Jesus is Yahweh
In chapter one, we found that Jesus is the Creator and the Sustainer of what he created. Now, if it is clearly and comprehensively taught, that Jesus created everything in heaven and on earth, then who exactly is this? – “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1) – if Jesus is the Creator, then it naturally follows that when God created heaven and earth, then this must be referring to Jesus, which means that, Jesus must be YAHWEH (or JEHOVAH), the great God of the Old Testament.
Yahweh or Jehovah
In the Hebrew language the word for Yahweh looks like this יְהֹוָה. When we transliterate these Hebrew letters into the English language. we get these letters YHWH. These four letters are known in theological circles, as the Tetragrammaton, (Greek word meaning – ‘four letter word’). Therefore, when reference is made to the Tetragrammaton, it is referring to these four basic letters – (YHWH). In former times, the Tetragrammaton was popularly pronounced Jehovah. However, today, it is generally understood, that the Tetragrammaton ought to be pronounced ‘Yahweh.’
The reason why there has been confusion over the proper pronunciation, is because, in the original Hebrew, we only have these four letters (YHWH) to work with. The original Hebrew language was written using consonants only, with no vowels. Under normal circumstances, this did not cause much of a problem with pronunciation of Hebrew words, but the Tetragrammaton was not treated normally. The Israelites thought the name of God was so sacred that they could not utter it, so they substituted the Tetragrammaton for the word ‘Adonai’ (which is a word that means Lord). After hundreds of years went by, the Jews supposedly lost the true pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton. The next major development in this story came during the Enlightenment and Reformation periods of history. This was when research into biblical Hebrew was intense, as was translation and printing of Bibles. But when it came to the proper pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton the scholars of the time were at a loss about how to proceed. So, what they did was this: they took the vowel sounds of the word Adonai and applied them to the Tetragrammaton and they came up with the new word Jehovah, which up to this point had never been used before, as a name for God. The name Jehovah actually appeared in print for the first time in 1516. Nevertheless, in spite of it being newly coined, the name Jehovah prevailed as the legitimate pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton, for the next few hundreds of years. But this name Jehovah is now generally understood to be a mistake and the proper pronunciation should be Yahweh. As proof for this assertion, we only need to quote from the people that we would expect to be the most assertive in defending the name Jehovah – even the Jehovah Witnesses agree that the pronunciation should be Yahweh. The following is a quote from the forward of their own Bible, the New World Translation:
While inclining to view the pronunciation “Yah.weh” as the more correct way, we have retained the form “Jehovah” because of people’s familiarity with it since the 14th century.
Therefore, even the Jehovah’s Witnesses, who make a big issue out of the correct name for God, even they, are forced to admit that the evidence conclusively points to the fact that the name of God should be pronounced ‘Yahweh.’
The Rock
In the Arabian Peninsula, in the land that is now known as Saudi Arabia, there is a mountain called Jebel al-Lawz. The top of this mountain is all blackened, as if a great fire had scorched the top of it. Near the base of the mountain, there is a huge rock with a split down the middle. If one looks carefully, it is clear that there is evidence of water erosion at the base of the split in the rock. The reason why this rock is so interesting, is because of its location and because of this Bible verse:
Because I will publish the name of the LORD; ascribe ye greatness unto our God. 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. Deut. 32:3.
The word Lord is in capital letters. This is how the King James Bible indicates that this word in the original Hebrew is the Tetragrammaton. So, whenever the word LORD is written in capital letters, it needs to be understood that this is indicating that the word LORD is referring to the Tetragrammaton, which is Yahweh. (It also needs to be understood that, only the King James Bible does this).
From this verse we now know that Yahweh is the Rock. If we now turn to the New Testament, we will find that the Rock is Jesus. The verses we need to look at are recounting the history of the Israelites as they left Egypt. The focus is particularly on how they were miraculously provided with food and water:
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; and were all baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 1 Cor. 10:1-4.
According to the New Testament, the Rock in the wilderness was Christ. According to the Old Testament the Rock was Yahweh. Do we have a contradiction here? No not at all! It is because Yahweh and Jesus are the one and the same person – they are both the Rock. Which means that, Jesus was the great God of the Old Testament. Do we have more evidence for this rather dramatic insight into who Jesus really is? Yes, we do!
Jesus led the Israelites out of Egypt
Paul tells us in Galatians, that Mt. Sinai is in Arabia (see Gal. 4:25). And this is almost certainly why Jebel-al-Lawz is all burnt on top, because Yahweh or as we now know Jesus, came down on it with great fire. It was also on this very same mountain that Moses, prior to returning to Egypt, met Yahweh in the burning bush:
And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. Moreover, he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. Ex. 3:4.
