From whom does this son come from? Well, I believe that the words that we then go on to read really identify who the son is. This is the mighty God. This is the everlasting father. This is this wonderful counselor. This is this prince of peace. This is the one whose kingdom is an eternal kingdom. This is none other than the son of God. The Son, this term Son, speaks to me about his deity. Therefore, the Son that was given is the Son of the living God, as he's identified in Matthew 16, verse 16. The Son that was given is the Father's beloved Son, as he's termed in Matthew 17, verse 5. The son that was given is the son of the most high God as he's referred to there in Mark chapter 5 and the verse 7. This is the son of the blessed as he is depicted in Mark 14 verse 61. This is the son of the highest that is described and as he is described in Luke 1 32. This is the son of man as he identifies himself in Luke chapter 19 verse 10. This is the only begotten son. As he is named in John 1 verse 18, the Son of God was the gift of God the Father to a lost world. I reminded you in our studies in the book of James about that great verse that we have in the opening chapter that many good and perfect gifts come down to us from above, from the Father of lights in whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, and yet When we think of all the good and all the perfect gifts that come down to us from heaven, there is no gift that surpasses the gift of the Son. No gift that outstrips this gift and the gift of God's dear Son. This gift was not wrapped as other gifts are normally wrapped with paper and bows. but rather this gift is wrapped in our nature. Here he comes forth as a man and yet as God. comes forth from the womb of the Virgin Mary. God stoops from His loftiness. He will veal His glory and He will cover Himself in our inferior clay. The God-Man, He comes into the world to do something. What does He come to do? He comes to do what the first man failed to do. And what did Adam fail to do? He failed to give complete obedience to the law of God. But Christ came to fulfill the law, not to destroy it, but to fulfill it on our behalf and thereby secure righteousness for us. But he came to do something else. He came to undo what the first man did. And what did the first man do? He brought sin into the world, but by Christ and by that last Adam, the second Adam, Christ will go to the cross and he'll deal with the sin problem by his death upon Calvary's cross. Only one who is divine could put sin away and reconcile God to man and man to God, and that one was the Son of God. and thereby he must be God. He must be true God and true man. And this term son brings us to think he is the son of the Father. the everlasting Father, the Father of mercies, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ God, the very first person of the Trinity. Dr. Jones declared, we are face to face with the mystery and the marvel of the incarnation and of the virgin birth that is all here. It shines out in the fullness of its amazing glory. What manner of man is this? He is more than man. That is the answer. He is also God. I want you to note something. I want you to note that the Son was given. Unto us a Son is given. Now that thought is a matter that is spoken of in familiar verses, this giving off the Son by the Father. John 3.16, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Or that verse there in Romans chapter 8 verse 32, he that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? The giving of the son, what a gift, what a gift. This is God's unspeakable gift, brethren and sisters, given to us out of the free and sovereign grace of God. But do not overlook. A twice repeated phrase there at the opening of the chapter because there is a statement that brings this truth personally home to each of our lives who know Christ. Note that phrase, unto us. For unto us a child is born. Unto us. a son is given. To who? To us. Us who are fallen sinners. Us who were hell-deserving sinners, us who were enemies of God and healers of his gospel. He was born unto us and he was given unto us. He wasn't given unto the angels who fell from their first estate. He wasn't given to the angels who had sinned in that rebellion with Lucifer, the son of the morning. Nobody was given to us, to a people to an elect people, to a grouping of people, I and He was given for you, for you. Should that not cause your heart to adore Him, Christ the Lord? Should heartfelt praise not emanate from you today as you meditate upon the truth that Christ was born for you, that he was gifted to you? Christ being born and given to us, the great Matthew Henry said, is a great foundation of our hopes and the fountain of our joys, to think that he was given for us. O Christian, revel in it, rejoice in it, rest upon it the truth that Christ was born and given for you. For you. having brought us to think about the humanity of the Christ, and of the deity of the Christ, brings us to consider a third truth concerning him, and that is Christ's authority. We have his humanity, we have his deity, what do you just think now of Christ's authority? Reading on into the verse number six, we come to the words, and the government shall be upon his shoulder. and the government shall be upon his shoulder. Now the term government, well it makes us think of the seat of power, the seat of authority within a particular nation. Governments derive their authority not from the electorate as some would have us to believe, but governments derive their authority from God. have that in Romans chapter 13 verse 1 let every soul be subject on to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that are ordained of God and so we find here that God gives governments their authority. Now that is not to say that God is always in agreement with a particular government. He's not always in agreement with the laws that they pass. He's not always in agreement with the conduct that they conduct. It doesn't mean that they're always right in what they do. It simply means that government is arranged and ordered by God's providence. God raises up kings. And God deep possesses