“Jesus Who ?”
A Course Of Study From
Blueprint For Revival Bible
Institutes International
©2013 Belleview, FL 34421 USA
BLUEPRINT FOR REVIVAL BIBLE INSTITUTE
BASIC BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
Dr. Ed J MacWilliams
COURSE: JESUS WHO ?
“WHO IS JESUS ?”
PART ONE: We Need To Know Him Better
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A MORE COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF JESUS.
2 Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
1. IT IS A NATURAL PROGRESSION FOR THE TRUE CHRISTIAN TO DESIRE MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE PERSON WE LOVE, BUT, DON’T ALL CHRISTIANS KNOW WHO JESUS IS ? Yes, to varying degrees. Our study is designed to upgrade our knowledge of Him, and bring us to realize to a greater degree the amazing characteristics of the Person we call Savior and Lord. It is also designed for the teaching Pastor and Evangelist to help others grow in their knowledge of the Lord.
2. IT IS THE DESIRE OF GOD TO BRING A GREATER REVELATION OF THE LORD. Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him:
3. IT HELPS GRACE TO MULTIPLY. GRACE AND PEACE IS MULTIPLIED BY INCREASING OUR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
4. IT IS AN ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT KNOWLEDGE FOR THE LAST DAYS. THE ANTICHRIST WILL COME, ALLEGING THAT HE, NOT JESUS, IS THE TRUE MESSIAH. THIS DOCTRINAL FALSEHOOD IS ALREADY BEGINNING, AND THE CHURCH NEEDS TO BE PREPARED THROUGH FACTS FROM THE BIBLE. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”
WHO IS THE JESUS OF THE BIBLE ?
WHY EVEN ASK ?
In these Last Days, there will be a horrible attack upon the knowledge of Jesus (of the Bible) to make room for the new and more widely accepted view that someone else (the Antichrist) can meet the requirement more favorably. In the evolution toward that false doctrine, many heretical ideas are being proposed. For an example, someone was writing about the “non-violent Jesus.” He spoke of Jesus as the helpless Lamb. Of course, that is not true. But, it is one of the false concepts being floated on today’s ocean of heresies. Other newer doctrines allege that Jesus was homosexual, and still others claim that He was married to Mary Magdalene, and produced earthly children. Still others claim that the Jesus of the Bible was a completely manufactured story created by the disciples so they could rule people through churches.
Many theories and some cults have been formed as a result of such non-Biblical information. Most cults have completely different views of who Jesus is than what the Bible teaches and what Bible-believing Christians throughout history have known. Some others have attempted to understand the Lord by studying only a limited number of Scriptures, leaving their views open to their own private interpretations and expectations.
From the beginning of this study, let me emphasize that there are many things which are known about the Lord, but there are countless other things that are unknown about Him. For anyone to say that they have a full and total understanding of the Persona and Nature of the Lord Jesus would simply show how ignorant they are of Who He really is.
Anyone whose life began and ended would have a limited amount of information that could possibly be written about them. The information would be gigantic, for certain, but even if every word they ever spoke and every deed that they ever did was written down, it could be done. The following Scripture could be true only if Jesus had a pre-existence and lived forever, and was actually doing far more than His earthly ministry suggests.
John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
JESUS CAN BE PERSONALLY KNOWN.
The Bible is clear that whether a Believer is new or mature, he can know the Lord Jesus. 1 John 2:13-14 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
But, just as in physical life, a baby knows his father to a limited degree, and then as the child matures, he understands more about his father; in similar manner, the young Christian knows Jesus when he trusts Him as Savior and is born-again, but as he grows spiritually, he gets to know more and more about the Lord.
WHAT MUST BE BELIEVED ABOUT JESUS IN ORDER FOR A PERSON TO BE READY FOR SALVATION ?
(Salvation comes, not merely through an intellectual understanding of these facts, but by applying those facts to the heart which reaches out to God in faith). What essential facts exist which a person coming to Christ should believe ? Some of these things may not even be conscious thoughts when a person comes to Christ, but they are certainly issues which the mind and heart deals with prior to that time.
1. BELIEVE THAT HE WANTS OUR FAITH, AND BELIEVE THAT HE WILL REWARD IT.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
2. BELIEVE THAT HE WANTS US TO REPENT OF OUR SINS.
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3. BELIEVE THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD.
John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name. 1 John 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? Acts 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
4. BELIEVE THAT HE IS THE MESSIAH, “The Anointed One.”
1 John 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth Him that begat loveth Him also that is begotten of Him. The word “Christ” is the Greek word which means, “Messiah.” What does “Messiah” mean ? This sets Jesus apart from any others who claimed to be Deliverers.
FROM THESE SCRIPTURES, THE BIBLE INFORMS US THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS ABOUT JESUS WHICH WE SHOULD KNOW AND ACT UPON.
THE ROLE OF JESUS AS THE MESSIAH
MESSIAH= OLD TESTAMENT
As described in:
Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Strong’s #04899 חישׁמ mashiyach maw-shee’- akh
from 04886, Greek 3323 Μεσσιας; n m; {See TWOT on 1255 @@ “1255c”}
1) Anointed One
1a) the Messiah, Messianic prince
1b) the Everlasting King of Israel
MESSIAH= NEW TESTAMENT
Strong’s #5547 Χριστος Christos khris-tos’
from 5548; TDNT-9:493,1322; {See TDNT 850} adj
Christ =” anointed One,” “Messiah.”
1) Christ, the Messiah
2) The Anointed One
5. BELIEVE THAT HE WAS SENT FROM THE FATHER.
John 12:44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me.
WHAT WILL HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES WHICH DEAL WITH THE NATURE OF GOD ?
1. UNDERSTAND THAT THE ALMIGHTY HAS THREE PARTS TO HIMSELF, JUST AS WE ARE COMPOSED OF THREE PARTS (body, soul, and spirit). WE ARE STILL ONE PERSON, AND GOD IS ONE PERSON, REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF PARTS THAT EITHER WE OR GOD ARE MADE OF.
2. UNDERSTAND THAT MOST OF THE TIMES WHEN THE BIBLE USES THE WORD “GOD” IN THE NEW TESTMENT ESPECIALLY, IT REFERS TO THE FATHER (i.e., THE SOUL, THE DECISION-MAKING INTELLIGENCE) OF THE ALMIGHTY. Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him:
3. UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS IS THE PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION OF THE ALMIGHTY, AND HE APPEARS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AS WELL AS THE NEW TESTAMENT. HE IS KNOWN IN THE HEBREW LANGUAGE BY HIS NAME, JEHOVAH. THE HEBREW WORD JEHOVAH HAS BEEN TRANSLATED TO THE ENGLISH WORD “LORD” (all capital letters) to avoid vain repetition or possible misuse of that Divine Name when Scriptures were read or studied. An example of this being done is found in Genesis 2:4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.
4. THE ALMIGHTY MUST HAVE A PHYSICAL PART TO HIMSELF (JEHOVAH, OR JESUS), BECAUSE WE ARE PARTLY PHYSICAL, AND WERE “CREATED IN HIS IMAGE.”
PART 2: DO OTHER RELIGIONS BELIEVE IN JESUS ?
If you ask believers of other gods whether they believe in Jesus, you may be surprised to find many of them saying that they do. However, when you provide them the Biblical description of Jesus, you will find that they quickly retreat to a position of, “I do not believe in THAT Jesus !”
Basically, it is impossible for post-Christian religions to ignore the historical fact that Jesus existed. However, when the Biblical accounts of Jesus might interfere from the newer religion’s goals, or morality, they change their description of Jesus into someone who would embrace their religion’s way of thinking.
Even cults which claim that they are “Christian” often have a very different perspective of who Jesus really is. In almost every case, their false ideas come from their founders and cult prophets who have accepted “another gospel,” (2 Corinthians 11:4, Galatians 1:6), drug-induced “wisdom,” supposed angelic appearances, or visions and dreams which formed their religion’s view of Jesus. Obviously, they are not to be believed.
