"His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6)
Can Jesus be the Jewish Messiah?
Isaiah 9:6 is a popular verse read by Christians at this time of year, celebrating Jesus as the Messiah of Israel. However there is an age-old issue associated with this declaration: how can Jesus be the Jewish Messiah, since the prophet Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would be called Sar Shalom, the "Prince of Peace?"
This point has been a stumbling block to the Jewish people since the birth of Jesus some 2000 years ago. We were (and still are) expecting our Messiah to bring peace to Israel, and peace to the entire world. Even to this day, the most common objection to Christianity made by Jewish people is that Jesus cannot be the Messiah because Messiah is supposed to bring peace to the world, which is something Jesus clearly did not do. Since Jesus himself proclaimed "I came not to bring peace, but a sword," how then can he be the Jewish Messiah?
The answer lies in the words of Isaiah's prophecy just a few verses before in verse 6:
"For You have broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian."
The reference to the "day of Midian" points back to the victory that God gave to Israel in the days of Gideon. If you recall the story from the book of Judges, Israel was greatly oppressed by the Midianites, and God raised up Gideon to lead his people to victory - not by military might, ingenuity, or human effort - but by a miraculous victory that only God Himself could orchestrate.
The work of the Messiah is just like that.
God sent a child into the world - a Son, who himself would be the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father. This is why the New Testament refers to Jesus as "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15). He would also be called "Sar Shalom" - the "Prince of Peace."
Two thousand years ago a child was born in Bethlehem. He was given a popular Jewish name - Yeshua (also pronounced Joshua, or Jesus). When that happened an entire choir of angels shouted "Peace on earth" to a group of shepherds in a field. The child of whom they sang would grow up and one day fulfill the rest of the Hebrew prophecies concerning the need for blood sacrifice, and atonement for sin. He would be crucified, as a lamb led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7). Just like the "day of Midian" referred to above, this was something that only God could pull off. No human effort or goodness was sufficient. Isaiah goes on to tell us, "the punishment that brought us peace was on him." Jesus has paid for our peace - peace with God, and peace with one another.
Jesus is the Jewish Messiah.
He has brought peace on earth - already, and not yet.
Jesus has, in a very significant way, already brought peace on earth, most especially to those who have received Him. He has brought peace to my heart, and to millions of others, both Jew and gentile, who have put their faith in him throughout the ages. We live in a time between the times - a time when true peace may only be found by embracing the Prince of Peace in faith and obedience to his Word. But the time is coming when "every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus the Messiah is Lord" (Philippians 2:10-11). On that day there will be final, eternal peace on earth, as the prophet completes the prophecy:
"Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever"
Isaiah 9:7
