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What We Believe and Why - Vol. II
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1982
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

Chapter Two
Jesus is Jehovah

INTRODUCTION TEXT: Matthew 1:18-23

A growing number of people do not believe that Jesus is really the great Jehovah (God) of the Old Testament. Some deny the virgin birth, and many deny the triune existence of God. The cult known as Jehovah's Witnesses are probably the most outstanding deniers that Jesus is Jehovah. They deny the trinity and claim Jesus was only a son of God, not God Himself.

We believe that Jesus is Jehovah. He is not just a son of God. Jesus was God in human flesh. I would like to present here a small portion of the mass of evidence which supports our belief.

I. LET US FIRST CONSIDER WHO JEHOVAH IS.

A. Jehovah is the Jewish National name of God.

1. It is translated from the Hebrew word "yehovah" (yeh-ho-vaw).

2. The word means "self-existent or eternal" according to Strong's Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary.

3. The word was pronounced by the Jews as "Adonay" (ad-o-noy).

4. The Hebrew word "yehovih" (yeh-ho-vee) is a variation of "yehovah," meaning the same, but pronounced by the Jews a "elohiym" (el-o-heem) in order to prevent repetition of the same sound.

B. Now let me call your attention to a few passages where "Yehovah" or "yehovih" is translated in the English King James Version Bible.

1. "And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known unto them." (Exodus 6:3)

2. "That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth." (Psalm 83:18)

3. "Behold, God is my salvation: I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my son; he also is become my salvation." (Isaiah 12:2)

4. "Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength." (Isaiah 26:4)

5. In Deuteronomy 9:26, Yehovih is translated Lord God, where Moses said, "I prayed therefore unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance."

6. Jehovah is also called Lord God in Exodus 23:17, 34:23, Deuteronomy 3:24, Joshua 7:7, Judges 6:22, Psalms 68:20, and several other passages.

C. The scriptures establish the attributes of Jehovah.

1. Remember that Psalm 83:18 says He is "the most high over all the earth."

2. Isaiah 26:4 says, "Jehovah is everlasting strength."

3. The following is a list of Hebrew words referring to God, what they mean, and a reference where the word is uses in scriptures.

a. "Elohim" means the strong one, translated "God." (Genesis 1:1)

b. "Adonai" means master, translated "Lord." (Genesis 15:2)

c. "El Shaddai" means all sufficient one. (Genesis 17:1)

d. "El Elyon" means Highest. (Genesis 14:18)

e. "El Olam" means the everlasting. (Genesis 21:33)

f. "Jehovah Sabaoth" means the Lord of Hosts. (I Samuel 1:3)

g. "Jehovah" means the self-existent one.

h. "Jehovah-Jireh" means the Lord provides. (Genesis 22:14)

i. "Jehovah-Shalom" means the Lord of peace. (Judges 6:24)

j. "Jehovah-Shammah" means the Lord is present. (Ezekiel 48:35)

k. "Jehovah-Tsidkenu" means Lord of righteousness. (Jeremiah 23:6)

l. "Jehovah-Nissi" means the Lord our banner. (Exodus 17:15)

m. "Jehovah-Rapha" means the Lord that heals. (Exodus 15:26)

n. "Jehovah-Raah" means the Lord our shepherd. (Psalms 23:1)

o. Creator (Genesis 1:1)

p. Omnipresent (Psalms 139:1-13)

q. Holy (Isaiah 6:3)

4. Language is inadequate to describe all the good things that God is. He is beyond finite comprehension.

D. The foregoing are sufficient to describe who we are speaking about when we commonly refer to Jehovah, or the God of the Old Testament.

II. JESUS CHRIST WAS AND IS THIS GOD, NAMED JEHOVAH.

A. The modernists say, "No, Jesus was somebody else. Just a son or an offspring of the great God Jehovah." They refuse to admit that Jesus was Jehovah.

B. Listen now to how the scriptures prove that Jesus was the incarnation of Jehovah.

1. Remember the text, Matthew 1:18-23.

a. Mary had never had sexual relations with any man, yet she was pregnant. The angel of God explained this unique occurrence as God's way of making a human body for Himself to dwell in while on earth. God, in the person of His own Spirit, had made her pregnant. (verses 18-20)

b. The one who was to be born to this pregnant virgin was named Jesus. (verse 21) Even a quick look will tell you that this was the one who would live and be crucified and thought by many to be only a son of God.

c. To prove beyond doubt that Jesus was Jehovah, verse 23 says He is "God with us."

