Okay, this evening now we have a very, very special promise given in the book of Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 9 at verse 6. Isaiah 9 at verse 6. And notice carefully, he says, for unto us, underscore that word us, unto us, we have these Precious, exceeding, great, and precious promises. Unto us, unto us a child is born. And we know it is talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. For unto us a son is given. And the government, the government of his kingdom, the rule and reign of his kingdom shall be upon his shoulders. His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, of the increase of his government, verse 7, and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, upon his kingdom, to order it, to establish it with judgment and justice, remembering the just God and Savior. From henceforth, even forevermore, the zeal of the Lord of hosts, will perform all he has promised.

I'm fully persuaded. You remember Abraham? Abraham was fully persuaded. All that God promised, he's able to perform. So I'm taking the title with a message from verse six. And we see in verse six, the mysteries of the gospel, the mysteries of the gospel of Christ. These things of the gospel are great mysteries that must be revealed unto us by the spirit of God, by the word of God alone. He must come and take his word and open it unto us. When it pleased God, Paul said, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace to reveal his son in me. Salvation to the heart of God's people is a revelation of the beauty and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. We don't see these things naturally. He reveals himself unto us. The natural man cannot receive the things of God that foolishness unto him. But he takes the things of Christ and reveals them unto us. He hid these things from the wise and prudent, but he has revealed them unto babes, even so, father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.

The gospel is a mystery that must be revealed. Paul writes about that in Ephesians 5. This is a great mystery when he talks about the husband and wife being one, one flesh, and this is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and His church. The Lord Jesus Christ chose His bride and married her in that eternal covenant of grace, and there is that eternal union we have with the Lord Jesus Christ. We speak the wisdom of God in the mystery even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory. It's a hidden mystery that must be revealed, how God can be just and justifier. How can God who inhabits eternity inhabit the body of a man? That's a great mystery, isn't it? But it's so, it's so. especially when we talk about the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ, God Almighty manifest in the flesh. Paul said, without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. It's without controversy. It's not up for debate. Who is Jesus Christ? He's God, God the Son, the eternal Son of God. God was manifest in the flesh. That's not up for debate. We believe it. Can you explain how God can inhabit A body of a man, God who inhabits eternity. I can't explain that. No man can. As Martin Luther said, I don't need a God I can explain. I need a God to bow to and worship. Worship God, and that's what we do.

The word was made flesh, the word was with God and was God, and that word was made flesh and dwelt among us. That's a great glorious mystery. But that's the blessings of God, and that's what we have in verse six. Unto us a child is born, the son is given. What a blessing. You remember in our study of Hebrews 10, our Lord said, a body has thou prepared me. He wasn't pleased with the offering of bulls and goats and bulls and the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body has thou prepared me. And that's who the Lord Jesus Christ is. God became a man. took upon himself the form of a servant, but he never stopped being God, did he? We read it. A moment ago in Philippians chapter two, don't turn back, let me just read it to you. Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion, habit as a man. He humbled himself, became obedient of the death, even the death of the cross. He said, no man takes my life, I lay it down. Hereby perceive we the love of God. You remember that verse we studied in 1 John 3? Perceive we the love of God. He laid down his life for us, for us.

So let's look at verse six, unto us. What a blessing God has given unto us, his covenant children, his bride. For unto us a child is born, a son is given. Now it's saying two different things there. Not saying the same thing. A child is born, and a child was born. Mary, a virgin, was conceived child by God the Holy Spirit. A child was born, but the son was given. Not saying the same thing. A child was born, made of the seed of David according to the flesh. Mary conceived in her womb by the power of God the Holy Spirit. and that child was born.

Now turn back one page, Isaiah chapter 7, and here we have the prophecy of that happening. You remember Isaiah 7 verse 14? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a son, behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Now what does Immanuel mean? You remember when that's given in Matthew chapter one, God with us, God with us. He's Emmanuel. That had to be virgin born because he couldn't have the seed of Adam. He had to be the seed of woman, conceived of God, the Holy Spirit. Mary conceived in her womb by the power of God, the Holy Spirit. And that child was conceived.

And nine months later, Mary had a, I say this reverently, but Mary had a little lamb. The Lamb of God. Behold the Lamb of God. It takes away our sin. A real man, child, born like any other child was born, but with no sin, no guilt. Adam's sin was not charged to him like it's charged to us. Because he was begotten of the Holy Spirit, conceived of the Holy Spirit.

