Yahshua the Messiah is Not Almighty YHWH
Modern-day Christians believe that Yahshua, the Messiah pre-existed in some form or another. Some say he was Melchizedek, and some say he was “the captain of the host of YHWH” (Josh.5:14). Others believe he was the archangel Michael, and still, others claim he was the “angel of YHWH.” Perhaps the most erroneous view is that Yahshua was YHWH of the Old Covenant. I hope that all who read this will finally understand that YHWH is the One and Only Almighty Creator of the universe and all that is in it, including heaven and earth, and that Yahshua, the Messiah, is His Son, as it is written in Scripture.
For some reason, people feel they have to magnify the Savior into the position of the Almighty when, in fact, scripture makes it quite clear that the Father is greater and the “head of Messiah” (1 Cor.11:3). Consider Yahshua’s own words in Jn. 14:28, “…for my Father is greater than I.”; Jn.10:29, “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all…”; and Jn. 13:16, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant [Yahshua] is not greater than his lord [YHWH]; neither he that is sent [Yahshua] greater than he that sent him [YHWH].” These verses teach us Yahshua’s view of his relationship with his Father. Notice he didn’t claim to be the Father but instead made a clear distinction between the two.
Who is Yahshua’s Father?
Who does scripture say is the Father? Isa.63:16 says, “Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O YHWH, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.” YHWH is the Father. Yet, some might claim that this scripture says YHWH is the Father of Israel, not of Yahshua. In that case, we need to note two other verses. The first is Heb.1:5; “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?” Who said these things? All would agree that Yahshua’s Father said them since He refers to Yahshua as His Son. Heb.1:5 is a direct quote from Psa.2:7; “I will declare the decree: YHWH hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.” The first “I” here refers to Yahshua speaking through prophecy in which he declares that YHWH is his Father!
We also previously saw that Yahshua said, “My Father is greater than I.” In reality, he was also saying, “[YHWH] is greater than I,” thereby teaching us that he is not YHWH. Anyone who believes Yahshua is YHWH must also believe Yahshua is the Heavenly Father. That is even more absurd and difficult to prove in the light of scripture.
Who is the Elohim of Israel?
Who does scripture say is the Elohim (God) of Israel? Isa. 45:3 says, “And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, YHWH, which call thee by thy name, am the Elohim of Israel.” YHWH is the Elohim of Israel. Since we already learned that Yahshua is not YHWH, Yahshua cannot be the Elohim of Israel. This is confirmed in Acts 3:13, “The Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Elohim of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Yahshua;…” The Elohim of Jacob (Jacob being Israel) glorified His Son.
Since the scriptures reveal the Elohim of Israel and the Father are both called YHWH, some will go so far as to teach that there are two separate beings called YHWH in order to support their erroneous belief that Yahshua pre-existed as YHWH, Elohim of Israel. They use Gen.19:24 as proof of this; “Then YHWH rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from YHWH out of heaven;” At first glance, there appear to be two YHWH, one in heaven and one somewhere near Sodom and Gomorrah. This is merely a figure of speech peculiar to the Hebrew language, an idiom. Similar idioms are seen in Eze.11:24 (two Spirits), Zech.10:12 ( two YHWHs), Ex.24:1 (YHWH used as an idiom for “me”), Gen.17:23 (two Abrahams), and 1 Kgs.8:1 (two Solomons).
It is impossible to harmonize the two YHWH doctrine with verses that teach there is only one YHWH. Consider Nehemiah’s prayer; “Thou, even thou, art YHWH 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
Psa 83:18 says; “That men may know that thou, whose name alone is YHWH, art the most high over all the earth.”
Isa 45:6 says; “That they may know from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am YHWH, and there is none else.”
Zech 14:9 reads; “And YHWH shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one YHWH, and his name one.”
A second God cannot be named “YHWH.”
Isa.42:1 teaches us that Yahshua is YHWH’s servant. “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” And again in Isa.49:6, “And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.”
Psa.2:2 reads, “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against YHWH, and against his anointed.” His “anointed” is Yahshua, making a clear distinction between the two. Peter applied this prophecy to Yahshua in Acts 4:26; “The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against YHWH, and against His Messiah.” Peter never claimed that the Messiah pre-existed as YHWH. Psa.110:1 also distinguishes the two; “YHWH said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” In Mt.22:41-46, Yahshua reveals this “lord” to be himself, the Messiah. Is YHWH talking to His Son the Messiah, or is He speaking to Himself?
Psa.110 makes another interesting statement in verse 5. This is one of the verses in which the Sopherim removed YHWH’s name and replaced it with “Adonai.” The text would have read initially, “YHWH at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of His wrath.” It is then wrongly deduced that since Yahshua was invited to sit on YHWH’s right hand (Heb.1:13), he, Yahshua, must also be called “YHWH.” There is no doubt that YHWH invited Yahshua to sit at His right hand. But what does verse 5 mean? It must be understood in the same way Psa.16:8 and Psa.109:6 are to be understood. When someone is “at thy right hand,” it means their power and strength are derived from that source. David derived his power from YHWH, and so it is said that YHWH is “at my right hand.” A wicked person would derive his power from Satan, and so it is said, “Let Satan stand at his right hand.” When Yahshua comes to carry out YHWH’s wrath upon the wicked, YHWH will be his strength. See, also, Mic.5:4.
Who is the Prophet like unto Moses?
In Acts 3:22,23 Peter quotes Deut.18:15,19, proving that Yahshua is the “prophet like unto Moses.” Placing the name “Yahshua” in brackets clearly shows him not to be YHWH. “YHWH thy Elohim will raise up unto thee a Prophet [Yahshua] from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him [Yahshua] ye shall hearken… I [YHWH] will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my [YHWH’s] words in his [Yahshua’s] mouth; and he [Yahshua] shall speak unto them all that I [YHWH] shall command him [Yahshua]. . . . And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my [YHWH’s] words which he [Yahshua] shall speak in my [YHWH’s] name, I [YHWH] will require it of him.” Jn.12:49 is a direct fulfillment of Deut.18:18; “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.”
Let’s treat Isa.53:6, 10,12 similarly; “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and YHWH hath laid on him [Yahshua] the iniquity of us all. . . Yet it pleased YHWH to bruise him [Yahshua]; he [YHWH] hath put him [Yahshua] to grief: when thou [YHWH] shalt make his [Yahshua’s] soul an offering for sin, he [Yahshua] shall see his seed, he [Yahshua] shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of YHWH shall prosper in his [Yahshua’s] hand.”
Zech.12:10 is often misunderstood due to an apparent error in the text. It reads, “And I [YHWH] will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” The word “me” obviously does not harmonize with the pronouns “him” and “his” that follow. The same verse is quoted in Jn.19:37; “And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.” John gives us the correct understanding of this verse. Another possible error occurs in Acts 20:28; “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood (KJV).” The great majority of Greek MSS have Kurios (Lord) here instead of Theos (God). In that case, Lord would refer to Yahshua, whose blood was shed. Even if we were to accept the KJV rendering, it would have to be understood in the sense that parents often refer to their children as their “own flesh and blood.” In that sense, the blood of Yahshua was the “blood of [YHWH]’s own.”
