Isaiah 9:6c – “And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
In the Hebraic understanding, a name isn’t just a label—it reveals essence, identity, and destiny. Isaiah doesn’t say these are merely descriptions of the Messiah; he says His Name shall be called — meaning this is who He is. When we declare these names, we are not offering poetic praise — we are calling upon real attributes of the living King. In just one verse, the prophet unveils the depth of Messiah’s personhood, showing us that this child is no ordinary child. He is the fulfillment of heaven’s promise and the revelation of God’s nature.
Wonderful (פֶּלֶא / Peleh): This is the word used by the Angel of the LORD when He appeared to Samson’s parents in Judges 13. When Manoah asked His name, He replied, “Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful (פֶּלִאי / pele’i)?” — a title linked to divinity and mystery. This wasn’t just any angel—it was a pre-incarnate appearance of Messiah. “Peleh” is used elsewhere in Scripture to describe the miraculous acts of God. Messiah isn’t just amazing—He is a supernatural wonder, beyond comprehension, worthy of awe and reverence.
Counselor (יוֹעֵץ / Yo’etz): In a world flooded with opinions and confusion, Yeshua (Jesus) is the eternal voice of wisdom. This is not human strategy, but divine counsel that flows from perfect understanding. He doesn’t merely advise—He leads with truth that pierces through every lie and brings clarity to chaos. Isaiah later says in 11:2 that “the Spirit of counsel and might” will rest upon Him. When you don’t know what to do, He is wisdom made manifest. (Colossians 2:2-3)
Mighty God (אֵל גִּבּוֹר / El Gibbor): This title leaves no room for ambiguity. “El Gibbor” appears again in Isaiah 10:21—used exclusively of YHWH Himself. It literally means “God the Warrior.” This child born to us is not a godly man, but God made flesh. He is the conquering King, the defender of Israel, and the One before whom every knee will bow. His name here directly affirms the deity of Messiah, silencing those who try to reduce Him to mere prophet or teacher.
Everlasting Father (אֲבִי עַד / Avi-Ad) is a title that does not blur the distinction between Messiah and God the Father within the Triune nature of God, but rather reveals Messiah’s eternal essence and fatherly role. In Hebrew thought, to be called the “father” of something means to be its source or originator. Thus, Avi-Ad identifies the Messiah as the Father of Eternity—the one from whom time itself proceeds. He is not merely one who lives forever; He is the source, author, and sustainer of eternity itself. His nature is unbound by time, and His care knows no expiration. As Avi-Ad, He nurtures, sustains, and never abandons. He is the One who was, who is, and who is to come—the eternal foundation behind all existence.
This title powerfully affirms Messiah’s deity. No mere human could ever be called the “Father of Eternity”—that is a designation belonging to God alone. Isaiah is proclaiming that the Child who is born is none other than the One through whom all things came into being. This truth is echoed across Scripture: Micah 5:2 declares that His goings forth are “from everlasting”; John 1:1–3 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word… all things were made through Him”; and Colossians 1:17 reveals, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Messiah is not a created being—He is the preexistent King, the One who steps into time yet exists beyond it, the eternal source of life who holds all things together by the power of His Word.
Prince of Peace (שַׂר שָׁלוֹם / Sar Shalom): “Shalom” is more than peace in the absence of war—it means wholeness, harmony, restoration, and right order. And Yeshua is not just a messenger of peace; He is the ruler who brings it. He is the One who speaks, and storms cease. He reconciles man to God, breaks down dividing walls, and makes the broken whole. His peace is active, reigning, and redemptive.
So when life feels fragmented—when your heart is restless, your path uncertain, or your world shaking—run to His Name. Call upon each title, not as a distant truth, but as a personal promise. He is your Wonder, your Counsel, your God, your Father, your Peace. Let these names become part of your prayer life. Invite Him to be all these things to you—personally, powerfully, daily.
Every one of His names shatters the limits of what you thought possible. In Him, the mystery of heaven meets the mess of earth. So lift up His Name in faith, not as ritual but as revelation. Declare it over your mind, your household, and your future. He is Wonderful when you’re overwhelmed. Counselor when you’re confused. Mighty God when you feel weak. Everlasting Father when you feel alone. Prince of Peace when the war won’t stop. His Name is not just what He’s called — it’s what He does. Call on Him. Trust in Him. For He is the One whose Name that is above all names! (Philippians 2:9-11)
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
More Devotions
Proverbs says the “highway of the upright is to depart from evil”. It’s a highway — a way of life so to speak. And this proverb coincides with the central teaching of Yeshua (Jesus) — “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” What does it mean to repent? The Greek Word is “metanoia” which simply means to change your mind about sin or to depart from evil.
A large group of European pastors came to one of D. L. Moody’s Northfield Bible Conferences in Massachusetts in the late 1800s. Following the European custom of the time, each guest put his shoes outside his room to be cleaned by the hall servants overnight. But of course this was America and there were no hall servants.
D.L. Moody has been influential in my personal life as I study and read about his life and ministry in the 1800’s. I remember reading a story about how D.L. Moody was preparing to lead a revival throughout England to which an elderly pastor protested and said, “Why do we need this ‘Mr. Moody’? He’s uneducated, inexperienced, etc. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he think he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?”
If these really are the “Days of Noah,” we would expect to see a world filled with increasing violence. The Hebrew for “violence” is , by coincidence, the name of the terrorist organization Israel has been fighting for decades. And simply perusing my news briefs in recent years gives abundant evidence for the conclusion that this terrible season is well underway. Noah’s day was filled with violence and also false witness, which is a second meaning for the word “Hamas” [e.g., ; ]; violence and lies, then and now…
As Israel braces for retaliation from Iran, Hezbollah, and its terrorist proxies following the assassinations of two terrorist leaders in Tehran and Beirut last week, many are praying through these tense times as Tisha B’Av begins tonight (Monday night).
Tonight, Jewish people around the world will mourn through Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the fifth month on the Hebrew calendar. This day has been marked by numerous tragic events throughout history. It began with the spies returned with an evil report of Canaan, the Promised Land, as recounted in Numbers 13 and 14. This day marks the destruction of both the First and Second Temples, which occurred on the same date, separated by hundreds of years. The Crusades were launched on Tisha B’Av in 1095. In 1290, Jews were expelled from England, and in 1492, they were expelled again from Spain and Portugal on this very day. In the modern era, World War I began on the 9th of Av, and the call for the “Final Solution,” which led to the Holocaust, was announced on this date. To say that Tisha B’Av commemorates a series of horrific events is an understatement.
The Bible tells us that the last days would be like the days of Noah. As the mass of humanity witnesses the signs of increasing violence and evil manifesting in ways that seemed incomprehensible even just a decade ago, we are focusing on the peace that faith brings through the present storm. Though the ark he built for the flood was perhaps not the most luxurious boat ever made, Noah and his family were able to abide in God’s rest through the most terrible weather in human history.
Continuing from yesterday concerning storms; not sure we can place Noah’s flood, a worldwide conflagration, in that category, but if there really is such a thing as a “Perfect Storm”, that was…and Noah and his family were, anyway, prepared. And it’s been said that we are in the recapitulated, “Days of Noah”; [Matthew 24:37].