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Incarnation of Christ

What Happened When Christ Came to the Earth?

Yes, we’re talking about the actual incarnation of Jesus into the virgin Mary. However, we must explore some of the events that precede that, and bring us to that moment:

                  In approximately, 7 B.C., during the rule of King Herod over Judea, their lived a priest, named Zacharias, married to Elizabeth, who just happens to be a cousin of Mary, the imminent mother of Jesus.

                  The couple were in their later years of age and childless; but they never gave up hope that God would someday gift them with a child.

                  Their prayers were answered when suddenly an angel by the name of Gabriel appeared to them and revealed to them that they would give birth to a son. They were to name him ‘John’ (meaning ‘God has shown favor).

                  And Gabriel told them that John had a special commission:

 “…for he will be great and distinguished in the sight of the Lord; and will never drink wine or liquor, and he will be filled with and empowered to act by the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. He will turn many of the sons of Israel back [from sin] to [love and serve] the Lord their God. It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous [which is to seek and submit to the will of God]—in order to make ready a people [perfectly] prepared [spiritually and morally] for the Lord.” Lk. 1:15 – 17. AMP

            There’s a lot to unpack here: John will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even in utero. In turning back the Israelites to serve their God, means that after 400 years, Jehovah is returning to Israel one again, to restore them to a godly nation.

                  ‘In the spirit and power of Elijah’ indicates that John’s ministry will be prophetic in its nature. And lastly, John will prepare the people to receive Jesus.  

                  Unfortunately, Zacharias’ first response was one of disbelief, so Gabriel rendered him mute until John’s birth took place.

            When Elizabeth was six months’ pregnant, God sent Gabriel to Nazareth to reveal His will to Mary, who is engaged to a man named Joseph:

And coming to her, the angel said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly perplexed at what he said, and kept carefully considering what kind of greeting this was. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Lk. 1:28 – 30. AMP

                  At least Mary did not disbelieve; she just couldn’t quite figure out what Gabriel meant.

                  He continues:

“Listen carefully: you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and eminent and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.” Lk. 1:31 – 33. AMP

                  What a mouthful! Her child will be the Son of God with an eternal kingdom. Huge! However, Mary is too busy pondering over how this could be so, given that she’s had no ‘relations’ with a man. Gabriel clears this up:

Then the angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a cloud]; for that reason the holy (pure, sinless) Child shall be called the Son of God. Lk. 1:35 AMP

                  To strengthen her resolve, he adds:

“And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Lk. 1:36, 37. CSB

                  That’s enough for Mary. She replies:

“I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. Lk. 1:38 NLT

            Mary immediately heads over to Elizabeth’s house, and as soon as she enters, the yet unborn John leaps with the Holy Spirt in her womb. Elizabeth is filled as well, who reveals to her Mary’s transformation, and she declares:

Then she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed! How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!”  Lk. 1:42 – 45. CSB

                  The Holy Spirit revealed to Elizabeth that her cousin carried the Son of God in her womb, and she blessed Mary for her faith.

                  Mary stayed with Elizabeth until John was born.

                  When John was 8 days old, Zacharias’ voice returned, and his faith was fully restored. Then he also was filled with the Holy Spirit and he burst forth with prophecy:

“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us.


He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant—the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness
for as long as we live.

“And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.


Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”

John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel. Lk. 1:67 – 80. NLT

            Zacharias prophesies that the Savior (Jesus) is coming to restore Israel as promised to Abraham, bringing peace and the light that conquers the darkness. And then he talks about how John the Baptist’s will be Christ’s prophet preparing the people to be ready to accept His redemption.

                  (Note: if you read Mt. 1:1 – 17, you can trace Jesus’ incarnate genealogy from Abraham to Joseph, Mary’s husband). If you read Lk .3:23 – 28, you can follow His ancestry from Adam to Mary.)

                  At the time of John the Baptist’s birth, Mary is 3 months’ pregnant. Her fiancé Joseph knows the child is not his. He is thinking of calling the wedding off, but an angel intervenes in a vision in a dream:

“…Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (The Lord is salvation), for He will save His people from their sins.” Mt. 1:20, 21. AMP

                  Joseph would soon marry Mary, but did not have conjugal relations with her until after Jesus’ birth. (see Mt. 1:25).