YHWH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
Jer.23:6 is often used to prove Yahshua is YHWH. “In his [Yahshua’s] days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his [ Yahshua’s] name whereby he [Yahshua] shall be called, YHWH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” If this verse teaches that Yahshua is YHWH because he is called “YHWH Our Righteousness, then Jer.33:16 teaches that Jerusalem is also YHWH. It reads, “In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, YHWH our righteousness.” The translators did not use the same capitalization because they undoubtedly feared that it would suggest Jerusalem is YHWH.
A difficult passage to understand is found in Jn.12:37-41. A superficial reading leads one to believe that the “his” and “him” of verse 41 refer to Yahshua and tie in with verse 37. For the sake of clarity, these verses will be printed out with [brackets] designating the speaker. Jn.12:37,38, “But though he [Yahshua] had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him [Yahshua]: That the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he [Isaiah] spake, Lord, ‘who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of YHWH been revealed?’ (The underlined is a quote from Isa.53:1. The “arm of YHWH” is Isaiah’s reference to the Messiah). The passage continues with verses 39-41; “Therefore they could not believe, because that Isaiah said again, ‘He [YHWH] 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 [YHWH] should heal them.’ These things said Isaiah when he [Isaiah] saw his [YHWH’s] glory, and spake of him [YHWH].” Verse 40 (underlined) is a quote from Ias.6:10. John is quoting a second passage from Isaiah to show why they could not believe on Yahshua; because YHWH blinded them. Verse 41, therefore refers to Isa.6:10, not Isa.53:1. In Isa.6:1-3 YHWH is seen in all His glory. That is the glory referred to in verse 41. It was not Yahshua’s glory.
Since John the Baptist preceded Yahshua, Isa.40:3 and Mtt.3:3 are often used to prove YHWH is Yahshua. Isa.40:3 reads, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of YHWH, make straight in the desert a highway for our Elohim.” Of all the N.T. verses that quote Isaiah, Lu.3:4-6 aids our understanding because it includes Is.40:4 & 5. It says, “As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of YHWH, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; all flesh shall see the salvation of YHWH.” “Prepare ye the way of YHWH” does not mean, “Move out of the way because YHWH is coming.” And so when Yahshua comes, they believe he is YHWH. How was “the way” to be prepared? By filling valleys, leveling mountains, straightening paths, etc. This work is not to be understood literally but spiritually through the humbling of those in exalted positions and the restoration of truth. Who was to do that work? Jn. 4:34 says, “Yahshua saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish his work.” Almighty YHWH appointed His Son Yahshua to finish His work. Yahshua was YHWH’s instrument in the accomplishment of His great plan. Yahshua is the “Messenger of the Covenant,” “the servant of YHWH,” and “the salvation of YHWH.” Jn.14:6 calls Yahshua “the way.” He is “the way of YHWH;” the means through which YHWH will finish His work.
Two Creators
Gen.1:26 is often used to show Yahshua’s hand in Creation. It reads, “And Elohim said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” They say the Father is talking to the Son in this verse based on the pronouns used. Notice, however, that verse 27 says, “So Elohim created man in his own image, . . .” Why isn’t the phrase “in their own image” used? Again, in Gen.11:7,8, “us” is used and yet YHWH alone scattered them abroad. According to Job 38:4-7, “the sons of Elohim shouted for joy” when YHWH created the earth. This doubtless refers to the angels who were also present at the creation of man. YHWH could be speaking to them, in Gen.1:26, using the plural of majesty. An example of this is found in Ezr. 4:18; “The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.” In this case, a letter was written strictly to King Artaxerxes and no one else (vs. 11). Yet the King speaks as though it was written to others as well. Another example would be the Queen of England saying, “We, the Queen of England, . . .” It can also be understood in the sense of someone saying, “Let us drive to the lake for a picnic,” and yet, only the speaker does the driving. To believe YHWH is talking to Yahshua is an assumption. It is reading into the text something that it does not say (but not to worry, this addressing oneself in the third person is becoming fashionable again, and after it catches on, this text will be understood again).
If we do not try to force the scripture to conform to our own doctrines, they are so simple to understand. Instead, men try to support “Holy Trinities,” “Incarnations,” “Transubstantiations,” and the like.
The Bible does not use terms like “Father” and “Son” to try and trick us. They are used to express a relationship that we can relate to. If Yahshua is Father YHWH, the scriptures would state it in plain language. Instead, it says that Yahshua is the Son of Father YHWH.
An article in “Israel Today” tried to explain this relationship by saying YHWH manifested himself in the fleshly form of Yahshua. The author calls this the incarnation. This same author rightfully puts down the trinity because the word is not found in the Bible, and yet, he exalts another unscriptural term, “incarnation.” Perhaps he was misled by the erroneous translation of 1 Tim.3:16 in the KJV. It says, “God was manifest in the flesh.” A footnote in the Emphatic Diaglott reads, “Nearly all ancient MSS., and all the versions have “He who,” instead of “God,” in this passage.” Even if the incarnation theory was true, would YHWH continue to manifest himself as Yahshua even after the Millennium? 1 Cor.15:24-28 and Rev.22:1 show both as separate beings after the Millennium. The truth is they are not parts of one being but two separate and distinct beings. That is why Yahshua could say what he did in Jn.8:17,18, “It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bears witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.” YHWH and Yahshua are two separate beings, not two manifestations of one being.
When the scriptures are accepted at face value, without reading into the text more than it says, the relationship between the two becomes quite clear. In spite of this, many people are not satisfied with Yahshua’s rank in the hierarchy of heaven. They feel a need to exalt him into the number one position, that of YHWH El Shaddai, and they will twist scripture in a variety of ways to accomplish this.
YHWH is One
Concerning the “Shema” (Deut.6:4), it reads, “Hear, O Israel: YHWH our Mighty One is one YHWH:” or “YHWH is one.” It is believed by many that the word “Echad,” translated as “one,” means “a united one” or a “compound unity,” not a singularity. The scriptures prove this belief to be false. Note Num.7:13-82 where “Echad” is translated as “one” 84 times, and each time it means one as in the number one, singularity. Consider also Gen.2:1 – one rib and Dan.9:27 – one week. Historic Judaism does not give Echad the meaning of unity or plurality as is seen in the Encyclopedia Judaica, Vol. 14, p.1373: “Perhaps from earliest times, but certainly, from later, the word Echad (one) was also understood to mean unique. God is not only one and not many, but He is totally other than what paganism means by gods.” Note also The Jewish Commentary, Soncino Edition, p.770: “He is one because there is no other Elohim than He, but He is also one because He is wholly unlike anything else in existence. He is, therefore, not only one but the Sole and Unique Elohim.”
Perhaps the most conclusive evidence that the word Echad has the meaning of alone or unique comes to us from the Messiah himself in Mk.12:28-34. When asked which commandment was the most important, Yahshua quoted the Shema. In response to his answer, the teacher replied, “You are right in saying that YHWH is one, and there is no other but Him.” Although Yahshua did not specifically say, “there is no other but Him,” the teacher understood that meaning to be implied in the word Echad or one. Yahshua acknowledged that the teacher answered wisely, confirming the teacher’s correct understanding of the meaning of the Shema.