We are told in Hebrews that Moses rejected all the riches of Egypt to follow someone else:
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of pharaoh’s daughter. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. Heb. 11:24.
We are told here that Moses had a choice, and that choice was between Egypt and Christ. Because Moses chose Christ, this must mean that the God who sent him to Egypt, the God appearing as fire in the burning bush, must have been Christ, therefore Yahweh and Christ are one and the same. Yahweh is simply another of the many names and titles that Jesus has. Each name and title indicate something about Jesus personally or about his mission. The name Yahweh, specifically refers to the time, when the role of Jesus, in the plan of salvation, was to be the great God of the Old Testament. That role changed when He became the Lamb, his current role in heaven is to be the High Priest, and he will come back in the role of King of Kings.
When Moses met Yahweh at the burning bush Moses wanted to know His name. We already know that Jesus has many titles and names, and on this occasion the appropriate name to use was ‘I AM’ – which means ‘the ever present One.’ So, Moses was told, that the God he met at the burning bush called Himself ‘I AM.’ Now, notice what Christ calls himself:
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily I say unto you, Before Abraham was I am. Jn. 8:58.
Let’s review so far, Jesus is the Rock; and Jesus is the I AM, who commissioned Moses to lead His people out of Egypt; and Jesus convinced Moses to choose Him rather than the pleasures of Egypt. If all this true and correct, then who is this:
And God spake all these words, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the land of bondage. Ex. 20:2.
Jesus spoke face to face with Moses
From what we have discovered so far, this has to be Jesus, who met Moses and the rest of the Israelites at Sinai. And we can prove this in yet another way. Consider this, when Moses went up the mountain to talk to God, who did he talk to? When he went up again with the 70 elders and they saw the God of Israel, who did they see? It cannot have been God the Father, because no human being has ever seen the Father, “No man hath seen the Father at any time” (Jn. 1:18). And Jesus himself said, “Not that any man hath seen the Father save he that is of God, he hath seen the Father” (Jn. 6:46).
Jesus can see the Father, but we cannot. Sinful human beings cannot come into the father’s presence. But Moses certainly had an intimate and personal relationship with Yahweh, “And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend” (Ex. 33:11).
There was some in-fighting in the camp over the authority that Moses was wielding, so Jesus appeared to Miriam and Aaron to inform them that he had a special face to face relationship with Moses:
And the LORD came down in a pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. And he said, hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses, is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold.
And summing up the whole history of Yahweh and Moses we have this testimony – “And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the LORD knew face to face” (Deut. 34:10).
Jesus gave Moses the Ten Commandments
Now, if no man can see the Father, then the person that Moses saw and spoke to face to face, must have been the second person of the Godhead, the Creator of the world, Jesus Christ. These facts lead us to a most important conclusion, if it was Jesus who led the Israelites out of Egypt and it was Jesus who met with them at Mt. Sinai, then, it must have been Jesus who gave Moses the Ten Commandments. And this is precisely what Isaiah tells us:
For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us. Isa. 33:22.
How do we know that Isaiah is referring to Jesus in this verse? Well, two things; Isaiah does not just call this Old Testament LORD the lawgiver he also calls him the judge and the king. And Jesus tells us that he is the Judge:
For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. Jn. 5:22.
And Pilate tells us that Jesus is the King. In three languages just so that everyone understood.
And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OFTHE JEWS. Jn. 19:19.
Yahweh and Jesus have the same names and titles
Perhaps one could be inclined to believe that Pilate’s testimony does not count because of who he was, so let’s pursue this concept of Yahweh and Jesus both being the King a little further. Let’s look at Yahweh called the king in another verse from Isaiah:
Thus, saith the LORD the king of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. Isa. 44:6.
Here we are told that Yahweh is king over Israel, in fact we are given four names or titles pertaining to Yahweh;
- He is King over Israel,
- He is the Redeemer,
- He is the Lord of Hosts,
- He is the first and the last.
We will find that all of these names and titles, these attributes of Yahweh, also belong to Jesus. Let’s look at the first one, The King of Israel. Who were the wise men from the east seeking?
Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and we have come to worship him. Matt. 2:2.
Who did they find to worship as the King of Israel? It was Jesus. Therefore, it is not just Pilate’s testimony that we have to rely upon. Let us look at another prophecy about the king of Israel:
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon the colt the foal of an ass. Zech. 9:9.
So, Yahweh, the King of Israel, will come riding on a donkey. This prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus:
On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus when he had found a young ass, sat thereon as it is written, fear not daughter of Sion, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt. Jn. 12:12-15.
Why were the people so deliriously happy? Because they thought that their king had finally arrived, and they were right! They were right about the event, but they were wrong about what it meant. Finally we have the words of Jesus himself. Pilate wanted to know if Jesus was a threat to the rule of the Romans, he wanted to know if he was a king:
Pilate said unto him, Art though a king then? Jesus replied Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world… Mk. 15:2.