Just before that birth, Caeser Augustus, the emperor of Rome, proclaimed a census be taken. That way, everyone would be registered for the purpose of taxation.

                  Everyone had to register in the city where their ancestral records were kept. Thus, Joseph and Mary had to register in Bethlehem. With all the crowds gathering, there was no lodging in town. As a result, they had to sleep in a manger (translated from the Greek phatne, meaning ‘stall’.)

And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. Lk. 2:4 -7. NLT

            What to notice here is that Mary and Joseph are not married yet. Jesus was born of a virgin and had God for a Father.

                  Simultaneously, an angel appeared to a group of shepherds tending their sheep at night in a nearby field, and spoke a message from God:

…and the glory of the Lord flashed and shone around them, and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. For this day in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (the Messiah). And this will be a sign for you [by which you will recognize Him]: you will find a Baby wrapped in [swaddling] cloths and lying in a manger.” 

Then suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host (angelic army) praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest [heaven], and on earth peace among men with whom He is well-pleased.” Lk. 2:9 – 14. AMP

            That is some kind of introduction! A Savior, the Christ, the Messiah! Yes, He is all that. And not only that, but shepherds are also way low on the totem pole when it comes to social status, yet they receive the message first. This is a Messiah that’s full of the unpredicted.

                  The shepherds went to see the Christ-Child in the manger, and then went to enthusiastically spread the news.

            On the 8th day, baby Jesus, as per Mosaic law, was circumcised and formally named. When 40 days past, Jesus was dedicated to Jehovah in the Temple.

                  Present at that ceremony was a man named Simeon, whom God promised that he would get to see the Messiah before he died. Simeon picks Jesus up, and filled with the Holy Spirit, thanks his God:

“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” Lk. 2:29 – 32. NLT

                  A Messiah for Jews and Gentiles alike – for all peoples.

                  Simeon then turned to Mary and said:

“Listen carefully: this Child is appointed and destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign that is to be opposed— and a sword [of deep sorrow] will pierce through your own soul—so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Lk. 2:34, 35. AMP

                  Thus, Jesus will ‘oppose’ many of His own people (as they run counter to God’s plan), and Mary will be sorrowful about the evil that will be exposed in the same.

                  Mary, Joseph and Jesus return to Nazareth, where He gets to grow up…

But early on, [some scholars place the time between 40 days (after Mary’s purification) or some consider could have been about the time Jesus was 2 years of age, (because of the Magi narrative)] the Magi visited Joseph, Mary and baby / toddler Jesus at their ‘house’ (see Mt. 2:10) in Nazareth.*

*ref: (ebible.com, Where and when did the wise-men meet Jesus.)

 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king (Herod the Great), [magi (wise men) from the east came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. So he called together all the chief priests and scribes of the people and [anxiously] asked them where the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) was to be born. They replied to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what has been written by the prophet [Micah]:


‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not in any way least among the leaders of Judah; for from you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.’” Mt. 2:1 – 6. AMP

 (Bethlehem is where Jesus was born, but He is now living in Nazareth).

                  King Herod called for the Magi and told them to search for the Messiah-child, and come back and tell them where He was, because Herod wanted to worship Him too. Not! He wanted to kill Him.

            The wise men came to the house of Joseph and worshiped the child and left gifts of gold, frankincense, and Myrrh. Filled with joy, the Magi left, but they were warned by God in a dream, not to return to Herod. (See Mt. 2:7 – 12.)

After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. Mt. 2:13 – 15. NLT

King Herod finally got wise to the fact that the Magi duped him and sent soldiers to kill all the boys in Bethlehem who were 2 years and younger (Massacre of the Innocents).

After Herod died, Jesus and family returned to Nazareth. Jesus’ birth was a HUGE event, yes?

                  To be continued—

                  Goodnight and God bless.

Meeting Jesus in the Gospels

The Gospels refer to the first four books in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They concern themselves with the life and teachings of Christ. Each of them is named after the apostles who wrote them, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

‘Gospel’ is derived from the Greek euaggelion, meaning a ‘good message’. Many biblical scholars believe Mark was written first, and that Matthew and Luke borrowed heavily from it. Others believe Matthew was first.

