The Everlasting Father
By: M.E. Golder

As we come tonight again to this wonderful Messianic prophecy, before I go into my message, I want you to notice that this prediction of the “coming One” declared that “a child is to be born, a son is to be given” and these titles which we have used for our subject matter – Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God – all have reference to Him. We quote again; “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, Counselor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Here is no contradiction nor denial. It is no refusal to give the “Son” a “Father”, nor is it an attempt to make the Son the Father. Here is an open declaration, clear enough for any believing heart to accept. I am sure that if the Holy Ghost moved upon the prophet Isaiah to predict that “son” and “child” to be called these things, he would not have so predicted that unless the “son” was the wonderful One, the Counselor, the mighty God, etc.

And well does our New Testament writers have witness to the same. St. Matthew in his writing declared-“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things,behold the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”

Note, if you will, that the coming of Jesus was a direct fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy found in Isaiah 7:14. It was God’s answer to King Ahaz’s arrogant reply when God told him to ask for a sign in the heights or depths. Therefore the Lord doth give thee a sign. Irenaeus, one of the early church fathers declared this “was the sign in the depth and in the height.” In the depth, for he condescended to endure not only human misery but the dereliction of God, the abyss of death and Hades; in the height, for he took this our human nature with “Him into the glory which He had before the world was.”

The incarnation was one of the “thoughts” of God which “are very deep.” It as much transcends thoughts of man as the boundless expanse of heavens transcend our earth. The apostle Paul wrote to his son Timothy; “And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into Glory.” This is no denial of the Father, but Paul had a revelation of Jesus Christ that allowed him to make this glorious statement. He realized that according to His natural birth and existence, the Holy Spirit was His father, as such, he was the “Son of God,” but more than that he realized that the Son was the Father revealed in such a measure that the son could say “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father and from henceforth ye have seen him and knoweth him.” It was the Son who declared “he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me.” How could Jesus make these statements and by true if he was not both God and Man, Human and Divine, Heavenly and Earthly, Son and Father. Any limits seen in my
Jesus as the Son of God were self-imposed rather than divinely set. The Word from the beginning was seen as a man of time as the only begotten of the Father. As a Son, he lived in all recognition of the Father, but as his name shall be called the Everlasting Father. One writer calls him “The Father of Eternity.” The psalmist states “even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” The title “Father of Eternity” is equivalent to “the author of everlasting salvation.”

Joseph, the son of Jacob, named the “Savior of the age (or Support of the World) as having saved Egypt from famine, speaks of himself as “made a father of Pharaoh.” In his God-given place and ability in supplying and feeding Egypt, he was Pharaoh’s father, not according to the flesh nor age, but by his “saving and sustaining” ability.

All fathers in all ages, from the first man that ever qualified to be “father” have had their limitations as all finite creatures have. Limited in the knowledge of his children; limited in his ability to provide for his offspring; limited in his days to spend with his children; limited in what he can leave his children as an inheritance after his passing.

But not this father. His name shall be the EVERLASTING FATHER, a father for eternity. Limited? No! He knows no limit, other than those self-imposed upon himself that the activity of the creature might be unbridled. David says of his knowledge of him “Thou knowest my down-sittings and my uprisings; thou knowest my thoughts afar off; there is not a word in my tongue that thou dost not know altogether. All my members are written in continuance in thy book.” This father hast numbered the hairs of the head of all his creatures. He giveth life to all, breath by breath. He measures our day’s length by a heart-beat.

His name shall be THE EVERLASTING FATHER! His fatherhood is seen again in unlimited ability to care for his offspring without regard to limit. David saith again, “the eyes of all wait upon thee; thou givest them their meat in due season; thou openeth thy hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing.” THE EVERLASTING FATHER fainteth not, neither is he weary.

He saw the need of his fallen creatures. He looked and beheld that there was none to help, no intercessor. His own everlasting arm brought salvation to them. He has supplied blood from his own vein for the cleansing of his own children. No sinful child need sink in dark despair. When sin overwhelms the soul and you ask: – “What can wash away my sins?” The answer comes back, “NOTING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS”. His blood can make the vilest sinner clean. The name of Jesus Christ and his blood are inseparable in salvation. Repentance and remission of sins are to be preached in his name; and we are told “without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin”. On Pentecost, when murderous men of Jewish nation wanted forgiveness and remission of sins and cried “Men and brethren what shall we do?” They are told to “Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christfor the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38)

An “everlasting Heavenly Father” has provided eternal salvation for his children. Not only his blood for their cleansing; but his spirit for the empowering, encouraging, comforting, thrilling. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Any child that knows Jesus as the Father of his soul salvation can truly say – “My soul is satisfied.” Happily the child may sing:

“My father is rich in houses and lands,He holdeth the wealth of the world in his hands.Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold,His coffers are full, he has riches untold.”

All of this means nothing unless a child can sing further:

“I’m a child of the King,
I’m a child of the King,
With Jesus, my Saviour,
I’m a child of the King.”

HIS NAME SHALL BE EVERLASTING FATHER! Since he hath “no beginning of days”, nor end of life, he can save to the uttermost them that come to him by Jesus Christ. Once you are known of Him and continue in his commandments he will in “no wise cast you out.” He has turned his throne of Judgment into a Mercy seat, by covering it with blood, that we might find grace and obtain help in our time of need. I sing with hope-

“Father I stretch my hand to thee,
No other help I know;
If thou withdraw thyself from me,
Ah, whither shall I go?

Since He is my father, I love his name. Yes, I have been baptised in Jesus name and I am NOT ashamed. What son on earth is ashamed of the name of his father, if his father hasn’t disgraced him? Then why should I be ashamed of the highest name in Heaven or on Earth. I am not ashamed only baptised in his name, I trust in his name. When temptations around me gather, I breathe his Holy Name in prayer.

Tonight, if you are a motherless child, wayward and lost, you need not be fatherless, for there is one that stands ready and able to be your “EVERLASTING FATHER.” Not only in giving and sustaining your natural life, but in saving, keeping and preparing your soul for eternity.
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