Isaiah 9:6 (ESV) - Pastor Tim Kroeker

John 14:21b:

“The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

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Biblical names conveyed meaning. Some of those meanings are explicitly stated in the text. For example, Abraham and Sarah named their son, Isaac, which meant “He laughs.” Because as Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” The prophet Hosea was told by the Lord to give his children names that were meant to be messages for the wayward people of Israel. For example, his wife conceived and bore a daughter and he named her Lo-Ruhama, which meant “no mercy,” because the Lord said that He would have no mercy on the house of Israel. After No Mercy was weaned Hosea’s wife gave birth to a son and he was named Lo-Ammi, which meant “not my people.” Other names are more inspiring. Such as John, which means God is gracious, or Phoebe, which means bright, radiant, and pure.

Around 700 BC the Old Testament prophet Isaiah wrote about a coming king. He wouldn’t be just any ordinary king. He would sit on the throne of his father David, and of his kingdom there would be no end. His name would be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. This Advent season we’re going to consider each of these names ascribed to the most consequential person who ever lived, Jesus.

The first of those that we’ll consider on this first Sunday of Advent is “Wonderful.” In popular usage today wonderful has come to be synonymous with magical or anything that is pleasant. But the Biblical meaning of wonderful suggests much more; the miraculous; that which inspires awe, incomprehensible. If you are weary of the ordinary and mundane world in which we live, take a moment to mediate on the wonder of Jesus.

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