How Christmas Beats Coronavirus - Everlasting Father

Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:5‭-‬7 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/isa.9.5-7.NIVUK

When I was in a previous role, which was something of a 'dead end' job, I was there with a number of people much younger than I who obviously should be aspiring to something better. So during a break, the topic of conversation came round to what they wanted out of life, what their ambitions were. One of them shocked me with what she said and it still shocks me now. She was young, around 18-19 years old, with most of her life ahead of her and potential by the truckload, and she said her ambition was to have four children with four different men. No job in mind. No position. No salary, house, car or anything like that. Four children. Four different men. Every child raised without their father. That should make us all shudder. You see, our culture is becoming more and more heartless towards its offspring. Our culture believes that children are there for our emotional wellbeing, to validate us as human beings or to pretend that our lifestyles are legitimate or normal, or to use as means to obtain government money. This is way too far. Our God slices across this chaotic landscape of abandoned, parentless children and broken lives with one huge, earth-shattering, life-changing promise: He is The Everlasting Father. He makes this promise to a culture where children would have stood in windows and doorways waving tearfully as tens of thousands of men marched off to fight for their country, and most them would not return. He makes this promise to a nation that would live under seige, slowly starving to death, feeling like the whole of creation had abandoned them, for three years, before the Assyrians finally took Samaria (2 Kings 17:5). And the promise was finally fulfilled while the entire nation was back under the domination of another foreign pagan power, that of the Romans. This promise is not just a nice, cuddly promise, where we remember all the nice things our fathers did for us and project them on to God. No, this is a robust, strong promise for those who have lost fathers or who never knew them in the first place (Psalms 68:5). God is their Father. Even through it feels like it at times, He will not abandon them or leave them as orphans (John 14:18). Even though they might wonder what was happening, He would provide for them (Psalm 37:25). When they felt scared or alone, He would be with them (Matthew 28:20). He would give them His peace (John 14:27). Now, I know there are many in our society who strongly object to God having the title of Father. They see it as being part of an ancient patriarchal society which can now be cast aside. However, what they need to understand is that the Hebrew word used here is clearly that of father. Also, the father role in those days is not quite the same as now. We are not just talking about a biological father, a provider of genetic material. No, we are talking about a respected, benevolent leader, a man of respect, someone who is a ruler and a chief: the originator and head of a household. Women in those days fully depended on their husbands and fathers in a way that women often don't nowadays. If they lost the head of their household in battle, as could well happen given the situation these verses were spoken into, then there was every possibility they could become destitute. The reality of these verses is that God was promising that the coming Messiah - Jesus - would meet a deep-seated, desperate need for His people. And not just for a short time. Not just until the next battle or skirmish. Not just until the next pretty lady came along. Not even until death. But for all eternity. This what is happening here. It's something so wonderful that our society should not doubt it, our feminists should not decry it and our human rights activists should not deny it. At Christmas Jesus came down to meet His people's deepest, most intimate needs. There is nothing more special than that. And He will do the same for you too, if you come to Him. The last title we will meditate on is PRINCE OF PEACE, in my next post.