WHAT ISLAM BELIEVES ABOUT JESUS
Islam was formed around 600 years after the resurrection of our Lord, and long after much of the world became acquainted with the Jesus of the Bible. To counter the major inroads which true Christianity was making, Mohammed had to bring Jesus into the picture of his new religion. In Islam, Jesus is known as Isa and is one of God’s highest-ranked and most-beloved prophets, specifically sent to guide the Children of Israel.
***CONTRARY TO THIS ARE THE MANY PASSAGES WHICH SAY THAT JESUS WILL COME TO BRING SALVATION AND GUIDE THE GENTILES.
Isaiah 11:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
Isaiah 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
Isaiah 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
Unlike Christian writings, the Qur’an does not describe Jesus as the son of God, but as one of five major human messengers (out of many prophets) sent by God throughout history to guide mankind. It also states that Jesus’ message to mankind was originally very similar to that of the other Islamic prophets, from Adam to Muhammad, but that it was subsequently distorted by early Christians. Jesus is said to have lived a life of piety and generosity, and abstained from eating flesh of swine (or of any animals, according to some Muslim authors, even some who were not vegetarians themselves). In the Muslim tradition, Jesus did not drink alcohol.
Muslims also believe that Jesus received a Gospel from God, called the Injeel and corresponding to the Christian New Testament. However, Muslims hold that the New Testament has been changed over time (as they also believe of the Old Testament) and does not accurately represent God’s original message to mankind.
CONTRARY TO THIS IS EVIDENCE FROM ARCHEOLOGY THAT THE TRUE BIBLE HAS NOT CHANGED.
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
IS GOD ABLE TO COMMUNICATE, OR NOT ? CAN HE PRESERVE HIS WORD, OR NOT ?
Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
However, the Qur’an and New Testament overlap in other aspects of Jesus’ life; both Muslims and orthodox Christians believe that Jesus was miraculously born without a human biological father by the will of God, and that his mother, Mary (Maryam in Arabic), is among the most saintly, pious, chaste and virtuous women ever. The Qur’an also specifies that Jesus was able to perform miracles—though only by the will of God—including being able to raise the dead, restore sight to the blind and cure lepers. One miracle attributed to Jesus in the Qur’an, but not in the New Testament, is his being able to speak at only a few days old, to defend his mother from accusations of adultery. The Qur’an also says that Jesus was a ‘word’ from God, since he was predicted to come in the Old Testament.
Most Muslims believe that he was neither killed nor crucified, but that God made it appear so to his enemies. The Qur’an narrates that God made it appear so that Jesus was crucified to his enemies but he was not, and lived. According to Islam, Jesus ascended bodily to heaven and is alive. Some Muslim scholars maintain that Jesus was indeed put up on the cross, but did not die on it; rather, he revived and then ascended bodily to heaven. Others say that it was actually Judas Iscariot who was mistakenly crucified by the Romans. Regardless, Muslims believe that Jesus is alive in heaven and will return to the world in the flesh to defeat the Antichrist, once the world has become filled with sin, deception and injustice, and then live out the rest of his natural life.
There are many cults that claim to be fully “Christian” and in line with what the Bible teaches about Jesus. Sadly, they miss the Biblical description by a wide margin. This is most often due to their depending upon non-Biblical sources as the authorities.
WHAT “JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES” BELIEVE ABOUT JESUS
JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES CLAIM that Jesus was a sinless man, but was completely distinct from God. Their New World Translation of the Bible always notes Jesus as “a god” (one of many) rather than accepting the actual Greek words which indicate that He was The God.
This is typical of the many changes which the Jehovah’s Witnesses make in their version of the Bible, called the New World Translation. The New World Translation is unique in one thing – it is the first intentional, systematic effort at producing a complete version of the Bible that is edited and revised for the specific purpose of agreeing with a group’s doctrine. The Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Watchtower Society realized that their beliefs contradicted Scripture. So, rather than conforming their beliefs to Scripture, they altered Scripture to agree with their beliefs. The “New World Bible Translation Committee” went through the Bible and changed any Scripture that did not agree with Jehovah’s Witness theology. This is clearly demonstrated by the fact that, as new editions of the New World Translation were published, additional changes were made to the biblical text. As biblical Christians continued to point out Scriptures that clearly argue for the deity of Christ (for example), the Watchtower Society would publish new editions of the New World Translation with those Scriptures changed. Here are some of the more prominent examples of intentional revisions.
The New World Translation renders the Greek term word staurós (“cross”) as “torture stake” because Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe that Jesus was crucified on a cross. The New World Translation does not translate the Greek words sheol, hades, gehenna, and tartarus as “hell” because Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in hell. The NWT gives the translation “presence” instead of “coming” for the Greek word parousia because Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Christ has already returned in the early 1900s. In Colossians 1:16, the NWT inserts the word “other” despite its being completely absent from the original Greek text. It does this to give the view that “all other things” were created by Christ, instead of what the text says, “all things were created by Christ.” This is to go along with their belief that Christ is a created being, which they believe because they deny that God has three parts.
Before His earthly ministry, they believe that He was created as Michael, the archangel, a spirit being. He only took on the role of the physical Messiah when He was baptized. His power is secondary to God, and they believe that He “…was and always will be beneath Jehovah.”
Statements such as that reveal their doctrine that Jesus is not Jehovah, and thus a created being.
The deity of Christ is the central point of the Scriptures. It clearly teaches that Christ is God. The teachings of the Jehovah’s Witness’ concerning Jesus Christ clearly contradict the teachings of the Bible. Passages such as Philippians 2:5-11 tell us that Jesus Christ, who existed as God, took the bodily form of a humble servant so that He could die on the cross in our place. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (kurios), to the glory of God the Father.”
This is what THEY believe:
Jehovah is the personal name of God, the Creator of the universe. The name appears 7,000 times in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). “Jehovah” is the English form of the Hebrew YHWH and means “He Causes to Become,” referring to God’s ability to take on whatever role he deems necessary to carry out his purposes. Jehovah first created his Son Jesus in heaven. Jesus then helped Jehovah to create the rest of the universe over billions of years–both the spiritual (angels) and the material (galaxies and planetary life). Jehovah the Father has always existed, but Jesus the Son had a beginning and is subordinate to God. Jesus is the Christ, or Messiah, who came to Earth, born fully human of a virgin, and died for mankind’s sins. He was resurrected back to heaven and now sits at Jehovah’s right hand. Holy Spirit is an impersonal force used by God. Witnesses reject the Trinity doctrine (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost) as an unscriptural idea drawn from Babylonian and Platonic concepts. Because the Witnesses do not believe that Jesus is God, some theologians do not consider the Witnesses to be Christians.
The following are false arguments presented by the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Notice how they ignore context and Biblical grammar when making their arguments. (These are arguments and comments from Islamic writers, and therefore do not always show the proper respect for the Lord Jesus as evidenced by their failure to capitalize references to Him).
“Did Jesus say he was Almighty God or equal to Almighty God? No, he said quite the opposite. Review John 17:3, and John 20:17 for starters.
1. Common sense tells us that Jesus didn’t pray to himself, but he prayed to his heavenly father, almighty God Jehovah. This was the same Almighty God that all Israelites/Jews prayed to.
2. Common sense as well as Bible prophecy tells us that for Jesus to have truly died for our sins, he would have had to be lifeless or actually dead for a time (3 days) for this to be true. If he didn’t really die, then what sense do the scriptures make that speak of his dying for all mankind’s sins? So, if he indeed actually died, who resurrected him? It would have had to be Almighty God, the Father Jehovah.
3. In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus instructed his disciples how to pray. He told them to pray to the Father – never did he indicate that we should pray to him or to his mother or anyone else. He did say, however, to pray to the Father in his name – because it is by means of him (Jesus) that corrupt humans have any approach to Almighty God.4. If Jesus were Almighty God, why would he say he couldn’t do anything of his own accord? Read John 5:19, John 14:28 and John 10:36. In Matthew 4:10, Jesus quoted a scripture in Deuteronomy 6:13 which clearly indicates WHO is to be worshiped as Almighty God.
