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More on the Divinity of Christ

Phil. 2: 5-11 describes the pre-incarnate Christ. It also describes Christ's humiliation in taking upon Himself humanity and Christ's exaltation following His sacrifice. This is what it says:

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We need to appreciate that the pre-incarnate Christ was very God -- as much God as the Father is God. Also Christ did not cease to be God when he took upon Himself humanity.

Let us look at some further texts that talk about Christ as being truly God. All emphasis is supplied.

Isaiah 9:6: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

Micah 5:2: " But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."

Matthew 1:23: " Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

Revelation 1: 8. 

If we want to find out about Christ I believe Revelation is a good place to go to. This is because it is the "revelation [disclosure] of Jesus Christ" (Re. 1:1). I acknowledge there is some evidence suggesting Re. 1: 8 as a reference to the Father (based on Re. 4:8 and 1:4). However, I believe the overall evidence points to this verse applying especially and particularly to Christ (although the terms used are of course also applicable to our Father). Please consider the following:

(a) It is Christ speaking throughout chapters 1-3. My red-letter NASB and NKJV have the announcement of verse 8 in red.

(b) Verses 5-8 are describing Jesus who sent the message of Revelation.

(c) Revelation chapters 1 and 22 are parallel to each other. This is because Revelation is organised as a chiasm. Please compare Revelation 22: 12,13 with Re. 1: 8.

(d) In Re. 1: 11 Christ says He is Alpha and Omega as in Re. 1: 8.

(e) Christ's words in Re. 1: 17 also relate Re. 1: 8

Re. 1: 8 illustrates a fact of Scripture regarding the names of Christ. Namely, that He is given the same titles of divinity as are given to the Father. Thus in Re. 1: 8 Christ is given the name of Almighty. The Father is also given this name in Re. 4:8. This is quite logical. Remember we serve One God -- not two. That is why the Father and the Son are given the same titles. This is why Jesus is given the title of "everlasting Father" in Is. 9: 6. Notice also that in Re. 19: 16 and Re. 17: 14 Christ is called the King of kings and the Lord of lords. This is basically the same title as given to the Father in 1Ti. 6:15. See also De. 10: 17, which says God is Lord of lords.

Comparing Re. 19: 16 and Re. 17: 14 with De. 10: 17 has introduced us to the subject of Christ being the God of the Old Testament. According to 1Ti. 2: 5 Christ is the mediator between God (the Father) and humanity. He is also the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Re. 13: 8 KJV). Christ was the One who communicated with man in the Old Testament. He represented God to man and spoke to man. When Christ came to the earth then the Father spoke directly to humanity in His Son (Matthew 4: 17 etc.).

Jn. 8: 58. Jesus was the God -- the I AM -- who lead the Israelites out of Egypt (Ex. 3: 14). He was the God who spoke the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20: 1-2). Jesus is the God of De. 6:4.

We know the pre-incarnate Christ is the One who lead the Israelites out of Egypt, the God of the Old Testament, from other texts too. In connection with this, we have already mentioned some passages in The Divinity of Christ and the Trinity.  In addition to these passages:

In Mt. 9: 15; 25: 1,10; Jn. 3: 28, 29 Christ is referred to as the bridegroom. Compare this with Ezekiel chapter 16 and Is. 62:5.

In 2Co. 11: 2 Christ is referred to as the Church's husband. Compare this with Is. 54: 5.

In Jn. 10: 11 and 1 Pe. 5: 4 Christ is referred to as the Good Shepherd. Compare this with Ps. 80: 1; Ps. 23.

In Acts 10: 42 and Jn. 5: 22 Christ is referred to as the Judge. Compare this with Ps. 50: 1-6; Ps. 75: 7; Ps. 96: 13.

In Acts 3: 14 Christ is referred to as the Holy and Righteous One. Compare this with Is. 41: 14; 53: 11; 57:15.

In Mk. 2: 28 Christ is referred to as the Lord of the Sabbath. Compare this with Is. 58: 13; Ezekiel 20: 12, 20.

In Re. 2: 8 and Re. 22: 13 Christ is referred to as the first and the last. Compare this with Is. 44: 6-8; 41: 4; 48: 12. And compare this again with Is. 43: 10-14. These passages of Is. 44: 6-8 and Is. 43: 10-14 are particularly powerful. In them the one true God is referred to as the LORD (YHWH), the King of Israel, the redeemer, the Lord of hosts, the first and last, the Rock (in Is. 44:8 the Hebrew word Tsuwr, Rock, is used), the Saviour, and the Holy One. These are all names that are designations of Christ in other passages: LORD (YHWH) in Ex. 3: 14 (compare with Jn. 8: 58) and Heb. 1:10 (See Ps. 102:25). King of Israel in Jn. 1: 49. Our redemption in 1Co. 1:30; Eph. 1:7. The Lord of Hosts in Ps. 24: 7-10 (a reference to Christ's ascension, See also 1Co. 2:8) and Is. 6:1-10 (cf. Jn. 12:36-41). First and last in Re. 1: 17; Re. 2: 8 and Re. 22: 13 (cf Re. 1: 11). Rock in 1Co. 10:4. The Saviour in 2 Pe. 1: 1. The Holy One in Acts 3: 14.