Echad was indeed used in verses such as Ge.2:24 and Ge.41:25. There, we see two people becoming one flesh and two dreams having one meaning. The key here is that two become one. In the Shema, we only see one individual, YHWH, proclaimed to be one! It doesn’t say, “And the two YHWH became one.” In the two verses in Genesis, we don’t see one becoming two. But that is what people are trying to do with the Shema. They say one means two, and therefore, there must be two YHWH.
Yahshua said, “I and my Father are one.” (Jn.10:30). Does that mean they are the same being? Yahshua said something similar in Jn.17:22, “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:” Here again, Yahshua says he and the Father are one. But he also prays that his followers will be one in the same sense that he and YHWH are one. That is a oneness of mind, purpose, and will, not a oneness of being. And it certainly does not mean there are two YHWH.
Elohim – Plural or singular?
The word “Elohim,” translated means “God,” is also often attacked. It is believed that it denotes a plurality or a god consisting of more than one being or more than one manifestation of a being. This belief, too, is a false concept based on the philosophy of men. Elohim is used in the Bible in a plural sense when it refers to several deities and in a singular sense when it refers to a singular deity. Its plural sense can be seen in Ex.12:12, “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods (elohim) of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am YHWH.” Its singular sense can be seen in 1 Sam.5:7, “. . . and upon Dagon our god (elohim)” and 2 Kgs.1:2, “. . . Go, enquire of Baal-zebub the god (elohim) of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.” Are we to believe that Dagon and Baal-zebub are also plural beings who can “incarnate” themselves as YHWH “supposedly” did?
The word “God” (elohim) is properly applied to Yahshua in Heb.1:9 and Jn.20:28. Both words are from the Greek word “Theos” which was also used in reference to Satan (2 Cor.4:4) and Herod (Acts 12:22). It has the same meaning as the Hebrew word “elohim” and can be applied to men, angels, and the Almighty. Ps.82:6 applies it to any child of the Most High; “I have said, Ye are gods [elohim], and all of you are children of the most High.” It simply means “a mighty one among his people.” It is not wrong to call Yahshua an elohim or a god. The problem lies in believing he is the one true “God,” YHWH Almighty, YHWH El Shaddai. Yahshua made it clear that he was not, in Jn.17:3; “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee [YHWH] the only true Elohim, and Yahshua Messiah, whom thou hast sent.” The Apostle Paul declared the same thing in 1 Cor.8:6; “But to us, there is but one Elohim, the Father [YHWH], of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Master Yahshua Messiah, by whom are all things, and we by him.”
Oneness proponents wrongly interpret 1 Jn.5:20 to mean that Yahshua is the one true “God.” It reads, “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (KJV). When it says, “his Son Jesus Christ,” it means YHWH’s Son. That being the case, the previous use of the pronoun “him” in the two phrases “him that is true” must also refer to YHWH. The “his” and “him” refer to the same person. To say that “This is the true God” refers to the Son is grammatically incorrect.
Not only is YHWH the one true Elohim, but He is also Yahshua’s Elohim. If Yahshua is an elohim or god and he himself has a god, then surely his god must be a greater god. This is what scripture teaches in Mt.27:46; Jn.17:3; 20:17; Eph.1:17; Heb. 1:9; and Rev.3:12. Rev.3:12, “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my Elohim, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my Elohim [YHWH], and the name of the city of my Elohim, New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my Elohim: and I will write upon him my new name.” Yahshua is saying this after he ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of YHWH (Heb 8:1). If he was the YHWH Almighty of the Old Covenant, who is his Elohim and who is he sitting next to? Two scriptures answer that question. The first is Ps.110:1; “YHWH said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” The second is Mic.5:4; “And he [Yahshua] shall stand and feed in the strength of YHWH, in the majesty of the name of YHWH his Elohim; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.”
The Image of YHWH
What about Jn.14:9? “Yahshua saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” Is Yahshua declaring that he is YHWH the Father? Of course not! Yahshua makes a statement that he is in the image of the Father (like father, like son). Heb.1:3 and Col.1:15 both state that Yahshua is the “image” of YHWH. An image is something that resembles something else. Yahshua resembles YHWH in that their characters are almost identical. “Not that any man has seen the Father” (Jn. 6:46) bodily, but we have seen His character through His Son.
Man (specifically Adam) was made in the “image of Elohim” (Gen 1:26,27; 5:3; 9:6). Messiah Yahshua is also in the “image of Elohim” (2 Co 4:4; Col 1:15). “Elohim” in these verses, when understood in the context of pure monotheism, is a reference to YHWH the Creator. Adam’s inner man resembled Elohim, but he himself is not Elohim. Yahshua’s inner man resembles YHWH, but he himself is not Elohim.
Col 3:10 tells us that after a person’s conversion after he has put on the new man, he is “renewed in knowledge after the image of Him [YHWH] that created him.” Rom 8:29, 30 echoes this in that those that have been justified (through conversion unto Messiah) have been predestined to be “conformed to the image of His [YHWH’s] Son.” Since the Son is in the image of Elohim, to be conformed to the image of the Son is to be conformed to the image of Elohim or YHWH the Creator. 2 Co 3:18 says that we “are changed into the same image” as the Master. This also happens upon conversion.
From this info, I deduce the following; Adam was made in the image of YHWH. Upon his fall, that image was lost. It can only be restored through conversion unto the Master Yahshua. Yahshua, being sinless, never lost the image of YHWH. The image of YHWH has nothing to do with the physical appearance as far as the above references are concerned. It has to do with the inner man.
Look at Psa 73:20. YHWH despises the image of the wicked. Why? Because they have put off YHWH’s image through sin and have created their own new image. The same is true of all men, for all have sinned. We all have fallen away from the image of YHWH and need to have that image restored through the indwelling Spirit of the Messiah.
When YHWH looks upon a believer, He sees the righteousness of His Son clothing us. He also sees the image of His Son clothing us. Our physical appearance has not changed, but our inner man has.
Yahshua is from everlasting? What about Mic.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.” This is undoubtedly a Messianic prophecy. The question is, what does “goings forth” mean? Does it mean Yahshua has existed as long as YHWH? Some say yes, thereby giving more weight to their argument that Yahshua is YHWH. According to Strong’s Concordance, “Goings forth” comes from one Hebrew word, “mowtsaah”. It means, “a family descent.” Since YHWH is Yahshua’s Father, Yahshua’s family descent would go back as far as YHWH’s existence. Since YHWH has always existed, Yahshua’s family descent or goings forth must be from everlasting. The New English Bible, the Phillips translation, and Todays English Bible render it similarly. Yahshua himself is not from everlasting. His family descent, or his family tree, is.