5. Why would Colossians 1:15-17 refer to Jesus Christ as the, “beginning of all creation” if he was the Almighty Creator?“
WHAT DO ATHEISTS BELIEVE ABOUT JESUS ?
There is no central organized place from which atheism sprouts….unless you could say, “Hell” is it. So, following are comments made by atheists concerning their believes. They seem to be very similar, with only a few exceptions.
The following is what atheists say about Jesus:
“I think he was an intelligent man with some wonderful ideas and an admirable character.”
“Not *everything* he said was good advice.”
“I believe that Jesus was a real person. He was a wise Rabbi and spiritual teacher and his teachings, along with those of Confucius and the Buddha are well worth following.
I do not believe the “Christ” part, Jesus was clearly not the “Messiah” the Jews were expecting and also always said that we were to worship ONLY the “Father”. I do not believe he was “divine”.”“I do not think that Jesus was the son of a supernatural god. I think the requiring of blood sacrifice for forgiveness is not really forgiveness. Jesus sacrificing himself for us is barbaric/evil/insane when you consider that supposedly he/God required the blood sacrifice in the first place and would not issue forgiveness without.”
“I think Jesus was most likely was a religious leader in the ancient world who was given up by Hebrew priests because he threatened the status quo. They made it sound as if he was planning an uprising against the Roman State.”
“I believe he is most likely a fictional character. If there really was a person around whom these legends grew up, he probably bore almost no resemblance to the stories in the Bible.”
WHAT JUDAISM BELIEVES ABOUT JESUS
Judaism rejects the idea of Jesus being God, or a person of a Trinity, or a mediator to God.
Some forms of Judaism, such as Chabad, believe that God is made of two substances, best described as the heart or soul, and the Spirit. They strongly object to any notion that God could reveal Himself physically. This concept was formalized by Maimomedes, (also called “Rambam”), a significant Jewish sage. Using his own logic, he was certain that God could not have a physical presence. While many of Rambam’s theological points are valid, many appear to contradict the actual statements and teachings of the Tanach (sometimes spelled Tanakh).
Wikipedia states that:
Judaism also holds that Jesus is not the Messiah, arguing that he had not fulfilled the Messianic prophecies in the Tanakh nor embodied the personal qualifications of the Messiah. According to Jewish tradition, there were no more prophets after Malachi, who lived centuries before Jesus and delivered his prophesies about 420 BC/BCE.
Future doctrinal decisions were made, not by an interpretation of Scriptures, but by Rabbis and sages who made their own conclusions. Very often, modern arguments against Jesus come from Jewish theologians who argue from the emotional idea that Jesus is somehow responsible for all the troubles which Jews have suffered throughout history. Often, their arguments are filled with hatred and anger based upon that premise.
An example of this is found in the Jews for Judaism approach. According to an article on their website, they conclude that Jesus was insane. They base this upon A New Testament account in Mark 3:20-21 (quoting from the New Testament, which they contend is fraudulent, anyway). “And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. And when His friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on Him: for they said, He is beside Himself.” They also quote from Mark 3:33-35 where Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him and they claim that He was hostile toward their attempt to see Him. Their conclusion:
“. . . There could be but one reason. His family, mother brothers, and sisters, believed him to be mentally ill and had not come simply to see him, but had come to seize him.”
http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/knowledge/does_mark_3_21_say_jesus_kinsmen_said_he_was_mentally_ill_/
In their vicious hatred of Jesus, this organization even lies on that website about the actual Scripture, perhaps hoping that no one would look the Scripture up and find how they had deliberately perverted the truth in order to promote their hatred. They say that Jesus’ kinsmen (mother, brothers, sisters) came to take Him away because He was insane. That is NOT what the Scripture says.
Did his friends think that Jesus had “gone off the deep end” ? The Bible indicates that they did. However, just because someone has an opinion of you does not make that opinion fact, as the Jews for Judaism site wants us to believe. What if people were expected to believe every opinion which people had about each of us ? We would contend that it does not make it true. The same applies in this case. The illogical, dishonest, and twisted contentions of Jews for Judaism regarding the life of Jesus reflect an emotional hatred that deadens their sense of reason.
If these haters of Jesus had only read the Scriptures honestly and completely, they would have found Jesus’ Mother and brethren in the Upper Room as dedicated Believers, waiting for the Holy Spirit to fill them. Acts 1:13-14 “And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren.”
Thankfully, the opinions which the Jews of Judaism organization holds are those held by a dwindling minority of Jews. Many more Jews today openly discuss the value of faith in Jesus, and whether Jesus is the Messiah, or not. This is something that would have been unheard of 25 years ago.
JUDAISM WHICH WAS NOT TRULY ANXIOUS FOR THE MESSIAH REJECTS JESUS.
In Judaism, the Talmud is a collection of writings of Jewish rabbis which contain their opinions on many different topics. Though not considered as sacred as the Hebrew Bible (called the “Tanakh”) from which we get much of our Old Testament, the Talmud is the basis for Jewish law and behavior.
From Wikipedia:
The Talmud Bavli consists of documents compiled over the period of Late Antiquity (3rd to 5th centuries).[10] During this time the most important of the Jewish centres in Mesopotamia, later known as Iraq, were Nehardea, Nisibis,Mahoza (just to the south of what is now Baghdad), Pumbeditha (near present-day Fallujah), and the Sura Academy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talmud#Talmud_Bavli_.28Babylonian_Talmud.29
Also from Wikipedia:
The Babylonian Talmud include stories of Yeshu יֵשׁוּ; the vast majority of contemporary historians disregard these as sources on the historical Jesus.[21]Contemporary Talmud scholars view these as comments on the relationship between Judaism and Christians or other sectarians, rather than comments on the historical Jesus.[22][23]
The Mishneh Torah, an authoritative work of Jewish law, states in Hilkhot Melakhim 11:10–12 that Jesus is a “stumbling block” who makes “the majority of the world err to serve a divinity besides God”.
Even Jesus the Nazarene who imagined that he would be Messiah and was killed by the court, was already prophesied by Daniel. So that it was said, “And the members of the outlaws of your nation would be carried to make a (prophetic) vision stand. And they stumbled.”[Dan. 11:14] Because, is there a greater stumbling-block than this one? So that all of the prophets spoke that the Messiah redeems Israel, and saves them, and gathers their banished ones, and strengthens their commandments. And this one caused (nations) to destroy Israel by sword, and to scatter their remnant, and to humiliate them, and to exchange the Torah, and to make the majority of the world err to serve a divinity besides God. However, the thoughts of the Creator of the world — there is no force in a human to attain them because our ways are not God’s ways, and our thoughts not God’s thoughts. And all these things of Jesus the Nazarene, and of (Muhammad) the Ishmaelite who stood after him — there is no (purpose) but to straighten out the way for the King Messiah, and to restore all the world to serve God together. So that it is said, “Because then I will turn toward the nations (giving them) a clear lip, to call all of them in the name of God and to serve God (shoulder to shoulder as) one shoulder.”[Zeph. 3:9] Look how all the world already becomes full of the things of the Messiah, and the things of the Torah, and the things of the commandments! And these things spread among the far islands and among the many nations uncircumcised of heart.[24]
According to Conservative Judaism, Jews who believe Jesus is the Messiah have “crossed the line out of the Jewish community”.[25] Reform Judaism, the modern progressive movement, states “For us in the Jewish community anyone who claims that Jesus is their savior is no longer a Jew and is an apostate“.[26]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_perspectives_on_Jesus#Judaism
***Notations regarding the Jewish view of Jesus. The Jewish people have long had battles with genuine faith. God left the entire generation of Jews who left Egypt to die in the wilderness because they would not follow faith according to His Word (with the exception of Caleb and Joshua). Instead, they followed their own teachers (rabbi’s) who led them astray. This occurs many times throughout their history, and has resulted in their captivity and Diaspora [Diaspora = “the scattering of Jews throughout the world”] as well as many other judgments from God. Today, many Jews are trapped in the traditions which have brought the anger of the Lord down upon them many times.
