Topical Bible: Christ is God: As Jehovah

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The doctrine that Christ is God, specifically as Jehovah, is a central tenet of Christian theology, affirming the full divinity of Jesus Christ. This belief is rooted in the understanding that Jesus shares the same divine essence as Jehovah, the covenant name of God in the Old Testament. The identification of Christ with Jehovah is supported by various scriptural passages that highlight His divine attributes, works, and titles.

Divine Attributes and Titles

In the New Testament, Jesus is ascribed titles and attributes that are traditionally associated with Jehovah. For instance, in John 8:58, Jesus declares, "Truly, truly, I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am!" . This statement echoes the divine name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14, where God declares, "I AM WHO I AM." By using the phrase "I am," Jesus identifies Himself with the eternal, self-existent nature of Jehovah.

Furthermore, in Revelation 1:8, Jesus is described as "the Alpha and the Omega," a title that signifies eternal existence and sovereignty, paralleling the description of Jehovah in Isaiah 44:6: "I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God" . This title underscores the belief in Christ's divine nature and His role as the eternal God.

Divine Works

The works of Jesus also testify to His identity as Jehovah. In the Gospel of John, Jesus performs miracles that demonstrate His divine authority over creation, such as calming the storm (Mark 4:39) and walking on water (John 6:19). These acts recall the Old Testament depictions of Jehovah's control over nature, as seen in Psalm 107:29: "He calms the storm, so that its waves are still" .

Moreover, Jesus' authority to forgive sins, as illustrated in Mark 2:5-7, is a prerogative that belongs to God alone. The scribes' reaction, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" , highlights the recognition of Jesus' divine authority, aligning Him with Jehovah, who declares in Isaiah 43:25, "I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and remembers your sins no more" .

Worship and Prayer

The worship and prayer directed towards Jesus further affirm His identity as Jehovah. In the New Testament, Jesus receives worship that is due only to God. For example, in Matthew 14:33, after Jesus walks on water, the disciples worship Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God" . This act of worship is consistent with the worship of Jehovah, as commanded in Deuteronomy 6:13: "Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only" .

Additionally, prayer in the name of Jesus, as encouraged in John 14:13-14, reflects His divine status. Jesus promises, "And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son" . This assurance of answered prayer in His name signifies His divine authority and unity with the Father, consistent with the worship of Jehovah.

Old Testament Prophecies

The Old Testament contains prophecies that foreshadow the coming of Christ as Jehovah. Isaiah 9:6 prophesies the birth of a child who will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" . This prophecy points to the divine nature of the Messiah, identifying Him with the attributes of Jehovah.

Similarly, in Zechariah 12:10, Jehovah declares, "They will look on Me, the One they have pierced" , a prophecy fulfilled in the crucifixion of Jesus, as noted in John 19:37. This connection between the pierced Jehovah and the crucified Christ underscores the belief in Jesus as the incarnate Jehovah.

Through these scriptural affirmations, the identity of Christ as Jehovah is a foundational aspect of Christian doctrine, emphasizing His divine nature, authority, and role in the redemptive work of God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 40:3
The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 3:3
For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

God in Christ
... the Jehovah of Moses. The Babe who is born at Bethlehem, who grows up as other human
beings grow, into the man Christ Jesus, is none other than the Lord God ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon i god in christ.htm

The End of Christ's Coming
... and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of Jehovah shall he ... but by a kind of
intuition, by a direct view, that "God was in Christ, reconciling the ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 62 the end of.htm

The Church of Christ
... whole world; and when God chooses any men by his sovereign, electing grace, and
makes them Christ's, he does ... It is God the everlasting Jehovah speaking: he ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the church of christ.htm

God Proclaiming his Own Name
... Thy name.' In the name specially so- called, the name Jehovah, was revealed ... of
brightness, the very glory of the 'Glory of God,' is the Christ, in whom we ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/god proclaiming his own name.htm

The Sympathy of God
... ascribes to this 'angel of His presence' the praise of Jehovah's saving work ... The
crowning revelation both of the heart of God and of His ... (a) Jesus Christ is the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the sympathy of god.htm

The Incarnation and Birth of Christ
... God of heaven; since to the man Christ Jesus thou ... closest fellowship, thou art linked
thereby with God the Eternal ... there was in the heart of Jehovah, when God ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the incarnation and birth of.htm

God is Our Refuge
... New Testament, and to the opinion of that Church into which we are baptised, then
Jesus Christ is none other than the same Jehovah, Lord, and God who brought ...
/.../kingsley/all saints day and other sermons/sermon xxii god is our.htm

The Immutability of God
... They have talked with God as a man talketh with his friend; they have whispered
in the ear of Jehovah; Christ hath been with them to sup with them, and they ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the immutability of god.htm

Sacrifice Renewed
... of spiritual facts, and prophetic of Christ's work and of our way of coming to God
through Him. The first requisite for Judah's return to Jehovah, whom they ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/sacrifice renewed.htm

That Christ is at once Angel and God.
... Second Book. 5. That Christ is at once Angel and God. ... Footnotes: [3955] [ie, the
Jehovah-Angel. ... "Beth-el," "the house of God.". [3958] Genesis 31:13. ...
/.../cyprian/three books of testimonies against the jews/5 that christ is at.htm