Pilate believed Jesus. That’s why he put up the sign, in three languages so that everyone would know.
Point 2, was that Isaiah told us that Yahweh is our Redeemer. Isaiah also tells us this, about our Redeemer:
Thus, saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretched forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself. Isa. 44:24.
We should be able to stop right here and state conclusively, that Yahweh and Jesus are one and the same, because Isaiah is telling us that Yahweh the Redeemer, is the one who created heaven and earth, and we already know that this was Jesus. But just to confirm this, let’s check with the New Testament:
Christ hath redeemed us… Gal. 3:13.
In whom we have redemption through his blood… Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14.
For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood… Rev. 5:9.
Yahweh is our Redeemer and Jesus is our Redeemer – they both have the same names and titles – the two are the same.
Point 3, was about the Lord of Hosts. Once again, we need only refer to one verse from Isaiah:
As for our redeemer the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel. Isa. 47:4.
Here we are told that one of the names of our Redeemer is the Lord of Hosts, therefore, the Redeemer and the Lord of Hosts are the same person. And we already know that Jesus is the Redeemer, therefore, Jesus must also be the Lord of Hosts. This can even be expressed mathematically. The rule is: Two things that are equal to a third thing must be equal to each other.
- The Redeemer (Yahweh) is the Lord of Hosts,
- Jesus is the Redeemer.
- Therefore, Jesus is the Lord of Hosts.
Let’s continue with yet more evidence that the Lord of Hosts and Jesus are the same person. Turning again to Isaiah we read:
And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. Isa. 6:3.
Isaiah is observing the great glory of Yahweh, the Lord of Hosts and he feels totally inadequate:
Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone… for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Isa 6:5.
If we remember that no one can see the Father and that Jesus is the King, we should be able to safely conclude that Isaiah is seeing the glory of Jesus. But let’s keep going and see whether we can prove this from the New Testament. The context is the fact that the apostle John is marvelling at the unbelief of the Jews in spite of all the evidence. So, with that is mind, let’s read what John has to say and see if we can find a reference to the experience of Isaiah:
But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: 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? Therefore, they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. Jn. 12:37-40.
Notice how John brings the prophet Isaiah into his account of the unbelief of the people, because it is a fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy. And then John concludes his account by quoting the verse about Isaiah seeing the glory of the Lord of Hosts:
These things said Esaias, when he saw his (Christ’s) glory, and spake of him (Christ). Jn. 12:41.
Please catch the import of these words. John is saying that when Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord of Hosts that he was actually seeing the glory of Jesus. This is a seriously solemn revelation.
Point 4, is that Yahweh is the first and the last. Let’s review our verse in Isaiah again:
Thus saith the LORD the king of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. Isa. 44:6.
Look what Jesus says about himself:
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Rev. 1:8
Now this sounds very much like he is saying that he is the first and the last – Alpha and Omega being the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. And then in the same chapter of Revelation he claims the title specifically, and he repeats it three more times:
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. Rev. 1:11; cf. 1:17, 2:8; 22:13.
Yahweh is the Creator – Jesus is the Creator
In chapter one, we spent extensive time proving that Jesus was the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Nehemiah tells us that creating and sustaining the universe is the work of Yahweh:
Thou, even thou art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein …and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. Neh. 9:6.
And of course, we already know that this is exactly what Jesus is credited with in the New Testament:
And he is before all things, and in him all things consist. Col. 1:17.
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power. Heb. 1:3.
Yahweh would Come – Jesus Came
There are many verses in the Old Testament prophesying the coming of the Messiah. One of the most well-known is the prophecy given by Isaiah about the way being straightened for the Messiah. However, Isaiah specifically tells us that the Coming One would be Yahweh:
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare, ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Isa. 40:3.
Most Bible students know how this prophecy of Isaiah, finds its fulfilment in the coming of Jesus, as announced by John the Baptist:
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Matt. 3:1-3.
When John was asked to give an account of himself, he replied by saying, that his mission was the fulfilment of the prophecy in Isaiah, to prepare the way for Yahweh, and of course we know that he was preparing the way for Jesus. Yahweh and Jesus are therefore one and the same.
Law and Grace – Wrath and Love
Now, why is it important to understand that Jesus is Yahweh? It is important because when we understand that Jesus is Yahweh, our perspective on many biblical concepts will eventually change as we think through the implications. For example, one of the popular concepts that prevails in modern Christendom is that there is a huge gulf between the Old and New Testaments. The foundation of this belief is that the God of the Old Testament and that the God of the New Testament are supposedly very different. That the God of the Old Testament is a God of wrath. Whereas the God of the New Testament is a God of love. However, once we realise that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New are the same God, Jesus Christ, then we must realise that this is a false dichotomy.
