Purpose

Isaiah 9:6-7 is a source of rich meditation on the glory of the Messiah Jesus' person and work. In this section we describe the third name, Eternal Father from Isaiah 9:6.

B) The Source of Comforting Light (Isaiah 9:6-7)

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this” (Isaiah 9:6-7).

(3) Eternal Father: I can embrace Christ’s care (Is 9:6)

Without assurance of His care, I look to other people and things to satisfy my deepest heart longings, but by relying on the Eternal Father I can trust Him to always lovingly care and watch over my life needs.

The Lord is Eternal Father! We are not content to only own great counsel. Man also needs the warmth of God’s love. This love and security of God is the cornerstone of our lives.

Modern psychology seems to think they have fully identified the basic need of man in his need for self-esteem. Along this same line we hear many Christians are saying that we need to love ourselves more so that we can love others. This is not Christ’s command.

As long as man lives the secular life excluding God from his life, his solutions will always focus on what he sees. We are not saying that love from ones parents is not important. They are crucial for a healthy start in life. Many of our insecurities and diseases come from not being properly cared for while young. But our solutions are not found there. Our lives need to center around our Eternal Father.

God’s sacrifice of His one Son enabled many to be His sons. Listen to the simple words of John issuing forth some of the most wonderful words we could here. These words form our very adoption papers.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12).

Some think God is our natural Father because man is made in the image of God. No, no Jesus said. Jesus said our natural father is the devil. He simply told them it is easy to identify the father by what the child does. It is the principle of imitation. God was gracious; we are to be forgiving. God is faithful; we need to be faithful.

God is truthful; we need to be truthful. If you find a contradiction, you need to start wondering about your life or your relationship. Something is wrong. It is funny when a little Chinese child hears me speaking Chinese, he will turn to his parents and ask whether I am Chinese. It is obvious that I am not but, I am doing something that he knows only Chinese people do.

The Lord does not want us to question our salvation unless what we say and do is not like our Heavenly Father. As scripture says, the covetous, lustful, arrogant, boastful, immoral man will not inherit the kingdom of God.

We can get a head start in knowing this secure relationship with our Father by a good earthly father but even still that cannot substitute what we need the most: a security that comes from the eternal One by being adopted into His family. Once a child of God, forever a child of God. Once in the favor of the Father, always in the favor and protection of the Father. It never stops. He will discipline us if needed, but that itself as Hebrews 12 tells us that it also is an expression of His love.

We are hopeful because Christ as a Father faithfully watches over all of our needs, emotional and otherwise. It is delusion to think that emotional security comes from trying to meet our own needs. Our security and general sense of welfare comes from trusting the Eternal Father. – Matthew 6:33.

Jesus gives eternal life and in that sense He is the Eternal Father, giving His children life eternal.

"For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes" (John 5:21).

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life" (John 5:24).

Next page=> The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)