Are Christians in your town on the Churchy-Go-Round?

We’ve got a bad case of musical church going on in my town; we have had this condition, unfortunately, for many years.  No, I am not talking about whether music in church is scriptural or not.  I’m euphemistically referring to the musical chairs-like behavior that happens here.  This medium-sized college town has several larger churches that have been playing a nasty game of “Swap-the-Sheep” – I’ll give them pseudonyms to protect the guilty:

Church #1 is Neighborly Church, a large (well, it was once) non-denominational church that prided itself on multi-media holiday spectaculars by its drama dept, its fantastically fun youth programs and its solid bible teaching.  There were Wednesday night potlucks and events to invite neighbors to in hopes of rubbing the gospel off on them.  Then eventually the good-hearted, well-loved, founding pastor grew older, portlier and tired-er (is that a word?) and then re-tired (I do know for a fact that this is correct English).

Along came Replacement Pastor #1 – he didn’t stick, but the second time around, the Board was going to get it right:  they were successful in finding a man who was called, capable, and charismatic (oops!!!).  Well, he shook things up, and was a significant catalyst in initiating the churchy-go-round.  Finally after a decade & a half of challenges and crises, Neighborly Church had a mostly amicable separation from Mr. Shake-up-the-Saints and chose a smoother, but sound son who had grown up at Neighborly and had come back to serve his home congregation.

The second church on our tour we will call Gethsemane Gardens, also a large “non-denominational” but distantly charismatic church that is decidedly autocratic in its operations: you will do church government this way (it’s the pastor’s way or the highway), you will teach the bible that way (Gethsemane Garden’s founding pastor’s beliefs or the highway), and you will like it (Ja wohl, Herr Pastor!).  Very solid in biblical teaching (just ask them), it was stable, dependable, you knew what to expect, and the church had made special arrangements with the Almighty to zap you away before anything really nasty happened on earth – it made them feel downright rapturous.

So Church #2 heard about some of the ‘Charismania’ happening at Church #1 and began a series (not sure how that worked since it didn’t conform to their verse-by-verse methodology) on how it was disorderly and out-of-control.  They even distributed tapes (yes, it was the early ‘90’s, before wide use of CD’s and long before podcasts) decrying the debauchery of this fellow Trinitarian, grace-believing body.  This disturbed some of the meeker ones at Neighborly and caused many to leave.

Along comes Church #3, a mainline denominational church that got religion and started preaching the actual gospel; we’ll call them Sidwell Cholosterolarian Church.  Sidwell is close to the college and began some earnest outreach to the kids.  They relaxed their music in one or two of their services, dumped the hymns, brought in the drums and electric guitars and repetitive, syrupy choruses (hey, whatever works).  Sidwell even started a gospel choir, causing defections from Neighborly’s gospel choir.  They got a great children’s program going (some moms even started referring to Sidwell as “kid well”).  The church hired a benevolent, loving senior pastor.  In short, it became a kind of rehash of the early Neighborly Church and many Neighborly people flocked to Sidwell, even though they couldn’t be fully immersed any more nor believe that God actually loved the entire world.  But at least it was like old home week every Sunday.

To round out the churchy-go-round, there’s Church #4, Freely Scand-tastic, kind of a Baptist light, and Church #5, Grace Place.  While Freely Scand-tastic and Grace Place play a lesser role in our scenario, they still swap Christians back and forth with the others regularly.  Besides these five there are numerous smaller churches involved in the same slave trade – did I actually say that?

So the name of the game in our medium-sized town is to find the church with the most-est:  The best programs (already formulated and set in motion, not too demanding of newcomers), facilities, music, specialty pastors, well-heeled members that invite you to their bible studies and maybe even their summer swim parties, smoothest running, well-attended, best spoken of, thought-provoking but not too challenging, with the nicest kids… The question being asked is (although its never admitted) “How do I get the most for the least amount of effort?”  Let’s not forget another rationale for moving we really don’t like to talk about:  Offense!  I need to avoid so-and-so; its easier to change churches than address the problem, forgive them, or (gulp!) ask forgiveness for a wrong committed.

The churchy-go-rounders are never satisfied for long; if Church #1 doesn’t cut it, they move on to Church #2; they grow tired of that and move to Church #3.  In time, they may even show their faces again at Church #1, schmoozing the people that never left by telling them that it was the rightest place all along.

