Since the fourth century up until today, there has been continuous dispute over the nature of Jesus.
Some churches consider Jesus as a creature like one of us, denying the Trinity; some churches say that Jesus is one of the angels; some churches insist that God and Jesus are separate beings, although the two can be considered as one because they have the same will and purpose. Why are there great differences among the churches in interpreting the same Bible? It is because they see the Scriptures, written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, with their own physical eyes obscured by sin. Christ, who came in the flesh to save mankind, is in very nature God. Let us confirm this fact through the related prophecies and their fulfillment in the Old and New Testaments.
Immanuel
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isa 7:14
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit . . . “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” Mt 1:18–23
In the book of Isaiah, it was prophesied that Christ would appear in the world, and that He would be called Immanuel, which means “God with us.” For God to be with us, He must come in the flesh just like one of us. Since the Bible calls Jesus Immanuel, He is God who came in the flesh.
God born as a child
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father . . . He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. Isa 9:6–7
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. . . . The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David . . .” Lk 1:30–32
An angel appeared to Mary and told her to give the name Jesus to the son whom she would give birth to, saying that the child would sit on the throne of David. 700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah described the child, who would sit on the throne of David, as Mighty God and Everlasting Father. This means that Jesus is God Almighty.
God testified by the voice of one calling
A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God . . . “Here is your God!” See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd . . . Isa 40:3–11
In those days John the Baptist came . . . This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” . . . “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry.” . . . Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. Mt 3:1–17
The prophet Isaiah prophesied that the LORD God would come with power and tend His flock like a shepherd, and that there would be a voice of one calling—the prophet who would prepare the way for the LORD before His coming. Matthew recorded that the voice of one calling was John the Baptist, and John the Baptist testified that Jesus was the One coming after him. Therefore, Jesus is the LORD God who was to come with power, as prophesied by the prophet Isaiah.
God the Creator
“This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself” Isa 44:24
The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God . . . Jn 1:9–12
He is the image of the invisible God . . . For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him…. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead . . . Col 1:15–18
The prophet Isaiah wrote that the LORD alone made all things. The Apostles John and Paul, however, described Jesus as God the Creator who made all things. Doesn’t this mean that Jesus is the LORD Himself? If the LORD God and Jesus were different, there would exist two different worlds—one created by the LORD and the other by Jesus. In actuality, the world is one. Therefore, Jesus is the LORD God, the Creator.
A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall
“The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare.” Isa 8:13–14
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him . . . Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,” and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” . . . 1 Pe 2:4–8
The prophet Isaiah prophesied that the LORD Almighty would be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, but hundreds of years later, numerous people fell because they could not believe in Jesus—God in the flesh. Quoting Isaiah 8:14, the Apostle Peter proved that the words “a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall” were fulfilled by Jesus. Therefore, Jesus is the LORD God.
The King of kings and Lord of lords
. . . the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal . . . 1 Ti 6:14–16
“They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” Rev 17:14
Only God can hold the title “King of kings and Lord of lords.” That’s why the Apostle Paul described God as the “blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords.” The Apostle John, however, referred to Jesus, who is the Lamb, as the “Lord of lords and King of kings.” The title that belongs only to God is given to Jesus. This proves that Jesus is the LORD God.
The Alpha and the Omega
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Rev 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” . . . “I, Jesus . . .” Rev 22:13–16
Alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. So, Rev 1:8 means that the Lord God [Jehovah] is the first and the last, the beginning and the end. In chapter 22, however, Jesus Himself said that He is the Alpha and the Omega. Therefore, the LORD God [Jehovah] and Jesus are one and the same.
The Word became flesh
. . . the Word was God . . . He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God . . . The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father . . . Jn 1:1–14
The Apostle John stated that God, the Word, became flesh, but His creation did not recognize or accept Him. Jesus was God who came in the flesh, right? Nevertheless, people did not accept Jesus; rather, they rejected Him. But to those who accepted Him, He was the precious light of glory and He gave them the right to become children of God.
I and the Father are one
“I and the Father are one.” Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him . . . “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” Jn 10:30–33
Jesus strongly asserted that He is God, by saying: “I and the Father are one,” Even so, the Jews refused to accept Jesus as God, who was right in front of them. They tried to stone Jesus who called Himself God, because they relied on the Old Testament law that says: “Anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him” (Lev 24:16). Though they did not recognize Him, Jesus was God the Father.
Anyone who has seen Jesus has seen God
Let us look at the scene where Jesus gave His last sermon to His disciples on the Passover night.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life…. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him [Father] and have seen him [Father].” Jn 14:6–7
Experts in the law, who had long studied the Bible, could easily tell what Jesus called Himself when He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” That’s because it is only the LORD God who can call Himself the “way and the truth and the life” in the Old Testament. The LORD God came to this earth in the flesh and His name was Jesus. That’s why Jesus said, “If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do have seen Father.”
Philip, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, could not understand these words of Jesus—perhaps others were alike. So Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us” (Jn 14:8). Jesus felt sad about it.
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? . . . Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.” Jn 14:9–11
Jesus revealed Himself to His disciples who did not recognize that He was in very nature God, and He personally testified that He was the Savior. When He was in the flesh, Jesus warmed His disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Christ (Mt 16:20); Jesus taught them to give glory only to God. At the Last Supper, however, He said, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (Jn 14:14). He was in very nature God; but when He was in the flesh, He served as the Son of God. Right before He left the world, however, He proclaimed the name of the Savior in the age of the Son and said, “I will do whatever you ask in my name.”
God in Very Nature
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Php 2:5–8
The Apostle Paul urged the saints of the early Church to have the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus. Although Jesus was in very nature God, He did not want to be served but to serve. To recreate us as the children of God the Creator, He came to this earth as the Son of God, though He was God, and humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death to set an example for us to follow.
The Spirit of the LORD is the Spirit of Christ
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 1 Pe 1:10–11
When the Apostle Peter explained about the grace that we received through the gospel of the new covenant, he said that the prophets of the Old Testament prophesied it, being moved by the Spirit of Christ; however, the prophets of the Old Testament recorded that the Spirit of the LORD came upon them.
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives . . . Isa 61:1
These are the last words of David . . . “The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.” 2 Sa 23:1–2
It was Christ who moved the prophet Isaiah to predict future events, and the Spirit of LORD who spoke through David was the Spirit of Christ Jesus. Therefore, the LORD God and Jesus are one.
Seek while He may be found
We have studied just a part of many prophecies about Jesus. Eternal life is to know God and Jesus Christ. Without understanding who Jesus Christ is, how can we say that we know God? The words of Jesus and the letters written by the apostles clearly tell us that Jesus is God in the flesh. The apostles and the saints of the early Church believed that Jesus is the LORD God. Though they were ridiculed and despised by unbelievers, they were undaunted and preached that the Christ is God.
The prophet Isaiah advises us to seek God while He may be found, and to call on Him while He is near. The time while God is near is when He is in the flesh.
“. . . I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.” . . . Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near . . . and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isa 55:3–7
Now is the time while God may be found—while God is in the flesh. Right now, we must seek God to receive salvation.
* If you want to know more, please refer to the book titled EXPLANATONS OF THE TRINITY: GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT written by Christ Ahnsahnghong.