In the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law. So a child was born. Thank God. Thank God He sent the Savior. We would have no hope of salvation without the Lord Jesus Christ coming to put away our sin. But it says secondly, the Son, the Child was born, but the Son was given. You see that? He's declared to be the son of God. Now, he's not made the son of God. He was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, but he's declared to be the son of God. He was made the son of God. He's the eternally begotten, well-beloved son of God. God gave his only well-beloved son. The messenger said to Mary, he shall be great, shall be called the son of the highest, And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David. He shall reign forever and ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. That prophecy is true, isn't it? And it's concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ had to be both man, he's called the Son of Man, and he's called the Son of God. He had to be both. the God-man mediator, one blessed person, in order to accomplish our salvation.

As I've said to you many times, man alone can't satisfy, and God alone cannot suffer and die. But the God-man did, became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He took not on him the nature of angels, remember in Hebrews 2, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. As much as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, He took part of the same to destroy the devil and to deliver us, destroy our sin and to deliver us. And then it says in Isaiah 9 verse 6, And the government shall be upon His shoulders. The rule of all things rests upon His, He's a broad-shouldered Savior. It says in verse 7, Of the increase of His government there shall be no end. He rules and reigns everywhere, the king's heart and the hand of the Lord. And of his government, there shall be no end. God is the king of all the earth, but especially in regard to his spiritual kingdom, he reigns forever. His government will never be shut down, never has been shut down. He rules and reigns over all things, over all things.

The kingdom and rule of His church rests upon the absolute authority of the Lord Jesus Christ over His people. Upon His shoulders rests our eternal salvation. Aren't you glad that salvation doesn't rest upon your shoulders? It would certainly fail, wouldn't it? But it rests upon His shoulders. He did not come here to become king. He's always been king. All power is given to me in heaven and earth. You remember, the wise man came and said, where is he that's born king? They didn't say, where is he that will become king someday. He was king when he got here. In Psalm 2, we study, God said, I've set my king upon my holy hill Zion. He's my king. I own him. I submit to him. I bow to him. He's king of kings and Lord of lords. He rules and reigns over all things.

Verse seven, of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end upon the throne of David. What kind of throne did David have? He was the absolute king in his kingdom. And that's the type and picture of Christ upon His kingdom to order it, to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth, even forevermore, the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this. He orders and establishes all things by His unchanging decrees. We study in Isaiah 46, not too long ago, you remember? He said, I've spoken it, I bring it to pass, I've purposed it, guess what? He said, I'll do it. I'll do it. He is the God of peace, the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great shepherd of the sheep to the blood of the everlasting covenant. We all have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. His throne is just throne, a holy throne. And through the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified, we have, he said, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that you may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need. Zeal of the Lord of hosts, He performs all things for us.

Now back to verse 6 for a minute. Call his name what it is, Jesus, Savior. He shall save his people from their sin. So the government's upon his shoulder, and we can read it this way. Our salvation rests upon his doing. Our salvation rests upon his shoulder, not ours. His shoulder.

And you know what his name is? Wonderful, wonderful. Now we shouldn't, as believers, I try not to, I try not to use this word, wonderful, in reference to anything but him, because that's his name. His name, in other words, for example, I wouldn't say to someone, well, this is a wonderful day, because that's his name. His name is wonderful. So I always try to, I limit my personal use of that word Wonderful in reference to him because everything about him is wonderful, isn't it? Wonderful.

No other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. God has given him a name above every name. At that name, every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess he's Lord to the glory of God the Father. His works are called the wonderful works of God. Everything about his priestly work we can say is wonderful, is it not? He effectively put away our sin by the sacrifice of himself. That's wonderful, isn't it?

He is wonderful in the covenant of love toward us. He's loved us with an everlasting love. That's his wonderful love, is it not? His mercy, His grace, and His love is all wonderful toward His people. He's a sovereign Lord. He's a mediator, the wonderful mediator. He's a wonderful advocate and Savior. He ever lived to intercede for us.

I've come to this conclusion. The Lord Jesus Christ is wonderful. He's wonderful. He's altogether lovely. He's all I need. He's all I want. Christ is all and in all. That's what God says of Him. And He's my all and my all. My all in all.

