Deeper Reflection
This promised child is given the second title, “Mighty God”, indicating his divinity. That same title, “the mighty God”, was used with clear reference to Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, in Isaiah 10:20-21.⁸ But to use that title to refer to a boy child is to clearly indicate the deity of the child. Israel is here confronted with the notion that the ideal Davidic King for whom they are waiting is a divine person!The third title of “Everlasting Father” was probably understood by Isaiah’s first hearers and readers in this way: Israel’s messianic King was their protector and therefore was, in a sense, their “father”, whose long and enduring reign is aptly described as “everlasting”⁹. From a New Testament perspective, we know that the Lord Jesus literally fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy and both titles of “Mighty God” and “Everlasting Father”, because He is the God-man ‒ fully God and fully man ‒ and the eternal King of Israel.Jesus’ divinity is clear from the Apostle Paul’s descriptions of Him – “He is the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15a) and “in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Col 1:19). Jesus is God in human flesh. The fact that “by Him all things were created…all things were created through Him and for Him” (Col 1:16) shows us His eternality. Jesus is eternal and therefore existed before creation was created (“He is before all things”, 1 Col 17a). Jesus’ power is evident in that He is the source, means and goal of creation; and He sustains the whole of creation (“in Him all things hold together”, Col 1:17b).¹⁰

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⁸ There is nothing surprising about the latter instance, because Yahweh is known to Israel as “the great, the mighty, and the awesome God” (Deut 10:17) and “O great and mighty God” (Jer 32:18) ⁹ NET Bible translation note. “This title must not be taken in an anachronistic Trinitarian sense. (To do so would be theologically problematic, for the ‘Son’ is the messianic King and is distinct in His person from God the ‘Father’.)” ¹⁰ Further, Jesus is “the firstborn [i.e. preeminent or supreme in rank] of all creation” (Col 1:15b) and the preeminent one in all things (Col 1:18c). He is the wonderful Saviour “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:14) and through whom we are reconciled to God (Col 1:20).