Isaiah 9:6(ASV) 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 [a] Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, [b] Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [a:Or, Wonderful counsellor b:Hebrew Father of Eternity.]
Here we see Isaiah prophesying the incarnation of Christ sometime in the future. Notice that the phrase "shall be called" is continuing to prophesy the future, apparently sometime after His incarnation. If Jesus IS the Father, it seems like different wording would be used here...
The following commentary is from one of the founding fathers of the SDA Church, addressing additional related concerns with how this text is often used:
"Much stress is laid on Isa. 9:6, as proving a trinity, which we have before quoted, as referring to our High Priest who shed his blood for us. The advocates of that theory will say that it refers to a trinity because Christ is called the everlasting Father. But for this reason, with others, we affirm that it can have no reference to a trinity. Is Christ the Father in the trinity? If so, how is he the Son? or if he is both Father and Son, how can there be a trinity? for a trinity is three persons. To recognize a trinity, the distinction between the Father and Son must be preserved. Christ is called 'the second person in the trinity;' but if this text proves a trinity, or refers to it at all, it proves that he is not the second, but the first. And if he is the first, who is the second? It is very plain that this text has no reference to such a doctrine.” — (J.H. Waggoner, The Atonement In The Light Of Nature And Revelation, 1884, pp. 167-169)
THE EVERLASTING FATHER
Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
When Jesus came to earth, he became a human being And we have it on good authority that He will always retain his humanity:
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man(human) Christ Jesus;
"It was Satan's purpose to bring about an eternal separation between God and man; but in Christ we become more closely united to God than if we had never fallen... God gave His only-begotten Son to become one of the human family, forever to retain His human nature. This is the pledge that God will fulfill His word. “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder.” God has adopted human nature in the person of His Son, and has carried the same into the highest heaven. It is the “Son of man” who shares the throne of the universe. It is the “Son of man” whose name shall be called, “Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6. The I AM is the Daysman between God and humanity, laying His hand upon both. He who is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners,” is not ashamed to call us brethren. Hebrews 7:26; 2:11."(Desire of Ages, p.25.3)
Psalm 22:22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: In the midst of the assembly will I praise thee. 23 Ye that fear Jehovah, praise him; Isaiah 8:18 Behold, I and the children whom Jehovah hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Jehovah of hosts, who dwelleth in mount Zion. Exodus 6:3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. Psalm 83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
Hebrews 2:12 [Jesus(vs.9)] Saying, I will declare thy name(Jehovah-Ps22:22-23) unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee(Jehovah-Ps22:22-23). 13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God(Jehovah-Is8:18) hath given me(Is8:18).
Here we see that God the Father(Jehovah) gave us to His Son to be the "children" of Jesus. Seems like that would make Jesus our "Father". But let's not confuse Jesus-as-our-"Father" with "the only true God"(Jn17:3, etc...), our Father. Remember the hierarchy between Jesus and His Father. Ellen brings additional clarity:
"However much a shepherd may love his sheep, he loves his sons and daughters more. Jesus is not only our shepherd; He is our 'everlasting Father.' And He says, 'I know Mine own, and Mine own know Me, even as the Father knoweth Me, and I know the Father.' John 10:14, 15, What a statement is this!--the only-begotten Son, He who is in the bosom of the Father, He whom God has declared to be 'the Man that is My fellow' (Zech. 13:7), --the communion between Him and the eternal God is taken to represent the communion between Christ and His children on the earth! Because we are the gift of His Father, and the reward of His work, Jesus loves us. He loves us as His children." (Desire of Ages, p.483.2-3)
Of course, Jesus also tells us that His Father(Jehovah) is also our heavenly Father and "the only true God":
Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
John 17:1-3 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father,... this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Jeremiah 10:10 But Jehovah is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations are not able to abide his indignation. 11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens. 12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched out the heavens.
Conclusion: As a gift from Jehovah, Jesus will be as a Father to us throughout all eternity.
MIGHTY GOD
Psalm 8:3 When I consider thy[Jehovah's-vs.1] heavens, the work of thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5 For thou hast made him but little lower than God, And crownest him with glory and honor. 6 Thou makest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet:
Ephesians 1:19 ... according to the working of his(Jehovah's) mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church...