them, demotes them, removes them in a moment of time. It is all ordained of God. Now in most governments, there is what is known as three branches of government. There are three branches in government. There is the legislative branch, there is the executive branch, and there is the judiciary branch. Legislative, executive, and judiciary. Now taking these three basic branches of most governments, most democratic governments, we note that Christ rules over each of these branches in the government of His kingdom. Now His kingdom is not of this world. No, this is the kingdom of God. This is the kingdom of grace. And in that kingdom, that spiritual kingdom, thank God He rules over all. And it brings to our thought the authority of rule of our God. The government is upon His shoulders. All branches of government in His kingdom are on His shoulder. He's carrying them. He authoritatively rules in that particular kingdom. Let me explain. Christ is the lawgiver. And thereby He rules over the legislative branch of His kingdom. Because He is, because He is the one over all in the legislative branch, His laws are then to be obeyed. His commandments are to be followed. His statutes are to be adhered to. The Lord Jesus Christ is our law giver and the only spiritual head of authority and power. His word we are implicitly to obey because he rules over the legislative branch. Christ is also the head of his government's executive branch. Now the executive branch of government exercises authority and holds responsibility for the governing of a state. The executive also executes and enforces the law. Well, Christ governs over all things. He governs over all things in his kingdom as the king of kings and as the Lord of lords. There was a particular earthly king who would come to acknowledge such. His name was Nebuchadnezzar. And he was brought to know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he willeth. And that was brought to Nebuchadnezzar's attention when he thought himself to be governor over the executive branch of his particular kingdom. Christ executes and enforces his law and governs all that occurs in his realm even down to the falling of a sparrow. He governs it all. But Christ has been appointed and ordained by the Father as a judge of all men, and thereby he is the sole head of the judiciary branch within his kingdom. John 5 verse 22, For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. And thereby, in the judiciary of God's kingdom, Christ is over all. He is the preeminent one. He is the one who takes the head off it. He is the only and the sole authoritative power in this realm, the realm of the judiciary. And as judge, He executes holy and just and righteous and impartial judgment. He rewards the righteous for their deeds, and He will punish the unrighteous for their deeds. And so these words in Isaiah 9 verse 6 reminds us that all branches of government rest on the authoritative shoulder of Christ. He governs. He governs in heaven. He governs on earth. And he governs in hell. Wherever you think, he rules over all and over all things. And so, child of God, don't you be getting worked up and agitated when you see the wicked prosper. The judge of all the earth will do right. He will promote and demote kings and rulers in his time. He rules over the affairs of men. I am sinner, you don't think. Don't think for a moment. that your transgression of God's law has gone unnoticed, for it hasn't, because as the head of the judiciary branch of his kingdom, Christ on the day of judgment will bring you to account and he will punish you for your violation and your transgression of his law. And so to you, who are not yet under Christ's government, Those who today are being governed by the wicked one, Satan himself, I would counsel you to submit to him and to crown Jesus Christ as your rightful king and governor. Thank God above all the governments of this world, there is a greater government, one that will never be overthrown. Christ's government. And there's coming a day when the kingdoms of this world are going to become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and forever. Prophet, priest, and king. Christ rules over all. And so Christ, we see his authority. There's a government. Christ rules in that government. May God help us to submit then to his authority. But having looked at Christ's humanity, and having looked at Christ's deity, and having looked at Christ's authority, let me close today by thinking on a final point, and that is Christ's sympathy, his sympathy. Isaiah goes on to pen the words in verse six, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor. The term wonderful means something that transcends beyond the common, that which is way beyond the ordinary, something that is altogether unlike anything else, and therefore with that in mind, the term wonderful is a most suitable term to be applied to the Christ of God. He is the center, in which all elements of wonder in the Bible are found to be united, Jesus Christ really is but the hub of it all. There, if you want to behold the most wondrous thing, behold Him. Beloved, Christ is wonderful in so many ways. Christ is wonderful in His nature. He's wonderful in His person. He's wonderful in His offices. He's wonderful in His works. He's wonderful in His conquests. He's wonderful in His ascension. He's wonderful in His exaltation, and He'll be found wonderful even on the day of judgment. Christ is wonderful in His states. Whether you consider Him in the state of exaltation or in humiliation, He's wonderful. Christ is wonderful in his life. His miracles were wonderful. His teaching was wonderful. His doctrine was wonderful. His conduct was wonderful. Christ was wonderful in his death. The silent lamb as he goes to the place called Calvary to pay the price of redemption. He submits himself to the sufferings of death. He's wonderful in his death. He's wonderful in his resurrection, raised by the power of the eternal spirit. vindication for all that he accomplished on behalf of his people I and he's wonderful in heaven today he's the risen ascended now exalted son of God reigning at the right hand