It’s Christmas time! The time of year we Christians celebrate the birth of the Messiah. But did you know that the Messiah is referred to in more than one name? This time of year you are likely to here the Messiah referred to in six different names, perhaps by song or Sunday School or preaching or in conversation. The aim of this blog is to take you through those six names and their meaning. We’ll start with the Messiah’s most familiar name – Jesus.
- Jesus. In Matthew 1:21-25 Joseph was planning to divorce Mary quietly for he was under the impression Mary, who was pregnant, was an adulteress. But then Joseph had a dream. In that dream an angel of God came to him and filled him in with what was going one, that Mary’s pregnancy truly is a miracle from God; that the baby she was then pregnant with was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Also, in the dream the angel reveals to Joseph that the child’s name is to be Jesus. This is the most common name we refer to the Messiah in, for it is his human name. Jesus is the English translation of his Hebrew name Yehoshua, which can also be translated to Joshua. What does his name mean? It means Yahweh saves or Yahweh is salvation.
2. Immanuel. God said through the prophet Isaiah, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). The name “Immanuel” means God with us. This Messianic prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus. Matthew 1:21-23 state, “She will bear a son, and you shall his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Now this may sound like a contradiction. We rarely, if ever, hear the Messiah referred to as Immanuel, neither do we ever read in the New Testament the Messiah being referred to as Immanuel, except for in Matthew 1:23. I assure you, this is no contradiction. What does this mean? The Messiah is named Jesus referring to the purpose for which he was sent: to save us from our sins, and only God can do that. The name Immanuel tells us who exactly the Messiah is: God with us; specifically, the second Person of the holy Trinity. When the angel made his proclamation to Joseph that night, the angel was saying to Joseph that God had come to save us from our sins, and his name is Jesus. Or, we can say it this way: Jesus is God who came to be with us to save us from our sins.
3. Wonderful Counselor. Isaiah 9:6 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Again, Jesus is the fulfillment of this prophecy, according to Luke 2:11. A counselor is someone who advises or gives counsel. Jesus is a “Wonderful Counselor” whose wisdom is beyond human capability. He came from heaven to earth to counsel and advise mankind how to be saved.
4. Mighty God. Again, Isaiah 9:6 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Jesus is “Mighty God” because is God of all gods and Lord of all lords and King of all kings. There are none like him, and there shall never be.
5. Everlasting Father. Again, in Isaiah 9:6, it says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Jesus is the “Everlasting Father” for two reasons. First, he is eternal. He has no beginning and no ending. He is the same today, yesterday, and forevermore (Heb. 13:8). Secondly, because Jesus is like a father who is a benevolent protector, like a father that loves his children steadfastly, and like a father that cares for his children immensely. It’s a love, a protection, and a care that caused Jesus to sacrifice himself for our salvation.
6. Prince of Peace. Lastly, in Isaiah 9:6, it says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Jesus is the “Prince of Peace”, because his reign will one day bring about peace to the nations.
But all these names find their being in the one name, Jesus. Jesus is Immanuel, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. His is the name above all names, for which there is no other name by which we can be saved. Amen.