For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The One called the Rock in the Old Testament is Christ, fulfilling many roles toward Israel, including that of their Father. He claims fatherhood by redeeming them from slavery in Egypt, creating them, and founding them as a nation. He will be their Father when He returns to set up His world-ruling government, maintaining this special relationship with Israel throughout all eternity. He is indeed the Everlasting Father.

Moses, in proclaiming the name of the Lord, first declares Him as the Rock, giving this image preeminence in his song. This term, as used by Moses, implies perfection, justice, truth, and righteousness, qualities that come to mind when considering God as the Rock. The Israelites associated similar attributes with this image, seeing in it enduring strength, unchanging reliability, and majestic greatness, reflecting His eternity, power, and transcendence. They also viewed the Rock as beautiful, conveying His holy, righteous character. In contrast, other peoples considered their gods as rocks, but Moses highlights a stark difference, showing that their rocks produce societal ills like disappointment, oppression, and destruction, while Our Rock has compassion on His servants and yields blessings and good fruit. Additionally, the Rock reminds Moses of God as Creator and a parental figure to the Israelites, embodying both Father and Mother, having created them entirely on His own without collaboration. The imagery of the Rock extends to safety and deliverance, as seen in the rocky landscapes of Israel and Sinai, where caves and mountain fortresses provided defensible positions for those in need of refuge. For David, the Rock transcends physical salvation, becoming a metaphor for complete protection, both offensive and defensive, a High Tower carried with him through God's presence. David further elevates the Rock as a goal, a place of eternal inheritance for those who fear God, akin to the concept of everlasting strength or Rock of Ages. In the narrative of Moses striking the rock at Horeb, a tremendous miracle occurs as water gushes forth to sustain the congregation of Israel, portraying the Rock as a source of life. This imagery continues with the tradition that the Rock followed the Israelites through their wanderings, providing water when needed. Paul draws on this, emphasizing that the Spiritual Rock that followed them was Christ, the same God of the Old Testament who supplied manna, water, led them through the wilderness, delivered them from enemies, and placed them in the promised land. This Rock, Jesus Christ, remains unchanged, possessing the same powers and character today as He did then. Jesus Christ, as the Rock, continues to give His people living water, symbolizing God's Holy Spirit, flowing from Him as the heavenly High Priest to sustain each Christian and enable a godly life toward eternal life. He is the Rock on which the church of God is founded, a sure, massive, immovable foundation that withstands any storm. The Apostles, including Peter, recognized Him as the chief cornerstone and foundation stone, not themselves, affirming that salvation begins and ends with Him, underlying and making everything work. However, to the disobedient, He is a Rock of Offense, an obstruction in the path that causes stumbling and injury to those who reject Him. In a future aspect, He is the Stone cut without hands that smites the nations, embodying judgment and destruction for those who oppose Him, while offering brokenness and salvation to those who fall upon Him. Thus, Jesus Christ, Our Rock, encompasses both the majestic, compassionate source of life and the formidable force of judgment.

Christ does not declare that He is making Peter the head of His church. The key to understanding this lies in the Greek words translated as Peter and rock. The word for Peter, petros, means a pebble or small stone, while the word for rock, petra, signifies a big rock or huge boulder. Christ states that He will build His church on the boulder, not on Peter the pebble. Christ is the rock and the chief cornerstone upon which the church is built. From this, it is clear that Jesus did not say He would build His church on Peter, a mere man, but on Himself, ensuring that the church would endure and prevail.