Sermon Central
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The Deity Of Jesus In Israel's Prophets Series
Contributed by Bob Faulkner on Jun 30, 2015 (message contributor)
Summary: Isaiah to Malachi saw Jesus as God. The prophets of Israel join the group of Jehovah's TRUE witnesses. Who are these folks today claiming to be witnesses of Jehovah, but denying his Deity?
FROM ISAIAH
36. Lord of the New Jerusalem
What a precious preview of events is given by Isaiah in his 2nd chapter, verses 2-4: “...the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains...and all nations shall flow unto it...and ...people shall say, Come ye, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob...for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”
But where is Jesus in all of this? When John sees this final City in Revelation 21, he first is told , “The tabernacle of God is with men...and God Himself shall be with them...”(v. 3) So far, the same scenario as Isaiah. A location in a City, with God as its head. But look closer, in verses 22-23. There is no temple. Why? Because “The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” There is no sun. Why? “For the glory of God...and the Lamb” lighten it.
You’ve heard perhaps of the Hebrew parallelism. It’s a way of saying two things but meaning only one. Thomas didn’t mean to say there were two persons in front of Him when he exclaimed to Jesus, “My Lord and My God!” He was giving two titles to the Man Jesus.
“God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” is another one. "God and Father" here are the same person, not two.
I suggest that the only way “The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb” can make any sense is to consider them the same, also. I have already shown that “Almighty God” is a title worn by Jesus! And we know Jesus is the Lamb. Something wonderful here!
37. Immanuel
The Name says it all. Isaiah 7:14, golden verse of the Old Testament, “Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name, Immanuel.”
700 years later, Brother Matthew, in relating the fulfillment of that prophecy in the birth of Jesus (1:23), goes on to add the meaning of the Name: “God with us.” Now, how better can God tell us who this Jesus is?
38. Father and Son!
I imagine that this is my favorite of the declarations of Scripture regarding the Deity of Jesus Christ. Read carefully: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace (9:6)."
I can hardly stand it! Time to dance in the aisles. Time to rejoice in our spirits, though the brain has been dealt another curve. This precious Baby, Jesus, is the Son. But in a way that I hope is becoming clearer through the reading of this multitude of Scriptures I have assembled, He is also the Father!
Enough said. Selah.
39. First and Last
(41:4) “...I, the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am He.” says God.
Isaiah's God says He is first and last. But these are also the very words of our Jesus: “Fear not; I am the first and the last (Revelation 1:17)."
Doesn't get any plainer than that.
40. Redeemer
(41:14) “...I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer...”
But we have always looked to Jesus as our Redeemer, Galatians 3:13, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law...” Indeed! The chorus in Heaven praises the Lamb, Who “redeemed us to God by Thy blood.”
So here is God, redeeming us to Himself. We still want to see two People here, but our confusion comes because God actually became a Man. That Man is the one we see and know, because He is one of us. But we must constantly keep the eyes of the spirit open to seeing all that He is. He’s one of that other race, too. The race known as the “Godhead.”
41. The One and Only
This one is addressed to witnesses only! (43:10-11) “Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen...understand that I am He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I even I, am the Lord; and besides Me there is no Saviour.”
Jehovah's witnesses, the true ones, are described here. Israel is warned about who this God really is. Take note, witnesses of all time.
Yes, for all time we are told that anyone claiming to be God, Lord, or Saviour is either blatantly false, or to be identified with this God. There simply is no other God. And Jesus, of course, claimed to be all three!
Get it, witnesses? If God is the only Saviour, how could Jesus be known as the one who saves us from our sins? If God is the only Lord, how could Thomas call Jesus, not only Lord, but God? And without a hint of rebuke from the Master.
