Isaiah 9:6, 1 Kings 12:1-15 (ESV) - Pastor Tim Kroeker

Proverbs 19:21:

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the counsel of the Lord that will stand.”

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Napoleon was a brilliant military leader who enjoyed many successes on the battlefield. As Emperor, he made France the dominant power in Europe but all of this went to his head and led him to make one of history’s most notorious military blunders.

He decided to invade Russia which turned into a colossal defeat and marked a turning point for the French Empire. Not only was Napoleon’s reputation severely damaged but his army was also a shell of its former self. The failure of the invasion triggered the War of the Sixth Coalition and led to Napoleon’s ultimate demise.

Have you ever made a bad decision? A colossal mistake? Perhaps you’ve gone through bankruptcy, been divorced, had your home foreclosed on. Maybe you said some regretful words that forever ruined a relationship. Perhaps it was caused by youthful ignorance. Maybe you got some really bad advice. Where can we turn and whom can we trust to fight and win life’s daily battles?

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 next of those names that we’ll consider this second week of Advent is Counselor. A counselor was an adviser; one who speaks and urges certain directions of actions or thought. As we see in 1 Kings 12, listening to foolish counselors always ends badly. But the coming Messiah wasn’t just any ordinary counselor, he would be the very wisdom of God. You can bet your life, both this one and the one to come, on Jesus who is the Counselor.

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