of the majesty and high he's a wonderful Savior He's a wonderful friend. He's a wonderful advocate. He's a wonderful shepherd. He's a wonderful prophet. He's a wonderful priest. He's a wonderful king. He's a wonderful mediator. He's a wonderful Lord. He's a wonderful master. He's a wonderful teacher. He's a wonderful guide. He's wonderful. He's wonderful. However, Isaiah says that he is a wonderful counselor. Now the world is awash with counselors, with marriage counselors, family counselors, guidance counselors, career counselors, educational counselors, mental health counselors, substance abuse counselors, rehabilitation counselors, to name but a few. And what do they claim to do? Well, they claim to help people work through their problems and their issues. What's man's greatest problem? Sin. Sin is man's greatest problem, and the only one who can counsel us concerning that problem is the wonderful counselor. Lord Jesus Christ, he counsels the sinner to turn, turn from sin, repent, and to believe the gospel, to reason with him, and to know cleansing through the blood of Christ. He knows all about us, this great counselor. He knows the need of the heart, and he knows the answer to the need. Thank God he is the wonderful counselor, and he always gives wise counsel. His counsel isn't silly counsel. His counsel isn't counsel that you would think, that's not fitting my particular need or problem. No, every time, every time, he gives the wisest and the safest of counsel, and he does so in a most sympathetic way. This is why I say we see his sympathy and sorrow. He sympathetically counsels us with the words of Psalm 147, 13. He healeth the broken heart and bindeth up their wounds. In affliction, he sympathetically counsels us with the words of Isaiah 63, verse 9. In all their affliction, he was affliction, and the angel of his presence saved them in his love. And in his pity, he redeemed them, and he bared them, and carried them all the days of old. In tribulation, in tribulation He sympathetically counsels with us. These things have I spoken unto you, He says, that in the world ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world in times of loneliness. He sympathetically counsels us and says, I will never leave thee. nor forsake thee in trouble. He sympathetically counsels us, when thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee. And through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. In our failures, Hi, and what one of us doesn't know failure. In our failures, He counsels us with the words, if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Even in our backslidings, He faithfully and sympathetically counsels us from those words there in Hosea 14 verse 4. I will heal their backsliding. I will love them freely, for mine anger is turned away from Him. What a wonderful counselor we have to hand. And with such a counselor to hand, Christian, turn to him. Turn to him in every season of life and follow his counsel in every circumstance. Why? Because he's too wise to err. Aye, and he's too good to be unkind. You would think with him being such a wonderful counselor that his books would be full. You would think that his services would be in so much demand that he would have no time to deal with the likes of you and me. Sure, who are we? Nobodies. And if he were a man, that would be the case. There would be a limit to how many individuals he could counsel, help them through their problems and difficulties. Ah, yes, and also his time would be limited if he were a man. But he's not a man, he's God. There are no limitations that constrain him. The Christian has unfettered and unlimited access to their heavenly counselor. In a moment, they can address him in prayer, they can place their case in God's hands. In a moment, they'll find consolation from this great counselor. And so believer, avail yourself of this counselor's advice. For the path ahead, he will guide you with his counsel, and afterward receive us to glory. And for you who have set it not, his counsel, cease from doing so. His counsel is to you in the gospel. They're not sent to harm you, but to secure your greatest good. Why then reject his counsel? Why despise his directives? Come to him. Come repenting. Come believing. Come confessing. And he will in no wise cast you out. I want to come back to this portion of God's Word and the will of God next Lord's Day. But as we come to Christmas Day, let us keep Christ at the heart and center of all that we do. And as we think of him, let's remember his humanity. Let's remember his deity. Let's remember his authority. Let us remember his sympathy. May God help us to consider Him, Christ the Lord. Let's bow our heads, please, in a word of prayer together. I trust that you'll continue to ponder these verses. I ask the Lord to speak to your heart in the will of God next Lord's Day as we come to consider the other Titles given and then into the verse 7 as well. Some tremendous truths to be gleaned here. Trust you'll find comfort even in the word today. So let's pray. Loving Father, in our Savior's precious name, we come and we worship Thee. We bless Thee for the coming of our Savior into the world. We thank Thee that He was made like unto us in order that He might reconcile us to God. And today, Lord, we pray for those who are unsaved. Bring them to Christ. Bring them to that place of repentance. May this Christmas be the Christmas that they come to understand what we speak of when we speak of the incarnation and the purpose of it all. For the manger was not the end of the road, neither was the cross or the grave, but the throne is occupied today, and the living Savior reigns and rules over all. We bless thee that Thou art the authoritative one, and we submit to his authority. Shelter us and protect us in these days, and may the abiding portion of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be upon us all. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit rest and remain upon thine abiding and thy believing people. We offer prayer. In the name of Christ our Savior, amen and amen. May the Lord bless you as you make your way home. Thank you.