This false dichotomy is also expressed in another way. The God of the Old Testament is a God of law and in the New he is a God of Grace. And Christianity is divided over which is more important-and Christians accuse one another over this issue. On the one hand, we have those who are accused of being Legalists, and on the other hand, we have those who are accused of espousing cheap grace. But again, this is a totally unnecessary argument because Jesus is the God of both testaments.
This same false dichotomy is fought over yet again in the issue of the two covenants. We have the first covenant, which is supposedly all about the law, and the second which is supposedly all about grace. So, let’s examine this two-covenant issue and we will find that, in actuality, the two covenants are essentially the same. We will find that law does not contradict grace and that justice does not contradict love. Let’s begin by taking a look at the original covenant:
And he took the book of the covenant, and read it in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. Ex. 24:7.
Notice that the people say they will carry out the conditions and obligations of the covenant. However, we know from the history recorded in the Bible that the people never fulfilled the conditions of the contract. The reason why they failed is because of their spiritual condition. They had hard hearts and stiff necks. But Yahweh promised that the problem would eventually be solved with the introduction of a new covenant:
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant I made with their fathers in that day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake. Although I was an husband unto them saith the LORD. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts: and will be their God, and they shall be my people. Jer. 31:31-33.
What we are witnessing here is the commitment of Jesus to fix the problem. We can prove that this is Jesus making this promise, to the prophet Jeremiah when we turn to the Book of Hebrews and read about the fulfilment of the promise. The Book of Hebrews is all about the better things and the greater things. And in chapter seven we find a better and greater High Priest, Jesus himself, now installed in heaven and ready to administer the better and greater covenant. At the beginning of chapter eight, the author of Hebrews, sums up what he has presented so far about Jesus:
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne in the heavens. Heb. 8:1.
Please note that the subject matter here is Jesus as our High Priest, in Heaven, now let’s continue:
But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. Heb. 8:6, 7.
Please also note that the pronouns ‘he’ used here are referring to Jesus, the subject matter is still Jesus as our High Priest. And the subject matter continues to be Jesus as our High Priest. So, as we continue to read, wherever pronouns are used we will add the name that the pronoun is referring to. This will help us immensely to understand a most revealing point. So, let’s now continue the narrative in Hebrews:
But now hath he (Jesus) obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he (Jesus) is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. Heb. 8:6.
Let’s go over this again and add the next verse, so that we can make this as clear and as understandable as possible:
But now hath he (Jesus) obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he (Jesus) is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith… Heb. 8:6, 7.
Who saith? Let’s put the name in, which the pronoun is referring to, Jesus saith! And what is it that he saith? The next four verses are direct quotations from the prophecy made by Yahweh to Jeremiah and we are going to continue to put the name of the person speaking to Jeremiah. Now remember we have just been told that Jesus is speaking here and this is what Jesus said:
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord when I (Jesus) will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I (Jesus) made with their fathers in the day when I (Jesus) took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they continued not in my covenant, and I (Jesus) regarded them not, saith the Lord (Jesus). For this is the covenant that I (Jesus) will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord, I (Jesus) will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I (Jesus) will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. Heb. 8:8-10.
So, here we see, the author of Hebrews is telling us that it was Jesus who spoke to Jeremiah. Therefore, once again we find that Jesus is Yahweh, the God of the Old Testament.
The Old and New Covenants
Now that we know that it was Jesus who promised the New Covenant, let’s consider what the New Covenant is and where it differs from the Old Covenant. Notice that concerning the Old Covenant, the people boldly proclaimed that they would do it or keep it. Whereas, concerning the New Covenant Jesus says I will do it. In Old Testament times the people’s hearts were hard, therefore the law was written on stone reflecting the condition of the people. But in New Testament times, because of Christ’s death and resurrection the law could now be written, where Jesus always intended it to be, in the hearts of the people (see 2 Cor. 3:1-3).
Conclusion
In the first chapter, we started with Jesus as our Creator, this has led us to understand that Jesus must also be Yahweh the God of the Old Testament. This insight helps us to understand that there really is no difference between the Old and the New Covenants or between Law and Grace. The main difference is that Jesus can achieve under the New Covenant that which was not possible under the Old Covenant namely, the law written in the heart. This naturally leads us into another controversy in the Christian marketplace namely the idea that the law has been abolished. Strange isn’t it that Jesus has worked so long and so hard through hundreds of years to get the law written in the heart of his people, only for his people to suddenly start believing that the law has been abolished. We will examine this issue and many more in the next chapters. In the meantime, let’s be glad and rejoice in the knowledge that our Creator is also Yahweh the great God of the Old Testament, because that is who Jesus is.