OK, seriously, I’m not saying we don’t need to change churches once in a while.  There are certainly legitimate reasons to do so, but if you ask me, they are few and far between.  What better communicates your love for God and His people than sticking with them through thick and thin; by rolling up our sleeves and getting our hands dirty; by being part of the solution rather than part of the problem?  Is church about being coddled or about serving our fellow sinners saved by grace?  Have you been on the churchy-go-round?  Has it really been character building for you and a testimony to your family, neighbors and co-workers?  Or has it just further cemented their opinions that Christians are shallow and me-oriented, just like the rest of society?

Get committed.  Grow where you’re planted.  Get off the churchy-go-round.

The Qur’an in its own words – Surah 8, Al-’Anfāl (The Spoils of War)

Chapter 8 is full of violence – Allah not only condones but commands Muslims to fight the unbelievers in his cause, and allows them to keep captives, or slaves, and other booty and spoils of war. In fact, the subtitle for this chapter is very accurate: “The Spoils of War”.  Nominal Muslims who are not familiar with the plain teachings of their religion might be shocked if they actually read their “holy” book, while radical or devoted Muslims already know what it contains and are fully engaged in carrying out its commands. And as allowed by the Qur’an, they commit taqiyya, or lying, to deceive and direct the world’s attention from the truth.

Spoils of war are not wrong, but they are at Allah’s and Mohammad’s disposal:

8:1: They ask thee concerning (things taken as) spoils of war. Say: “such spoils are at the disposal of Allah and the Messenger”

Allah commands beheadings and cutting off of fingertips to cast terror into disbeliever’s hearts; Allah is severe in penalty:

8:12-13: I (Allah) will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieved, so strike them upon the necks and strike from them every fingertip.” That is because they opposed Allah and His Messenger. And whoever opposes Allah and His Messenger – indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.

Instructions for Muslims in battle against disbelievers:

8:15: O ye who believe! When ye meet those who disbelieve in battle, turn not your backs to them.

But if Muslims turn their back in battle, Allah will throw them in Hell:

8:16:  Whoso on that day turns his back to them, unless maneuvring for battle or intent to join a company, he truly has incurred wrath from Allah, and his habitation will be Hell.

Muslims are not to stop fighting until Islam is completely dominant:

8:39: And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is all for Allah.

Its OK to take war booty, just make sure you give 1/5 of it to Allah and Mohammad, etc:

8:40: And know that anything you obtain of war booty – then indeed, for Allah is one fifth of it and for the Messenger and for his near relatives and the orphans, the needy, and the stranded traveler.

Muslims are exhorted to fight:

8:65: O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight.

Muslim prophets can keep captives of war after they have massacred Allah’s enemies:

8:67: It is not for a prophet to have captives of war until he inflicts a massacre upon Allah ‘s enemies in the land.

War booty won when fighting for Allah should be consumed and enjoyed as lawful and good:

8:69: So consume what you have taken of war booty as being lawful and good, and fear Allah.

Muslims are to consider converts as close, but relatives are more entitled to inheritance in the ways of Allah, i.e., ‘love’ may be biased:

8:75: And those who believed and emigrated and fought with you – they are of you. But those of blood relationship are more entitled to inheritance in the decree of Allah.

Revelation 12:1-6

Chapter 12 brings us an interlude in the timeline, offering perspective on the broad sweep of prophetic forecast of the “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24).

1  A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;

A great sign—A particularly special occurrence since the Book of Revelation is given in “signs, wonders, miracles”.

Woman—Israel.  The Old Testament’s prophets referred to Israel as a “woman” (Isaiah 54:5-6; Jeremiah 4:31; Micah 4:9-10), but this is designating more than just Israel, but rather the “Israel of God” or spiritual Israel—the remnant, the elect, chosen of God, including both believing Jew and Gentile.  The old testament “church” gave birth to Christ (v5), and in turn, the new testament church (v17).  Both the OT and NT present the people of God as His bride/His wife to whom He is betrothed.

Clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars—This identifies the woman as Israel by referencing Genesis 37:9–11, in which Joseph  has a dream of the sun and moon symbolizing his father and mother, and stars representing his brothers, which bow down to him.  Clothed with the sun—the righteousness of God, His light.  Psalm 72:5 states that “He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations”, speaking of the future rule of God’s righteous, royal son.  The moon under her feet—Satan being conquered, crushed under the feet of the Ekklesia (Rom 16:20).  The only light from Satan is reflected from the glory of God; he has no produces no light in and of himself.  The Moon governs the night, the time of darkness.  An interesting side note:  The symbol of Islam is the crescent moon, and the origin of Allah is the ancient moon god of the Arabians, so if the moon in this verse symbolizes Islam, it is giving the dominant position to Christ’s body, the Ekklesia.  A crown of twelve stars—royal status of Christ’s bride (Isa 28:5).  We see the “woman” glorified, from God’s eternal perspective, as she will be at the end of the age.

2 and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.

With child—Jesus:  “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us.” (Isa 9:6)

And she cried out—The prayers of the OT saints, as Paul in Gal 4:19: “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you” Exo 3:9: “the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me.” As a woman has pain in child birth, so Israel travailed at the birth of her Messiah, Jer 31:15:  “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel is weeping for her children.”

3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.

A great red dragon—Satan: “the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan” (Rev. 12:9);  Red=reckless, bloody, war (Gen 25; Nah 2; Zec 1)

Seven heads—Kings, kingdoms, worldly systems throughout the ages.  Seven=spiritual perfection, fulfillment, all that God will allow.  “The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, and they are seven kings.” (Rev 17:9,10)  The dragon has 7 heads because he is manifested on earth through these worldly power structures throughout history.

Ten Horns—Each represents a human ruler manifesting the authority of Satan.  Ten=physical, earthly, physical perfection and completion; human strength, wisdom and authority;  (Gen 24:10, 22, 55; 32:15; 45:23; Lev 26:26; Num 7; Jos 15:57; Rut 4:2; 1 Sam 17:17; 2 Sam 18:15; 1 Kin 7).  Horn=symbol of strength, authority, resistance to authority, prideful resistance, boastfully intransigent and unbending; warring. (Lam 2:3, 17; Eze 29:21; Dan 7:8; Psa 5:4,5; Jer 48:25).  The terrifying beast of Dan 7 also had ten horns, which proved to be “kings” in 7:20 and 24, 3 of whom were subdued by the “little horn” of 7:8.

Diadems—Symbol of human authority, crown; actually, a blue and white band securing a Persian turban/tiara.  Satan, up until this point still in the heavenlies but fallen, is the penultimate ruler of the earthly, human realm and has fully expanded into the vacuum created by man’s willful disobedience to his Creator.

4 And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

Swept away a third of the stars of heaven—One third of the angels followed Satan in his rebellion.  Satan, a fallen angel, is called a “star” in Isa 14:12:  “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn!”  Rev 1:20 reports that “the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches…”

The dragon stood before the woman…when she gave birth he might devour her child—Satan tried to kill Jesus after he was born; Mary and Joseph had to flee to Egypt as Herod the Great had all children under two in Bethlehem slain (Mat 2:13ff).

Verses 3-4 have also been related to the constellations Draco (the Dragon—Satan) and Virgo (the Virgin—Mary) and movements of individual stars within these constellations that may have portended the incarnation and crucifixion events during the life of Jesus.

5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.

A son, a male child—Yeshua, Jesus; Isa 66:7, Zec 9:9, Mic 4:10.

Who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron—Jesus was to rule; this is language is taken from Psa 2: “He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron…’”

Her child was caught up to God and to His throne—Jesus ascended to Heaven (Acts 1:11) where He sits on the throne (Heb 1:11; 12:2)

6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

Fled into the wilderness—Israel was scattered throughout the entire world, the “wilderness”.  Moses, Elijah, Paul and most notably, the Nation of Israel fled Egypt and Pharaoh into the wilderness, where God protected and prospered them.  Spiritual Israel, the Ekklesia, was scattered from Jerusalem when the persecution started with the martyrdom of Stephen.

A place prepared by God—in the “wilderness” of the world.  When Israel left Egypt, it fled to the wilderness where God provided for them, shade by day and light by night, manna and quail.  God protected his new covenant people through the persecutions by Satan via the Jews, the Roman Empire, the Roman Church, Islam and countless others through the two millennia since Christ.

One thousand two hundred and sixty days–this could mean 1260 days, years, or it could even be a symbolic number.  Three OT precedents are examples of the “year for a day” principle, to which “Historicists” hold.  In Numbers 14:34, the Israelites must wander for 40 years in the wilderness, one year for every day spent by the spies in Canaan.  Ezekiel 4:5-6 describes the prophet being commanded to lie on his left side for 390 days, followed by his right side for 40 days, to symbolize the equivalent number of years of punishment on Israel and Judah respectively.  Daniel 9:24-27 is known as the Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks.  The passage refers to 70 “sevens” or “septets” of years—that is, a total of 490 years.