JEWS ANXIOUS FOR THE MESSIAH OFTEN LEAVE OPEN THE DOOR TO CONSIDERING THE CLAIMS OF JESUS.
Today, many Orthodox Jews are following in the paths of their fathers, and listening to rabbi’s and sages rather than the Word of God. They have made up “principles” and concepts which go directly against what the Bible teaches.
However, there is a move among many younger Orthodox Jews today to cast aside their previous teachings, and to study the Scriptures on the basis of its own authority. As a result, many are beginning to see the light which God reveals about Himself in the Word.
Revelation 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
Revelation 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
WHAT MORMONS BELIEVE ABOUT JESUS
MORMONS.
The following excerpts are taken from an address to the Harvard Divinity School in March 2001 by Robert L. Millet, former dean of religious education at Brigham Young University. It is offered on Newsroom as a resource.
Latter-day Saints believe that the simplest reading of the New Testament text produces the simplest conclusion — that the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are separate and distinct personages, that They are one in purpose. We feel that the sheer preponderance of references in the Bible would lead an uninformed reader to the understanding that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are separate beings. That is, one must look to the third- and fourth-century Christian church, not to the New Testament itself, to make a strong case for the Trinity.What Do Mormons Believe About Christ?
· We believe Jesus is the Son of God, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh (John 3:16). We accept the prophetic declarations in the Old Testament that refer directly and powerfully to the coming of the Messiah, the Savior of all humankind. We believe that Jesus of Nazareth was and is the fulfillment of those prophecies.
· We believe the accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the New Testament to be historical and truthful. For us the Jesus of history is indeed the Christ of faith. While we do not believe the Bible to be inerrant, complete or the final word of God, we accept the essential details of the Gospels and more particularly the divine witness of those men who walked and talked with Him or were mentored by His chosen apostles.
· We believe that He was born of a virgin, Mary, in Bethlehem of Judea in what has come to be known as the meridian of time, the central point in salvation history. From His mother, Mary, Jesus inherited mortality, the capacity to feel the frustrations and ills of this world, including the capacity to die. We believe that Jesus was fully human in that He was subject to sickness, to pain and to temptation.
·
We believe Jesus is the Son of God the Father and as such inherited powers of godhood and divinity from His Father, including immortality, the capacity to live forever. While He walked the dusty road of Palestine as a man, He possessed the powers of a God and ministered as one having authority, including power over the elements and even power over life and death.http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/what-mormons-believe-about-jesus-christ
In an interview of Former Mormon, Beth Johnston, of Idaho, says this about her former church’s views.
“Mormons do not believe in the Trinity as we understand it. They believe that God and Jesus were separate physical people” who dwelled on the earth, Johnston said. God was Jesus’ father, and both men died.”
http://www.christianpost.com/news/what-do-mormons-believe-ex-mormon-speaks-out-part-two-58494/
In a look at comparing the beliefs of Mormonism to those of Biblical Christianity, this is what Sandra Tanner has found.
In order to understand the LDS doctrine regarding Lucifer one must also understand its doctrine of man. The LDS Church teaches that everyone, Jesus and Lucifer included, had a pre-mortal existence where we were born as spirit children of God and his wife. In the LDS teaching manual Gospel Principles we read:
“God is not only our ruler and creator; he is also our Heavenly Father. . . . Every person who was ever born on earth was our spirit brother or sister in heaven. The first spirit born to our heavenly parents was Jesus Christ (see D&C 93:21), so he is literally our elder brother (see Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 26). Because we are the spiritual children of our heavenly parents, we have inherited the potential to develop their divine qualities. (Gospel Principles, 1997, p. 11 [link])”
However, prior to this spirit birth each of us had eternally existed as an “intelligence.” Angels, devils, mortals and gods are regarded as the same species but in different stages of advancement or judgment. In one of Joseph Smith’s revelations we read, “Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:29). According to another of Smith’s revelations, God told Abraham:
“I dwell in the midst of them all . . . for I rule in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath, in all wisdom and prudence, over all the intelligences thine eyes have seen from the beginning; I came down in the beginning in the midst of all the intelligences thou hast seen.
Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones. (Abraham 3:21-22, Pearl of Great Price)”
According to LDS doctrine, the two oldest sons of God were Jesus and Lucifer. Lucifer convinced one-third of his brothers and sisters to join him in rebellion and were expelled from Heaven (see Gospel Principles, chapter 3 [link]). The other two-thirds became the humans born on our earth. This doctrine is mainly drawn from Joseph Smith’s revelations in the Book of Abraham and the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price
. . .
This doctrine was further explained in the June 1986 LDS magazine Ensign. The question was asked “How can Jesus and Lucifer be spirit brothers when their characters and purposes are so utterly opposed?” Jess L. Christensen, Institute of Religion director at Utah State University, Logan, Utah, responded:
“On first hearing, the doctrine that Lucifer and our Lord, Jesus Christ, are brothers may seem surprising to some — especially to those unacquainted with latter-day revelations. But both the scriptures and the prophets affirm that Jesus Christ and Lucifer are indeed offspring of our Heavenly Father and, therefore, spirit brothers. Jesus Christ was with the Father from the beginning. Lucifer, too, was an angel who was in authority in the presence of God, a son of the morning. (See Isa. 14:12; D&C 76:25-27.) Both Jesus and Lucifer were strong leaders with great knowledge and influence. But as the Firstborn of the Father, Jesus was Lucifer’s older brother. (See Col. 1:15; D&C 93:21.)”
http://www.utlm.org/onlineresources/ldsteachingonlucifer.htm
WHAT CHRISTIAN SCIENCE BELIEVES ABOUT JESUS
Christian Scientists do believe that Jesus stands alone in His mission and purpose as the promised Messiah. Christian Science teaches that Jesus embodied the divinity of God but that He Himself was not Deity—in keeping with Jesus’ own words that He was not the Father, and that God, the Father, alone should be worshiped.
Belief in Deity
God is incorporeal Spirit–creative Principle, supreme, omnipotent Father-Mother, omnipresent, omniscient–the only intelligence and all that actually exists. God is Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, and Love. “God is All-in-all.”Incarnations
We are all sons/daughters of God, though not at the level of understanding of Christ Jesus. Jesus was a divine Exemplar, and Christ is the divine idea of “sonship”–the Master. Jesus showed the way (the “wayshower”) for all to realize Truth, which is God.
WHAT SCIENTOLOGY BELIEVES ABOUT JESUS
Scientology believes that Jesus was a very wise man, of the same caliber as Moses. He understood that people needed to express love. So, He established a pattern for handing on the message of caring for others, called the Gospel.
“. . . these people (figures of major religions) handed on a torch of wisdom, of information, generation to generation. It was handed along geographical routes and one of those geographical routes was the Middle East. And one of the people who handed it on was a man named Moses. And again it was handed on to a man named Christ. And he handed it on and even the Arab nations benefited from this through their own prophet, Muhammad.
“And these men I consider great spiritual leaders, because they gave to Man, on down through the years, the hope that life could go on, that there was a spiritual side to existence, that the business of barter and gain was not all there was to life.”
http://www.scientology.org/faq/scientology-beliefs/religious-figures-of-the-past.html
PART 3: WHAT END TIMES PEOPLE
WILL BELIEVE ABOUT JESUS
***US Congressman Rob Portman last week decided to change his views on gay marriage. He had long held that his convictions stood against homosexual marriage. Now, he says that has changed because his son decided that he is gay and wants to marry another gay. This reversal of standards was based on his son’s decision to be openly gay. Today, few people stand on anything except their emotions. They side with their family, even though they know they are wrong.
We need a solid standard, that no matter who violates God’s Word, family member, loved one, relative, or whoever–we will stand up for what is right regardless. Many people in these Last Days claiming to be Christians, have accepted doctrines which are entirely non-Biblical on the basis that other family members are opposed to Scripture. Rather than taking a stand upon the unchanging Word of God, they submit to pressures and influences from the world.
