Benevolent Dictator: Everlasting Father

The third title to consider from the Isaiah 9 prophecy this Advent is “Everlasting Father." 

As Christians, we confess that Jesus is the fulfillment of that prophecy, and we further confess him to be the Son of God, the Word made flesh. As a consequence, this particular title might cause confusion. How can the Son be the Father? As we discover, the title refers (as do all in the passage) to the promised davidic king, who ushers in a reign of justice, righteousness, and peace. This title anticipates the fatherly nature of his rule.

That God was a father to his people is evident in the compassion that he felt toward them. In Psalm 103, the writer gratefully acknowledges this: “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” (see As dust, humans are finite, limited, and woefully ignorant. And the psalmist suggests that God took this into account in his merciful dealings with his covenant people, despite generations of rebellion and idolatry. That remembering on the part of God is an expression of abundant grace, prevailing pity. 

A consistent portrayal of God is that he cares for the poor, the fatherless, the widow. These represent those most vulnerable to the abuse of power. Israel’s kings were to reflect God’s compassion as they exercised their authority. There were few that did, however. The overwhelming testimony is that they “made [Israel’s] yoke heavy.” (1 Kings 12:4). The promise of a king who exercised fatherly care for his people must have fueled their longing daily. Doesn’t it yours?

And as the king was to the people so the father is to his children. We, too, are to reflect God’s character. As we can see, compassion is a vital component of parenting. The children put under our care are as vulnerable as those whom Jesus looked upon and considered like sheep without a shepherd (Mark 6:34). He was filled with compassion for them and we should be for our children. This does not excuse bad behavior but it should temper our anger. It apparently does so for God. The writer of Hebrews observes that discipline from a father is a sign of love. It follows, therefore, that love should govern our discipline, not anger. What a tragedy to think that our un-compassionate parenting might create longing in our children similar to that of Israel. Rather, may we seek God for the grace to make our parenting a foretaste of the Messiah’s fatherly care.

Trouble Submitting?

Creation is an act of self-revelation on the part of God. As the apostle writes, God’s “invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made” (Romans 1:20). As God is a living person and not an inanimate thing, we should expect that creation consists of more than atoms and impersonal forces. Inherent in the reality that he has spoken into being are principles, concepts, ways of living. Of foundational importance is the principle of authority. 

Authority is woven into all that God has made and is a principle present in the Ten Commandments. At the head of the “first table” of the Commands is the authority of God: “You shall have no other gods.” At the head of the “second” is the authority of one human being over another: “Honor your father and your mother.” To not accept authority as a settled reality is to live in an alternative universe. Unfortunately, rebellion is in the heart of the human, the fruit of which is glaringly evident all around us and within us.

Despite our natural tendency to rebel, humans must learn to accept and be grateful for authority. And the place God has designed for us to grasp this foundational principle is the home. The Fifth command directs us to hold in honor our parents. John Calvin notes that, biblically, this entails reverence, obedience, and gratitude. That is, we are to deeply respect our parents, submit to their authority, and return the kindness shown to us by providing for them when the need arises.

Getting this primary human relationship right set us up for all of our human relationships. It is intended to shape us into people who will love neighbor as self. The call for godly leadership on the part of parents and ready honor on the part of children teaches, among other things, responsibility, humility, sacrifice, generosity, patience, love, justice, mercy and forgiveness. It’s not difficult to see why Moses teaches that heeding the Fifth Commandment results in long life and prosperity (Deuteronomy 5:16).

Authority is inescapable in the universe God has made. And while it’s the case that humanity’s inherent rebellion has led to some tragic parenting, resulting in wounded souls and broken hearts, we cannot afford to neglect the Commandment’s principle. To do so invites destruction, not just to families and the individuals involved, but to whole communities (see Deuteronomy 21:21). Our goal is to steward authority well so that accepting it proves a delight.