01.06. VI. The Deity of Messiah in Both Testaments

VI. THE DEITY OF MESSIAH (CHRIST) IN BOTH

TESTAMENTS The Dual Nature of Messiah For a correct comprehension of the Person of Messiah, it is necessary to understand that He has a DUAL NATURE, but is a single personality: He is very God and perfect man; rather. He is the God-man, God and man in one, indivisible personality. His humanity is seen in such names and titles as Son of man, Son of David, Son of Abraham, etc. His Deity is seen in such names and titles as Son of God, God, Lord, Jehovah, El, Elohim etc. The purpose of this present study is to present this fact of supreme importance: the Bible reveals Messiah (Christ) to be GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH. The Deity of Christ as Presented in Hebrews, Chapter 1 In the first six verses of Hebrews 1 (Hebrews 1:1-6), these ten facts are presented about Christ, all of which prove and establish the fact of His Deity; for none of these facts could be postulated about a mere man.

(1) Christ (Messiah) is called God’s "SON" in contrast to the "prophets" who were only men, even though they were inspired men, Hebrews 1:1-2 : "God, who. . . . spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us in His Son."

(2) Christ is "Heir of all things," (Hebrews 1:2). He is the Son, therefore He is the heir.

(3) The worlds (universe) "were made through Him (Christ)," Hebrews 1:2. This not only proves His pre-existence, but reveals Him as the active agent in creation. cf. John 1:1-3 : "all things were made by Him (Christ); and without Him was not anything made that was made" (Hebrews 1:3).

(4) He is identified with the GLORY of God as much as the brightness of the sun is identified with the sun: "who being the effulgence (brightness) of His Person," Hebrews 1:3.

(5) He is identified with the CHARACTER of God as much as he impress of a seal exactly reproduces the seal: "the very image (impress) of His Person," Hebrews 1:3.

(6) He (Messiah, Christ) is the One who upholds this vast, well-nigh in-finite Universe, which of course is the work of an omnipotent God: uphold­ing all things by the word of His power," Hebrews 1:3. cf. Colossians 1:16-17 : "For by Him (Christ) were all things created . . . and by Him all things consist (Gr., are held together)."

(7) He, Christ, accomplished the redemption of the race ALONE. No sinful man, not even a perfect man, could redeem a race of billions of lost sinners. It takes an infinite Sacrifice to atone for a world of sinners: "When He had BY HIMSELF purged (made purification of) our sins," Hebrews 1:3.

(8) He now occupies the highest position in the Universe next to the Father: at God’s right hand, sharing with God the Father the Eternal Throne: "He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high," Hebrews 1:3. That Christ, the Lamb of God, shares the Eternal Throne is evident from Revelation 22:1 : "the Throne (singular) of God and of the Lamb."

(9) He Is "much better" than the angels, Hebrews 1:4 : "having become by so much better than the angels." (R.V)

(10) Again, the Father-Son relationship of the Father and Messiah is established. Even the angels are commanded to worship Him (Messiah); see Hebrews 1:6 : "Let all the angels of God worship Him." Remember, only GOD is to be worshipped (Matthew 4:10). "Thou art My Son"-the Father’s testimony to the Son, Hebrews 1:5. cf, Hebrews 1:5, l.p: "I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son." In the rest of the first chapter of Hebrews (together with the Old Testament Scriptures from which citations are made in this first chapter of Hebrews), we discover this impressive fact: Messiah is called by the three primary names and titles of God used in the Old Testament, and by the two primary names of Deity used in the New Testament. In verse 8 (Hebrews 1:8), God the Father, speaking to God the Son (Messiah) calls Him GOD (Gr., Theos), This eighth verse is a quotation from Psalms 45:6, where the primary name of God, Elohim, is used of Messiah: "Thy throne, 0 God (Heb., Elohim,) is forever and ever." In Hebrews 1:10, God the Father, still speaking to and about the SON (Messiah) calls Him LORD (Gr., Kurios). This is a quotation from Psalms 102:25-27. These verses (Psalms 102:25-27) refer to JEHOVAH; see Psalms 102:16-19, Psalms 102:21-22. Let us now quote this passage from the New Testament :

"And Thou Lord (Gr., Kurios), in the beginning hast laid the founda­tion of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands: they shall perish: but Thou remainest: and they shall all wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shall they fold up, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail" (Hebrews 1:10-12).