This is often true of a person’s concept of Jesus.
In order for the Antichrist to come on the world scene and convince people that he is the Messiah and God in flesh, there must be a radical change in the way most supposed Christians think of Jesus.
THE BIBLE DESCRIBES WHAT PEOPLE WILL THINK OF JESUS IN THE LAST DAYS. THEY WILL SEE JESUS AS THEIR ENEMY.
The time for salvation is over, and they will cling to their excuses and lies. now, only judgment remains for most people on earth.
Isaiah 63:10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore He was turned to be their enemy, and He fought against them.
Revelation 6:13 -17 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
By the time the Sixth Seal Occurs, in the Tribulation, we understand that radical doctrinal changes have occurred, yet some Biblical truths remain.
***IMPORTANT–We believe that the True Church of Jesus Christ, the Bride, will have already been resurrected and brought into Heaven before this time. Left behind will be many churches which carry on their activities as usual, with countless people drifting in their beliefs closer and closer to the doctrines of Antichrist.
These are things people will believe about Jesus:
- They believe that Jesus brings wrath upon the people of the earth. (“Hide us from the face of Him…”)
- They believe that He is on the Throne of God. (“…Him that sitteth on the Throne…”).
- They believe that He is the Lamb of God. (“…wrath of the Lamb…”).
- They believe that the prophecies about His wrath coming to pass upon sinners is accurate. (“…the day of His wrath…”).
- They believe His power cannot be resisted. (…”who shall be able to stand ?”).
***In other words, they see Him as modern theologians picture Satan. People are being conditioned to think that the true God would never hurt them, never judge them, never bring any condemnation on the world. Since the events require an explanation which is supernatural, they will find it easier to blame Jesus for the bad things happening. (When things go wrong, how many people already get angry at Jesus and blame Him ? Many). The stage is now set.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL ATTEMPT TO REPLACE BIBLICAL TEACHINGS ABOUT JESUS WITH A RELIGION THAT MAKES IT APPEAR THAT THE ANTICHRIST IS THE TRUE MESSIAH.
HE WILL USE THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM AND HIS OFFERING OF A PIG ON THE ALTAR AS EVIDENCE THAT HE IS THE TRUE GOD (SUPPOSEDLY “PROVEN” BY THE FACT THAT ONLY GOD COULD GET AWAY WITH SUCH A VIOLATION OF BIBLICAL LAW).
Daniel 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
Daniel 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Mark 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
THE ANTICHRIST WILL EXALT HIMSELF.
2 Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Daniel 11:36-37 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
WHAT THIS TELLS US ABOUT THE NEW THEOLOGY IS THIS:
- THE ANTICHRIST IS NOT SUBMISSIVE TO ANY HIGHER BEING […that he knows of. of course, he is submissive to his father, Satan] (doing his will).
- HE WILL PUT DOWN ALL OTHER GODS (and, in particular, Jesus).
- HE WILL BE VERY OUTSPOKEN AGAINST THE GOD OF GODS (so, will come against His Word, the Bible).
- HE WILL REMOVE HIMSELF FROM THE GOD OF HIS FATHERS, AT LEAST IN HIS BEHAVIOR. (“…neither shall he regard the God of his fathers…”). [The term, “God of his fathers” is a common reference to Jewish ancestry. In other words, the Antichrist will have a definite Jewish lineage. This is obvious to the Jewish people and religious leaders who would never allow a non-Jew to enter the Temple as a worshipper much less make an offering as the Antichrist attempts to do].
- HE WILL MAGNIFY HIMSELF ABOVE ALL OTHERS. (and this would require lowering the stature of Jesus in his doctrine).
Revelation 13:4-8 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE APPLAUDED BY MOST PEOPLE, WHO APPROVE OF HIS WORLDLY STANDARDS WHICH CONTRADICT GOD’S WAYS.
Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
HE WILL CONDEMN THE MORALITY AND STANDARDS WHICH JESUS REAFFIRMED.
THUS HE MUST PICTURE JESUS AS A HATER, A BIGOT, A LIAR, A DECEIVER, A FRAUD, AN UNCARING AND UNLOVING PERSON. HE WILL REJECT WHAT JESUS SAID. A NEW FORM OF MORALITY WILL ACCOMPANY THE ANTICHRIST WHICH WAS NEVER ALLOWED BY JESUS. This provides for strong measures against certain crimes, while being permissive and corrupting the commands of God as they relate to behavior.
Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
AT THE PRESENT TIME, MANKIND HAS MADE CERTAIN ACTS WHICH THE BIBLE CONDEMNS AS ACCEPTABLE AND EVEN DESIREABLE ?
- HOMOSEXUALITY.
- ABORTION.
- COVETING.
- DECEPTION FOR (what they consider to be) “A GOOD CAUSE.”
- FAILURE TO HONOR FATHER AND MOTHER.
- MURDER (of those who disagree with them).
GOD WILL SEND A DELUSION WHICH LEADS THE SINNERS OF THE WORLD TO BELIEVE THAT THE CHANGE ANTICHRIST BRINGS WILL BE BENEFICIAL.
CONSEQUENTLY, THEY APPRECIATE THE ANTICHRIST SO MUCH, THEY BELIEVE WHAT HE SAYS, AND THEY WORSHIP THE GROUND HE WALKS UPON.
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
This is exactly what occurred in Noah’s generation, when the world was destroyed by the flood from God’s judgment.
Genesis 6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
WOULD GOD HIMSELF DELIBERATELY HELP THESE PEOPLE TO GO IN THE WRONG DIRECTION ?
This seems inconceivable to many people. How could a loving God cause greater delusion upon the people that He created ? Yet, from Scripture we understand that God did this on several occasion.
THE EXAMPLE OF PHARAOH OF EGYPT. When Pharaoh hardened his own heart against the will of God on several occasions when he had opportunity to decide to do right, God came along and helped him with that hardness. It would appear that God will sometimes help a person in going away from Him once they have made the decision to do so.
PHARAOH HARDENED HIS OWN WILL AGAINST GOD TO BEGIN WITH,
Exodus 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
Exodus 8:32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.
Exodus 9:34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.
WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THIS WRONG DIRECTION IS THE PATH PHAROAH CHOSE, GOD ADDED TO HIS HARDNESS OF HEART.
Exodus 10:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:
THE EXAMPLE OF ISRAEL.
ISRAEL CHOSE TO HARDEN THEIR HEARTS AGAINST THE WORDS OF GOD.
Jeremiah 7:26 Yet they hearkened not unto Me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
Jeremiah 19:15 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear My words.
ONCE IT BECAME CLEAR THAT BY THEIR OWN WILL THEY WANTED TO BE BLIND AND HARDENED AGAINST GOD, GOD HARDENED THEM EVEN FURTHER.
John 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
PART 4: THE BIBLE REVEALS THE
PHYSICAL MESSIAH AND CREATOR
WHY WOULD PEOPLE EVER ACCEPT THE WRITINGS OF MEN WHO WERE NOT PRESENT WHEN JESUS WALKED ON THE EARTH OVER THE TESTIMONIES OF EYEWITNESSES, SUCH AS THE APOSTLES IN SCRIPTURE ? SHOULD WE VALUE THE OPINION OF MEN WHO SIN OVER THE DIVINELY PRESERVED WORD OF GOD ? OF COURSE NOT.
TODAY, THERE ARE MANY “EXPERTS” WHO HAVE DECIDED TO JUDGE EVENTS WHICH OCCURED 2000 YEARS AGO, YET THEY CANNOT ACCURATELY RECONSTRUCT EVENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE 100 YEARS AGO. MODERN TIMES PREACHERS, BOOK-WRITERS, SAGES, THEOLOGIANS, ARCHEOLOGISTS, AND EVEN RABBI’S HAVE NO MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LIFE AND CLAIMS OF JESUS THAN WE DO. BUT, OUR CLAIMS ARE BASED UPON THE ETERNAL GOD-BREATHED REVELATION OF JESUS–THE BIBLE.
