John 8:56-58
“56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”
Not only did God reveal unto us that His name is Jehovah or “I AM,” but He also revealed Himself to us through the incarnation of Himself in the 2nd person of the Divine Trinity, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. We just got done celebrating Christmas. We took time in December to commemorate this wonderful miracle of God manifesting Himself in the flesh. Jesus Christ is the fullest expression of God’s glory. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way: “Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person…” (Heb. 1:2a). When Philip asked the Lord to reveal unto them the Father, Jesus replied: “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father.” (John 14:9). Jesus Christ is Jehovah God manifest in the flesh. He is truly Emmanuel, which means “God with us” (Matt. 1:23).
There are other verses to consider in reference to this point:
A. Matthew 3:3
“For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
This was a fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3“56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”
Not only did God reveal unto us that His name is Jehovah or “I AM,” but He also revealed Himself to us through the incarnation of Himself in the 2nd person of the Divine Trinity, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. We just got done celebrating Christmas. We took time in December to commemorate this wonderful miracle of God manifesting Himself in the flesh. Jesus Christ is the fullest expression of God’s glory. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way: “Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person…” (Heb. 1:2a). When Philip asked the Lord to reveal unto them the Father, Jesus replied: “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father.” (John 14:9). Jesus Christ is Jehovah God manifest in the flesh. He is truly Emmanuel, which means “God with us” (Matt. 1:23).
There are other verses to consider in reference to this point:
A. Matthew 3:3
“For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
B. John 12:41
"These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him."
This was a fulfillment of Isaiah 6:1
“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” (Isaiah saw the LORD)
C. Ephesians 4:7-8
“But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.”
This was a fulfillment of Psalm 68:18
“Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.”
These are merely some of the Old Testament descriptions of Jehovah God which are directly applied to Jesus Christ, and thus His deity is clear.
God is fully revealed through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. If you want to know what God is like, then study the Son. When Psalm 5:11 tells us that those who put their trust in God rejoice, and that those who love God’s name are joyful in Him, it is no wonder because Jesus Christ provides for us everything we need for our salvation, and He makes us fit to become kings and priests in God’s Kingdom.
How much of Jesus Christ must one believe on in order to be saved? The answer is everything that He claims to be in Scripture. When He spoke in John 8:58 and said ‘before Abraham was I am’ He was clearly taking the most sacred and personal name of God as revealed to Israel (i.e. Jehovah, or I AM) and He was applying it to Himself. This is perhaps the strongest and clearest claim of Jesus in the whole New Testament concerning His divinity. Dear Friend, Christ is Lord, Christ is the Messiah, Christ is the Savior, Christ is Jehovah, and to try to diminish any of His truth claims is to trust in someone other than the revealed Christ of the Scriptures. It is to pervert the Gospel. The only ones who in the end will be rejoicing, are strictly those who are trusting in His name.
I am so glad that God has revealed Himself in the person and character of Jesus Christ. God is so much like Christ that He cares for the poor and lowly, and yet He also is interested in the rich and powerful. God wants all to be saved, if only people would turn from their sin and selves and trust in Christ alone. It sure is a privilege to serve the Lord. When you stop to consider His great sacrifice and love for us, it isn’t hard to serve the Lord, and this service is done with great gladness.
“Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.”
These are merely some of the Old Testament descriptions of Jehovah God which are directly applied to Jesus Christ, and thus His deity is clear.
God is fully revealed through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. If you want to know what God is like, then study the Son. When Psalm 5:11 tells us that those who put their trust in God rejoice, and that those who love God’s name are joyful in Him, it is no wonder because Jesus Christ provides for us everything we need for our salvation, and He makes us fit to become kings and priests in God’s Kingdom.
How much of Jesus Christ must one believe on in order to be saved? The answer is everything that He claims to be in Scripture. When He spoke in John 8:58 and said ‘before Abraham was I am’ He was clearly taking the most sacred and personal name of God as revealed to Israel (i.e. Jehovah, or I AM) and He was applying it to Himself. This is perhaps the strongest and clearest claim of Jesus in the whole New Testament concerning His divinity. Dear Friend, Christ is Lord, Christ is the Messiah, Christ is the Savior, Christ is Jehovah, and to try to diminish any of His truth claims is to trust in someone other than the revealed Christ of the Scriptures. It is to pervert the Gospel. The only ones who in the end will be rejoicing, are strictly those who are trusting in His name.
I am so glad that God has revealed Himself in the person and character of Jesus Christ. God is so much like Christ that He cares for the poor and lowly, and yet He also is interested in the rich and powerful. God wants all to be saved, if only people would turn from their sin and selves and trust in Christ alone. It sure is a privilege to serve the Lord. When you stop to consider His great sacrifice and love for us, it isn’t hard to serve the Lord, and this service is done with great gladness.
3 comments:
Great post! I've really enjoyed reading your blog. Also, I was wondering if we could exchange links with each other.
Great Post.
Kate you are always welcome to add your comments to my posts. I was referring to the "Christ-likeness" of God. But I do understand your point, and it is well taken.
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