Some believe that Yahshua was not only YHWH but Melchi-zedek as well. They cite Heb.7:4 to prove this. In Gen.14:18 we read that Melchi-zedek, king of Salem, “was the priest of the most high God.” The “most high God” is shown to be YHWH three verses later; “…I have lift up mine hand unto YHWH, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth.” Therefore, Melchi-zedek is the priest of YHWH, not YHWH Himself. If Yahshua is Melchi-zedek, he cannot be YHWH. If Yahshua is YHWH, he cannot be Melchi-zedek. The fact is, Yahshua is neither one of these beings. He is YHWH’s Son, and YHWH made him a priest “after the order of Melchi-zedek” (Psa.110:4, Heb. 7:21).
Receiving Worship and Forgiving Sins
Many people believe that only Almighty YHWH can forgive sins and receive worship. Since Yahshua did both, they believe he must be the Almighty. Yahshua indeed is worthy of our worship and honor, but only as YHWH’s representative, not as YHWH Himself. YHWH commanded even the angels of heaven to worship Yahshua (Heb.1:6). Rev.5:12,13 show both YHWH and the Lamb [Yahshua] receiving worship. Eventually, those believers comprising the Philadelphia assembly will receive worship as well (Rev. 3:9). The worship they receive, however, is not directed at them as though they were YHWH.
A study of the Hebrew and Greek words that were translated as “worship” will show that the Almighty is not always the recipient. Of the 170 occurrences, only about half refer to the worship of YHWH. This is hidden from the reader of scripture because half of those occurrences were translated ‘to bow, bow down, do reverence, do obeisance,’ as can be seen in the following verses: Gen.18:2; 19:1: 23:7,12; 27:29; 1 Sam.24:8; 25:23,41; 2 Sam.9:6; 14:4,22.
Yahshua said to a man with palsy, “thy sins be forgiven thee” (Mt.9:2). The account continues, “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house. But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled, and glorified YHWH, which had given such power unto men.” Were they correct? Had YHWH given Yahshua the power to forgive sins? Yahshua said, “I can of my own self do nothing,” “I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things,” “the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works” (Jn.5:30a; 8:28b; 14:10b). YHWH gave Yahshua the authority to forgive sins, judge men, heal the sick, raise the dead, etc. He is YHWH’s Representative with the power to act in His name. The word “power” in Mat.9:2 is from the same Greek word that was translated “authority” in Jn.5:27 and throughout the New Covenant. This same power was given to the Angel of YHWH in Ex.23:20-21, “Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.”
While we are on the subject of sin, many believe Yahshua was the one true “God” because “only the death of God could atone for man’s sins. The death of a man wouldn’t suffice.” This is another example of the philosophy of men contrary to scripture. Heb.9:22 says, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission (of sins).” One requirement was to shed blood. The other requirement was that the sacrifice had to be “without blemish,” which, regarding Messiah, meant sinless. YHWH Almighty did not have to die. Only the blood of a sinless man was required. Yahshua was that only sinless man (1 Jn.3:5).
The Attributes of YHWH
The terms “omniscient” (all-knowing) and “omnipotent” (all-powerful) are often applied to Yahshua to prove he is the Almighty. In Jn.5:30, Yahshua said, “I can of mine own self do nothing” therefore, he cannot be omnipotent as YHWH is. Mat. 24:36 proves Yahshua is not omniscient; “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but my Father.” In order to explain such verses, “Oneness,” proponents must turn Yahshua into the “God-Man.” This unscriptural idea claims that Yahshua’s divine half is omniscient and omnipotent but that he suppressed his powers during his life in the flesh. Nowhere in scripture is the Messiah called a God-Man or shown to have two such natures at the same time. He is repeatedly referred to as a man in such verses as 1 Tim.2:5. When he is called “God,” it is in the sense of a mighty one among his people, as was shown earlier. This is not to say that Yahshua was a mere man. Scripture is clear that Yahshua’s birth was a miracle in that he was not made from the seed or sperm of a man. He is YHWH’s only begotten Son, the only being ever to be “Fathered” by YHWH.
Titles in Common
Should we refer to Yahshua as the Almighty, a title only applied to YHWH? Nowhere in scripture is this ever the case. One scripture that seemingly supports such an application is Rev. 1:8; “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.” (KJV). *The Greek has “kurios o theos” (“the Lord the God” or “[YHWH] Elohim”). The phrase “Lord God” is never used of Yahshua in the New Covenant. Aside from that, John gives a greeting starting in verse four and ending in verse seven. Verse four is a greeting from the Father “which is, and which was, and which is to come.” Verse five is a greeting from Yahshua, the Messiah. Verse eight is spoken by the Father which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Scripture makes a clear distinction between the Almighty and Yahshua in Rev.21:22; “And I saw no temple therein: for [YHWH] Elohim Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” Yahshua is not YHWH Almighty.
This misapplication of titles is often the cause of making these two beings into one. For example, Acts 3:14 reads, “But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;” Here the title “Holy One” is applied to Yahshua the Messiah. In Isa.43:3, it says, “For I am YHWH thy Elohim, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour:. . . ” Here, the title “Holy One” is applied to YHWH. Without further study, one would conclude these two references are to the same person. However, we are not to study scripture superficially. In what way is Yahshua the Holy One? The answer is found in Mk.1:24; “Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Yahshua of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of YHWH.” YHWH is the Holy One of Israel and Yahshua is the Holy One of YHWH, not of Israel. Psa.16:10 confirms this understanding; “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” This is a Messianic prophecy. “My soul” refers to Yahshua’s soul and “thine Holy One” refers to YHWH’s Holy One. Scripture reveals two Holy ones that are separate beings.
Another shared title is “Savior.” Isa.43:11 says, “I, even I, am YHWH; and beside me there is no savior.” That seems quite clear. Since YHWH is the only Savior and Yahshua is called our Savior, the two must be one and the same being. This is true only in the minds of men who do not study deeply. Isa.19:20b reads, “for they shall cry unto YHWH because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a savior, and a great one and he shall deliver them.” It was prophesied that YHWH would send someone other than Himself to be a savior to Egypt. YHWH is the one true Savior who works through Yahshua, the Messiah, His appointed Savior.
A few other shared titles, all basically equal in meaning, are “Alpha and Omega,” “the first and the last,” and “the beginning and the end.” Each of these titles is applied to both YHWH and Yahshua (Is.41:4;44:6;48:12; Rev.1:8,17;2:8;22:13) and have the meaning of uniqueness. Each is the first and last of his peculiar, unique kind. YHWH is unique in that He is the only being that was not created, and Yahshua is unique in that he is the only being ever to be directly begotten by YHWH the Father (Jn.1:14). (Adam was created, all others were begotten by men). Titles that YHWH and Yahshua have in common do not supply a firm foundation for a “Oneness” doctrine. If that were true, Cyrus, the king of Persia, would have been the pre-existent Yahshua since both are called “Messiah.” In Isa.45:1, it reads, “Thus saith YHWH to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him;” The Hebrew for “anointed” is the same word that was translated as “Messiah” in Dan. 9:25,26 and “anointed” in Psa.2:2.
