INTRODUCTION
A believer in Jesus Christ must understand
from the scriptures that Jesus is a man.
The New Testament scriptures refer to him as, “the son of man” in nearly
100 verses.
For centuries it has been taught
in the Roman Catholic Church, and throughout Christendom, that Jesus is the
God-man. Theologians present a
confusing array of doctrines on Christ, stating that he is mysteriously fully
God and fully man. They teach that
Jesus has two natures; one nature as man, and another nature as God. Many call Jesus, “God the Son,” rather than
the scriptural term, “the son of God.”
“God the Son,” they say, “is the second person of the Triune Godhead
(i.e. the Trinity), and He is co-equally “God” along with the other two persons
of the Godhead (i.e. God the Father and the Holy Spirit).
According to popular Christology,
Jesus has a “dual nature.” Dual nature,
according to most theologians today, means that Jesus is both “God” and “man”
at the same time. It is an absurd
contradiction, and an oxymoron to say that Jesus can be both God and man at the
same time.
Many ministers and Christian
apologists take their Christology one step further. They assert that if a person does not believe that Jesus is
“God,” then that person is not truly a believer in Jesus Christ. There are even self-proclaimed heresy
hunters who use the medium of radio, books, television and the Internet to
attack the character of ANYONE who denies the Divinity of Jesus Christ. Some go so far as to say, “If someone claims
to be a Christian, and does not believe in the Deity of Christ, they are in a
cult.”
Part of the confusion about the
nature of the man Christ Jesus comes from the erroneous translation of
Bibles. Most translators have their own
preconceived doctrinal positions about the Deity of Christ. The translator bias interferes with the
objective translation of the scriptures.
Thus, in portions of scripture where the word Greek word “theos” has
been translated “God” or “gods,” it should have been translated as “magistrate”
when used in reference to Jesus.
Translators chose to use alternate
meanings for the Greek word “theos.”
Theos, and its derivatives, are the most common word used in the Greek
New Testament for “God.” However,
according to Strong’s Dictionary of New Testament words, theos can also be
translated as “magistrate” (i.e. judge).
If the context of a particular
passage of scripture warrants translating theos as “God,” then it is proper to
do so. However, if the context of a
passage of scripture warrants the use of “magistrate,” then theos should be
translated accordingly. Also, the
translation of theos in reference to Jesus must not contradict the overall
tenor of scripture. In other words,
since the overall tenor of scripture teaches that Jesus is a man, then it is
incorrect to translate it as “God” in reference to the person of Jesus.
A Question on the Internet
This study was initiated by a
question asked on the Internet. The
question is whether or not Jesus is “God.”
First the question, then an appropriate discussion will follow:
QUESTION: If Jesus wasn't God why did He
not correct Thomas when the man called Him God? (John 20:28) Instead, Jesus said "Finally you
believe." Why is the first chapter
of John so rich in expressing the deity of Jesus? Why is Isaiah 9:6 such a clear statement that Jesus is the Mighty
God and Everlasting Father?
Regarding the teaching of Jesus
being both man and God (i.e. - having two natures), the person asking the
question gave a reference from the book of John was given (John 20:28). If you study the context of John chapter 20,
you will find that that the verses preceding 20:28 indicate that Jesus speaks
as the son of God, not as the Almighty. To verify this, look at the
verses that follow 20:28:
John 20:1-31 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early
to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from
the tomb. And so she ran and came to
Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them,
"They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where
they have laid Him." Peter
therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they were going to the
tomb. And the two were running
together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter, and came to the tomb
first; and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but
he did not go in. Simon Peter therefore
also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he beheld the linen
wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth, which had been on His head, not
lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to
the tomb entered then also, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must
rise again from the dead. So the
disciples went away again to their own homes.
But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she
stooped and looked into the tomb; and she beheld two angels in white sitting,
one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been
lying. And they said to her,
"Woman, why are you weeping?"
She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do
not know where they have laid Him."
When she had said this, she turned around, and beheld Jesus standing
there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said
to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid
Him, and I will take Him away."
Jesus said to her, "Mary!"
