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Sermon #33 — Isaiah Series

Title: “His name shall be called

Counselor”

Text: Isaiah 9:6

Subject: Christ our Counselor

Date: Sunday Evening — September 17, 2017

Readings: Mark Daniel — Acts 5:1-16

Introduction:

(Isaiah 9:1-7) “Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. (2) 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. (3) Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. (4) 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. (5) 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. (6) 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. (7) 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.”

I do not need to show you again that this portion of Holy Scripture is a prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ, describing his glorious Person and saving work as God’s Messiah, our Redeemer and King. These names, “Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace,” are titles which belong to Christ alone. And he wears them well.

In this message, I want us to focus our attention on the Lord Jesus Christ as he is our Counselor. — “His name shall be called Counselor”

Proposition: Christ is the Counselor of his people.

A Counselor is a legal representative, an attorney at law, an advocate, one who gives counsel and direction. Without introduction, let me show you how that the Lord Jesus Christ is our Counselor.

Eternal Counselor

1^st — Christ was our Counselor in the Counsel of Peace before the world began. — Throughout the Scriptures we read of a Counsel held before the world began. I readily confess that I do not understand all that I know about that Counsel. But that the Counsel was held is plainly declared in the Book of God.

· God declares “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure” (Isaiah 46:10).

· Christ was delivered up to die as our Substitute by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God (Acts 2:23).

· And the writer of Hebrews bases the assurance and security of our salvation upon “the immutability of his counsel” (Hebrews 6:17).

I don’t know about you, but that arouses my interest. I want to know about this counsel. — Read Zechariah 6:12-13.

(Zechariah 6:12-13) “And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: (13) Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”

This much I know. — There was a great eternal, wonderful Counsel held between the Three Persons of the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, before the world began. And the covenant is altogether wrapped up in Christ (Isaiah 49:8-9).

(Isaiah 49:8-9) “Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; (9) That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.”

Now let me try to answer some questions that must naturally arise in your mind, as they do in my own.

Why did God hold a Counsel?

It was not that he might gather information. God knows all things.
It was not that he might increase his pleasure and satisfaction. God has no deficiencies.
It was certainly not that he might make deliberations. God does not need to weigh, think, consider, and plot.

This eternal Counsel of peace held between the Persons of the eternal Godhead was held for our benefit. It was held by God and has been revealed to us that we might see something of God’s infinite wisdom. This great Counsel of grace is revealed in Holy Scripture that we might understand something of the unity of the Divine Persons in all things. — God the Father does nothing alone. God the Son does nothing alone. And God the Spirit does nothing alone (Ephesians 1:3-14). Our salvation was…

· Planned by the Father.

· Purchased by the Son.

· Procured by the Spirit.

What was resolved upon and determined in the everlasting counsel? When God says, “My counsel shall stand,” what does he mean? What shall stand? What has he determined in the holy Counsel?

Everything regarding God’s creation was settled in the everlasting Counsel (Proverbs 8:12, 14-16, 22-31).

(Proverbs 8:12-31) “I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. (13) The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. (14) Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. (15) By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. (16) By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. (17) I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. (18) Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. (19) My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. (20) I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: (21) That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures. (22) The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. (23) I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. (24) When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. (25) Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: (26) While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. (27) When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: (28) When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: (29) When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: (30) Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; (31) Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.”

Not only did God in holy, wise counsel determine to make man in his image and after his likeness, he also sovereignly determined all things regarding his creation.

He weighed the mountains and measured the hills.
He set the boundary of the seas and the course of the rivers.
He counted the sand and named the stars.
He set the course of the sun and determined the days of time.
He numbered the angels and ordained their form.
He ordained every creature’s form, and size, and place.
He set the place of every eagle’s nest and ordained the worm’s burrowing path in the earth.

Keep silence all created things

And wait your Maker’s nod;

My soul stands trembling while she sings

The honors of her God.

Life, death, and hell, and worlds unknown

Hang on His firm decree;

He sits on no precarious throne,

Nor borrows leave to be.

Chained to His throne a volume lies,

With all the fates of men,

With every angel’s form and size

Drawn by the eternal pen.

Christ was our Counselor with God when he determined all things regarding the creation of the world.

But there is more. — Everything that should ever come to pass in providence was ordained and fixed by God’s immutable purpose in the everlasting counsel. Scientists, philosophers, and infidels speak of the laws of nature. But what they call the laws of nature are the orders of God. And they are carried out precisely by the hand of him who has his way in the whirlwind.

God did not just wind this thing up and let it go. God Almighty holds the reins of the universe. And everything he does now, has done, or shall do, is according to his wise and merciful purpose of grace (Romans 8:28-31).

Illustration: Joseph and Israel

Spirit of God give me grace that I may learn to trust Christ my Counselor. — He is too wise to err, too good to do wrong, and too strong to fail. He has ordained …

The weight of my trials.
The number of my mercies.
The place and condition of my usefulness.
The days of my pilgrimage.
The means and the moment of my departure.

And all matters of grace were settled and fixed from eternity in this blessed counsel of peace (Ephesians 1:3-14).

God determined to save a people for the glory of his name.
God found a way in which he could be both just and the Justifier of all who believe. — Substitution!
God determined who he would save (Romans 9:11-13; Ephesians 1:4-6, 11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13).
And God predestined everything necessary to bring his elect to life and faith in Christ at the appointed time of love, and to heaven at last at the time he has set.

God’s Counselor

2^nd — The Lord Jesus Christ is God’s Counselor, the Counselor given to us by our God, the Triune Jehovah. — He is our Counselor from God. And he is God our Counselor. He is called “The Angel of the covenant.” He is God’s Messenger to us by whom and in whom his covenant is revealed. He is “The Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working” (Isaiah 28:29).

We read and understand God’s Counsel only through Christ our Counselor. Look to Christ and you will understand all that God has done, all that God is doing, and all that God shall do. History is His-Story!

God has put this world into the hands of Christ for the salvation of his people.
God is calling out a people for his name’s sake.
God will put all things under the rule of his Son.

But I want to show you what kind of Counselor Christ is to us now. He gives us counsel by his Spirit through the ministry of his Word.

He reveals himself. And as he reveals himself he reveals the Triune God (John 1:18; Colossians 2:-10). He is “the image” of the invisible God.
He orders our steps.
He rules our lives.
He instructs our minds.
He comforts our hearts.

Christ is a needed Counselor. We are ignorant. He is wisdom. Our blessed Savior is a faithful Counselor. How delightful it is to know that he who is our all-wise God and Savior is a sympathizing Counselor. And, blessed be his name, the Lord Jesus Christ is a qualified Counselor.

The All-wise God
The Perfect Man

Heavenly Counselor

3^rd — The God-man, Christ Jesus, is our Counselor with God in heaven now (1 John 2:1-2).

(1 John 2:1-2) “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Application

Here is Christ’s counsel for you. —

Tried Believer — “Cast your care upon the Lord.”
Young Man — “Seekest thou great things for thyself? — Seek them not.”
Languishing Believer — “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed.”
Weary Sinner — “Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Zion’s Pilgrim — “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Every Saint — “This do in remembrance of me.”

Amen!

Don Fortner

Pastor Fortner’s