Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6)

“For to us, a child is born. To us, a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace.”
– Isaiah 9:6

Let’s think about that third name for this child, this son, given government upon his shoulder and his name shall be called everlasting father. What’s that about? It’s a son. It’s a child that is called everlasting father. Oh, don’t miss the beauty here. The picture that the Bible is painting, that Isaiah is prophesying in the coming of Jesus that we now celebrate at Christmas. This picture of the everlasting father in Isaiah 9:6, a father who cares for his children, who protects his children, who provides for his children. I think about my kids. I love my kids so much.

The Son Who Came to Save

The Son who came to save us cares for us with the perfect eternal affection of an Everlasting Father.

Like, I look at them and I’m in awe that I’m their dad. So I just praise God for the privilege of loving and caring for them. I want to provide for them. I want to take care of them in every way possible. And the reality is, I am an imperfect father with imperfect love. But the picture here in Isaiah 9:6 is, Jesus, the mighty God and everlasting father, who longs to take care of us, who longs to provide for us and help us and love us and serve us and help us grow into all that we can be. Like, this is the picture of Jesus. He loves us as an everlasting father. Jesus protects us as an everlasting father. He cares for us as an everlasting father. A perfect father forever.

Isaiah 9:6 Pictures Our Perfect Father in Heaven

I think about my dad. I think about before he died unexpectedly, went to be with God, just to his love and care for me, and he too was an imperfect dad. But I have a perfect father. And I know some listening to this right now may not have had a good relationship or have a good relationship with your dad, but I just want to encourage you, like, lift your eyes to heaven and see you have a father in heaven. Regardless of what your father has looked like on earth, good or bad, you have a perfect father in heaven. And Jesus, the Son who came to save you and me from our sins, the wonderful counselor and mighty God, God in the flesh cares for us as a dad for his children, and will forever and ever and ever, everlasting father.

Isaiah 9:6 Praises God for His Perfect Fatherly Love

Jesus, we praise you. We praise you. Obviously, we know the Trinitarian picture that we see in scripture, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, but even here, seeing you describe Jesus, the son as an everlasting father, we know your oneness in the Godhead with the father, the son’s spirit, and yeah, we know your oneness in the Godhead, father, son, and Holy Spirit, and we praise you. We praise you for your fatherly love for us, your fatherly care for us, your fatherly provision for us. We praise you that you see us as your sons and daughters that you are committed to providing for, that you see us with love.

Even as I think about the way I see my kids, though, the fact that you see me in an even greater, more loving way that I see them. Oh, the thought of it here in Isaiah 9:6. I just look to you. We look to you right now in prayer. We just praise you for your fatherly care, affection, delight in us. So, Jesus, we praise you. We will get to enjoy this kind of relationship with you for all of eternity forever and ever and ever and ever. You are, Lord Jesus, are ever lasting father, and we worship and glorify and thank and praise you. In the name of Jesus, our everlasting father, we pray. Amen.