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QUESTION 3:
Is Jesus Christ the Jehovah of the Old Testament?

ANSWER:
This is an age old question and has caused much division down through the ages, but it is a very important one.

He was accused by religious Jews in John 10:33 of "being a man who made Himself God." Man's thinking is always backward to God's. Who He really is, was "God who made Himself man." "God manifest in the flesh..." (1 Timothy 3:16). "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God." John 1:1. "And the Word was made flesh, dwelt among us..." John 1:14.

The name "Jehovah" means the "ever existing One." It comes from a compound of words-"Yahweh and Havah" which means "to become known." Putting this together "Jehovah" means, "the Eternal One Who has made Himself known." In Genesis 1, we only read of "God" in creation. In Genesis 2, where sin comes in, we read of: LORD {Jehovah) God. God is His creation title. Jehovah is His redemptive name. Here God says, "...but by my name JEHOVAH I was not made known unto them (earlier prophets}." Exodus 6:3. He is getting ready to redeem His people from Egypt, hence His redemptive name, Jehovah.

Is Jesus Jehovah? "I, even I, am LORD (Jehovah); and beside me there is no saviour." Isaiah 43:11. "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord (Jehovah)." Luke 2:11. If Jesus isn't Jehovah, then there must be two Lords and two Saviours. Here Jehovah reveals: "...and they shall look upon ME WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED,..." Zechariah 12:10.

Where was Jehovah pierced? On the cross of Calvary for our sins. He is the Jehovah of the Old Testament.

All comments and questions to:Harold Smith

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Updated January 2008, by Shelly Allen