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JESUS CHRIST: GOD-MAN - Vital Christianity

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195<br />

"So too John 1:1 uses O THEOS to distinguish Jehovah God from the Word<br />

(logos) as 'a god,' 'the only begotten God' as John 1:18 calls him.'"15<br />

If Thomas called the risen Christ by the name "Jehovah" since it had a definite article in<br />

front of the word for God, and Christ did not deny it but confirmed it by saying, "Because you<br />

have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed"<br />

(Jn 20:29), then it is exegetically impossible to read this verse in the context it is set and<br />

conclude anything but that Jesus is here referred to as Jehovah God.<br />

● "Your throne, O God is forever" (Heb 1:8).<br />

It is obvious that God the Father addresses the Son as "God." The throne of God can only<br />

appropriately be claimed by God Himself. This is evident in the book of Revelation, especially in<br />

chapter 21(vv. 1-5). Then God identifies Himself as "the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and<br />

the End" (v. 6). Since Jesus is also given this name of deity (Rev 22:13) He will also occupy the<br />

throne of God.<br />

Christ is conspicuously associated in the visions of the seer of the book of Revelation<br />

(John) with the throne of God. In chapter 5 He appears as "a Lamb in the midst of the throne" (v.<br />

6), which throne is itself called "the throne of God and of the Lamb" (Rev 22:1). This Lamb is<br />

none other than "the one like a Son of Man" in the Christophany of Revelation 1:12-16, who<br />

says, "I overcame, and sat down with My Father on His throne" (3:21).<br />

The symbolism of "a Lamb standing as though it had been slain" has an unmistakable<br />

reference to the redemptive work of the Savior of men, the Savior who "purchased to God with<br />

His blood" (5:9) all mankind.<br />

This Lamb of the Apocalypse has seven horns, symbols of perfection and power, and<br />

"seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth" (v. 6). The seven<br />

Spirits (sevenfold) of God have been already described as so many "lamps of fire burning before<br />

the throne" (6:5), and being here identified with the seven eyes of the Lamb, it is reasonable<br />

to infer that the writer associated the thought of perfection of wisdom as well as perfection of<br />

power with the Lamb. The seven Spirits of God are the Spirit of the Lamb just as the throne of<br />

God is the throne of the Lamb.<br />

This reference in Hebrews 1:8 is, therefore, probably the clearest, emphatic, and<br />

irrefutable proof of the deity of Christ from God the Father.<br />

This testimony by the Father corresponds to the Son's testimony about Himself. Throughout<br />

His ministry Jesus claimed equality with God. He claimed—or other New Testament writers<br />

identified Him with—every major Old Testament name, title and attribute of God. Jesus' enemies<br />

were aware of some of these claims. For example the Jews in John 10:33 tell Jesus they will<br />

stone Him—not for doing good deeds, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to<br />

be God" (see also Jn 5:18; 8:58-59; Mk 2:6-10; 14:60-64).

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