These three books are referred to as the synoptic gospels, meaning they all share a similar point of view.

The book of John was written last. It dives much deeper into the theology of who Jesus is.

It was 50 years or more after Jesus ascended to His Father that the gospels were written; and they weren’t even circulated until the remainder of the New Testament was completed.

The gospels are written in no chronological order, but I am going to present them that way, as well introduce you to all four books simultaneously – cherry picking the chapter and verse that best reveals the greatest clarity regarding the event being described.

You’re going to love it! Let’s begin:

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. Jn. 1:1 – 5. NLT

                  We have seen this many times. Jesus is the Word of God. He speaks for His Father. He existed before time with God, and everything was made by God, directly through His Son. John is establishing Christ’s deity.

            Jesus is portrayed as the life-giver. And we also see Him portrayed as the ‘light’ (of truth) for everyone. That light overcomes the darkness of Satan and his machinations.

There came a man commissioned and sent from God, whose name was John. This man came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe [in Christ, the Light] through him. John was not the Light, but came to testify about the Light. Jn. 1:6 – 8. AMP

                  This is of course, referring to John the Baptist. He was the first to begin Christ’s ministry by preparing the people for His redemption.

The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. Jn. 1:9-11 NLT

            Christ came to save everyone that inhabited His world. Yet His own people, the Jews, for the most part did not believe He was the Son of God. However, for those who did believe, received a far better outcome:

But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name— who were born, not of blood [natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh [physical impulse], nor of the will of man [that of a natural father], but of God [that is, a divine and supernatural birth—they are born of God—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified]. Jn. 1:12, 13. AMP

                  This is nothing less than complete salvation and we can see that it is only available through Christ.

And the Word (Christ) became flesh, and lived among us; and we [actually] saw His glory, glory as belongs to the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father, [the Son who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, who is] full of grace and truth (absolutely free of deception). Jn. 1:14 AMP

                  This refers to Jesus’ incarnation, human, but guileless. The only begotten Son.

            John the Baptist brings yet more clarity about our Savior:

John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’” John 1:15 NLT

                  John is referring to the fact that Jesus has far more spiritual authority than he; and then he is alluding to the fact that Christ existed before time began.

From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. Jn. 1:16 – 18. NLT

            John the Baptist offers what is obviously Holy Spirit revelation about Christ’s deity once again, that the Father and His Son are one. Also, we are given a hint about Jesus’ ministry which will supersede all that came before.

                  Are you beginning to see just how BIG your Savior is? And His promises are just beginning…

Get ready for the earthly birth of our incarnated Christ – next time!

                  Goodnight and God bless.

Introducing the Messiah

            The Bible is the word of God. In it is the account of His creation of the universe, how He placed humankind at the most prominent position of His conceptions, how they turned against Him, and how, out of His immeasurable love and mercy, He offered His own Son for their salvation.

            In our journey together, we have come to the moment for introducing the Messiah; and God tells us about Him throughout the Bible. Indeed, He is introduced to us at the point of Jehovah’s creation of humankind:

Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]… Gn. 1:26 AMP

         What you say? The Messiah was present before He was born of the virgin Mary? Absolutely. God verifies it through the apostle John:

He was [continually existing] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that had come into being. Jn. 1:2, 3. AMP

            If the Messiah was present before creation, because creation was facilitated through Him, He must have been by God’s side before the beginning of time. Jesus Himself affirms this through His prophetic revelations about the end of time:

These are the words of the Amen, the trusted and faithful and true Witness, the Beginning and Origin of God’s Creation: Rv. 3:14 AMP

            Going back to Gn. 1:26 above, we see that Jehovah equated the Messiah’s image with His own. Indeed, God tells us through the apostle Paul, that Their images are exactly the same:

He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], He is the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and originator] of all creation. Col. 1:15 AMP

         Jesus told us that God is a Spirit being (Jn. 4:24). Thus, prior to Christ’s incarnation on the earth, He too must have been fully Spirit in nature, because heaven does not accommodate human forms in our present state (1 Cor. 15:50).

