“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)
Growing up, I was never a fan of classical music. This might be because my stepfather played Handel’s Messiah every Christmas at an ear-splitting level. To clarify, I didn’t mind the words or message. But I despised the type of singing and the fact that he blasted it. To this day, I can still hear the words “Wonderful, Counselor” echoing in my brain at full volume.
I didn’t know it then, but these words are a quote from the Bible.“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6, NKJV).
Although this verse is in the Old Testament, it prophesied that Jesus would come to save the world exactly as He did. In fact, scholars agree that Jesus’s birth, life, and resurrection fulfilled over 300 Old Testament prophecies.
That’s pretty amazing! Only God could pull off something like that! But it answers one of my long-held questions about why God chose to save the world as He did. Why would God choose to lay aside His radiant glory and be born in human form as a weak and vulnerable baby?
You must admit that this is a strange way to save the world. Why would God send His own son, knowing the world would reject, torture, and hang Him on a cross? Well, my friend, the answer is because God loves us. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, NKJV).
Not only did Jesus fulfill the Old Testament prophecies, but He was born of flesh, like all other humans, to save us and restore our right relationship with God. This was necessary because when the enemy tempted Adam, he committed the first sin and brought death into the world. And, unfortunately, we have been following in his footsteps ever since, sinning.
However, God had a plan to save us. Since we are human, Jesus took human form. “For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying” (Hebrews 2:14-15, NLT).
Jesus’s humanity also makes Him relatable and gives us hope. He understands the human experience, with all its ups and downs, temptations, and trials. He understands human emotions, joy, heartache, betrayal, and grief. However, He overcame it all and defeated death.
The Bible explains it this way, “For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:17-18, NIV).
Therefore, whatever we go through, we have hope. We, too, can overcome anything the enemy and world throw at us, including death.
So, friend, as we sing Christmas songs this season, let’s praise God for His ultimate sacrifice.
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for having good plans for us, even when we don’t understand, make mistakes, struggle, and sin. Thank you for sending Jesus to overcome the world and set us free from the power of sin and death. And thank you for Christmas, to remind us of Your ultimate sacrifice of love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
More About God’s Love and Salvation Plan
God’s Light Illuminates Our Darkness
More About Prophecies
55 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus
