The Everlasting Father

‘His name shall be called.... the Everlasting Father.” — Isa. ix,

HIS is another name of Christ, of which you may not have thought. Perhaps He thought of it when He said to His disciples, “‘I will not leave you comfortless” (John xiv. ). For that word really means orphans, as you will see in the margin of your Bible.* They could not be left orphans when Jesus was their Everlasting Father. Perhaps some one will read this whose dear father has been taken away; possibly some one, still more to be pitied, who knows what it is to have a father without having a father’s kindness and love and care. Surely this name of Jesus was meant to comfort you! Jesus, the Mighty God, is your Everlasting Father, always loving, never leaving.

All that you ever knew or thought a dear father would be, He will be to you. It is those who are “without Christ” (Eph.ii. ) who have the saddest orphanhood; for the children of Jesus always have His promise, “I will not leave you orphans.”

How did we come to be His children? This question has a wonderful answer, far away back before the world was made, farther back than you can think, — an answer which we never could have known unless He had told us Himself. We are His children, because God gave us to Jesus, For Jesus says, ‘‘ Behold I and the children which God hath given me” (Heb. ii. Daaiiel, oA that the Father hath given Me shall come to Me” (John vi. ). In His great prayer for us, He speaks seven times of our being given to Him (John xvii. py We have often thought of His being God’s gift to us, but did you ever think that we are God’s gift to Him? But you see He says so! So this is why we are His children, and why we are so very precious to Him. See what beautiful things we find to make us trustful and happy, when we look into His Word to see what He Himself says in answer to our questions!

He is bringing many sons unto glory now (Eleby it, ), and He is able to keep you from falling (Jude ), and to present you faultless before the throne of His glory with exceeding joy. For He says, “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory” (John xvii. is

“The Everlasting Father!”
O name of gentlest grace,
O name of strength and might,
Meeting the heart-need of our orphaned race
With tenderest delight!
Our Everlasting Father! this is He
Who came in deep humility
A little child to be!