The question arises as to whether this 1260 is distinct from the 1260 “days” of Rev 12:14 wherein the woman likewise flees into the wilderness, the 1260 days that the two witnesses prophesy in 11:3, or the 42 months of 13:5.  My belief is that all of these refer to the same period and refer to the persecution of the “woman”, the bride/wife of God made up of both OT and NT saints, after the resurrection of Christ.

Here are all the biblical references to this period, starting in the Old Testament:

Dan 7:25:  “He [the little horn, the Antichrist] will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law, and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.”

Dan 12:7:  “I heard the man dressed in linen [Michael], who was above the waters of the river [peoples of the earth], as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time [1260 days, or years?]; and as soon as they [the Antichrist] finish shattering the power of the holy people [the remnant, the elect, the Israel of God], all these events [the tribulation and the resurrection] will be completed.”  In verse 9 Michael tells Daniel that the words are concealed and sealed until the end time.

Jam 5:17:  “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth [the Israel part of the earth] for three years and six months. [the same period of testing]”

Rev 11:2-3:  “Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months [equal to 1260 days/3.5 years—the same period of trials].  And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

Rev 12:14:  “But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.”

Rev 13:5:  “There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.”

The Abomination of Desolation – Scripturally Speaking, Part 1

What is the Abomination of Desolation?  When did it occur, or has it yet to occur?  Is there a foreshadowing event in history?  Is it related to Yeshua’s first coming, or second?  In Part 1 we are looking at the primary passages people refer to and getting an overall sense of what scripture is saying; I’ve not provided a lot of commentary but have preferred to let the Word of God speak for itself.  I’ve highlighted similar language in related passages to tease out the simple meaning. Without further ado…

1.  The Abomination of Desolation is inextricably joined to Israel & Jerusalem’s rejection of Yeshua, it’s Messiah:

Mt 23:37-38: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!”

Mt 24:15-16: “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand) then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.

Lk 21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.

2.  The Abomination of Desolation happens in conjunction with the total destruction of the temple:

Mt 24:1-3:  Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” 3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen?”

Mk 13:4: “Tell us, when will these things be?”

Lk 21:7:  They questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen?”

Mt 24:15: “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION…”

Mk13:14: “But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be…”

Lk 21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.  Then those who are in Judea must flee…”

3.  The Abomination of Desolation would be something some of Yeshua’s hearers would see:

Mt 24:15: “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION…”

Mk13:14: “But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be…”

Lk 21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies…”

4a. The Abomination of Desolation (AoD) would result in the diaspora of the Jews out of Jerusalem and Israel into the world, until the ‘time of the Gentiles’ would be fulfilled;

4b. Paul wrote while the ‘fullness of the Gentiles’ had not come in; 

4c. Seven-Year Trib people say that the AoD occurs at the Trib’s midpoint, after the ‘the time of the Gentiles’ (because they have been raptured and supposedly God is now again dealing with the Jews), but the AoD results in the Great Tribulation, initiating and concurrent with the Jews’ dispersal around the world, during the ‘time of the Gentiles’:

Mt 24:16-21:  Those who are in Judea must flee [4a] to the mountains.  Whoever is on the housetop must not go down [4a] to get the things out that are in his house.  Whoever is in the field must not turn back [4a] to get his cloak.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  But pray that your flight [4a] will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. For then there will be a great tribulation [4c], such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.

Mk 13:14-20:  Those who are in Judea must flee [4a] to the mountains.  The one who is on the housetop must not go down [4a], or go in to get anything out of his house;  and the one who is in the field must not turn back [4a] to get his coat.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  But pray that it may not happen in the winter.  For those days will be a time of tribulation [4c] such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will.  Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

Lk 21:21-24:  Then those who are in Judea must flee [4a] to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave [4a], and those who are in the country must not enter [4a] the city; because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled.  Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress [4c] upon the land and wrath to this people; and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations [4a]; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. [4b]

Rom 11:25:  For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. [4b]

5.  Daniel 9 teaches that the Abomination of Desolation is related to and follows quickly and immediately after [5a] the work of the Messiah to make an end of sin [5b], to make atonement for iniquity [5c] putting a stop to the sacrificial system [5d], making a firm covenant [5e] and bringing in everlasting righteousness [5f]:

Dan 9:24,26-27: “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin,[5b] to make atonement for iniquity [5c], to bring in everlasting righteousness[5f], to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place…then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. And he will make a firm covenant [5e] with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering [5d]; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction [5a], one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

Rom 6:2: How shall we who died to sin [5b] still live in it?