            Moses was Jehovah’s first prophet. God revealed through him that after the fall of Adam and Eve, He came to the devil and cursed him:

“And I will put enmity (open hostility) between you and the woman, and between your seed (offspring) and her Seed; He shall [fatally] bruise your head, and you shall [only] bruise His heel.” Gn. 3:15 AMP

            This scripture is referred to as the ‘Protoevangelium:’ (the first messianic prophecy in the Bible), wherein it refers to the battle between the forces of good [Eve and her descendants – including Jesus (her Seed) and His followers] and evil (Satan and his co-conspirators), throughout the ages.

            The prophecy tells us that Satan will bruise Christ’s heel (at His crucifixion), but that Jesus would overcome that (through His resurrection), and ultimately deliver a deathly blow to the devil (Rm. 16:20).

            In a parallel time-frame as Moses’ book of Genesis, the book of Job (see An Uncharacteristic Model of Patience and Faith), also tells of the coming of the Messiah:

“But as for me, I know that my redeemer lives, and he will stand upon this earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God!” Jb. 19:25, 26. NLT

            Continuing forward in the Mosaic narrative, to the time of the imminent death of Jacob, he gathers his children together and prophesies about their collective futures. When he speaks to his son Judah, he says:

“The scepter [of royalty] shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh [the Messiah, the Peaceful One] comes, and to Him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” Gn. 49:10 AMP

            Christ would be a descendant of King David, of the tribe of Judah. Note that Jesus was referred to as the ‘Lion of the tribe of Judah’ (Rv. 5:5).

            Going back to Moses, near the end of his days, God inspired him with another prophecy (1400 years before Jesus’ earthly visitation):

“I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell the people everything I command him.” Dt. 18:18 NLT

            Thus, the Messiah will be of Jewish descent when He is incarnated, and He will speak for God.

         Taking a 400-year leap in time, God brings a similar messianic revelation to the prophet Samuel, who reveals it to Kind David – telling of the nature of his dynasty, first through his son Solomon, and culminating with the birth of the Messiah:

“…I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house – a temple – for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son.” 2 Sam. 7:12 – 14. NLT

            No human has a forever throne. God is referring to Christ’s spiritual kingdom.

            King David himself was also Holy Spirit-inspired with messianic prophecies:

For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain. The king proclaims the LORD’s decree: “The LORD said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession.” Ps. 2:6 – 8. NLT (see also Acts 13:33; Heb. 1:5).

            So, what we know so far is that the Messiah is the Son of God, He’s been around since before time began, and that He will have an eternal kingdom.

            King David received another Holy Spirit vision, revealing Jesus’ own description of parts of His crucifixion – chillingly accurate, even though it predates the actual event by 1000 years:

My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; and an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. Ps. 22:16 – 18. NLT

            Even King Solomon was blessed with a vision of the Messiah’s kingdom to come:

He will judge your people with righteousness and the poor with justice…In His days the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more. He shall have dominion from sea to sea…all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him…His name shall endure forever… Ps. 72:2, 8, 11 & 17. NKJV

         Now, we must make another 300-year time jump to the approximate time of 740 – 710 B.C., to the preeminent prophet of the Old Testament, Isaiah, whom we’ve already visited (see Bringing Hope to the Darkness 5). Yet, at that time, I did not discuss his messianic visions, saving them for this post.

            He begins:

“…the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us.’).” Is. 7:14 NLT

            The only virgin birth recorded in the Bible is that of Jesus.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. Is. 9:2 NKJV

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. Is. 9:6, 7. NLT

            So, the Messiah (Christ) will bring the light of God to the people who have suffered at the hands of darkness (Satan), and establish an eternal kingdom of peace and righteousness for all. (As for all those names for the Messiah, we’ll break that down very soon.)

Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot – yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. He will delight in obeying the LORD. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay.

He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment. Is. 11:1 – 5. NLT

And now the LORD speaks – the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant… “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” Is. 49:5, 6. NLT

            We are reminded again that Jesus’ earthly incarnation will descend from the line of Jesse (King David’s father). He will be filled with the Holy Spirit and will exercise that power to righteously judge those who do their best to seek God and live by His precepts.