Philippians 2:5 Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,... 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Does this mean that Jesus is the Almighty Father?
Matthew 16:15 He(Jesus) saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
No. Jesus is clear that His Father is the living God, the one who seals the 144,000 in Rev 7:2-3. So if Jesus is really the Son of God, given to this sinful world by His Father, as Jesus claims, wouldn't that make Him a divine being, a Mighty God? For, we know that ALL things were given unto Him by His Father! In fact His Father(Jehovah) even called Jesus "God" and His begotten Son:
Psalm 2:7 I will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto me, Thou art my son; This day have I begotten thee. 2 Samuel 7:14 I[Jehovah(vs 11)] will be his father, and he shall be my son:... Psalm 45:6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 7 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness: Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Hebrews 1:4 (Christ,) Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 Thou art my Son, This day have I begotten thee?(Ps2:7) I will be to him a Father, And he shall be to me a Son?(2Sam7:14)... 8 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.(Ps45:6) but of the Son he saith , 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.(Ps45:7)
Yes. In Heb1:8(quoting Ps45:6), Jehovah calls his begotten Son "God" because Jesus really is the Divine Son of God. Then, in Heb1:9(quoting Ps45:7), Jehovah refers to Himself as His Son's "God" because Jehovah is the "only true God"(Jn17:3, etc...).
"Jehovah, the eternal, self-existent, uncreated One, Himself the Source and Sustainer of all, is alone entitled to supreme reverence and worship. Man is forbidden to give to any other object the first place in his affections or his service." -Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets, 305.4
1 Corinthians 8:6 yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.
1 Chronicles 29:11 Thine, O Jehovah, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is thine ; thine is the kingdom, O Jehovah, and thou art exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou rulest over all; and in thy hand is power and might; and in thy hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
Conclusion: Yes! By inheritance(Heb1:4) and by the will of Jehovah, Jesus is the "Mighty God", worthy of worship, "for ever and ever"(Heb1:8). But He is not Jehovah, who is the only one "exalted as head above all"(1Chr29:11) and the "only true God"(Jn17:3; Jer10:10). That's Christ's Father. Let's not forget the hierarchy between Jesus and His Father.
THE PRINCE OF PEACE
Genesis 28:13 And, behold, Jehovah stood above it, and said, I am Jehovah, the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; Ezra 7:27 Blessed be Jehovah, the God of our fathers, who hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem; Acts 3:13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob(Jehovah-Gen28:13), the God of our fathers(Jehovah-Ez7:27), hath glorified his Servant Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied before the face of Pilate, when he had determined to release him. 14 But ye denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted unto you, 15 and killed the Prince of life; whom God raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
By whom was the "Prince of life" raised? By His Father, Jehovah
Acts 5:30 The God of our fathers(Jehovah-Ez7:27) raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree. 31 Him did God(Jehovah) exalt with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.
"The Son of God, the Prince of Heaven, and his loyal angels, engaged in conflict with the arch rebel and those who united with him. The Son of God and true, loyal angels prevailed;..." (
Spirit of Prophecy, Vol.1, p.22.3)
Conclusion: Jehovah exalted His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the "Prince of heaven" (and of eventual peace) at "His right hand".
KING OF KINGS
Though not mentioned in Isaiah 9:6, it might be well to consider Jesus as "King of kings" in Rev 17:14; 19:16 when He returns to Earth.
Revelation 17:14 These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they also shall overcome that are with him, called and chosen and faithful.
Revelation 19:16 And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
When Jesus returns, the kings of this earth and satan will be dethroned and replaced by the "King of kings", the Lamb of Jehovah.
Revelation 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the chief captains, and the rich, and the strong, and every bondman and freeman, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains;
And then, the Prince of God, the King of kings, will forever reign in peace at the right hand of "the LORD God Almighty", Jehovah.
Revelation 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God the Almighty(Jehovah), and the Lamb, are the temple thereof. 23 And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb. 24 And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof: and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it.
Praise Jehovah Almighty and His beloved, only begotten Son, Jesus Christ!