Heb 9:26: He has been manifested to put away sin [5b] by the sacrifice of Himself.

1 Jn 4:10:  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. [5c]

Heb 10:12:  He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time [5d], SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.

Jer 32:40  “I will make an everlasting [5f] covenant [5e] with them…”

Heb 7:22:  Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. [5e]

Heb 13:20:  the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal [5f] covenant, [5e] even Jesus our Lord

Rom 3:21  the righteousness of God [5f]  has been manifested

Mk 13:4, 14, Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?”… “But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION…” [5a]

God is as He reveals Himself to be – the Trinity in the Old Testament

Recently a commenter challenged me on my statement that “God is as He reveals Himself to be.”  I was referring to the fact that when we read the Bible, God’s revelation to man about who He is and what He is like, we discover many fascinating things, some of which are not quantifiable in our finite and earth-bound experiences.  The chief notion that this commenter had a problem with was my claim that God has revealed Himself to be one God existing in three persons.

Here is an excerpt of his reply comment:

You have said “God is as He reveals Himself to be. He has revealed Himself to be one God existing in three persons.”

Please quote a single solid verse from the Bible which claims literally that God has told that He, Jesus and the holy spirit are one and the same and should be worshipped together as a single entity. Otherwise I do not find any logic in calling and eating an apple seed to be an apple itself.

I would begin by saying that if our belief in the veracity of something is somehow contingent on it only being found in a “single solid verse”, we’re either not open to having our minds changed by the facts or we have a very shallow view of how ideas and thoughts are developed.  For instance we could complain about long, complicated explanations given in medical or scientific journals—can’t they just get to the point and wrap up their thesis in a single sentence?  Why do they have to go on and on about semi-conductors, photosynthesis or aberrant glycosylation in tumors?  But would that make sense?

The Bible clearly teaches that God is “one what and three whos”, i.e. What is He?  God.  Who is He?  The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Anyone who wants to argue this argues not with me but with the clear revelation of scripture.  Christians have believed in the Trinity from the earliest days of the church and this belief has always been a clear demarcation for Christians about where orthodoxy ends and the cultic begins. 

Again, I’m just reporting the news, not making it, and my meager attempts to call attention to scriptures that support this view won’t hold a candle to mighty “Google”, which I’m sure someone soon will nominate for the 4^th member of the Trinity.  Knock yourselves out.

There are many scriptures and many ways of addressing this issue, but for fun lets look only at some Old Testament verses describing the three persons of the Trinity prior to the incarnation (meaning God come “in the flesh”, see 1 John 4:1-3).  The point is, the Trinity is all through the Bible, not just the New Testament:

Deut 6:4: Hear, O Israel! The LORD [YHWH] is our God [Elohim, plural Gods], the LORD [YHWH] is one! [echad, a unity, unifying two or more items]

This verse is saying ‘Israel, our God YHWH, though plural in personhood, is a unified One’.  It makes both the point that God is one and that he has revealed himself in more than one person.  This is seen as early as the 2^nd verse of the Bible:

Genesis 1:2: The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

Yahweh also speaks of His Spirit as a person:

Genesis 6:3:  Then the LORD said, “My Spirit [רוח ruwach, Spirit, wind, breath] shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”

Numbers 27:18:  So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him”.

The “Angel of Yahweh”, translated LORD in many English versions, is actually a pre-incarnate appearance of Yeshua:

Judges 6:21-23:  Then the angel of the LORD [YHWH] put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight. When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD, he said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.” The LORD said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.”

Gideon thought he was going to die because it was clear to him he had just seen God, and he knew the verse You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live! (Exo 33:20).  God then assured him that he wouldn’t die.

There are over 50 references to “the angel of Yahweh” in the Old Testament.  It’s an interesting study to see God, through His “angel” Yeshua, interacting with his people.  It is even the Angel of the LORD that announced to Hagar her pregnancy with Ishmael, and that He/the Angel of the LORD would multiply her descendants; afterward Hagar declared it was Yahweh who spoke to her.

