2 Nephi 19:6-7

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Reference Search: 2 Nephi 19:6-7

6 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, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of government and peace there is no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.

Quotes for Discussion

A Child is Born

If Isaiah is prophesying about Hezekiah [the king of Judah who helped deliver Israel from the Assyrians], then verse 3 describes the Israelites’ joy at their deliverance; verse 4 portrays how the Assyrians were defeated in spite of their greater numbers, just as the many Midianites were by Gideon and his 300 men (Judg. 7); verse 5 describes the Assyrian casualties; and verses 6 and 7 tell us about Hezekiah’s titles and righteous, peaceful rule as king.

If the verses describe a righteous people fighting against wickedness, then verse 3 describes their joy at success, verses 4 and 5 portray the defeat of the enemy, and verses 6 and 7 describe a new age of millennial peace that may be assisted or ushered in by a messianic figure.

Finally, the identification of the ruler in verses 3-7 with Jesus Christ has a number of possibilities, as verse 3 talks about his many followers who rejoice at the spiritual blessings he has provided; verse 4 describes how he was able to overcome the temptations of Satan, break the yoke of sin, and maintain power over the legions of Satan’s devils; verse 5 symbolizes his atonement and the cleansing powers of baptism and the Holy Ghost; verse 6 presents some of his titles and roles; and verse 7 describes his eternal position as the Lord and King of this earth.

Victor L. Ludlow, Isaiah: Prophet, Seer, and Poet [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 154

One of the beautiful reminders in this magnificent passage…is the gentle declaration that through all of his power and majesty, Christ is still “the Son”—the Son as taught by Abinadi and other Book of Mormon prophets….We are reminded here that he is, gloriously, the Son of God, a child of heaven.

The fact that the government would eventually be upon his shoulders affirms what all the world will one day acknowledge—that he is Lord of lords and King of kings and will one day rule over the earth and his Church in person….All can take comfort from the fact that because the government—and the burdens thereof—will be upon his shoulders, they will be lifted in great measure from our own. This is yet another reference in Isaiah to the Atonement, the bearing away of our sins (or at very least in this reference, our temporal burdens) on the shoulders of Christ.

As “Wonderful Counselor,” he will be our mediator, our intercessor, defending our cause in the courts of heaven….

Of course, as noted by Isaiah, Christ is not only a mediator but also a judge….It is as if the judge in that great courtroom in heaven, unwilling to ask anyone but himself to bear the burdens of the guilty people standing in the dock, takes off his judicial robes and comes down to earth to bear their stripes personally. Christ as merciful judge is as beautiful and wonderful a concept as that of Christ as counselor, mediator, and advocate.

“Mighty God” conveys something of the power of God, his strength omnipotence, and unconquerable influence…

“Everlasting Father” underscores the fundamental doctrine that Christ is a Father—Creator of worlds without number, the Father of restored physical life through the Resurrection, the Father of eternal life for his spiritually begotten sons and daughters, and the One acting for the Father (Elohim) through divine investiture of authority…

Lastly, with the phrase “Prince of Peace,” we rejoice that when the King shall come, there will be no more war in the human heart or among the nations of the world.

Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997], 80-81

Everlasting Father

Jesus is even described as the Father, because he is the Father-Creator of this and other worlds. Furthermore, he is the Father of all who are born again spiritually. When we take upon ourselves his name and covenant to keep his commandments, we then become his sons and daughters, ‘the children of Christ.” Additionally, since he and the Father are one in attributes and in purpose, Jesus acts for the Father through divine investiture, sometimes speaking as the Father.

Neal A. Maxwell, Mosiah, Salvation Only Though Christ, ed. By Nyman and Tate, pp. 5-6