Hope For a Secure House because of the Child Called Eternal Father

Some of you may not be aware of this, but I have a twin brother. We were adopted at a very early age.

We had no knowledge of our biological father, not until recently that is. But by and large, our upbringing by all appearances as reasonably stable in so far as we had a roof over our heads and food to eat and clothes to wear – it was this man who would adopt us into his family.

In those days, I don’t recall God’s divine hand of providence that lay behind the circumstances of our adoption, let alone the goodness of God in drawing my brother and I to Christ in our early twenties –

perhaps a good number of kids at a young age don’t readily consider that should they grow up with a father or without one, that they can have a Father in heaven who would never leave them nor forsake them.

The prophet Isaiah lived in the kind of circumstances in which I don’t believe any of us in this room would ever want to live in.

Jerusalem faced threats from two opposing forces: (1) The Assyrian Empire and the (2) The Babylonian Empire – both of which God would send to Israel if they fail to repent of their idolatry and other sinful practices.

So chapters 1-39 deals with the threat of severe judgement by God, while chps 40-66 deal with the hope Israel has in God’s covenant promises to them, ultimately delivered through the Messiah of Promise, Jesus Christ, as indicated by Isaiah in 9:6

Seeded in the hearts of God’s people lay an idolatry which came to light in their behavior and displayed carved idols of wood and stone.

God’s people were about to lose their homestead Jerusalem because they placed their emphasis/hope and in the pagan alliances they made and treated the covenant of their God as an uncommon thing.

And God will not at all stand for that – and I tell you that if you put your trust in anything other than the God of Scripture, he will to you do what he did to the pagan nations of Israel’s day and wipe you off the face of history.

But his promise to believers is a strong chastening hand because God is a good father who will not leave his people nor forsake them. Why?

Isaiah 9:6 “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.”

As a reminder for Christmas, my hope is that you would understand Hope For a Secure House

because of the Child Called Eternal Father

The name, “Eternal Father” implies four hope filled actions of One who provides an everlasting, secure house for His people

Right out of the gate, we find a perceived problem which is easily resolved once we understand the thrust of Isaiah’s point in 9:6 with reference to Christ being called the Everlasting Father. Meaning, God the Son is the express image of His Father who does what the Father does.

Let me illustrate this way – In John 5, Christ was so emphatic about his equality with God the Father that even the Jews understood that Christ was claiming equality with God in nature. For instance, when Christ said in John 5:21 “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.”

In other words – what the Father does – the Son does too! The Father raises the dead – the Son raises the dead. The Father gives life – the Son gives life!

Verse 22 – “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father.” In other words, the reason why God the Father has committed all judgment to the Son is because God expects us to worship the Son in the same manner that we worship Him!

You cannot get more equality than that – So then, in Isaiah 9:6 Christ carries the titles of the Father as well because he is equal with God the Father in nature, though they are distinct in Person, you see?

Now for the love of all that is good – don’t try to unscrew the inscrutable. Don’t try to comprehend the mystery of the Godhead. It would be like you trying to understand who runs your Christian life. You say “Well, I do…?”

Do you? Because the Apostle Paul said “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” Well, isn’t that special – isn’t that a lovely theological paradox!

I cannot understand the mystery of how that works, but its true! You cannot expect me to unscrew the inscrutable in terms of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility, can you?

For the life of me, I cannot understand the mystery behind how divine inspiration works, people. What did Paul write a verse here and God write a verse there? You say well – both – and I say yes and amen! Both truths are found in scripture!

And forget about trying to wrap your mind around Jesus being 100% God and 100% Man in indivisible oneness – how can you have 200% of something? Yet Jesus is truly God and truly Man, is he not? Of course he is because Scripture expressly teaches that.

So when you plum the depths of Scripture, it is simple enough that a child can understand it et, deep enough to drown the smartest theologian!

Having said all of that, Christ carries the title “Father” because he does what the Father does! Well – what does a father do, you may ask…well.