And God has revealed Himself as Father in the Old Testament as well, not just the NT:

Exodus 4:22:  Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Israel is My son, My firstborn.”

Isa 63:16:  “For You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not recognize us. You, O LORD, are our Father, Our Redeemer from of old is Your name.”

Isa 64:8:  “But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.”

Hosea 11:1:  “When Israel was a youth I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.”

We don’t determine who or what God is like—He is as He reveals Himself to be.

Is Jesus the Son of God also God the Son?

Is it correct to worship Yeshua Ha-Mashiach, a.k.a. Jesus Christ?

A few days ago a reader posed this question to me:

So Adam is a son of God, I am a son of God, you are a son of God, Jesus is a son of God. If this is the case – I am a human, you are a human, Adam is a human and so Jesus is also a human. I do not worship Adam, who is the son of God. I do not worship myself, the son of God. I do not worship you, the son of God.

Can you give me a single reason when all of us are sons of God and we do not worship anyone for being the sons of God, why Jesus alone should be worshipped as a son of God?

Please give me reasonable evidence from the bible if it says to worship Jesus, the Christ.

I would start with understanding the importance of the term “the Christ” – it means “anointed one”, but anointed for what?  I addressed this at length in a previous post here.   In short, Jesus is anointed to sit eternally on David’s throne per a prophecy in 2 Samuel 7:12-16 and Psalm 132:11.  He is called “Lord and Christ” by Peter in the first sermon of the church in Acts 2 – this is no less than a claim that Jesus is God, for it is Yahweh God who is our savior per the Old Testament book of Joel, verse 2:32, which Peter claims as being fulfilled by Jesus in Acts 2:21.

But if that is too much “in the weeds” for you, here are a few, rather plain scriptures (there are hundreds, at a minimum) from both Old Testament and New showing worship of Jesus as Son of God, co-equal in essence with the Father and Holy Spirit…

Jesus, Son of God, who will rule the nations, from the Old Testament—My comments are in brackets:

Psalm 2:4-12:

He who sits in the heavens [God the Father] laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
“But as for Me [God the Father], I have installed My King [God the Son]
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

“I [the Son] will surely tell of the decree of the LORD:
He [the Father] said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
‘You [the Son] shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”

Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
Worship the LORD [this is the word YHWH, or “Yahweh”] with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
Do homage [נשק nashaq, “kiss”] to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His [the Son’s] wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

Read the entire chapter to get a picture of Yeshua coming into His Millennial Kingdom (see also Rev 20:4-6).

Dan 7:13-14:

“I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man [Yeshua, in human form] was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days [the Father]
And was presented before Him [the Father].
“And to Him [the Son] was given dominion,
Glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations and men of every language
Might serve [פלח pĕlach, “serve” or “worship”] Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed.

This is also an amazing chapter, giving a picture of both Father God and God the Son as the Millennial Kingdom is being set up.  It also describes the destruction of the last days’ “Beast” empire.  I wonder what empire that would be?  I’ll give you one guess…

The chapter ends with this verse:

Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One [in context, the Son of Man, Yeshua]; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey [it is only proper to serve and obey God] Him.’

Worship of Jesus when He was on earth, in Israel:

Matt 8:2:  A leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

John 9:38:  Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him.

It is axiomatic that you will be “put out” of the synagogue, mosque, Shinto temple, university faculty, your group of friends, almost everywhere, when you start to declare the truth of who Yeshua actual is.

Matt 28:9:  Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.

Angels worship Yeshua:

Hebrews 1:5-9:

For to which of the angels did He ever say,

“YOU ARE MY SON,
TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”?

 And again,

“I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM
AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME”?

 And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says,

“AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.”

 And of the angels He says,

“WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS,
AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE.”

 But of the Son He says,

“YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER,
AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.
“YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS;
THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU
WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.”

The capitalized words in the passage above to alert readers of old testament scriptures being quoted by the author of Hebrews.

Phil 2:5-11:

Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,  so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord [the term reserved for God in the Old Testament], to the glory of God the Father.

It is impossible to avoid seeing worship of Yeshua when reading the Bible.  How one responds to this reality is the real question—will we try to explain it away as either mistakes or misinterpretations?  Will we ignore it and go on with our lives?  The Bible says Jesus is the Son of God, worthy of worship—won’t you bow your knee to God and acknowledge His great salvation and love poured out for you?