            Also, we see that Christ is God’s light for all peoples – Jews and Gentiles alike. Now, Isaiah shifts his prophetic revelations from who the Messiah is, to what He will experience on earth:

I offered my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard. I did not hide my face from mockery and spitting. Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. Is. 50:6, 7. NLT

            That is an exact description of how Jesus was treated just prior to His crucifixion.

            Miracles aside, God sent His Son in the form of a humble ordinary man – to save humble ordinary people:

There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Is. 53:2, 3. NLT

            Yet in spite of His atrocious reception, He willingly laid down His life, to pay the price for our self-induced sins, so that all would have the potential for redemption:

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s path to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him, the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. Is. 53:4 – 7. NLT

            Lastly, let’s consider some of Isaiah’s near contemporaries for the closing of the Old Testament picture of the Messiah: (see also Dn. 7:9 – 14, previously discussed here).

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.” Mi. 5:2 NLT

He will stand and shepherd them in the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD his God. They will live securely, for his greatness will extend to the ends of the earth. He will be their peace. Mi. 5:4, 5. CSB

            Thus, the prophet Micah pinpoints where the Messiah will be born, and that He comes in the name of His Father.

            The prophet Jeremiah gives us another name for our Messiah:

“…this is the name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD our righteousness.’ “ Jer. 23:6 NASB

            Finally, we hear from the prophet Zechariah:

“Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey…” Zec. 9:9 NLT

“On that day a fountain will be opened for the dynasty of David and for the people of Jerusalem, a fountain to cleanse them from all their sins and impurity.” Zec. 13:1 NLT

            Jesus did ride triumphantly into Jerusalem on a donkey. The rest is history…

            Every year, I write a post about Easter (or ‘Resurrection Sunday’ for the politically correct churches). I thought that this year I would instead introduce you to how God set the stage throughout history for His Son, and just how majestic He is. I hope you enjoyed it.

            Praise God for His Son!

            Goodnight and God bless. 

Having a Conversation About Jesus – part 5

Last time, we were looking at responses to theological objections that a potential brother or sister in Christ might voice, (mostly due to having been misinformed). We looked at those who protested that they did not believe in God and / or did not believe the Bible was the inerrant truth of God’s word. Let’ continue:

3. ‘I don’t believe Jesus is God.’   

I understand why you wouldn’t. This has been debated for centuries. So, let’s take a look at what God has to say:

Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]…” Gn. 1:26 AMP

‘Note the Amplified Bible’s insertion of a trinity of deities. The New King James translation just sticks with the word ‘Us.’ You might think that God is just referring to Himself in the manner of a royal ‘We.’ Personally, I don’t think so.

Can we conclude that the Son of God was present when humankind was created?

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last…” Rv. 1:11 NKJV [Note that God says the same thing about Himself. (Rv. 21:6)]

“Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Jn. 8:58 NKJV

“And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” Jn. 17:5 NKJV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. Jn. 1:1-4. NASB

Clearly, the Son of God is the Word of God; God’s very expression. Unmistakably, He was with God before anything, (including the universe itself), was created. Thus, there was nothing to create Christ with, other than the essence of God Himself. And yet, because God is infinite, He cannot divide Himself without becoming finite. Therefore, the Son of God must be incorporated within the Father.

Does that make Him God? In a sense, (to the best of our abilities to understand the infinite), yes; or at the very least, a definite deified Being. A mere man could not facilitate all creation. Indeed, the Son of God cannot, at this juncture in the beginning of time, be a man, because flesh and blood cannot inhabit heaven. (1 Cor. 15:50) Therefore, He must be a Spirit.

Note that some religious sects try to explain that God and Jesus are not the same because they read Jn. 1:1 as: …and the word was a god in their own translations of the Bible.(Emphasis mine.) But check this out:

For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption [because of His sacrifice, resulting in] the forgiveness of our sins [and the cancellation of sin’s penalty].

He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation. For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, [things] visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [that is, by His activity] and for Him. And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.]

