THE TRUTH ABOUT ISAIAH 9:6 AND 'THE EVERLASTING FATHER'

Both Trinitarians and Unitarians love to use Isaiah 9:6 to defend their respective beliefs. They love the fact that Isaiah 9:6 says Christ would be called 'the everlasting Father', and yet they misunderstand the simple truth of this prophecy. So here we will show you the simple TRUTH about what Isaiah 9:6 is really saying about Christ.

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, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.'

The very first thing to notice are the words we have bolded. It says that Christ 'SHALL be called' by these names. As we know, this verse is a prophecy and is pointing to a FUTURE event. Does the verse say that Jesus IS the 'everlasting Father'? No. It says He SHALL be called by that name. So if this verse was revealing what Trinitarians and Unitarians believe, in that Jesus IS the Father, the one and same being, then it would tell us so. But it doesn't.

If Jesus IS the Father, then we have a very strange case of the Father sending Himself. Was on earth yet still in heaven. Prayed to Himself while on earth. Died to reconcile the world to Himself. Raised Himself from the dead. Ascended to Himself in heaven. Pleads before Himself in heaven to reconcile the world to Himself, and is the only mediator between man and Himself. What absurdity!

Now Isaiah 9:6 does clearly say Jesus SHALL be called 'the everlasting Father.' But why? If Jesus isn't the Father, then why would He be called by that name in the future? This is what we are about to find out.

As mentioned above, Isaiah 9:6 is talking about a FUTURE event. What event? Clearly, of Christ coming to earth as a human being and giving His life for us to save us from our sins. Now this is the key point of this prophecy in regards to Jesus being called the 'everlasting Father.' What did Jesus become when He came to earth? A human being. Jesus became one of us. But did He just become a human for 33 years? No. Look at what the apostle Paul said:

1 Timothy 2:5 ...'For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.'

If Jesus didn't retain His human nature when He went back to heaven, then Paul would NOT have said 'THE MAN Christ Jesus.' And what did Jesus say Himself when He showed Himself to the disciples after His resurrection? ... "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." (Luke 24:39).

"By His life and His death, Christ has achieved even more than recovery from the ruin wrought through sin. It was Satan's purpose to bring about an eternal separation between God and man; but in Christ we become more closely united to God than if we had never fallen. In taking our nature, the Saviour has bound Himself to humanity by a tie that is never to be broken. Through the eternal ages He is linked with us. 'God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son.' John 3:16. He gave Him not only to bear our sins, and to die as our sacrifice; He gave Him to the fallen race. To assure us of His immutable counsel of peace, God gave His only-begotten Son to become one of the human family, forever to retain His human nature." (Desire of Ages, p.25)

So as you can see, Jesus has retained His human nature and will have it for all eternity. This is why John 3:16 says that God GAVE His only begotten Son. God didn't 'lend' us His Son, He GAVE us His Son, to be one of us for all eternity. WHAT LOVE! So in what way was Jesus to become an 'everlasting Father' to us? He was to become our 'everlasting Father' in HUMANITY. Now look at the words of Jesus in Hebrews:

Hebrews 2:13 ...'And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.'

Who are the 'children' God has given to Jesus? You and I. So if we are the 'children' God the Father has given to Jesus, then what does that make Jesus in His humanity? Our "everlasting Father."

"However much a shepherd may love his sheep, he loves his sons and daughters more. Jesus is not only our shepherd; He is our 'everlasting Father.' And He says, 'I know Mine own, and Mine own know Me, even as the Father knoweth Me, and I know the Father.' John 10:14, 15, What a statement is this!--the only-begotten Son, He who is in the bosom of the Father, He whom God has declared to be 'the Man that is My fellow' (Zech. 13:7), --the communion between Him and the eternal God is taken to represent the communion between Christ and His children on the earth! Because we are the gift of His Father, and the reward of His work, Jesus loves us. He loves us as His children." (Desire of Ages, p.483)

Jesus the Son of God, is our 'everlasting Father' in our humanity!

But Christ is NOT the same being as God the Father. The Bible could not be any clearer in telling us that Jesus is the SON OF God the Father. They are two distinct separate beings, and Jesus spoke of His Father also being our heavenly Father, the only true God.

Matthew 15:13 ...'But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.'

Luke 11:13 ...'If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?'

Matthew 10:20 ...'For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.'

John 20:17 ...'Jesus saith unto her, touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.'

John 17:1-3 ...'Father ... this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.'

Trinitarians and Unitarians also look at the name 'mighty God' in Isaiah 9:6 and use this to support their Trinitarian and Unitarian beliefs. But the fact that Jesus was to be called 'mighty God' in no way makes Him the same being as the Father, or a 'third part' of a Trinity god. And I will show you why. When Jesus asked the disciples who He was, Peter stepped up to speak:

Matthew 16:15-17 ...'He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.'

There is so much truth in this short verse that exposes both the Trinitarian and Unitarian teachings as false. First of all, did Peter say Jesus was the only true God? No, Peter said Jesus was the SON OF the living God. And Jesus commends Peter by saying "flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." So God the Father had revealed the truth to Peter about Jesus being His Son.

