I remember taking a course in psychology in college. I really enjoyed it because the way we humans think and deal with emotions always intrigues me. I like studying what makes us tick. Anyway, back to that course. At one class the professor showed us a film of a “counselor” counselling. The “counselor” sat with a pen and notebook in hand, leaning in toward a woman. After every few thoughts expressed by her, he would nod his heat up and down while he repeated, “Aha, aha, aha.” Always three “aha’s” in a row. By the end of the film practically everyone in the class was nodding their heads and saying, “Aha, aha, aha” with him.
I can’t remember if that was supposed to be good or bad counselling technique. To me, it was worthless counselling technique.
The prophet Isaiah told us that God was going to give us a child, a son, and that He would bear many names that would describe His nature and character. The first was “Wonderful Counselor.”
Wonderful means just that, full of wonder, a marvelous thing. Counselors in the Old Testament weren’t like that modern day “Aha” wonder we saw on film. They were men who were wise in the ways of God. They were often older men, experienced in knowing and following God. They would give good counsel to kings and tell them of God’s principles, opening the way of God to them. 1 Chronicles 27:32 describes Jonathan, David’s uncle, as a counselor who was “a man of insight.”
The Son, Jesus, given to us, is our Wonderful Counselor. He opened to us the fullness of God. When we see Him, when we hear Him speak, we gain insight to know our Heavenly Father. He is “Wonderful Counselor!”