I. Builds a House for His (FAMILY) People

Well…

Consider the Isaiah context of “Father/Son/House /Dynasty”

Isaiah 7:1Now it came about in the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, ….2When it was reported to the house of David, … 3Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and your son … 4…, on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah.

…6…“Let us go up against Judah … set up the son of Tabeel as king (new dynasty),”…13 Then he said, “Listen now, O house of David! …17“The Lord will bring …on your father’s house…8:14…But to both the houses of Israel, a …18 Behold, I (Isaiah) and the children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion (GOD HOUSE/DAVID’s HOUSE).

So…this name “eternal father” refers to an eternal dynasty, follow me so far?

So if you were to say that you are from the house of such and such, the idea was the people would have a general knowledge of what that meant.

In our country, we do not have anything like that at all. Perhaps similarities, but nothing lasting. The closest similarity perhaps would be our elected presidents serving 2 terms.

But we rightly understand that that if a family gets in and makes a mess of things, we remember that and don’t want another person from that household to serve in that office – why?

Because the likelihood of that person repeating the sins of their predecessors is a frightening to behold! So when Christ carries the title of everlasting Father – ahhh, now there is a promise of hope that you and I can count on!

Because with Christ therein lies the hope of permanent stability for this world….with a king/a father/a lasting house that will survive not one term or two – but into everlasting!

Well let’s

Consider what God had promised to David (1 Sam 7)

10 I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place …’ The Lord also declares to you that the Lord will make a house for you. 12“When your days (David’s) are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.

13“He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14“I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; …“Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

Here’s the point – the greatest promise by God’s given to us in confirmation of him being with his people is stated so clearly for us in Isaiah 14 and fulfilled 700 hundred years soon beginning with a poor Jewish family.

So, the title “Eternal Father” refers to Christ would build a house for his people. But second,

This Davidic King…

II. Unites with the House of His People

Meaning, God will establish his house with the coming of the Son of Righteousness.

A. A child that is given, a son that is be born (Isaiah 9:6)

B. Immanuel — God with us (Isaiah 7:14)

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (God with us).

There’s only one who fits that qualification – one who’s dynasty is from everlasting to everlasting. And when he comes..

Revelation 11:15 “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”

So as you consider Christmas, as you consider the opening up of gifts and being with family. Remember what your Father in heaven granted you – that upon believing in Christ, you not only receive the forgiveness of your sins, you are adopted into his heavenly family and you receive the rights and privileges of a son (1) a home that will never torn asunder (2) an inheritance (3) eternal life

C.S. Lewis has such incredible insight into this wonderful grace we have received

We catch sight of a new key principle — the power of the Higher, just in so far as it is truly Higher, to come down, the power of the greater to include the less … Everywhere the great enters the little — its power to do so is almost the test of its greatness. – C. S. Lewis, Miracles, commenting on the miracle of the incarnation.

To put it simply – Christ came down, having so identified with humanity that he took on flesh, died in the place of sinner, and unites those who believe in him – and we will return with him to rule and reign with him forever and forever – and there is no ending that dynasty!

A father build a house for His children

A Father unites with his house…

A Father gives life to His children

III. Becomes the Life-Giving Source for His People

A father gives life to his offspring. But in to do that he had to crush his Son

Isaiah 53:10 But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.

In the NT John 1 says of this individual

John 1:12–13 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, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

In other words, it is the right of the Son to bequeath this right of divine privilege to anyone he wishes. It all points back to Christmas!

Hebrew 2:11For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, “I will proclaim Your name to My brethren, In the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise.” 13And again, “I will put My trust in Him.”

And again, “Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me.” 14Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

16For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. 17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

IV. Rises to Be the King Forever of His People — Isaiah 9:7

Isaiah 9:7 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.

His name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor

Mighty God

Eternal Father

Prince of Peace

This is the house that you want to be a part of this Christmas. To be a part of a dynasty and

home that will never pass away. To be with Christ forever is wonder to behold for you and I.

Christian, Merry Christmas and always think of the cross and what was accomplished for you.

1 John 3:1-3 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. ² Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. ³ And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.