1) The New Testament was written in Greek and only one word is used for God, "Theos."
2) So that no one would misunderstand that Matthew was referring to the Jehovah God of the Old Testament, he quotes Isaiah 7:14 where Jehovah is under consideration. In Matthew 1:22-23 he is saying that Jesus is fulfillment of the promise that Jehovah God would come and live among men. In other words, Jesus is Jehovah.

2. John 1:1 is another passage that establishes Jesus was Jehovah God, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God."

a. Jesus is the Word. John says so in 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." That one whom we "beheld" is Jesus. He is the living Word.

b. Jesus is the Word and the Word was God. Thus, Jesus was not just one of several gods, nor just the Son of the real God. The Bible says He was God. There was never a God before Him. All that was ever in the beginning, Jesus was.

3. The question arises, "Why then does the Bible speak of the Father and the Son?"

a. In numerous places, the Bible does speak of Jesus as God's Son and of the Father.

b. The fact is that Jesus, the Jehovah God of heaven, did take upon Himself the role of a Son, and as such came and was made flesh among men.

c. Jesus was the Son, but He was the Father at the same time, and the Bible proves it.

1) Jesus Himself said in John 10:30, "I and my Father are one."

2) Anything the Father is or does, the Son also is or does. Jesus said, "Verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise."

3) Someone might think he can separate Jesus, the Son, and the Father, but Jesus put it this way in John 14:9-10. "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayeth thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?"

4) Remember the Old Testament prophecy of Jesus in Isaiah 9:6-8 which the Bible says in Matthew 1:22-23 was fulfilled in Jesus. Isaiah said Jesus would be "The everlasting Father."

5) Sure, Jesus was the Son, but He was more. He was the Father, too. The Father and the Son are inseparable in being.

4. Hebrews 1:1-12 further establishes Jesus to be Jehovah God.

a. Verse 1 speaks of "God," and verse 2 speaks of "his Son," and verse 3 says the Son was "the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person."

b. The fact that God made himself to be a Son didn't make Him any less God than if He were not a Son.

c. To prove that the Son is not someone separate and inferior to Jehovah or the Father, verses 10-12 say He created the heavens and earth and He is forever. The fact that Jesus was in creation establishes Him to be God and not just some late coming offspring of God. That's why "Elohim" is plural, proving that in Jehovah have always been the triune aspects of Father, Son, and Spirit.

5. Consider further the creation.

a. Hebrews 1:10 and John 1:1-3 prove beyond doubt that Jesus, the living Word, created all things.

b. Now to Him who created all things (Revelation 4:11), the four beasts of heaven said, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." (Revelation 4:8)

c. Many say Jesus was mighty, but not almighty. The scriptures say He was and is the Almighty God!

d. Consider also Revelation 1:5-6, "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loves us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

1) Verse 5 says this of Jesus Christ.
2) Notice that verse 8 proves Him not only to be the everlasting God, but also the Almighty God.

6. Consider also I Timothy 6:14-16, "That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings, Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see; to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen."

C. Though I will mention only a few others here, every attribute which is attributed to Jehovah is also attributed to Jesus.

1. Jehovah is omniscient and omnipresent. Jesus knew even the thoughts of men, proving His omniscience (Matthew 9:4), and said, "Lo, I am with you alway," (Matthew 28:20) proving His omnipresence.

2. The fact that Jesus is the Almighty, identifies Him to be the Almighty of the Old Testament. There can be only one Almighty.

3. The God of the Old Testament was the great "I Am" of Exodus 3:14. Revelation 1:8,11,18 establishes Jesus to be that Great God, "I Am."

4. Peter called Him, "The holy one and the Just," and "the Prince of life." (Acts 3:14, 15)

5. Jehovah is salvation. The scriptures declare Jesus to be Savior (Acts 5:31), and when Simeon saw Him he said, "Mine eyes have seen thy salvation." (Luke 2:30)

6. Listen again to the characteristics which Isaiah attributed to Jesus, "For unto us child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." (Isaiah 9:6-7)

7. It is of Jesus that Philippians 2:7-11 speaks and declares that in the work God did as Jesus, He is to receive glory and honor and praise above every name that is named.

8. Jehovah is a God of peace and all sufficiency. Jesus is our peace (Ephesians 2:14), and our all-sufficiency. (Ephesians 1:22-23)

D. In the beginning of this message, I said I would mention only a small portion of the evidence which proves Jesus was Jehovah.

1. That has been done in these few words, but please do not misinterpret that this is all the evidence, for it is not, although this is sufficient to make the point.

2. Jesus was Jehovah. To believe He was just a Son and no more or any less than "God with us" is to die without hope, for as Jesus said, "If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." (John 8:24)

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"