Is Yahshua the Yahweh of the Old Testament? Yes, as we will show!
There are conflicting opinions and beliefs regarding who Yahweh is as mentioned in the Old Testament scriptures. For example, One Article argues that Yahweh is actually the Father of Christ, and was the "God of the Old Testament," but is this accurate? The article discusses the various arguments, using scriptures in support, as should be done. This web page article will be referencing the above article and using scriptures to support the position that Christ was the actual God of the Old Testament.
In order to address the above mentioned argument, we must set the stage, beginning in the Old Testament.
Definitions for several words in the following scriptures:
- God = OT:430 elohiym (el-o-heem'); plural of OT:433; Gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God;
- God = OT:3068 Yehovah (yeh-ho-vaw'); from OT:1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah,
- Also "El" and "Elowah," forms of God's name.
- rock = OT:6697
tsuwr (tsoor); or tsur (tsoor); from OT:6696; properly, a cliff (or sharp rock, as compressed); generally, a rock or boulder;
We will first look at some scriptures which describe God, equating Him to a "ROCK." Make note also of the words "LORD" and "God" used in these scriptures:
Isa 51:1 "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness
and who seek the LORD:
Look to the rock from which you were cut
and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
NIV
Deut 32:4 He is the rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
KJV
Gen 49:24 But his bow remained steady,
his strong arms stayed limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty (One) of Jacob,
because of the Shepherd, the rock of Israel,
NIV
Deut 32:15
He abandoned the God (elowahh) who made him
and rejected the rock his Savior.
NIV
Deut 32:18 You deserted the rock, who fathered you;
you forgot the God (El) who gave you birth.
NIV
Deut 32:30 How could one man chase a thousand,
or two put ten thousand to flight,
unless their rock had sold them,
unless the LORD (Yahweh-Yehovah) had given them up?
31 For their rock is not like our rock,
NIV
1 Sam 2:2 "There is no one holy like the LORD;(Yahweh-Yehovah)
there is no one besides you;
there is no rock like our God. (Elohim)
NIV
2 Sam 22:2 "The LORD (Yahweh-Yehovah) is my rock , my fortress and my deliverer;
3 my God (Elohim) is my rock , in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior —
NIV
2 Sam 22:32 For who is God (El) besides the LORD? (Yahweh-Yehovah)
And who is the rock except our God? (Elohim)
NIV
2 Sam 22:47 "The LORD (Yahweh-Yehovah) lives! Praise be to my rock !
Exalted be God, (Elohim) the rock , my Savior!
NIV
2 Sam 23:3 The God (Elohim) of Israel spoke,
the rock of Israel said to me:
NIV
Ps 18:31 For who is God (Elowah) besides the LORD? (Yahweh-Yehovah)
And who is the rock except our God? (Elohim)
NIV
Ps 18:46 The LORD (Yahweh-Yehovah) lives! Praise be to my rock!
Exalted be God (Elowah) my Savior!
NIV
Ps 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, (Yahweh-Yehovah) my rock and my Redeemer.
NIV
Ps 28:1
o you I call, O LORD (Yahweh-Yehovah) my rock ;
do not turn a deaf ear to me.
NIV
From these Old Testament scriptures, we learn that the "God of the Old Testament" is referred to as a "Rock." His name is Yahweh/Jehovah. The Plural of the name God, "Elohim" suggests that "God" is NOT the name of a single being, but hints of the truth that "God" is more than one being, but NOT the "trinity".
Now, let's take a look at the New Testament:
Matt 16:18 And I say also to you, That you art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
NIV
- Peter = NT:4074, Petros (pet'-ros); a (piece of) rock, as a name, Petrus, an apostle:
- rock = NT:4073 petra (pet'-ra); feminine of the same as NT:4074; a (mass of) rock (literally or figuratively):
Matt 7:24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Petra) :25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (Petra) NIV
Rom 9:33 "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble
and a rock (Petra) that makes them fall,
and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." NIV
1 Cor 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them: and that rock was Christ. KJV
This last scripture ties up all the previous scriptures regarding who this "ROCK" is... and it is plainly Christ, the one who was the God of the Old Testament, the one who essentially was involved with every detail of that time.
This is hard for some to believe or grasp, but what else could be deduced from these scriptures? How about some more proof. Remember, Christ came the first time for many different reasons, and here is yet one more...
Mat 11:27 "All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." (Repeated in Luke 10:22).
Matt 11:27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. (Repeated in Luke 10:22).
John 1:18 No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.
John 5:37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. NKJV
John 5:37 mentions that "you have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form." It is understandable that some could conclude that this means that those people Christ was speaking to had never seen or heard God, not that NO man has ever seen or heard God. However, we can add all the evidence together to see if any man HAS seen or heard God's voice...
Scriptures prove that Christ here was adding dimension to His mission. The Jews of that day thought they knew who the "Father" or "God" was, but they didn't, or else, Christ would not have to "reveal" Him to them.
The article discussing Yashaua not being Yahweh, uses the Hebrew words Yahweh and Elohim in his New Testament Scriptures discussing God, which is not correct. The word used almost exclusively for God is:
- NT:2316 theos (theh'-os); of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with NT:3588) the supreme Divinity;
Another couple of key scriptures are the following:
John 8:57 Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" 58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." 59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. NKJV
The statement "I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM" was a direct reference to God of the Old Testament in Ex 3:
Ex. 3:13 And Moses said to God, Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and shall say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say to them? 14 And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you. NKJV
The Jews Christ was speaking to knew scriptures very well, and the "I am" was a direct reference to the God of the Old Testament, the ONLY "God" they knew of. That is the reason they picked up stones to stone Him with, because He was telling them that He was this God. There was no other reason they would do this except for what they believed to be blasphemy.
Here's more about the Pre-Existence of Christ and the "I Am."
Conclusion:
When we view all scriptures together and the weight of evidence, we can see that the Father was an unknown until the advent of Christ on this Earth. The one who became the "Father" was not involved directly with any human affairs. Christ, the Word, was this God and was the one who is being referenced in the Old Testament. If the Father were this God, He was certainly known directly by those in O.T. times, but also known "of" by people of Christ's time, so there was nothing to "reveal" if He was already well known about. The Jews of Christ's time believed they knew God but they didn't. Christ was revealing this being through Himself... something never before done, and certainly this being was no one ever known about until Christ makes it plain that there are actually two beings in this "God" family, not just one... and will be many more who will be created in Christ's image and join this divine family.
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