The scriptures tell us Yahshua would also be called Emmanuel, meaning “God with us,” or more correctly, “El with us.” As a result, people teach that Yahshua is “God.” This name is to be understood in the light of Acts 10:38; “How [YHWH] anointed Yahshua of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for [YHWH] (El) was with him.” Not that Yahshua was El, but that El was with and in Yahshua. If you choose to use the logic of those in error, then consider the name Jehu. In Hebrew, this name means “He is Yah” or “Yah is He.” Does that mean the man Jehu is, in reality, YHWH?
Isa.9:6 reads, “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.” Is this prophecy declaring Yahshua the Messiah to be the Heavenly Father? There are at least 27 names in the Bible with the same Hebrew construction as in this verse. Each one means the “father of (something).” For example, Abishua means “father of plenty.” Instead of translating the phrase in Isa.9:6 as “Father of eternity,” the KJV reversed the sequence making the true meaning harder to discern. Several newer versions correct this mistake, such as The Emphasized Bible, The Bible in Basic English, The New American Bible, The Holy Bible; A Translation From the Latin Vulgate in the Light of the Hebrew and Greek Originals, and The New English Bible, just to name a few. Yahshua is the Father of Eternity because eternal life comes to us through him. And so it is written in Heb.5:9, “And being made perfect, he became the author (or father) of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;.”
One last title that confuses people is “Rock.” 1 Cor.10:4 says, “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Messiah.” Since YHWH is called a “Rock” in several Old Covenant verses, the two beings are made into one. This verse must be understood with Ex.17:6 in mind; “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.” 1 Cor. 10:4 is figuratively making reference to Ex.17:6, which is a shadow of Messiah. To “smite the rock” is to kill the Messiah. The rock could not yield water until it was smitten. Similarly, the Messiah Yahshua could not give forth “rivers of living water” until he was put to death and then resurrected unto eternal life (glorified). Jn.7:39 shows this “living water” to be the Holy Spirit. Yahshua was not physically present with them in the wilderness. Spiritually speaking he was. That is why the verse says “spiritual drink” and “spiritual Rock.” Even if one were to believe Yahshua physically followed Israel, that would not prove he was YHWH since YHWH was not personally leading or following Israel in the wilderness. Scriptures reveal that the Angel of YHWH, YHWH’s representative, followed them (Ex.14:19).
I AM
“Before Abraham was, I am.” These words, spoken by our Savior in Jn.8:58, have led to much controversy and confusion. Some use this verse to prove the Messiah’s pre-existence. Others use it to prove the trinity doctrine. And then there are those who use it to prove Yahshua is the great “I AM” of Ex.3:14.
The phrase “I am” is “ego eimi” in Greek. Since the Greek New Covenant records Yahshua using “ego eimi” many times, Christian theologians term these sayings, “The I Am’s of Jesus.” It is believed that each of these occurrences implies Yahshua’s identity as the “I AM” of Ex.3:14. Can this be true? Can our Savior, the Son of YHWH, actually be the “I AM”?
Ex.3:14-15 reads, “And Elohim said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said; Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And Elohim said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, YHWH, Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” Therefore, the “I AM” is identified as “YHWH.”
And what does YHWH say in Psa.2:7? “I will declare the decree: YHWH hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.” YHWH is the Father of Yahshua. Yahshua is the Son of YHWH. Yahshua is not YHWH, and the Son is not the Father. Therefore, Yahshua (the Son of YHWH) cannot be the I AM (YHWH). That alone should be sufficient to discredit the belief that Yahshua was claiming to be the “I AM.” But let’s look into the matter a little farther.
In the Greek Septuagint (LXX), Ex 3:14 reads,
In Septuagint English, it reads, “And God spoke to Moses, saying, I am THE BEING; and he said, Thus shall ye say to the children of Israel, THE BEING has sent me to you.”
In KJV English, it reads, “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”
In Jn 8:58, “I am” is in Greek. As you can see, Ex 3:14 is just the prelude to what the Almighty really wanted the Israelites to know, that is, that “He was” or “the Being” or “the Existing One.”
If Yahshua truly wanted to tell the Jews he was the great “I am” of Ex 3:14, he would have said, “Before Abraham was I am the Being” or “I am the Existing One.”
It is believed that Jn.8:59 further supports the position that Yahshua is the “I AM.” Why else would the Jews try to stone him? He obviously blasphemed in the eyes of the Jews, a stoneable offense. Or did he? Is the mere utterance of “ego eimi” blasphemy? Does the use of “ego eimi” automatically identify the speaker as YHWH, the I AM?
Several individuals aside from Yahshua used “ego eimi” as well. In Lu.1:19, the angel Gabriel said, “Ego eimi Gabriel.” In Jn.9:9, the blind man whose sight was restored by Yahshua said, “Ego eimi.” In Acts 10:21, Peter said, “Behold, ego eimi (I am) he whom ye seek.” Obviously, the mere use of “ego eimi” does not equate one to the “I Am” of Ex.3:14. But perhaps the Savior’s use of it was somehow different. After all, he came down from heaven.
If, in fact, Yahshua spoke Greek to the Jews (which I doubt), he used the phrase “ego eimi” at least twenty times, and yet, in only one instance did the Jews seek to stone him (Jn.8:58). Yahshua said, “I am the bread of life” to a large crowd, in Jn.6:35 & 48, yet no one opposed him. In verse 41, the Jews murmured because he said, “I am (ego eimi) the bread which came down from heaven.” But in verse 42, the Jews questioned only the phrase, “I came down from heaven,” and ignored “ego eimi.” The same is true of verses 51 & 52.
In Jn.8:12, 18, 24, & 28, Yahshua used “ego eimi” with Pharisees present (vs.13), and yet, no stoning. He, again, used it four times in Jn.10:7, 9, 11, & 14 with no stoning. Yahshua said to his disciples, “…that…ye may believe that I am (ego eimi)” in Jn.13:19 without them batting an eye.
An interesting account occurred in Jn.18 when the Jews came to arrest Yahshua in the Garden of Gethsemane. When the chief priests and Pharisees said they were seeking Yahshua of Nazareth, Yahshua said to them, “Ego eimi.” At that they fell backward to the ground. It is not made clear why they fell to the ground, but what followed will make it clear that Yahshua was not claiming to be the “I AM.”
After Yahshua’s arrest, the Jews took him to Annas first (vs.13). Then they took him to Caiaphas (vs.24) and eventually to Pilate (vss.28,29). A parallel account is found in Mat.26:57-68. Notice, in particular, verse 59. The same men that had fallen backward to the ground were in attendance when the council sought false witnesses against Yahshua to put him to death. Verse 60 says they couldn’t find any. Eventually, two came forward. Interestingly, they didn’t bear false witness about what Yahshua said in Jn.8:58, but about his reference to destroying the temple and building it again in three days. Where were all those witnesses from Jn.8:58?
The point about Mat.26 is, why would false witnesses be sought if they had true witnesses in attendance? The arresting officers heard Yahshua say, “Ego eimi.” They could have stoned him right there in the garden for blasphemy, but they didn’t. They could have reported the supposed blasphemy to the council, but they didn’t. Why not? Because it wasn’t blasphemy, nor was it a stoneable offense. He was merely identifying himself as Yahshua of Nazareth.
