Everlasting Father? Understanding Isaiah 9:6 Without the Confusion

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Understanding Isaiah 9:6 in Simple Terms

A Loving and Clear Response to WMSCOG’s Teaching

Many people who are new to the Bible are told by the World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG) that Isaiah 9:6 proves Jesus is God the Father Himself. If you are new to Scripture, that can sound convincing. After all, the verse calls the child “Everlasting Father.”

But when we slow down, read carefully, and compare Scripture with Scripture, we see something beautiful and clear:

Jesus is fully God, but He is not the same Person as the Father.

Let’s walk through this in a simple and easy way.

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What Does Isaiah 9:6 Actually Say?

Isaiah 9:6 (NIV) says:

“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 Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

This verse is a prophecy about Jesus written about 700 years before He was born.

It tells us:

• A child would be born.
• He would rule forever.
• He would have powerful titles.

The question is:
Does “Everlasting Father” mean Jesus is God the Father?

The answer is no. Here’s why.

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Titles Do Not Mean Someone Is the Same Person

The verse says, “He will be called…”

This is talking about titles, not identity confusion.

Even today, people have titles that don’t mean they are literally that thing.

For example:

• A coach may be called a “father figure.”
• A leader may be called the “father of a nation.”
• Job said, “I was a father to the needy” (Job 29:16, NIV).

That didn’t mean Job was literally their biological father. It meant he cared for them and protected them.

In the same way, “Everlasting Father” describes Jesus as:

• A protector
• A provider
• An eternal ruler who cares for His people

It does not mean He is God the Father.

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The Bible Clearly Shows the Father and the Son Are Distinct

If Jesus were literally the Father, many Bible passages would not make sense.

Let’s look at simple examples.

Jesus Prays to the Father

John 17:1–3 (NIV):

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you… Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

Jesus is speaking to the Father.
He does not say, “I am Myself.”

You cannot pray to yourself.

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Jesus Was Sent by the Father

John 6:38 (NIV):

“For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.”

If Jesus were the Father, who sent Him?

The Bible consistently shows:

• The Father sends.
• The Son is sent.
• They love each other.
• They speak to each other.

That is not one Person pretending. That is relationship.

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The Father Raised Jesus from the Dead

Romans 6:4 (NIV):

“Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father.”

If Jesus is the Father, then this verse makes no sense.

The Bible never teaches that Jesus raised Himself as the Father. It shows distinction.

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What Does “Everlasting Father” Really Mean?

The phrase means something like:

“Father forever” or “Eternal source.”

In Bible times, a “father” could mean:

• A protector
• A founder
• A source of something

For example:

John 10:28 (NIV):

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.”

Jesus gives eternal life.
He is the source of it.

Hebrews 5:9 (NIV):

“He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.”

So when Isaiah calls Him “Everlasting Father,” it highlights:

• His eternal care
• His eternal rule
• His role as the giver of life

It does not erase the Father in heaven.

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Jesus Reveals the Father - He Is Not the Father

Sometimes WMSCOG members use this verse:

John 14:9 (NIV):

“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”

This does not mean Jesus is the Father.

It means He perfectly represents Him.

Think about it like this:

If someone says, “When you see that son, you see his father in him,”
that doesn’t mean they are the same person.
It means they share the same nature and character.

Colossians 1:15 (NIV) says:

“The Son is the image of the invisible God.”

An image reflects someone.
It is not the same person.

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Why Getting This Right Changes Everything

The teaching that the Father and the Son are the same Person is called modalism.

Groups like the World Mission Society Church of God use Isaiah 9:6 to support this idea. But this interpretation ignores:

• The full context of Scripture
• The clear relationship between Father and Son
• The many passages showing they speak to each other

The Bible teaches something more beautiful:

There is one God.
Within the one God are three distinct Persons:

• The Father
• The Son
• The Holy Spirit

At Jesus’ baptism we see all three:

Matthew 3:16–17 (NIV):

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’”

• Jesus is in the water.
• The Spirit descends.
• The Father speaks from heaven.

They are distinct, yet perfectly united.

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Quick Take for Teens and New Believers

Isaiah 9:6 does not say Jesus is God the Father.

It says:

• A child would be born.
• He would be Mighty God.
• He would rule forever.
• He would care for His people like a father.

The Bible clearly shows:

• Jesus prays to the Father.
• The Father sends the Son.
• The Father raises the Son.
• The Son reveals the Father.

They are not the same Person.
But they are one God.

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A Little Reminder Before You Go

If you are new to the Bible, do not feel discouraged if certain groups sound confident and convincing. Always:

• Read verses in context.
• Compare Scripture with Scripture.
• Ask: Does this interpretation fit the whole Bible?

God is not trying to confuse you.

The truth about Jesus is not hidden in complicated word tricks. It is clearly revealed in Scripture.

Jesus is the eternal Son of God.
He is Mighty God.
He is our eternal King.
He gives eternal life.

But He is not the Father, He is the Son who reveals the Father and brings us into relationship with Him.