IF WE ARE WISE, WE WILL BASE OUR BELIEF UPON SOMETHING OF SUBSTANCE–THE BIBLE.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
RELIGION CAN BE FROM MEN OR FROM GOD.
GOD IS NOT AGAINST TRUE RELIGION. TODAY, MANY PROFESSING CHRISTIANS CLAIM THAT THEY HATE RELIGION.
James 1:26-27 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
FACT: GOD DOES NOT CONDEMN RELIGION. HE CONDEMNS FALSE RELIGION.
FALSE VERSUS TRUE RELIGION:
Man has made up stories about giants, dragons, monsters, and a host of other creatures for us to read about in literature. But, while there might have been some substance to an initial report about these things, over many years, they have been changed and changed many times. The descriptions of them today would not even be recognizable to the people who lived when some minor episode actually took place. But, this is what man’s imagination does very effectively. He makes up things and exaggerates to the best of his flawed intellect. That is why it is such a blessing to have the testimony of eye-witnesses, and a book about Jesus which was written by the breath of Almighty God. We know that those things are Truth and not flawed by man’s desire to exaggerate stories.
WELL-INTENDED, BUT FALSE RELIGION.
Let us consider the concept which some people have that Jesus is one of three gods attributed to a Trinity. They refer to Him as one of the “persons” of the God-head, giving a false impression that there are three individuals united in some way that compose a basic concept of God. The Bible tells us that God is One Person. There are not three gods. Only One. And, the descriptions of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are manifestations of the same One Almighty God, not three different people attached mysteriously to each other. (See the graphic illustration of God and mankind having three parts).
Perhaps one of the more difficult aspects of understanding this concept is the idea that God very often reveals one manifestation of Himself more than another in certain areas of Scripture. For an example, He may emphasize His Spirit in one place, leading those who have not studied details to think that His Spirit is one God and there remains two others.
Another difficult thing for mere human beings to comprehend is how the same Person can relate to each part of Himself. If we understood everything about God, we would certainly have jumped from human to Divine intelligence. We can only hope to understand a small portion of the greatness of Almighty God. He is obviously able to separate Himself into three clearly distinguishable parts. We humans would have a difficult time doing that, although in some aspects, we do it without realizing it.
There are many writers with an axe to grind against the New Testament who have falsely assumed that all Christians believe in the three-god Trinity concept. The very foundation of their argument is flawed, so the ideas which they build against the claims of Jesus are also flawed.
There is no mention of any “Trinity” with three separate gods in the Bible. Not all Christians believe in this doctrine. This term came into being through the Roman Catholic Church, and its efforts to instruct pagans who often had multiple gods. It was assumed that was easier for them to understand a multi-god entity. In the Bible, however, the ONE true God is referred to by many names, and the total being of God is referred to on several occasions as the “Godhead” not as multiple people.
1. THE WORD “GOD” IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS USED MOST TIMES WHEN REFERRING TO THE FATHER, OR THE VERY SOUL OF THE ALMIGHTY.
Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him:
In this sample Scripture as well as most others, we see that the term “God” refers to the Father.
2. ON FEWER OCCASIONS, THE USE OF THE WORD “GOD” REFERS TO THE ENTIRE BEING OF THE ALMIGHTY.
JESUS USED THE WORD “GOD” TO DESCRIBE THE FATHER, AND USES THE WORD “GOD” INTERCHANGEABLY WITH “THE FATHER.”.
John 13:3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God;
Here Jesus used the word “Father” with the word “God” interchangeably, or meaning the same thing.
JESUS MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE WAS THE PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION OF THE FATHER.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.
John 14:8-11 Philip saith unto Him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, 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? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works’ sake.
JESUS DECLARED THAT HE CAME OUT FROM GOD.
John 16:27 For the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God.
DOES THE BIBLE SAY THAT THIS WAS THE FATHER ? YES !
1 John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
THE BIBLE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THE TERM “GOD” REFERS TO THE FATHER.
1 Corinthians 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.
1 Corinthians 15:24 Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead;)
Galatians 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
JESUS IS NOTED AS BEING A REVELATION OF THE GODHEAD.
(“Godhead,” is actually “being God in every way”)
Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of Him [Jesus] from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Colossians 2:9 For in Him [Jesus] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT JESUS IS THE ONE WHO CREATED THE PHYSICAL WORLD YET, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT GOD CREATED THE WORLD.
If Jesus is not God in physical form, Isn’t this a contradiction ? Of course. But, the contradiction dissolves when we understand that Jesus was God in physical flesh.
THE OLD TESTAMENT SAYS IT. It describes God as the One Who created the heavens and the earth.
Isaiah 42:5 Thus saith God the LORD [HEBREW=YAHWEH”] , He that created the heavens, and stretched them out; He that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; He that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
THE NEW TESTAMENT SAYS IT.
Mark 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
Mark 13:19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
THE BIBLE IDENTIFIES WHO THAT GOD IS.
Colossians 1:14-19 In whom we have redemption through His blood [obviously speaking of Jesus], even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by Him [context says that the word “Him” refers to Jesus] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church: [again, this can only be speaking of Jesus] Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell;
So, according to this Scripture, Jesus was the One Who created the heavens and the earth, etc., and it clearly states in other passages that the Creator is God. Therefore, since the Bible says that Jesus was the Creator, He is God.
THE OLD TESTAMENT PROVIDES POWERFUL EVIDENCE THAT JESUS CREATED PHYSICAL WORLDS.
Understanding the nature of God–that is, that He has three parts within the same Person, helps to explain the Hebrew language use of “Elohim” [a plural word, translated “God”} in Genesis 1:26.
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
It is significant that God revealed to us that He has more than one part by using a plural word to describe Himself. He did not want it left to theologians, sages, and guru’s to come up with ideas about who He is. He reveals Himself in His Own way. Through the Word of God.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: The word LORD in the Old Testament is almost always an English language translation of the Hebrew word, “JEHOVAH.” The English translators used the word LORD instead of a literal translation because they were afraid that due to the numerous times JEHOVAH appears in the O.T., it would be “vain repetition” (Exodus 20:7, Matthew 6:7), of God’s Name to use it so many times. Whether we agree with this logic, or not, it was the way it was done. (The English translators used all capital letters to differentiate God’s Name from “lord,” which is a simple term of respect and authority). This usage is exclusively in the Old Testament where the translation comes from the Hebrew, and does not apply to New Testament translations.
Now, we find that when it comes to physical appearances, creation of everything, and many other areas, that the word LORD appears. We clearly understand from Scripture that it was Jesus who created and appeared physically to O.T. people. Therefore, when the Name LORD is translated in the O.T., we understand that it refers to Jesus. In other words, JEHOVAH is the Name by which He revealed Himself in the Old Testament Scriptures.
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THE PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES OF MAN (MADE IN HIS IMAGE) REVEAL THAT GOD MUST HAVE A PHYSICAL ASPECT, AS WELL.
The plural use of the word Elohim in Genesis 1:26 speaks of making man in “Our likeness.” We see this mentioned as a complete man, but having three parts, in the image of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
***Since man not only has a spiritual nature, but a physical nature, too; we understand that since man was made in God’s image, God Himself must have these attributes, as well. Since we were created in His image, where else would the physical nature of man come from ? There was no other Creator, and man was not capable to making Himself physical.
We see God making man physical because God Himself has a physical part. WHEN HE CREATED ADAM, HE MADE ADAM WITH A PHYSICAL PART.
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
WHEN HE MADE EVE, HE MADE HER WITH A PHYSICAL PART.
Genesis 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
WHEN THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF “GOD” IN MOST CASES, IT IS REFERRING TO THE FATHER, NOT THE ENTIRE GODHEAD.
1 Corinthians 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom are all things, and we by Him.
IS JESUS IDENTIFIED AS PART OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ?
Isaiah 9:6 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.
IS JESUS IDENTIFIED AS GOD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ?
John 1:1-3 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. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:14 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.
DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE KNOWN BY OLD TESTAMENT REVELATIONS ?
HE WAS KNOWN TO ABRAHAM AT THE TIME ISAAC WAS OFFERED.
John 8:54-58 Jesus answered, If I honour Myself, My honour is nothing: it is My Father that honoureth Me; of whom ye say, that He is your God: Yet ye have not known Him; but I know Him: and if I should say, I know Him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know Him, and keep His saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto Him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast Thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE THE “I AM” OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ?
Exodus 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, THE LORD (YAHWEH) CLAIMS TO BE FIRST AND LAST.
Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and His redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside Me there is no God.
Isaiah 48:12–13 Hearken unto Me, O Jacob and Israel, My called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.
WHO CLAIMED TO BE THE FIRST AND LAST IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ?
Jesus did.
Revelation 1:17– And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
Revelation 2:8— And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
Revelation 22:13— I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
PART 5: HOW CAN GOD BE ALMIGHTY,
YET COME TO EARTH AS JESUS ?
DAVID SAYS THAT THE LORD (YAHWEH) IS GOD ALONE.
Psalm 86:6 Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon Thee: for Thou wilt answer me. Among the gods there is none like unto Thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto Thy works. All nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee, O Lord; and shall glorify Thy name. For Thou art great, and doest wondrous things: Thou art God alone.
JESUS–AS GOD IN FLESH–COULD ONLY HAVE BEEN “BORN” BY A MIRACLE OF THE ALMIGHTY.
The miracle of the Virgin birth presents a dilemma to many not familiar with Scriptures. Others struggle with the simple logic that God is Almighty. If you were to ask a group of people if it was possible for Almighty God to make Himself appear as a 300 mile high giant, they would have no problem acknowledging that God could do it. If you were to ask the same people if God could make Himself appear as a 300 foot high giant, again, they would answer in the affirmative.
Then, asking a group of people if God could–with His unlimited power–make Himself five inches small, most would admit that God could do that. Yet, when confronted with God making Himself so small that He entered the womb of a virgin, they sometimes halt with doubts. The reality is that God is Almighty and can do anything, and by His Holy Spirit, He entered into the womb of a Virgin, named Mary.
Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Among properly educated and faithful Christians throughout the history of the Church, there has never been doubt that there is only One God, and that He is composed of three parts, just as humans who were made in His Image are. Since He is the Almighty, He is able to do far more with Himself than human beings.
GOD’S POWER IS SHOWN BY THE VERY PRESENCE OF JESUS WALKING ON EARTH PHYSICALLY.
We can expect capabilities within God to far exceed those in mankind. For an example, He is able to separate various parts of Himself, and still function. One example of this is when God the Father (the soul of the Almighty) separated from the Body, Jesus as He completed His payment for our sins on the Cross.
Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?
The Father, incapable to receiving sin, had to depart from His physical presence because Jesus had to receive the sins of the world into His own body.
1 Peter 2:24 Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by Whose stripes ye were healed.
Another unique ability is seen when He sent His Holy Spirit into men.
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Neither the physical portion nor the soul of the Almighty were brought into them…but His Spirit was.
These are a couple of the unique capabilities that show how much superior God is to any of us. Some capabilities which critics mention to try and discredit the idea that God is One and that “..in Him (Jesus) dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily”–Colossians 2:9) is the fact that Jesus claims not to know certain things.
JESUS SHOWS HIS ABILITY TO REMEMBER OR FORGET….WHICH IS ONLY A DIVINE CHARACTERISTIC WHEN TAKEN IN THESE CONTEXTS.
On one hand, He understood what people were thinking without them saying a word.
Matthew 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
On the other hand, He claims not to know the time of His return.
Mark 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
This is simply a much more powerful ability which God has to put certain things out of His mind, while retaining what He chooses.
The Almighty can choose to forget things, and put them away from Himself. For us, this is an incredible blessing !
Psalms 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.
For a human being to totally eliminate something from their memory is difficult, but some people are–by their own choice–able to forget certain things which they choose to forget. How much more capable is Almighty God to do this !
DOES GOD CLAIM TO BE KING OVER A PHYSICAL NATION, AS WELL AS SPIRITUAL LEADER OR KING ? WHO IS THE KING OF THE JEWS ? DOES THE BIBLE APPOINT THAT TITLE TO JESUS ?
–HE CONFIRMS THIS HIMSELF.
Isaiah 44:6-8– Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and His redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside Me there is no God. And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for Me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them. Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside Me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
–THE WISE MEN KNEW IT.
Matthew 2:2-3— Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
–PILATE UNDERSTOOD IT.
Luke 23:3–3 And Pilate asked Him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And He answered him and said, Thou sayest it.
(“Thou sayest it,” literally means, “You have said it.”)
WHO IS THE ROCK OF ISRAEL IN THE O.T. ?
The Rock of Israel is a term describing the physical appearance of God as He led from the front, and protected from behind, the Children of Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness. The people could see Him, as He manifested Himself physically as a cloud and as a pillar of fire.
Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
WHO DOES THE O.T. SAY THIS WAS ?
Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.
2 Samuel 22:32— For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?
Isaiah 17:10–Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips:
Obviously, the Old Testament considers that the “Rock” is God.
THE NEW TESTAMENT CONFIRMS THAT THE “ROCK IS JESUS.”
1 Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
1 Peter 2:4-8 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
NOTE: In the Old Testament, God is called the “Rock.”
The God of salvation is considered to be the “Rock.”
The New Testament helps us understand more clearly that Jesus was the fulfilment of that role, as the true Rock, and is therefore considered to be God.
DOES THE N.T. EVER SPEAK OF JESUS DIRECTLY AS GOD ?
THOMAS RECOGNIZED THAT JESUS WAS TRULY GOD IN FLESH AFTER HIS RESURRECTION. WHEN SEEING JESUS AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, HE SAID, “My Lord and my God” —John 20:20. Jesus does not correct him, obviously acknowledging that what he said was true.
THE SAVIOR IS CONSIDERED “GOD.” Titus 2:13 encourages us to wait for the coming of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (see also 2 Peter 1:1) .
THE “SON” IS CONSIDERED TO BE GOD. In Hebrews 1:6 the Father declares of Jesus, “But unto the Son He saith, ’Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom.’” The Father refers to Jesus as “O God” indicating that Jesus is indeed God.
THE APOSTLE PAUL CALLS JESUS OUR “GREAT GOD AND SAVIOR”–Titus 2:13, and even says that Jesus existed in the “form of God” prior to His incarnation
GOD THE FATHER SAYS OF JESUS, “…Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever” —Hebrews 1:8.
JESUS IS DIRECTLY CALLED THE CREATOR IN John 1:3–3 All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. and Colossians 1:16-17— For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.
HE SAYS OF HIMSELF THAT HE IS THE ALMIGHTY. Revelation 1:8– I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
GOD REVEALED HIMSELF PHYSICALLY IN THE O.T.
Keeping in mind that only the physical part of God can be seen, we have several manifestations which ARE physical in the O.T. These are often revealed by the use of the word, “LORD,” or “angel (messenger) of the LORD.”
ADAM, WALKING WITH THE LORD IN THE GARDEN.
Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
GOD ATE PHYSICAL FOOD WHEN VISITING ABRAHAM.
Genesis 18:1-8 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in Thy sight, pass not away, I pray Thee, from Thy servant: Let a little water, I pray You, be fetched, and wash Your feet, and rest Yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort Ye Your hearts; after that Ye shall pass on: for therefore are Ye come to Your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
ABRAHAM, AT THE OFFERING OF ISAAC.
Genesis 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad.
GOD, APPEARING TO MOSES IN THE TABERNACLE.
FACE TO FACE.
Exodus 33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
Numbers 14:14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that Thou LORD art among this people, that Thou LORD art seen face to face, and that Thy cloud standeth over them, and that Thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
Deuteronomy 5:4 The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,
Deuteronomy 34:10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,
TO MOSES, AS THE GLORY PASSED BY, THE PHYSICAL HAND OF GOD WAS OVER MOSES’ EYES.