This brings us back to Jn.8:58. Why did the Jews seek to stone him on that occasion? The context of Jn.8 shows that Yahshua;
1) accused the Jews of “judging after the flesh” (vs.15).
2) said they would die in their sins (vss.21,24).
3) implied they were in bondage (vss.32,33).
4) said they were servants of sin (vs.34).
5) said they were out to kill him (vss. 37,40).
6) implied they were spiritually deaf (vs.43,47).
7) said their father was the devil (vs.44).
8) said they were not of Elohim (vs.47).
9) accused them of dishonoring him (vs.49).
10) accused them of not knowing YHWH (vs.55).
11) accused them of lying (vs.55).
Aside from that, the Jews misunderstood Yahshua’s words leading them to believe;
1) that he accused them of being born of fornication (vs.41).
2) Yahshua had a devil (vs.52).
3) that he was exalting himself above Abraham (vs.53).
4) that he saw Abraham (vs.56).
Yahshua’s words in verse 58 were the culmination of an encounter that was so offensive to the Jews that they couldn’t restrain themselves anymore. They simply couldn’t take it anymore, so they sought to stone him, not because of two simple words, “ego eimi,” but because he was making himself out to be greater than their beloved father, Abraham. They sought to stone him illegally.
So what does Jn.8:58 really mean? Although I do not believe we can be certain what Yahshua meant due to a variety of reasons, I offer the following explanation.
Let’s look at the context of Yahshua’s statement. It begins in verse 51 with the thought of eternal life; “If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.” The Jews thought since Abraham and the prophets were dead, Yahshua must have a devil. The context is eternal life. Then in verse 56 Yahshua says Abraham “rejoiced to see my day.” He did not say he saw Abraham as the Jews misunderstood. How did Abraham see Yahshua’s day? Heb.11:13 says, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” He saw Yahshua’s day by faith.
Yahshua then resumed the context of his initial conversation by saying, “Before Abraham was, I am.” “Was” is from the Greek “ginomai” meaning, “to come into being, … to arise.” What Yahshua actually meant was, “Before Abraham comes into being (at his resurrection unto eternal life), I will.” Confirmation of this understanding comes to us from Figures of Speech Used in the Bible by E.W. Bullinger, pgs. 521,522. Under the heading “Heterosis (Of Tenses),” subheading “The Present for the Future,” he writes, “This is put when the design is to show that some thing will certainly come to pass, and is spoken of as though it were already present.” He then lists some examples such as Mat.3:10, “therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is [shall be] hewn down;” and Mak.9:31, “For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is [shall be] delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that, he is killed, he shall rise the third day.” Included among this list of examples of Heterosis is Jn.8:58. In other words, although properly written, “Before Abraham comes to be, I am,” with “I am” in the simple present tense, the meaning points to the future, “Before Abraham comes to be, I will.”
Yahshua was telling them that Abraham will be one of those people who will be granted eternal life, but before that takes place, Yahshua will receive that same eternal life. This statement of fact must be since Yahshua is to have preeminence in all things. He must be the firstborn from the dead, the first to receive eternal life.
Some people believe this verse should be translated as “Before Abraham existed, I existed.” However, neither Greek verb is in the perfect tense (past tense). “Was” is in the aorist tense, and “am” is in the present tense. Let’s look a little closer at “was.” Concerning the aorist tense, a Manual Grammar of the Greek New Covenant by Dana and Mantey says, “It has time relations only in the indicative, where it is past and hence augmented.” The verb ginomai (was) is in the infinitive, not the indicative. Therefore, it should not be translated in the past tense. This same reference says of the infinitive, “The aorist infinitive denotes that which is eventual or particular….” Abraham will eventually resurrect, which is why the Greek used the aorist infinitive. The meaning is “Before Abraham comes to be,” not “Before Abraham was (or existed).”
Yahshua was not declaring that he is the great “I AM” of Ex.3:14. Yahshua was not declaring himself to be YHWH. And Yahshua was not declaring his pre-existence. He is the Son of YHWH and the Son of the great “I Am.”
The Word was God?
In Jn.1:1-3 we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (KJV). As mentioned previously, it is not wrong to address Yahshua as god or elohim as long as we don’t address him as the “one true Elohim.” According to the common understanding of verse 1, there are two beings, the Word and God, Yahshua and YHWH. Therefore, the phrase “the Word was God” would lead one to believe that Yahshua (the Word) was YHWH (God). However, if we know that YHWH called Yahshua “God” or “elohim” in Heb.1:9 and Psa.45:7, there is no problem with the phrase “the Word was God.” Yahshua is obviously an elohim in Hebrew or a god in English. This, of course, is based on the common understanding of the “Word” being Yahshua. That, however, is not what John intended when he wrote these verses.
Nor did John intend to teach us that the Son preexisted “with” God from the very beginning of creation. Deu 32:39 says, “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.” YHWH, the Father is speaking here. He is saying there is no other “elohim” or no other God with Him. John 1:1 says, ” . . .and the Word was WITH God, and the Word WAS God.” If the “Word” is the Son and the Son was WITH God and WAS God, how does that harmonize with the above verse? In Deu 32:39, since YHWH was speaking, then there was no other God with Him, not even the Son.
Since Yahshua is called “The Word of God” in Rev.19:13, the translators of the KJV assumed the “Word” of Jn.1:1 was also Yahshua and, therefore, capitalized the word “word” and used the pronoun “him” in reference to the “word.” The Greek for “Word” is “logos.” It appears in the text written with a small letter l. Logos means “the spoken word” or “something said (including the thought).” In that sense the word is an “it,” not a person but a thing. The great English translator William Tyndale renders it that way in his 1525 version, as does the Matthew’s Bible of 1537, the Great Bible of 1539, the Geneva Bible of 1560, and the Bishop’s Bible of 1568. Verse 3 should read, “All things were made through it; and without it was not anything made that was made.” In other words, YHWH spoke creation into existence. This understanding agrees perfectly with passages such as Gen.1:3,6,9,11,14, 20, and 24, all of which begin, “And Elohim said.” YHWH spoke and it was done. Ps.33:6,9 says, “By the word of YHWH were the heavens made; and all the host by the breath of his mouth. . . For He spoke and it was; He commanded, and it stood fast.” Not only did YHWH speak creation into existence, but He also spoke His Son Yahshua into existence; “And the word (YHWH’s spoken word) was made flesh” (Jn.1:14). Yahshua did not become the “Word of [YHWH]” until his birth as a flesh and blood male child. How, then, should we translate verse 1? “In the beginning was the word; and the word was with [YHWH], and the word was [YHWH]’s” is one suggestion. The Greek word translated “God” is “theos.” The Greek does not have a different word to show possession. Therefore, theos can be translated “YHWH” or “YHWH’s.” The possessive form makes this verse so clear and in harmony with the phrase “the word was with YHWH.”
Who is the Creator?
