Chaplain's Corner
Mark Shogren
December 2025
“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)
In the Old Testament Isaiah the prophet sees even further forward to a future time of hope and deliverance. The prophet announces during a time of great turmoil for the people in Israel that the Lord will send a Redeemer, the promised Messiah, to usher in a new day: “A Child is born," for He shall save His people from their sins. As the second member of the triune Godhead, the Savior was the only begotten Son of God. “A Son is given," (John 3:16) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Isaiah’s prophecy reveals that the Messiah will be a human-born male child (fully God, & fully man) upon whose shoulders the government will rest. Israel’s Savior was to be a sovereign King who would rule on David’s throne, see (Psalm 132:10-18). The prophecy continues to disclose that the Messiah’s “government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity”.
The Hebrew word translated as “government” in Isaiah 9:6 means “dominion, power, or sovereignty through legal authority.” This language of placing dominion or “the government” on someone’s shoulders symbolizes royal authority, in (Isaiah 22:22) “and the key of the house of David will I lay upon His shoulder; so He shall open, and none shall shut; and He shall shut, and none shall open”. Jesus also applied this language to Himself as one who could determine who would enter His future Davidic Kingdom, see (Revelation 3:7). Ultimately, this will be fulfilled in the Millennium, when Jesus Christ will rule the earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, see (Revelation 20:4-6).
About seven centuries after Isaiah’s prophecy, the angel Gabriel announces Messiah’s birth to His mother, Mary: “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” (Luke 1:31-33).
Jesus Christ had the divine government the dominion, power, and authority of the kingdom of heaven on His shoulders when He bore the cross for our sins, see (1Corinthians 1:18, Colossians 2:14, 1 Peter 2:24). For it was by this act that He conquered sin, death, hell, and the devil, see (John 16:33, Acts 2:24, Romans 6:9-10, 1 Corinthians 15:24-25, 54-57, 1 John 3:8, 2 Timothy 1:10). Jesus confirmed His authority as He prepared to send out His disciples, He told them, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth”, (Matthew 28:18).
“Wonderful Counselor” suggests a leader endowed with extraordinary divine wisdom and guidance. “Mighty God” denotes divine strength and power, emphasizing Jesus divine nature and attributes. “Everlasting Father” speaks to the eternal care and protection Jesus will provide. “Prince of Peace” indicates the end of strife and the establishment of a just and peaceful society. These titles collectively describe a sovereign ruler unlike any other, bringing His divine Almighty attributes into the world He created.
When we meditate on Isaiah’s prophecy we are reminded of the profound yet simple message of the Cross, “that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10).
The promise of Jesus as Savior gives us hope and reassurance that, despite the challenges and conflicts we face, there is a greater peace that surpasses all understanding available to us through Him. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 4:7).
Through our belief in Jesus Christ we can experience true inner peace, and carry His message of repentance and salvation to those around us, as we celebrate the Birth of Jesus our Savior this Christmas
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