Notice that in these verses (Hebrews 1:10-12):

The writer of the book of Hebrews adds two more inspired Comments concerning MESSIAH:

Since God the Father has testified so emphatically in this chapter of the Deity of Christ, and has given us 15 statements that fully set forth the DEITY OF MESSIAH, it is folly for any one to deny that basic truth. In fact, our eternal salva­tion depends on our accepting this truth of Christ’s Deity:

"If ye believe NOT that I am He (the Lord-Jehovah), ye shall die in your sins"* (John 8:24) [*Christ here uses the words "I AM" which is the meaning of the name Jehovah (see Exodus 3:14), so identifying Himself as the JEHOVAH of the Old Testament] Old Testament Statements about the Deity of Messiah Turning to Old Testament predictions and comparing them with their New Testament fulfillments, we discover:

(1)    Jehovah calls Messiah His "Fellow" (equal);

"Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, and against the man that is My Fellow, saith the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 13:7). In the New Testament Christ said the same thing: "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30).

Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, testifies in Php 2:6 that Christ is "equal with God." "Christ Jesus who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery (a thing to be grasped after) to be EQUAL WITH GOD."

(2)In Isaiah 9:6 we have a forecast of Messiah’s humanity, Deity, and Kingship Names of Deity are given to the coming Messiah that none but the willfully unbelieving can mistake:

"For unto us a child is born (Messiah’s humanity), unto us a Son is given (His eternal Sonship, in the Trinity) and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, THE MIGHTY GOD (Heb., El Gibor). THE FATHER OF ETERNITY-both names of Deity-"the Prince of Peace."

Remember, names as used in Hebrew express that which a person IS; Being called anything means being that thing. So, when Messiah is called by the name "THE MIGHTY GOD" it means He IS the Mighty God.

(3)Messiah is called GOD (El, ELOHIM) in the Old Testament The following Scriptures show that Messiah is called GOD (Heb, EL, ELOHIM):

"Say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God (Elohim). Behold, the Lord GOD (Elohim) will come with strong hand" (Isaiah 40:9-10).

We already have referred to Psalms 45:6 where Messiah is called GOD: "Thy throne, O GOD, is forever and ever." In Psalms 47:7-8 we read of Messiah’s second advent: "For GOD (Elohim) is King over the whole earth" . . . "GOD (Elohim) reigneth over the nations. It is abundantly clear that it will be Messiah (Christ) who will reign over the nations. See Revelation 11:15; Revelation 19:16; 1 Corinthians 15:24-25.

(4)Messiah is also called JEHOVAH in the Old Testament In Zechariah 2:10 we read that the Lord (Jehovah) has said "Lo, I come, and I WILL DWELL IN THE MIDST OF THEE."

"For the LORD (JEHOVAH) most high ... is a great King over all the earth" (Psalms 47:2). (The context shows this is a Messianic Psalm, looking forward to the second advent of Christ). In Jeremiah 23:5-6 we read that Messiah shall be called JEHOVAH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." In Psalms 102:16 we are told that: "The LORD (JEHOVAH) . . . hath appeared in His glory." In Zechariah 14:9 we read that it is "the LORD (JEHOVAH)" who "shall be King over all the earth." And to prove that it is JEHOVAH IN THE FLESH who is King, we see in verses three and four of the same chapter that "Jehovah shall go forth and His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives." In Zechariah 12:10 there can be no mistaking of the meaning: "They shall look upon Me (Jehovah) WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED"-a reference of course to the crucified Messiah. In a crystal clear prediction in Isaiah 40:3, Messiah is called both Jehovah (LORD) and (Elohim) (GOD): "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD (Jehovah), make straight in the desert a highway for our God (Elohim)." In the New Testament this Scripture is quoted, showing its fulfillment in Christ and in John the Baptist, His forerunner (see Matthew 3:1-3). In both Zephaniah 3:14-15 and Isaiah 12:6 we learn that it is Jehovah Himself the "Holy One" of Israel who will be in their midst: "The King, even JEHOVAH, is in the midst of thee" (Zephaniah 3:14-15). That JEHOVAH OF HOSTS is a title of Messiah, we see clearly by comparing Isaiah 6:1-3 with John 12:41; and Isaiah 8:13; Isaiah 8:14 with 1 Peter 2:5-8.

(5)Jesus in the New Testament claimed to be the great "I AM" of the Old Testament Jehovah says of Himself in Isaiah 13:10 :

"Ye are My witnesses, saith Jehovah, and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I AM HE."

It is therefore full of significance that Christ in the New Testament made the same claim in John 8:24; John 13:19; John 4:26; Mark 13:6, etc. "That ye may believe that I AM HE" (John 13:19). Jesus frequently used the expression "I AM" in con­nection with some special revelation of His Person or work:

"I AM the Good Shepherd" (John 10:14) "I AM the Door" (John 10:9) "I AM the Light of the World" (John 8:12) "I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life" (John 14:6) (6)The Title of God, Adonai, is given to Messiah in he Old Testament:

"Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord (Heb., Adonai) whom ye seek shall suddenly come to His temple" (Malachi 3:1). The "messenger" who prepared the way for the coming of the Lord (Adonai) was John the Baptist; and the Lord for whom he prepared the way was Messiah-Jesus of Nazareth.

