All earthly thrones have crumbled, all earthly kings and potentates have slept in the dust of death with the poorest of their subjects.  But of this Son given, Daniel says:  “There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel vii. 14.)

2. “His name shall be called Wonderful.”

His name means his character, his person.  He, himself, shall be called Wonderful, in a sense in which no other person can be entitled to that designation.  Nicodemus accredited him as a wonderful instructor.  “We know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” (John iii. 2).  His enemies that were sent to arrest him quailed before him, and returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, saying, “Never man spake like this man.”

A devout scholar has well said:  “The manner of his birth was wonderful; his humility, self-denial, and sorrows were wonderful; his mighty works were wonderful; his dying agonies were wonderful; his resurrection and ascension were all fitted to excite admiration and wonder.”

3. “His name shall be called ...  Counsellor.”

This term plainly indicated his exalted wisdom and dignity.  The wisdom of men comes to naught; their counsel shall perish with them.  But there is One, who understands, who declares the end from the beginning.  Of him it is said:  “The counsel of the Lord standeth forever; the thoughts of his heart to all generations.” (Psa. xxxiii. 11.) He says of himself, “Counsel is mine and sound wisdom” (Prov. viii. 14), and it was by his “determinate counsel and foreknowledge” that the glorious scheme of redemption and complete salvation from sin was planned and executed.  Hence, he takes to himself the title, “The Great and Mighty God, ... great in counsel, and mighty in work.” (Jer. xxxii. 19.) Therefore, the Child that was to be born, the Son that was to be given, was to have a name, and “his name shall be called ...  Counsellor.”

4. “His name shall be called ...  The Mighty God.”

And now we are face to face with the Lord Jehovah, and the positive statement that this was the promised Son.  By what guessing or critical legerdemain one who claims loyalty to the word of God and ordinary intelligence can attempt to sweep away these definite and determinate statements, and crowd some insignificant worm of the dust into the place given to him who was in the beginning, who was with God and who was God, we can not comprehend.

And still the prophet rises to the climax, to make sure that “wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err,” and adds the prediction concerning the coming Son that,

5. “His name shall be called ...  The Everlasting Father.”