“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”

(Isaiah 9:6).

Isaiah prophesied (approximately 700 years before Jesus’ birth) that a child would be born who

would have the government on His shoulders and would have titles that also describe God.

In Luke 2:1, the child whom Isaiah foretold arrived when Caesar Augustus was ruling the Roman

Empire and Quirinius was governing Syria. Under the reign of Caesar Augustus the empire grew

to include all the land around the Mediterranean and was powerful, prosperous, and stable

during the time period known as Pax Romana, or Roman Peace. Because of this, Caesar

Augustus was described as a savior in the propaganda of this era.

In God’s perfect timing, Jesus (the true Son of God and Savior of the world) was born at this

point in history while Mary and Joseph were registering for the census in Bethlehem

(prophesied in Micah 5:2), the town of David (because they were from the line of David)

(prophesied in Isaiah 9:7). 

Imagine these young people being three days’ journey from their home of Nazareth, unable to

find lodging, and Mary giving birth to Jesus in a place where animals were kept. Then God chose

to reveal this miraculous event to ordinary shepherds, through an angel who appeared to tell

them the good news of the birth of the Savior, the Messiah the Lord.

A multitude of angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom

his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). The shepherds’ joy must have been overwhelming. Luke says that

they hurried to find Mary, Joseph, and the baby. And then they spread the word concerning

what they had been told. The shepherds must have sung the angels’ song to everyone who

would listen -- a song that sounded a lot like the promised child in the Isaiah scroll read in the

synagogue.

It was certainly a different type of arrival for a king, and not what people might expect. But God

is intentional in fulfilling His promises, and there are no mistakes. God loves all of the people in

the world so much that He created the plan of redemption and sent Jesus into the world. Jesus

was fully God and fully human, lived a perfect life, and therefore was perfect to make

atonement for the sins of the people (Hebrews 2:17).

Isaiah 9:6 lists four names for Jesus. What have you called Him in the past week, month, year?

Praise God today for making a way for us to be in right relationship with Him through His Son,

Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

By Elizabeth Ellis

Elizabeth is married to Bill and enjoys spending time with their children and grandchildren, and

also loves the outdoors, especially America’s beautiful national parks.