…He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything. For it pleased the Father for all the fullness [of deity – the sum total of His essence, all His perfection, powers, and attributes] to dwell [permanently] in Him (the Son)… Col. 1:13 – 19. AMP

This is not an ordinary man. Jesus would have to be at least God-like, which this scripture clearly expresses. Neither can we hold up a mere human being to be our source of salvation:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Jn. 14:6 – 8. NKJV

Jesus is essentially saying, “Look at Me, this is what God is like in the flesh.” This is so that we may experience God with our five senses.

Let’s reflect upon one of God’s prophecies:

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Is. 7:14 NKJV

Immanuel means ‘God is with us.” Here is the same prophet, mouthing God’s words:

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Is. 9:6 NKJV

Indeed, God conveyed the Spirit of His Son, (the essence of God), by way of the Holy Spirit, into the womb of the virgin Mary. The rest is history:

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles believed on in the world, received up in glory. 1 Tim. 3:16 NKJV

…looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus… Titus 2:13 NASB

“My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal to God. Jn. 5:17, 18. NASB

Jesus in fact, said that we must give Him equal honor:

“…all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father.” Jn. 5:22 NKJV

…although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes – the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it]… Phil. 2:6 AMP

What must also be considered, is that God demanded in the first of the Ten Commandments that only He is to be worshiped. (Ex. 20:4, 5.) That also forbade any worshiping of angels. (Rv. 22:8) However, Jesus did allow Himself to be worshiped:

Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” Mt. 14:33 NKJV

Then he said, “Lord I believe!” And he worshiped Him. Jn. 9:38 NKJV

While He was here bodily, Christ raised people from the dead, e.g. Lazarus. At the end of time, He will also give eternal life to all God’s children:

“…everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” Jn. 6:40 NKJV

Again, and again, no ordinary human being could do these things.

Jesus was filled with the essence of God and was separately human. Note the demonstration of His power:

And when He called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Mt. 10:1 NKJV

Even when Christ went to the cross, He had the power to resurrect Himself:

“…I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again.” Jn. 10:17, 18. NKJV

For myself then, if Jesus is not God, He is so much like Him that there is no meaningful difference. However, I receive letters from these aforementioned sects that present well thought-out objections. Let’s consider them:

1.     Jesus died; and God cannot die.

My answer is that only the human form of Christ died, and that part, (the perfect man), had to, to pay for the sins of Man. His humanity was trusting His Father to care for Him. It was Christ’s ‘God essence’ that raised Him from the dead (which only God could do), so that the world could be reconciled to His Father.

2.     No one can see God and live.

True. But all the people saw was His human form until His resurrection, when they witnessed His integrative God-Man self.

3.      Jesus was flesh and blood.

Yes, His human part was. The nature of His God-Man self is unknown to us. As we know, He could then appear and disappear at will, yet allowed the apostles to handle Him.

4.     He prayed to His Father. Yes, but that was prior to His God-Man manifestation.

5.     Finally, Jesus was tempted; and God cannot be tempted.

Christ was tempted in His flesh. God wanted Jesus to be humankind’s high priest. The only way to do that was to gain an empathy towards them which could only come by direct experience. His ‘God Essence’ was not involved. God cannot be in touch with sin. This was the only way.

Ultimately, even if the Godhead is considered as one, we must acknowledge, (even if we don’t understand it), that there is some form of tripartite existence within the whole. We see in scripture where God declares Himself as one God (Dt. 6:4; Is. 46:9). We see He and Jesus separately in Daniel’s vision (Dan. 7:14, 14.) and during Jesus’ baptism we see all of the Godhead together but separate. (Mt. 3:16, 17.) Jesus said that He required His Father’s power to accomplish anything, but that was when He was in the flesh manifestation. (Jn. 5:19, 20.) He also said that His Father was greater than Him. (Jn. 14:28) We may consider that in the light of God being the integrative whole of the Godhead, but that’s only conjecture on my part. Finally, we have Jesus’ outcries of anguish on the cross; but, He was experiencing the pain of His flesh, which was the source of His cries. (Mk. 15:34)

And then we have all the aforementioned scripture that infers a closeness between the Father and the Son that we may never understand until our heavenly appointment…

Meet your listener where he or she is at, present your case, and the Holy Spirit will lead them to an understanding.

Goodnight and God bless.

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