Getting back to the issue of creation, many believe Yahshua created all things. A thorough study of the Old Covenant scriptures shows YHWH to be the Creator and that He acted alone to accomplish this. Note Isa.44:24; “Thus saith YHWH, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am YHWH that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;” Where is Yahshua in this verse? It has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Yahshua is not YHWH. Therefore, Yahshua did not have a hand in creation. This is confirmed in Job 9:8; “Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.” Consider also Prov.30:4; “Who hath ascended up into heaven? who hath gathered the wind in His fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His son’s name, if thou canst tell?” This verse teaches us that the Creator, whoever He is, has a Son. Does Yahshua have a son? No! Father YHWH is the Creator, and He has a Son who is not given credit for creation in this verse.
There are several New Covenant scriptures used to prove he did create all things. They are Jn 1:3, which we already looked at; Jn.1:10; 1 Cor.8:6; Eph.3:9; Col.1:16; and Heb.1:2. All these verses use the same basic phrase, “by him” or “by Yahshua Messiah.” The phrase “by Yahshua Messiah” in Eph.3:9 is not found in many Greek MSS. Here is Adam Clarke’s commentary on the phrase “by Jesus Christ”: “But the words δια Ιησου Χριστου, by Jesus Christ, are wanting in ABCD*FG, and several others; also in the Syriac, Arabic of Erpen, Coptic, Ethiopic, Vulgate, and Itala; as also in several of the fathers. Griesbach has thrown the words out of the text; and Professor White says, “certissime delenda,” they are indisputably spurious. The text, therefore, should be read: which from the beginning of the world had been hidden in God who created all things.” Without the added words this verse teaches us that YHWH is the Creator. The remaining four verses imply that Yahshua is the Creator. Thus far, it has been conclusively proven that Yahshua is not YHWH. Since the scriptures emphatically state over 100 times that YHWH is the Creator (Ex.20:11) and that He acted alone (Isa.44:24), should we discard that wealth of evidence and accept Yahshua as the Creator without question? A careful examination of the Greek of those four verses will yield a different picture.
The Greek word for “by” is “di.” It can be translated “by,” “through,” “on account of,” “for,” etc., based on the context or message of the sentence. These four verses in question will not allow the translation “by” because it does not agree or harmonize with over 100 other verses stating that YHWH is the Creator. An example of the importance of context is Mk.2:27; “And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.” Both words “for” in this verse are from the Greek word “dia.” It would be incorrect to translate “dia” as “by” in this verse: The Sabbath was made by man. If you will notice the Greek of Jn.1:10 you will see it is the exact same construction as Mk.2:27, yet one verse says “for,” and the other says “by.” Also, in the case of Heb 1:2, it is revealed that Yahshua is the heir of all things that have been created by YHWH. He is not the Creator Himself.
1 Pet.1:20 says, “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.” Before creation, Yahshua existed in the foreordained plans of YHWH. He was “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev.13:8). Even before creation, YHWH knew that Yahshua had to be slain. Even before creation, YHWH knew that He would create all things through and for His Son. And so it is written and correctly translated in Col.1:16, “For in him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created through him, and for him:” Without Yahshua in YHWH’s plan, creation would never have occurred. The remaining three scriptures using “by” should be translated similarly.
One other Scripture often used to prove Yahshua’s hand in creation is Heb.1:10-12. These verses are indeed very difficult to understand. It appears as though the writer of Hebrews is including verses 10-12 as additional statements that YHWH has made to His Son. The use of “And” in verse 10 and “but” in verse 13 suggest this. But if we look a little deeper we will find several discrepancies. Verses 10-12 are direct quotes from Psa.102:25-27. They are not quoted from the Hebrew Text, however, but from the Septuagint (LXX). The Hebrew Text does not have “Lord” in it. Therefore, to say that “Lord” in Heb.1:10 proves that Yahshua is YHWH is unscriptural. The LXX has “Kurie” in Psa.102:25, but that is an addition since it is not found in the Hebrew Text. The LXX also omits “O my el” in verse 24.
In reading the Hebrew of Psa.102, it is clear the subject is YHWH. They are the words of an afflicted man as he cries out to YHWH. They are not the words of YHWH as He speaks to His Son.
Notice each of the other Old Covenant quotes in Hebrew 1;
Psa.2:7 – “…Thou art my Son; this day I (YHWH) have begotten thee.”
2 Sam.7:14 – “I (YHWH) will be to him a Father…”
Deut.32:43 (LXX) – “And let all the angels of God (YHWH) worship him.”
Psa.45:6,7 – “Thy throne O elohim…therefore elohim, thy Elohim (YHWH) hath anointed thee.”
Psa.110:1 – “Sit on my right hand, until I (YHWH) make thine enemies thy footstool.”
In each of these quotes, it can be seen that either YHWH is talking to His Son or about His Son. Yet, in Psa.102:25-27 it is the Psalmist talking to YHWH. Therefore, to include Heb.1:10-12 among those things that YHWH said to or about His Son is incorrect.
The writer of Hebrews had written verses 1-9 to show how YHWH exalted His Son, even above the angels. It appears as though the writer was then moved to exalt YHWH as well by including verses 10-12 as a parenthesis. He then resumes by showing Yahshua’s exaltation in verse 13, which is a continuation of verse 9. There is an abundance of Scriptures proving that Yahshua is not YHWH. To make that assumption here is to reject the weightier evidence.
Know the Scriptures
There has been a very sharp attack centered on using Old Covenant quotes found in the New Covenant that are applied to both YHWH and Yahshua to prove the two are one and the same. It is important to fully understand these verses correctly.
The first is found in Rom.14:10,11. It reads, “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God” (KJV). Paul was quoting Isa.45:23 in which the speaker is YHWH. So when verse 23 says, “That unto me,” “me” refers to YHWH. Every knee will bow and every tongue will swear to YHWH. Therefore, in Rom.14:11, “Lord” must mean YHWH, as does “me” and “God.” There is no mention of Messiah in this verse; not even in verse 10. Concerning the phrase “judgment seat of Christ,” the Jamieson, Faussett, Brown Commentary says, “All the most ancient and best MSS. read here, “judgment seat of God.”
Paul does, however, apply portions of Isa.45:23 to Yahshua in Ph.2:10,11. That does not mean he is also applying the Name “YHWH” to him as well. Jn.5:23 helps us to understand this. If you don’t honor the Son, by extension, you don’t honor the Father. And Jn.15:23; if you hate the Son, by extension, you hate the Father. If you bow your knees to the Son, by extension, you bow your knees to the Father. Notice that what is sworn in Isa.45:23,24 is not what is sworn in Ph.2:11. (every tongue shall confess or swear that Yahshua is “Master” [kurios]). That same word (kurios) was applied to men in several other verses, such as Jn.12:21. It is only a reference to YHWH when it is a direct quote of an Old Covenant verse containing the Tetragrammaton which Isa.45:23 does not.
The next reference is 1 Pet.2:8, “And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” Peter is here applying Isa.8:14 to Messiah. It is to be understood in the sense that, since Yahshua is YHWH’s representative or agent, whatever Yahshua does is credited to YHWH or is as though YHWH did it. Isaiah says YHWH will be a stumbling stone. YHWH then causes Israel to stumble over Yahshua, which makes them both stumbling stones. “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is YHWH’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes” (Ps.118:22,23).
