“Everlasting Father”
(Isa 9:6, KJV)
The section from the prophetic book of Malachi with which we concluded the last teaching is of very great importance. In his conversation with Israel God speaks to his people about their idolatry, unfaithful marriages and the resulting disintegration of the marriage covenant between husband and wife. He then refers to the creation of Adam and Eve and the fact that Eve was not made from a different spirit as reference point to launch the following statement – “But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring.” (verse 15). The Greek translation of the Old Testament terms it semen Dei, the seed of God.
The seed of God? God’s own descendants? The Creator is thus no longer just God and Lord; He now becomes a Father too.
In the entire Old Covenant God is only referred to as man’s God. Throughout, the covenant between man and God is concluded with this seal – They shall be My people, and I will be their God.
With the arrival of David a different promise is made for the first time. In Isa 55:3 God says “Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you— the sure mercies of David.” The word sure in Hebrew has, according to Strongs, the personality undertones of a “fostering and nursing father”. In 2 Sam 7:8-16 God’s “sure mercies” are made clear to David. In verses 12 and 13 it is prophesied that after David’s death (“When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers …”) a “descendant” from David’s body would arise to confirm his kingship. Then verse 13 reads, “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” On account of the first part of the verse it is assumed that it is Solomon to whom is referred, but it is not, as it is very clear that the throne of his kingdom was not eternally secure! In a reading which differs from that of all the other commentators it becomes absolutely clear that this can ONLY refer to Jesus. He is, without a doubt, the same Branch about which Zech 6:12 prophesies – “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the LORD”. It is He of whom the Angel had said to Mary – “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:32-33).
Now to David a promise is made, in the light of the Godly Seed which will spring forth from his descendants, in 2 Sam 7:14, for the first time in history – “I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.” Because the natural precedes the spiritual (1 Cor 15:46) this invitation will obviously also be extended to Solomon (1 Chr 28:6), but it is merely a pointer to the Godly seed and sons that will be “born again” through Jesus (1 Pet 1:23).
Once God makes his Eternal Fatherhood manifest through Jesus (Eph 3:11), it means that only those who are born from Jesus can be part of the “Godly seed”. It rings in a new lineage after Jesus. A generation who could come to know Him as Father.
- Sela: Ponder what this new lineage could be.
- Read: Num 35; Hos 14; Ezek 27
- Memorize: Hos 14:3
- For a deeper understanding: Read John Kennedy’s Secret of His purpose.