Now think about this. If Jesus is the literal begotten Son of God the Father, which our page - IS JESUS THE SON OF GOD? - clearly confirms, then what does that make Jesus? A mere angel or some lesser being? No! God the Father is a divine being. So what will His Son be? A divine being also! Not only that, Jesus confirmed in Matthew 28:18 that "all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." So if Jesus is a divine being, as God's Son, and the Father has given 'ALL power' to His Son, then what does that make Jesus? A "mighty God"

The Father even called Jesus 'God' in Hebrews 1, and many Trinitarians and Unitarians hold onto this one verse, but they ignore the very next verse which is very telling and reveals the truth.

Hebrews 1:5,8,9 ...'For unto which of the angels said he at any time, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? ... But unto the Son he saith, thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.'

The scriptures throughout reveal a REAL Father and Son relationship between God and His Son, which sadly many people ignore. And the Father even calls His Son 'God', because Jesus is the DIVINE Son of God. Therefore He can be regarded as God. But look at what the Father also says above ... "therefore God, even THY GOD hath anointed thee." The Father reveals that He is the GOD OF even Christ. And Paul also confirms the same:

1 Corinthians 11:3 ...'But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.'

So while Jesus can be known as 'the mighty God', due to the fact that He is the divine Son of God, He is NOT the 'sovereign' of the universe. He is NOT the 'ALMIGHTY God.' That title belongs to the Father alone. This is why Jesus said Himself ... "my Father is greater than I." (John 14:28). This is because the Father is the source of ALL life (1 Cor.8:6), including the life of His Son Jesus (John 5:26).

So yes, Jesus is to be known as 'the mighty God', being God's own Son. But He is not 'THE ALMIGHTY.' That is His Father!

But doesn't that make TWO Gods? No. While there are TWO divine beings in the 'family' of God - the Father and His Son. There is only one Almighty God and source of all life, and that is God the Father. He is known as 'the ancient of days', to whom Christ was brought before in Daniel 7:9, 13. He is the 'one God' Paul speaks about in 1 Timothy 2:5 and 1 Corinthians 8:6. He is the 'only true God' Jesus speaks about in John 17:1-3.

For more on this, please see our page - THE ONE TRUE GOD IN THE THREE ANGELS MESSAGE.

Now I wanted to add this section in, because it backs up what we are saying. Why was Jesus to be called a 'Prince'? Why Prince and not 'King'? There is a very good reason for that. Jesus was to be known as a Prince, because He is the SON OF the King of the Universe - God the Father.

Acts 3:13-15 ...'THE GOD OF Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, THE GOD OF our fathers, hath glorified HIS SON JESUS; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed THE PRINCE OF LIFE, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.'

Acts 5:30-31 ...'The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand TO BE A PRINCE and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.'

Who was the 'God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob'? Well, it says above He has A SON. So the God of our fathers, must be God the Father! Now what is a Prince? A Prince is the SON OF A KING. And the Bible is very clear that Jesus is the Son of God the Father, which makes Jesus a Prince and God the Father the King of the universe. Look:

"THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE summoned the heavenly hosts before Him, that in their presence He might set forth the true position of HIS SON and show the relation He sustained to all created beings. THE SON OF GOD SHARED THE FATHER'S THRONE, and the glory of the eternal, self-existent One encircled both." (Patriarchs and Prophets, 1890, p.42)

"Then there was war in Heaven. The Son of God, THE PRINCE OF HEAVEN, and his loyal angels, engaged in conflict with the arch rebel and those who united with him." (Spirit of Prophecy, Vol.1, p.23)

"I point you to Christ. He was sinless, and more than this, He was the Prince of heaven." (Steps to Christ, 1892, p.46)

Jesus was to be known as PRINCE, because His Father - the one true God, is the KING of the universe!

But why is Jesus called the 'King of kings' in Revelation 19:16? Because that is pointing to His return to earth, after He has received the kingdom FROM His Father and becomes the 'King of kings', over this world, sitting on the 'throne of David.'

Luke 19:12-13 ...'He said therefore, a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.'

Matthew 22:2-3 ...'The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain KING, which made a marriage for HIS SON, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding.'

Jesus is receiving the kingdom from His Father in heaven now, and what do the kings and noblemen of earth do when they see Christ return?

Revelation 6:15 ...'And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains.'

Jesus is coming back as the 'King of kings', to depose the kings of the earth and Satan from their position as rulers of the earth, which is why they hide themselves from Him. And He will reign over the kingdom with His Father - who is the King of the universe, the ALMIGHTY God:

Revelation 21:22-24 ...'And I saw no temple therein: for THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY AND THE LAMB are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, AND THE LAMB is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.'

When we take one or two verses on their own, then we can make up all sorts of teachings which are error. But when we study these verses in context and in the light of the rest of scripture, then we can find the truth.

YES! Jesus is to be known as 'the everlasting Father.' But that is in our humanity which Jesus now shares with us for all eternity. YES! Jesus is to be known as 'the mighty God.' But this is because He is the SON OF the one true God, the Father. And the Father has given 'all things into the hands of His Son', which makes Jesus 'the mighty God.' But Jesus is not the ALMIGHTY God. That title belongs to His Father alone - the one and only TRUE God - the KING of the universe!