She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means,
Teacher). Jesus said to her,
"Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to
My brethren, and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My
God and your God.'" Mary
Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord,"
and that He had said these things to her.
When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week,
and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, "Peace be with
you." And when He had said this,
He showed them both His hands and His side.
The disciples therefore rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus therefore said to them again,
"Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them,
and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven
them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained." But Thomas, one of the twelve, called
Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore were saying to him, "We have
seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I shall see in His
hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails,
and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." And after eight days again His disciples
were inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and
stood in their midst, and said, "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here
your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side;
and be not unbelieving, but believing."
Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Because you have
seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are
they who did not see, and yet believed."
Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of
the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been
written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God;
and that believing you may have life in His name. (NAS)
The question asked on the Internet
was, “Why Jesus didn't rebuke Thomas for calling him ‘God’?"
The answer to the Internet
question is obvious from the entire context of John chapter 20. To begin, let us make some observations
about this passage that clarify who Jesus is.
FACTS
FROM THE CONTEXT
·
"God"
- 2316 theos (theh'-os); of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with
3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a
magistrate;
by Hebraism, very: KJV-- X exceeding, God, god [-ly, -ward].
·
Acts 13:30-31 "But God raised Him from the dead; and for many
days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the
very ones who are now His witnesses to the people. (NAS)
·
Rom 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be
saved. (NAS)
·
Gal 1:1 Paul, an apostle (not sent from men, nor through the agency
of man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from
the dead). (NAS)
Consider
that Jesus has been appointed by God the Father to be the "Judge":
·
Acts 17:30-31 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance,
God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will
judge the world in righteousness through a Man (Jesus) whom He has appointed,
having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead." (NAS)
There are many other verses which
speak of Jesus as a Prince, or being at a judgment seat, or inheriting a
throne. The Father (Yahweh Elohim) is the Creator; he is the only
Sovereign Deity; He is the only “God” of mankind. Jesus is the son of
God, and he is the Prince of peace appointed by God to act as a mediator and as
a “magistrate.”
The application to of the
Greek word “theos” as a "magistrate" is appropriate whenever it
is in reference to Jesus There cannot be more than one Sovereign Deity,
or else we are talking polytheism (more than one God).
·
1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus. (NAS)
·
2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that
each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has
done, whether good or bad. (NAS)
·
Acts 10:40-42 "God raised
Him up on the third day, and granted that He should become visible, not to all
the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us,
who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He ordered us to preach to the people,
and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by
God as Judge of the living and the dead.” (NAS)
·
2 Tim 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course,
I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award
to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His
appearing. (NAS)
These and more verses prove that
the son of God, the man Christ Jesus, has been appointed by God to act as a
Judge (i.e. Magistrate; theos). Ultimately God the Father is the Supreme
Deity, and He is the One Judge and Lawgiver (see James 4:12).
Nevertheless, the Father who gave the Law executes His righteous judgment through His son Jesus. With
this explanation you have no mystery, but a clear understanding of the roles of
each.
Regarding
John 1:1-2
Most every Christian believes that
John 1:1-2 refers to Jesus Christ as the “Word.” They blindly accept this because their
pastor, or some popular theologian has told them it is so. Few Christians have taken the time to study
the meaning of the original Greek language to determine what “Word” means in
John 1:1.
·
John 1:1-2 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. (KJV)
John 1:1-2 never mentions Jesus Christ at all. It merely states that in the beginning was
the “Word.” The translators capitalized
“Word” to indicate that it is referring to the person of Jesus. This is a translator error. It has been done because of the doctrinal
bias of the Bible translators, who believe that the “Word” is the
“Pre-Incarnate Christ,” or the “Second Person of the eternal Triune
Godhead.” These theological terms are
found NOWHERE in the scriptures; they are the contrived fabrication of the Roman
Catholic church in the 2nd through 4th centuries
A.D. Catholicism has passed on this
kind of theological rhetoric to the Christian church, and it has rarely been
challenged.