Now, He goes on to say in verse 6 of Isaiah 9, His name shall be called Wonderful, and then His name is Counselor. Notice these are capitals. That's his personal name. He's a counselor. He's a wonderful counselor. It says in Isaiah 28, this also coming from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, excellent in working. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only counselor. You remember years ago when they used to have all these, I don't watch religious TV because it's sickening to me, but if you watch these religious TV shows, they always have these counselors. Call our counselors. If you need counsel, call our counselors. They're waiting to hear from you. And oh, by the way, you need to designate a gift. And our counselors will tell you how to make a decision for Jesus. God's preachers are not counselors. God's preachers declare Christ who is the counsel of God, the wisdom of God, the power of God. We point sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our wisdom, our learning in all spiritual matters. He's the one who's able and willing to reveal the gospel to his people. He commands the light to shine out of darkness, to shine in our heart.

Would you know the way of salvation? Well, it's found in Christ, our Counselor. Christ, our Comfort. Would you know the will and purpose of God to save sinners? It's found in Christ, our Counselor. He's the counsel I need. He's the wisdom I need. He's the wonderful Savior that this sinner needs. And there's just one Mediator, and that Mediator is Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ.

And then it says thirdly in that verse, He's not only Not only his name is not only wonderful and counselor, but his name is the mighty God. He's the almighty God, the mighty God, able to save to the uttermost. Always has been, always will be, for he's Lord of heaven and earth. Not by anything we do, he's not Lord by what we do, God had made him both Lord and Christ. Every attribute of his deity, every attribute of God's deity is found in him. All power, all glory. The disciples said when he calmed the storm that even the wind and seas obeyed this man. Who is this man? He's the almighty God. That's who he is. He's the image of the invisible God manifest in the flesh. Because his God was all power, he's able to save. to the uttermost, and that's what we need. We need the almighty God who has almighty grace to save such sinners as we are. That's why his gospel is called the power of God, the gospel of Christ, is the power of God and the salvation.

And then it says that he's not only the wonderful, not only the counselor, not only the mighty God, it says here he's the everlasting father. Now, how can that be? Because he's God. God, Jesus Christ is the everlasting Father. Isaiah is not confused about the Godhead. Father, Son, Holy Spirit, these three are one. We're going to see that in 1 John chapter 5. But in our covenant relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, he is our Father. We are his covenant children. Remember, I read over here in Isaiah 8 verse 18, he said, behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given to me. And that's quoted over in Hebrews chapter two, verse 10. And we know that all that the father had given to the Lord Jesus Christ, they will come to him and he'll never cast them out. So in that covenant relationship, he is our father.

Behold what manner of love the father, the father of the covenant, the Lord Jesus Christ had bestowed upon us that we should be called sons of God. Sons of God, the mighty God, the everlasting Father. He's the everlasting God. Remember, last thing to everlasting, thou art God. And then it says last, well, he's the Prince of Peace. He's the Prince of Peace.

How did he make peace for us? He made peace for us with his own blood. He made peace for us with His own blood. He's called, in Hebrews 7, He's called the King of Righteousness and the King of Peace. And we know that we cannot make peace with God, no sinner can. The Lord Jesus Christ has made peace for us with His own blood.

Don't turn, let me just read this to you. Remember in Colossians chapter 1 it says, verse 19, For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell, Having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven, and you that were sometimes alienated, enemies in your mind by wicked work, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy, unblameable, unreprovable in his sight. He made peace Through the blood of His cross, He reconciled us unto God.

Now, you see what He's saying here in Isaiah 9, verse 6? It's a gospel promise, isn't it? For unto us, unto us, not to all men everywhere, unto God the elect, unto His people, unto us, this child was born, God incarnate. And the Son, the eternal Son of God, the only well-beloved begotten Son of God, He was given. He was given for our sin. He was given as a sacrifice for sin.

And the rule and reign of the Lord Jesus Christ is an everlasting reign. And our salvation rests upon His broad shoulders. He's a just God and Savior. And His name, call His name what? Wonderful. Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Isn't that a special verse? That's a gospel verse, isn't it? Reconciled through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Reconciled, made new Christians in the Lord Jesus Christ.