For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9.6
The Everlasting Father.
Before His birth, Jesus was. Before the birth of His ancestors David or Abraham or Adam, Jesus was. Before the creation, Jesus was. He is the eternally Begotten of the Father who has lived with Him and the Holy Spirit in perfect harmony as God from before all time past. He is the Everlasting Father.
As such He exists eternally in the present. When speaking of Abraham, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth before Abraham was born, I am!" John 8.58 When Moses asked God what he could tell the Hebrews His name was, God relpied, "I AM." Jesus is present, never past or future. We may refer to His past acts or long for His future return, but Jesus lives in an eternal now that knows no past or future.
The proclaimation at every Meal of Grace (Communion, Lord's Supper or Eucharist) is "Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again." Advent especially reminds us of our expectant waiting for Jesus' Second coming. The future is bright for those who have opened the Gift of the Everlasting Father.
The Everlasting Father.
How many gifts from previous Christmases can you name? Not many, huh? How many gifts do you still have? Even fewer, I would guess. Every gift you get this year will in time fade, break down or wear out. These Neverlasting gifts promised happiness or convenience or renewed health or labor-savings. But the reality disappointed.
Jesus is EverLASTING not Neverlasting. Even the very world in which we live will wear out, declares Psalm 102.25-27, "In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end." So we must put our hope in the only One who will never change: Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever!
The Everlasting Father.
When Christians speak of God we mean the One who is Three persons. God is Father, Son and Spirit. The Father is not the Son or the Spirit, the Son is not the Father or the Spirit, the Spirit is not the Father or the Son. God is distinct in Persons, and one in Essence.
So why refer to the Son as The Everlasting Father?
The title fits very well with the remainder of the prophecy about this coming One. "Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this." Isaiah 7-8
Jesus will be the Father of a New Era of Justice and Peace, like Simon Bolivar was to South America or George Washington was to the United States. (By the way, Washington never "fathered" any physical children.) Jesus will initiate this new Kingdom of God with His second coming. We look for a city whose "achitect and builder" is Jesus (Hebrews 11.10.)
And this Era of Peace will never end. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
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