John 1:1-2 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. (KJV)
Most Christians quote these verses as “proof” that Jesus pre-existed at the beginning of creation. They say the “Word” here refers to Jesus, who was the second person of the Trinity (aka the Pre-Incarnate Christ). Let us examine this interpretation. There is no such term in scripture as, "the second person of the Trinity." This term originates with the Catholic Athanasian Creed, which uses many unscriptural terms such as: "one person of the Father, one person of the son, and another of the Holy Spirit; and yet they are not three persons, but one." Today Christians continue the Roman Catholic interpretation, saying that God is a Trinity, three persons who mysteriously co-exist in one eternal Godhead.
Because the Athanasian Creed states that all three "persons" of God are "co-eternal" (another non-scriptural term"), therefore Jesus existed from the beginning of creation, and was working with the other two persons of God to create the world. Ministers today use John 1:1-2 as their "proof" that Jesus was the creator, saying that Jesus is the "Word" (the Greek for "word" is "logos"). Ironically, the term “logos” or “word” is used in a variety of ways other than the creation.
If Jesus is the “Word” of John 1:1, and if this refers to his pre-Incarnate state as God the Son, then the verse would appropriately read as follows: “In the beginning was the God (Word), and the God was with the God, and the God was God.” This sounds ludicrous, but it is what most Christians believe! Of course most Christians do not do the in depth research of the original Greek because haven't been taught how to study Greek. It is not unusual therefore that they would quote what their pastor or minister has taught them about John 1:1.
· “in the beginning was the Word” – The Greek “logos” for “Word” means something said (including the thought); by implication a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation. Logos is the “expression of thought”-- not the mere name of an object--(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words) (Copyright (C) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers) We conclude that what is being spoken of in John 1:1 is God’s thoughts expressed; or, His reasoning, or computation. Logos certainly does not indicate anything to do with Jesus Christ in John 1:1-2.
Strong’s Dictionary of the New Testament defines the Greek word for “with” in John 1:1 as follows:
· “the Word was with God” = 4314 pros (pros); a strengthened form of 4253; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the genitive case the side of, i.e. pertaining to; with the dative case by the side of, i.e. near to; usually with the accusative case the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. whither or for which it is predicated).
AMG Complete WordStudy
Bible and Reference CD says of “pros” in John 1:1:
(IV) Sometimes prós with the acc. is used after verbs which express simply rest, meaning at, by, in a place, the same as prós with the dat. However, in such instances, for the most part, the idea of a previous coming to or direction toward that place is either actually expressed or is implied in the context.
(A) Generally with the acc. of place (Mark 11:4; 14:54; Luke 22:56; John 20:11). With the acc. of person, meaning with, by, among (Matt. 26:18, 55; Mark 14:49; Acts 12:20; 13:31; 1 Cor. 16:7; 2 Cor. 1:12; Gal. 1:18; 2:5; 4:18; Phil. 1:26; 2 Thess. 2:5; Sept.: Is. 19:19). With the reflexive pron. heautón (1438), himself, meaning standing by himself or he prayed to or with himself (Luke 18:11). (B) Rarely, and only in later usage, is the idea of previous motion or direction completely dropped, and prós with the acc. is then the same as pará (3844), near, with the dat. (Matt. 13:56; Mark 2:2; 4:1; 6:3; John 1:1; Phile. 1:13).
(V) In composition prós implies:
(A) Motion, direction, reference, meaning toward, to, at, as proságoM (4317), to lead toward, to approach, bring near; proseggízoM (4331), to approach near; prosérchomai (4334), to come near; prosdokáoM (4328), to expect, wait for.
(B) Accession, addition, meaning thereto, over and above, moreover, further, as prosaitéoM (4319), to ask repeatedly; prosapeiléoM (4324), to threaten further. Used intensively as próspeinos (4361), intensely hungry; prosphilems (4375), friendly toward, acceptable, lovely, very dear.
(C) Nearness, a being or remaining near, at, by, as prosedreúoM (4332), to attend as a servant, wait on; prosménoM (4357), remain in a place, abide still.
Pros comes from a root Greek word “pro” which signifies the priority of something; something that is first in rank, or importance.