"The LORD (Jehovah) said unto my Lord (Adonai), Sit Thou at right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool" (Psalms 110:1). On the Day of Pentecost, Peter quoted this passage in his sermon to prove both the Messiahship and the Deity of Christ of Nazareth. See Acts 2:34-36; cf. Matthew 22:41-45, where Jesus Himself proves to the Pharisees that Messiah is not only the son of David, He is also his Lord (Adonai).

(7)The Old Testament also teaches the PRE-EXISTENCE OF MESSIAH In Psalms 72:17 we read in the English translation:

"His name shall continue as long as the sun." But the original Hebrew reads:

"Before the sun was, His name (was) Yinon." This is the only occur­rence in Scripture of the word "Yinon," and all ancient Jewish com­mentators agree that it is a name of Messiah. In Proverbs 8:22-24 we read of the Pre-existence of Messiah:

"The LORD possessed me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was." That this description of "Wisdom," personified, is really a description of the Eternal Messiah, is beyond doubt. The New Testament also teaches the pre-existence of Christ, the Eternal Word:

"In the beginning WAS the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God" (John 1:1-2).

(8) The Old Testament presents Messiah as "the GLORY OF THE LORD"-a Phrase signifying Deity

"And the Glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it." (Isaiah 40:5; cf. Isaiah 40:3-4, which proves this verse, Isaiah 40:5, to be Messianic). In the New Testament, we read of Messiah’s Incarnation:

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the GLORY AS OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER), full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). The Deity of Christ taught in the New Testament

We have before shown from Hebrews 1, that the New Testament fully teaches the Deity of Christ (Messiah). This teaching of the Deity of Christ pervades the entire New Testa­ment, and can be seen in scores of direct statements and hun­dreds of inferences. Some of the inferences of Christ’s Deity are drawn from:

(3)    His supernatural powers (see all His miracles, as recorded in the Gospels, e.g. Mark 2:11; Mark 3:5, Mark 3:10-11; etc.

(4)    His sinless character (Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5; cf.

Luke 18:19, where our Lord taught, indirectly, that none should call Him good unless they admit He is God, for there is "none good but God."

(5)    His atoning death proves His deity-for none but GOD could atone for the race (Hebrews 2:9).

(6)    His bodily resurrection proves His deity (Romans 1:4).

(7)    The many promises He gave that demand Deity to fulfill: such as Matthew 11:28-29; Matthew 28:19-20; John 14:23.

(8)    Men are to trust Him even as they do the Father (John 14:1-3).

(9)    He is the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16-17).

(10)    He has all the Characteristics of Deity: Omnipresence, Omniscience, Omnipotence, etc. (See Matthew 28:20; John 14:23; John 3:13; John 16:30; Matthew 28:18; etc.

Some direct statements of Christ’s Deity:

John 1:1-3 : "the Word was God."

Note the striking testimony to Christ’s Deity in Luke 1:68; Luke 1:76.

See also Romans 9:5; John 20:28; Colossians 1:14, Colossians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 2:8; 1 Timothy 6:14-16 : Titus 2:13, Hebrews, chapter 1, etc. THE TRINITY That Messiah should be both GOD and yet be sent by God, is a mystery unravelled in the teaching of the Trinity. God is One God, existing in Three Persons: Father, Son (Messiah) and Holy Spirit.

"The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world" (1 John 4:14). It is not our present purpose to expound the Scriptures on the teach­ing of the Trinity, but we give here some references which directly teach, or intimate, the Trinity. Note the following:

(4)    Many Scriptures intimate the Trinity, as in Genesis 1:26-27 where God says "Let US" (implying more than one Person in the Godhead); see also Genesis 11:5-7; Isaiah 6:8; Genesis 3:22.

(5)    The Trinity is clearly taught in the New Testament: see Matthew 28:19-20; Matthew 3:16-17; John 14:16; Ephesians 4:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 9:14; Revelation 1:4-5. See (in Tregelles’ Greek text) a most remarkable triple reference to the Trinity in Revelation 1:8 :

"I - (1) I AM (2) the Alpha and the Omega, (3) the Beginning and the ending, saith (1) the Lord (Kurios), (2) God (Theos) . . . (3) the Almighty (Pantokrator), (1) the One being, (2) and the One who was, and (3) the One who is coming.