Exodus 33:18-23 And he said, I beseech Thee, shew me Thy glory. And He said, I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And He said, Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by Me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while My glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with My hand while I pass by: And I will take away Mine hand, and thou shalt see My back parts: but My face shall not be seen.
When this unique and amazing opportunity was granted to Moses, we see from the Bibliocal account the three distinct parts of God in one event. The Glory (Shekinah) is present, cloaking the soul, the Father. The Divine Hand is that of the Lord Jesus, protecting Moses’ eyes from the unmatchable holiness and glory of God.
GOD, PHYSICALLY WRESTLING WITH JACOB.
Genesis 32:24-30 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when He saw that He prevailed not against him, He touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as He wrestled with him. And He said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me. And He said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And He said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked Him, and said, Tell me, I pray Thee, Thy name. And He said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after My name? And He blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
GOD PHYSICALLY APPEARED TO MANOAH TO ANNOUNCE THE COMING OF SAMSON.
Judges 13:22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
PART 6:
JESUS – THE ONLY SAVIOR
WHAT JESUS DID ACTUALLY REVEALS WHO HE IS
THE CHALLENGE FROM JESUS.
John 14:11 Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works’ sake.
If a person refused to believe what Jesus said about Himself, Jesus offers the opportunity to understand Who He is by examining what He did and what He does. Following are some acts which our Lord Jesus did that are recorded in Scripture..
HE FORGAVE SINS. ONLY GOD CAN FORGIVE SINS.
JESUS DID THAT CONSTANTLY.
Luke 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
Luke 5:20 And when He saw their faith, He said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
Luke 5:23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
Luke 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
Luke 7:48 And He said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
Another Gospel account:
Mark 2:4-7 And when they could not come nigh unto Him for the press, they uncovered the roof where He was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, He said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?
HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD AND DID PAY FOR OUR SINS.
Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
1 John 2:2 And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
HE ALONE CAN COME BEFORE THE ALMIGHTY AS OUR INTERCESSOR AND MEDIATOR.
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.
HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN DEFEND YOU BEFORE THE FATHER.
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate {“DEFENSE ATTORNEY”} with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.
HE IS THE HIGH PRIEST WHO IS ACTUALLY ABLE TO FORGIVE, NOT JUST COVER SIN.
MELCHISEDEK.
Hebrews 7:22-27 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, Who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people’s: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
HE RAISED THE DEAD. GOD ALONE CAN RESTORE LIFE THAT HAD FULLY ENDED ON EARTH.
- LAZARUS OF BETHANY. John 11:43 And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
- A WIDOW’S ONLY SON. Luke 7:12-15 Now when He came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And He came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And He said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And He delivered him to his mother.
- A SYNAGOGUE LEADER’S DAUGHTER WHO DIED. Luke 8:49-55 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. And when He came into the house, He suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her: but He said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And He put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and He commanded to give her meat.
HE GAVE COMMANDMENTS FOR LIFE. ONLY GOD MAY GIVE COMMANDS AS THEY RELATE TO THE VERY LIFE OF PEOPLE.
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
John 15:12 This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Acts 10:42 And He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
Acts 13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
HE OFFERED HIMSELF AS THE ANTICIPATED AND COMPLETE SACRIFICE NEEDED FOR SALVATION.
Jesus was the Lamb of God, Who took our place in punishment. While a ram was caught in the thicket behind him, Abraham was very aware that only a “lamb” would be an acceptable sacrifice. Isaac, too, noted this.
Genesis 22:7-8 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
What Abraham saw, and rejoiced over, was NOT the ram caught in the thicket behind him, but what he saw when he lifted up his eyes and caught the vision of the future–the Lamb of God–God’s Only Son–being sacrificed for us. Both he and Isaac were expecting a Lamb. Abraham was blessed to see the true Lamb.
Genesis 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
The requirement of a lamb sacrificed providing life for the Israelites in Egypt when the angel of death came is another reference to the role of Jesus.
Exodus 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
JOHN THE BAPTIST DESCRIBED JESUS AS THE LAMB OF GOD.
John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
John 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
HE REVEALED HIS SUPER-HUMAN CHARACTER THROUGHOUT HIS MINISTRY.
As God in Flesh, He could have looked at sinful humanity, and decided to start all over again, destroying His creation once more. Instead, He kept His creation, and redeemed it !
Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
HE ALONE WAS THE LIBERATOR FOR THOSE IN CHAINS OF SIN. HE SET THOSE WHO WERE CAPTURED BY SIN FREE FROM THEIR BONDAGE. NO ONE ELSE HAD DONE THIS, OR COULD DO IT.
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
- LEGION. Mark 5:15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
- WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY. John 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
- WOMAN AT THE WELL. John 4:28-29 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHOSE DEATH MEANT SOMETHING FOR ALL SINNERS.
HE DIED FOR US, DESPITE KNOWING WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE WE REALLY WERE.
Romans 5:7-8 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Many people sorrow over their own loss. They cry when material things are taken away. They cry when they lose their health. They cry when they lose respect from someone. They cry when someone else is no longer there.
A Christian woman got news one day that her sister had cancer and wept for days. She couldn’t stand the thought of losing her sister. Yet, she did not even think about what her sister was going through until someone mentioned about the type of cancer she had. Why ? Her own feelings were most important to her. Jesus set aside His own feelings–feelings of hurt over the failure of the disciples to remain faithful, and feelings of incredible pain and suffering.
HE IS THE ONLY SAVIOR.
–HE IS THE ONLY SAVIOR.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.
(The Greek definite article “the” appears. This was specified by the Holy Spirit so that it is clearly not just “a way” or “one of several ways” but “the only” way.)
HE IS THE ONLY ROAD TO HEAVEN.
Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Many people think they can find their own way into Heaven. But, the Bible states that they will never be let in. They MUST receive forgiveness and new life from Christ Jesus first. Their own ways cannot provide this.
Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.
HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO KNEW ALL OF HISTORY BEFORE IT HAPPENED. ONLY GOD WOULD KNOW THAT. The fact of Him knowing all things before they happen would demand that we realize He is God.
Olivet Discourse. Prophecies about Peter, Pentecost, etc.
HE ALONE KNEW THAT JUDAS WOULD BETRAY HIM. The disciples, who spent far more time with Judas had no clue.
John 13:18-19 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with Me hath lifted up his heel against Me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am He.
HE ALONE TOLD OF THE ROMAN DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM ALMOST 40 YEARS BEFORE IT HAPPENED.
Matthew 24:1-2 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and His disciples came to Him for to shew Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
HE ALONE TOLD OF THE END TIMES, OVER 2000 YEARS BEFORE THEY HAPPENED.
Matthew 24:3-5 And as He sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
NO ONE BUT JESUS KNEW THESE THINGS, AND THEY REQUIRED DIVINE INTELLIGENCE TO KNOW THEM BEFORE THEY HAPPENED.
HE AROSE FROM THE DEAD, AS HE PREDICTED, PROVING HIS POWER OVER ALL THINGS. He did not need a prophet or other person to help Him do this. We also should note that He planned it to occur at a specific time which He previously announced. What mere man could have done this ? None.
Acts 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it.
Acts 3:15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
Acts 13:33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee.
Acts 17:31 Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Colossians 2:12 Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead.
***NOTE: in this section of the study, I have deliberately left off the many real and powerful miracles which Jesus did. The reason is that the devil is a great imitator, and tries to do similar things. To those without spiritual discernment it may actually appear that the devil (or, in the future, the false prophet) will do great miracles. So, I left these off, and focused upon things which the devil would have a most difficult time trying to imitate and deceive regarding them.
Exodus 7:11-12 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
2 Timothy 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
These evil people even copied some of the larger plagues which God brought upon Egypt.
The spirits of antichrist and the False Prophet will do miracles…which will prove to some that the Antichrist is the true Messiah. But, those who discern rightly will see the error of using those miracles as a basis for proving it.
Revelation 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Revelation 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.