Consider Ex.7:17 when understanding this verse.
“Thus saith YHWH, In this thou shalt know that I am YHWH: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river. And YHWH spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone. And Moses and Aaron did so, as YHWH commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.”
YHWH says He Himself will smite the waters with the rod in His own hand. Yet, it was Aaron that held the rod (Ex.7:19,20). Are we to believe that Aaron is also YHWH? Neither should we believe that Yahshua is YHWH in this verse.
Consider Zech 14:4 in this light as well.
“And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.”
Most people believe “his feet” refers to YHWH’s feet. Yet, they realize that it is Yahshua who is returning to set up the Kingdom on earth. So they jump to the erroneous conclusion that Yahshua is YHWH. As Messiah’s feet land on the Mount of Olives, YHWH the Father will cause it to cleave in two. Yet, as YHWH’s representative, Yahshua’s feet are spoken of as YHWH’s feet just as Aaron’s hand is spoken of as YHWH’s hand.
Yahshua is not the only one “coming” on judgment day. YHWH will come as well, but not in the physical sense that Yahshua will.
Isa 40:10 – “Behold, the Sovereign YHWH will come with a strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.” The phrase “his arm” is a reference to Messiah (Jn 12:38), but “the Sovereign YHWH” is a reference to the Father. Isa 66:15 – “For, behold, YHWH will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.” This is the language of 2 Peter 3:10-13 when it talks about “the Day of YHWH.” YHWH the Father will come bringing judgment upon the world. He will do so through His Son Yahshua and the saints which will be riding on the “chariots” of YHWH the Father. “All the saints” of Zech 14:5 would include Yahshua.
Ex.7:17 is also the key to understanding Zec.11:13, which reads, “And YHWH said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of YHWH.” Since Yahshua was priced at 30 pieces of silver, and since YHWH here says, “I was prised at of them,” some conclude that Yahshua is also called YHWH. Using that same logic, who cast the silver down? Mat.27:5 says of Judas, “And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple…” Are we to believe that Judas is also called YHWH?
The next attack on Scripture comes in 1 Pe.3:14,15, “But and if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” (KJV) Several commentaries and Greek manuscripts read “Christ” instead of “God” in these verses. They imply it should read, “But sanctify [YHWH] who is Christ.” According to the Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, there are 6 Mss. that have “Christos” or “Messiah” in the text and 8 MSS. that do not. Since the Hebrew Text clearly says, “YHWH of hosts” (Is.8:13), the Greek would say either theos or kurios, not Christos. The Greek text was obviously tampered with by those who tried to prove that Yahshua was the YHWH of the Old Covenant.
The last attack comes in 1 Pe.2:3,4, “If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,” (KJV). In verse 3, Peter is quoting Ps.34:8 which is speaking about YHWH. Some people would have us believe that Peter is applying the Tetragrammaton, YHWH, to the Messiah in verse 4. The words “as unto” in the KJV, however, are added words not found in the Greek that change Peter’s meaning. Delete these words and the Greek text reads, “To whom coming toward” or “To whom drawing near, as living stone…” In other words, the living stone (Yahshua) was drawing near or coming toward YHWH as will all living stones in the future (vs.5). The “whom” in verse 4 refers to the “Lord” YHWH of verse 3; “To [YHWH] coming, a living stone.”
No Man Has Seen God?
This study would not be complete without addressing the issue concerning the following statements; (Jn.5:37), “And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape.”
And again in 1 Jn.4:12, “No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us” (KJV). Since YHWH (God) was never seen or heard for that matter, then who was it that men saw in such passages as Deut.4:12, Ex.24:9-11, etc.? It is assumed that the pre-existent Messiah is the one they saw and that he is referred to as YHWH.
To understand this, we need to look at a few other examples. Consider the following;
Gen.22:11-12 – “And the angel of YHWH called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest Elohim, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” Ex.3:2-6 – “And the angel of YHWH appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush:… And when YHWH saw that he turned aside to see, Elohim called unto him out of the midst of the bush, … he said, I am the Elohim of thy father, the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon Elohim.”
In these two passages, and many others involving the Angel of YHWH, the angel speaks as though he was YHWH. That is because YHWH was speaking through the angel. Ex.23:20-22 reads, “Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.” As YHWH’s chosen representative, the Angel speaks whatever he is told to speak by YHWH. The same was true of Yahshua (Jn.12:49,50) and the prophets (Heb.1:1).
How does this relate to the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai? Wasn’t it YHWH’s own voice they heard? That is what Deut.4:12 would suggest. Yet, several New Covenant Scriptures reveal the speaker to be an angel. Acts 7:38,53 read, “This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:…Who have received the law by the disposition of angels and have not kept it. ” Also in Gal.3:19, “…and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator (Moses).”
So what can we conclude about this? It is true that YHWH’s voice has never been heard nor His shape seen. It was an angel that appeared to men. Yet, this angel, as YHWH’s chosen representative, could speak with the authority of YHWH as though he were YHWH. The prophets do the same thing quite often. Therefore, Malachi can say, “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me…” (Mal.3:1), yet, no one would dare say Malachi was YHWH.
The Jewish understanding of this is important to note here. It is called the law of agency. “The Encyclopedia of the Jewish Religion,” Adama Books, New York, 1986, pg.15 reads, “The main point of the Jewish law of agency is expressed in the dictum “A person’s agent is regarded as the person himself.” Almighty YHWH appointed both Yahshua, the Messiah, His Son, and the Angel of YHWH, as His agents. As such, anything they did was regarded as though the Almighty Himself did it.
A wealth of scriptural truth has been presented in this study. An honest seeker of truth should now know that Yahshua is not YHWH, the Mighty One of Israel. He is YHWH’s only begotten Son. That is what we must believe. “Whosoever shall confess that Yahshua is the Son of [YHWH], [YHWH] dwelleth in him, and he in [YHWH]” (1 Jn.4:15). If you believe that Yahshua is YHWH instead of the Son of YHWH, the truth is not in you. Peter knew this truth and responded correctly; “Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living Elohim” (Mt.16:16). How will you now respond?
There are several passages in which YHWH is spoken of as “God” and yet, they are mistakenly applied to Yahshua. The first is Jude 1:24,25. It reads, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Who is it that is able to keep us from falling? Jn.10:29 and Rom.16:25-27 teach us that it is the Father (YHWH) who keeps us. He is “God only wise” or “the only wise God.”
The second passage is 1 Tim.1:17. It reads, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” We just saw who the “only wise God” is in Rom.16:25-27.
The third passage is Titus 2:13; “Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Does this mean Paul is saying Yahshua is the great God? In his opening (Titus 1:4) he greets Titus from “God [YHWH] the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ [Yahshua]. In Paul’s mind there are two individuals, not two manifestations of one being. Some commentators believe the word “and” in Titus 2:13 should be translated “even” since the Greek word “kai” can carry that meaning. Most lexicons will show that kai means “and” in the overwhelming majority of uses and, in comparison, rarely means “even.” If we change “and” to “even” anytime we want, then we can say things like Prisca and Aquila are the same person (2 Tim.4:19), etc.