Why Is Christ, the Son, Called ‘the Everlasting Father’ in Isaiah 9:6?
Listen: 147.6
Let’s read Isaiah 9:6, “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, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” What a wonderful portion dealing with the first advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice that a ‘child is born’, but ‘a son is given’. The son was not born, but was given. This speaks directly to the truth that Christ has existed eternally in the person of God the Son. He is given five name here, each one describing one of His attributes.
- Wonderful – This speaks of the Lord’s Excellency. The Hebrew word is also translated ‘marvelous’. How else could we describe the One who is man, yet is God; the One who was given so that through His death, we have life; the One who loved us even to death? We read in 1 Timothy 3:16, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” He is indeed the Wonderful One.
- Counseller – This refers to the Lord’s wisdom in governing, the One of whom “the government shall be upon his shoulder”. Isaiah 28:29 says, “This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.”
- The mighty God – Or God, the mighty One! Jesus Christ is the mighty God. Indeed, if Christ is not God, it would be improper to trust in him for Jeremiah 17:5 tells us, “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man…” Without a doubt, Jesus is the mighty God.
- The everlasting Father – Or, more correctly, He is the ‘Father of eternity’. We read of the Lord in Isaiah 57:15, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” It is so incredible that this ‘child’ is the one who inhabits, or occupies, eternity. Not only is He eternal, but he also gives eternal life to all those who put their faith in Him. The Lord tells us in John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
- The Prince of Peace – Christ is the One who will eventually bring peace when He returns to set up His kingdom on the earth during His millennial reign. We read in Hosea 2:18, “And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.”
My dear friend, this is the Lord Jesus. He is the great and wonderful Son of God. Philippians 2:8 tells us that He, “…humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” The Lord Jesus was obedient to His Father’s will. He went to the cross and gave Himself as the One sacrifice able to take away our sins. We read in Hebrews 10:10, “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Isaiah 9:7 goes on to tell us, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be 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 for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” This is my Savior. This is my Lord. I pray that you have also accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. (147.6)