In Jn. 12:36-41 it says:

36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide Himself from them.

37 ¶ But though He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him:

38 That the saying of Esaias [Isaiah] the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

41 These things said Esaias [Isaiah], when he saw His [Christ's] glory, and spake of Him.

Notice that in Jn. 12:41 it says that Isaiah saw Christ's glory. Where does Isaiah give the account of seeing His glory? In Isaiah Chapters 6 and 53. How do we know Isaiah Chapters 6 and 53 are the right places? Because Jn. 12:40 is a reference to Is. 6:9,10 and Jn. 12: 38 is a reference to Is. 53:1. Isaiah Chapter 6 focuses on Christ's outward glory and His Holiness and righteousness. Isaiah Chapter 53 focuses on Christ's inward glory, the glory of His Character and of His gospel of love. Isaiah Chapter 6 says (verses 1-10):

1 ¶ In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 ¶ Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

9 ¶ And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

We need have no fear of idolatry or mistaken identity in worshipping Jesus Christ as God. What a condescension for Him to take upon Himself human nature and die for us! Praise His name! "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing" (Re. 5:12).

Let us try and grasp better the greatness of Christ's divinity and the depth of His sacrifice for us by contemplating how big the universe is. First, we need to understand what a light-year is. Light travels at the speed of 186,000 miles per second (300,000 km/sec). The distance traveled by light going at this speed in one year is what a light-year is. 

The sun that shines in our sky is one of the stars making up the galaxy called "The Milky-Way". How many other stars do you think there are in our galaxy? It contains roughly 100,000 million stars!

Here is a photo of a spiral Galaxy similar to the Milky-Way. All Images on this web page are from STScI (Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD) See http://heritage.stsci.edu/public/gallery/galindex.html
and http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/1998/41/a.html 

And how many known galaxies are there in the universe? More and more galaxies are being found all the time. The Hubble Telescope has increased the number of known galaxies in space. One of the pictures taken by this telescope in Oct 1998 represented the deepest visible-light image yet taken, and it implied that 125 billion galaxies were in principle visible to astronomers.

Here is this picture taken in Oct 1998:

This was part of the official description: "Turning its penetrating vision toward southern skies, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has peered down a 12 billion light- year long corridor loaded with a dazzling assortment of thousands of never-before seen galaxies." The lights is the image above represent mainly these galaxies.

Here is a picture showing where this photo was taken from. It was taken from the small rectangle area at the bottom right! What a small part of the skies!

Jesus Christ is much greater than we think. And His sacrifice is much greater than we think. He created the universe.

Christ who created and sustains all these things also humbled Himself and took upon Himself humanity. His sufferings for us were real and terrible. They were infinite. This is what the Bible says regarding His sufferings:

Ps 22
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

Ps 69
20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

Isaiah 50:6
6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

Is 53 BBE
3 Men made sport of him, turning away from him; he was a man of sorrows, marked by disease; and like one from whom men's faces are turned away, he was looked down on, and we put no value on him.
4 ¶ But it was our pain he took, and our diseases were put on him: while to us he seemed as one diseased, on whom God's punishment had come.
5 But it was for our sins he was wounded, and for our evil doings he was crushed: he took the punishment by which we have peace, and by his wounds we are made well.
6 We all went wandering like sheep; going every one of us after his desire; and the Lord put on him the punishment of us all.
7 Men were cruel to him, but he was gentle and quiet; as a lamb taken to its death, and as a sheep before those who take her wool makes no sound, so he said not a word.

Mt 26
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Lk 22
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Mt 27
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Hebrews 2:9, 10
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Hebrews 5:7
Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared

In her commentary upon Christ's sufferings the Christian writer Ellen G White helps us to contemplate more clearly these descriptions from the Bible. Here are some of the phrases she used:

"Inexpressible agonies of God's dear Son" 2T 206 
"Seized with superhuman agony" DA.689
"The agonising sufferings of the Son of God" 2T.209 
"The conflict was terrible" DA.687
"Angels can look no longer and hide their faces from the horrid sight" "His face marked with the bloody sweat of agony" DA.690 
"despair pressed its crushing weight of darkness upon Him ... and forced the anguished cry, 'My God ... why ... forsaken me' " 2T.209 
"His spirit shuddered" DA.686
"That piercing cry from the cross" "The expiring agonies" 2T.210
"His soul was filled with dread" DA.687
"The anguished spirit of the Son of God" "crushed His divine soul" "Oppressed by powers of darkness" "the torturing foe ... his bitterest anguish" 2T.214-21 5
"Those quivering lips shaped to the cry of woe…the agony that racked His frame" DA.755
"The Saviour's despairing agony" "as man's substitute, that made the cup... so bitter and broke the heart of the Son of God" DA.753
"He suffered in proportion to His holiness." (5T. 422)

"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!"
And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation
"Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!"
Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" Re. 5:12-14

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