Any healthy mind would understand that the mighty God must refer to the child and that the everlasting Father must refer to the Son. As no one would twist the words “child” or “son,” no one twists the name “mighty God.” Every Christian believes that the child Jesus born in the manger at Bethlehem is the mighty God. No Christian twists this part of the verse. Anyone who does not believe that the child born in Bethlehem is the mighty God is not a genuine Christian. Rather, he is an unbeliever. Although he might be a Jew, he is not a Christian. Based upon the same principle, we must also believe that the Son is the everlasting Father. In brief, the child is God and the Son is the Father. Who can twist this? One day, Martin Luther declared that as long as he stood with the Bible no one could condemn him. Although I would not compare myself with Martin Luther, I also say the same thing. As long as I stand with the pure word of the Bible, no one can accuse me. If anyone accuses, he does not accuse me; he accuses the Bible. I do not teach about Isaiah 9:6 or interpret it—I simply quote it.
Isaiah 9:6 reveals clearly that the child is the mighty God and that the Son is the everlasting Father. This is not merely a word written by Isaiah; it is an utterance inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit says that the child is called the mighty God and that the Son is called the everlasting Father. Why does the Holy Spirit speak this way? The reason is that the child came for the purpose of bringing God to us. The little child Jesus came to the human race to bring God to man. Was He a child or God?
Certainly He was both, for the child and God are one. Because He is the mighty God, when people contact Him, they contact God. The child was the embodiment of God and brought God to man. The principle is the same with the Son. The Son brings the Father to us. Without the child, no one can touch God, and without the Son no one can reach the Father. The child brings God to us, and, in the same principle, the Son brings the Father to us. Do you want to contact God? You have no way except through the child Jesus. Do you want to reach the Father? You have no way except through the Son (John 14:6). When we receive the child, we have God, and when we receive the Son, we have the Father.
Here we see the basic truth that God is not only our God, but also our Father. God’s being God to us is mainly a matter of His creation, but His being the Father to us is mainly in regeneration. As God’s creatures, we need to have God as our God. But as the children of God, we need God to be our Father. We are not merely God’s creatures having God as our God; we are also His children having God as our Father. Today, is God only God to you and not the Father? Many times I say, “O God, my Father, I worship You.” When I say, “O God, my Father,” I imply that I am a little creature, yet I have been regenerated to be a child of the Father. I am not only a little creature of God; I am also a child of the Father. This absolutely corresponds to the basic truth in the New Testament. In the Old Testament God is rarely called the Father. The few times that this is mentioned are found mainly in Isaiah. However, in nearly every epistle in the New Testament, the writers speak of God the Father. The apostle Paul also said, “God our Father” (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:33; Gal. 1:4; Eph. 1:2). Praise the Lord that we are not merely creatures of the creating God, but also children born of the begetting Father! Today, our God is not only the creating Creator; He is also the begetting Father. This is the basic truth of Isaiah 9:6, and no one can argue with it. I believe that the Lord Jesus was the child, and I believe that He was also the Son. As the child He brought God to us, and as the Son He brought us to the Father. Thus, our God today is God the Father.
I invite you to exercise your spirit and your mind over Isaiah 9:6. This verse firstly says that a child is born to us and that His name is the Mighty God. Then it also says that a son is given to us, and that His name is the everlasting Father. Oh, Jesus is both! He not only brought God to us, but He also brought us to the Father. How balanced He is! He was not only the child, but also the Son. This is wonderful. As you believe that the child is the mighty God, do you also believe that, according to Isaiah 9:6, the Son is the Father? Do not say that this is Brother Lee’s teaching. It is not fair to say this. You must say, “Isaiah 9:6 tells me that the Son is the Father.” This is not modalism. It is the pure revelation in the Bible. I beg our critics to exercise their conscience concerning who is heretical. Who is heretical—a man who believes exactly according to the pure word of God or those who twist this verse? Be fair! I like to be honest and exercise my conscience. I beg you to exercise your conscience and to be fair. Can you honestly say that Witness Lee is a heretic when he points out that, according to Isaiah 9:6, the Son is the Father?
I would like now to quote a portion from the transcription of a tape recording of a discussion held regarding us. The speaker is the author of a tract against us:
Anyway, Isaiah 9:6: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given...and the government shall reign upon his shoulders...his name shall be called the Wonderful Counsellor, the Prince of Peace, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father.” There Jesus is called the Father, right? So, He is the Father. That’s Isaiah 9:6. Now, we don’t normally say this because tradition is involved. Jesus is called the Father; He must be the Father.
After admitting the truth, the speaker then begins to twist this verse:
We were taught that there should be another interpretation of the Hebrew word. Instead of everlasting Father, it should be Father of eternity, the originator...a figurative term in that case, the one who begot eternity, the one who set it forth. And so...as you look at the Bible, it does reveal these two distinct persons, so Jesus can’t be the Father. Many verses they give you on this subject you have to look at very carefully. It can’t be. It is impossible this way.
Hence, the speaker concludes that it is impossible for Jesus to be the Father.