Look inside this book.Where the Bush is Burning: A Daily Devotional by [Thomas Tice]

Tag: Isaiah 9
‘Counselor’

‘Counselor’

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‘Counselor’

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

As we continue to consider the titles of Christ, as the Scripture sets them forth in our text, we come to consider Christ as ‘Counselor.’ The chief quality of a counselor is wisdom. A counselor may be many other things as well, but above all, he or she must be wise. Christ is the wisest of all counselors. He is the Counselor Whom we need more than any other. Simply put, we are not wise. Ours is the history of unwise choices. We are often both ignorant, and beyond that, we lack understanding in matters both minor as well as major. Where shall we find wisdom and discernment? We find it in Our Most Wise Counselor. Christ advises us that, ‘the reverence of God is the beginning of wisdom.’ Beyond that, we come to understand that it is Christ ‘Who of God is made to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.’ Would we be wise in every area of life? Behold, not only Christ as Our Savior, but also Christ, as the Great Pattern for our behavior. Mere moralism, no matter how closely adherent to the letter of the Law, is devoid of the Spirit of Christ. Christ, Our Wise Counselor, is utterly capable of showing us more than mere knowledge can impart. Let us today seek wisdom at the Mouth of Christ, the Great Dispenser of Wisdom, Who bears the Title, ‘Counselor.’

Our Gracious and Wonderful Savior,
we rejoice at the wonderful words that proceed out of Your Mouth.
We rejoice that by Your Counsel,
You guide us along most pleasant paths,
and bring us to our desired haven.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
‘Wonderful’

‘Wonderful’

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‘Wonderful’

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

We have meditated upon this text in past days, yet there is a wealth of matter for us to contemplate because it is so full of Christ. Let us today consider the first title, ‘Wonderful.’ Our translators have used this Title to reflect how genuinely Marvelous Christ is. He is in every way, Full of Wonders. He was Full of Wonders before the world began. He had undisturbed fellowship with God, His Father, and with the Holy Spirit. He was Full of Wonders at creation for ‘without Him was not anything made that was made.’ He was Full of Wonders in all of His pre-incarnate appearances, as He showed Himself to Abraham as Melchizedek; to Moses at the burning bush and later upon the mountaintop. He was Full of Wonders to Elijah, to the three Hebrew Children, to Daniel and to Isaiah. Moreover, He was Full of Wonders in His Incarnation. He spoke wonderfully, did wonderfully, lived wonderfully, and died wonderfully. All which He has done since then, from His Resurrection, to His Ascension, to His Intercession, to His Return, exclaims, ‘Wonderful!’ Let us spend some time today, dwelling upon this Person, Who not only does that which fills us with wonder, but Who is in Himself, the embodiment of all that which is Wonderful.

Our Great and Gracious God,
we rejoice that You have given us a sight of Him,
Your only Begotten Son.
We never tire of beholding Him
and feel ourselves constantly drawn out after Him,
Who is in every way, Wonderful.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

Wonderful

Wonderful

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Wonderful

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.

Isaiah 9:6

All of the Old Testament is an elaborate preparation for the coming of Christ. We may begin at the proto-evangelium in Genesis 3:15 and trace the threads of the tapestry all the way though to the last Messianic prophecy of Malachi. Isaiah bears the name, ‘the Evangelical Prophet.’ In his work there are clear and unmistakeable Gospel messages. We shall concentrate on but one of them today. ‘His Name shall be called, Wonderful.’ What an all-encompassing Name! It takes our minds down so many avenues of contemplation. Wonderful He was before the Day of Creation, before the ‘morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy.’  Wonderful He was when the Word of God declared, ‘Let there be light.’ Wonderful He was when He held counsel with the other members of the Trinity, and said, ‘Let us make man in Our Image.’ He was Wonderful as He walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the Garden in the cool of the day; as He conversed with the Patriarchs in ancient scenes of revelation; as He revealed to them the things concerning Himself.  Most Wonderful was He in His humiliation, as He ‘took upon himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men.’ He was Wonderful in His Sacrifice, and Wonderful in His Resurrection. He is Wonderful now in His intercession, and shall yet be Wonderful in His Glorious return. For all eternity, we who are saved by Free and Sovereign Grace, shall call Him by His Glorious Name, ‘Wonderful! Worthy is the Lamb!’ We glorify You this day O, Christ. You are Wonderful in our eyes, and evermore shall be!

Our Grand and Glorious God, we rejoice in Your only Begotten Son.
We praise You that ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and that we have beheld His Glory,
the Glory as of the only Begotten of the Father,
full of Grace and Truth.’

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

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