The “Word” is the Greek “logos” meaning a “thought expressed.” John 1:1 uses logos in its verb form, and therefore logos cannot refer to Jesus as the Pre-Incarnate Christ. If this verb referred to Jesus, it would have to be translated as follows: “In the beginning was the God thinking, and the God thinking was with God, and the God thinking was God.” Sounds New Age, doesn’t it?
Furthermore, when the phrase, “and the word was with God” is viewed in light of the correct meaning and application of the Greek preposition “with” (pros) it implies “nearness.” AMG states that in John 1:1 pros is used with the accusative means, “Nearness, a being or remaining near.” Thus we would translate this phrase, “and the thought expressed was near (and of highest priority) to God.”
In John 1:1 “and the Word was God” reads like this in the Greek, “and God continued with the thought expressed.”
John 1:2 say, “The same was in the beginning with God.” The impersonal pronoun “the same” refers back to the logos, or thought expressed. As in John 1:1, the Greek word for “with” is used is “pros” and it means “near to.” If the Pre-Incarnate Christ were in view here, a personal pronoun “he” would have been used. This verse simply indicates that the thoughts and reasonings of God, which had been expressed in the beginning, were near to Him (“with” = Greek “pros”) Him. The Concordant Literal New Testament translates John 1:2, “This was in the beginning toward the God.”
Our correct literal
translation of John 1:1-2 reads as follows:
·
In the beginning the thoughts were expressed, and
the thoughts expressed were near to, and of highest priority to God, and God
continued the thought expressed. The
same (thought expressed) was near to and of highest importance in the beginning
with God.
What does John 1:1 refer to then? The correct interpretation is linking John 1:1 with Genesis 1:1, since the contexts are nearly identical wording:
· Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (KJV)
In the beginning God created (verb = Hebrew “bara”) the heavens and the earth...in the beginning was the word (verb = Greek “logos”). In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, this creation involved His thoughts, reasonings, and computations. His thoughts, having been previously expressed by creating the world, were, of course, near to him, and of great importance to Him. This is the intended meaning of John 1:1-2. It’s that simple.
God’s thought was expressed (as a
verb; action) when He created the heavens and the earth. John 1:1-3 is referring to the
creation of the world by God; it is not referring to Jesus existing as “God
before creation” (as most Christian theologians and ministers assert).
It is true that God’s thought was
expressed when He conceived Jesus in the flesh. He overshadowed Mary, who later gave birth to Jesus. This is mentioned in John 1:14:
·
John 1:14 And the Word (Greek = logos; thought, reasoning) was
made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of
the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (KJV)
Note that when God expressed His
thought by conceiving Jesus in the flesh, He never called Jesus, “God.” Instead, as John 1:14 states, Jesus
is referred to as, “the only begotten of the Father.”
Regarding Isaiah
9:6-7:
·
Isa 9:6-7 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given
to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name
will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of
Peace. There will be no end to the
increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his
kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from
then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish
this. (NAS)
Notice that the prophecy in Isaiah
9:6 says, “A child will be born to us.” The everlasting Father was never a “child” nor can He ever be
“born,” as is proven by Num. 23:19:
·
Num 23:19 "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a
son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has
He spoken, and will He not make it good?
(NKJ)
The words, “will be born”
in Is. 9:6 imply future action; that is, Jesus did not exist until he
was conceived in Mary’s womb, and born nine months later. The event of Jesus’ conception and birth
took place approximately 740 years after Isaiah’s prophecy.
This “child” in Is. 9:6 will be a
“son” upon whom “the government will rest on His shoulders.” This shows a man that the LORD
(Yahweh) would put in charge to rule the world government in
righteousness. We could fairly state
that such a man (Jesus) would act as a judge or magistrate as he led the
government.
Consider that the child’s “name”
shall be called, “Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, and everlasting
Father.” Why is this point significant?
Jesus was given the same name (in meaning) as his Father. We often
name our own children after the father (e.g. Mike (the father) might name his
son, “Mike Jr.” after himself).
The “name” Jesus means, “Yah
saves.” It is the same name as the Hebrew Joshua (Yeshua or Yahoshea,
also meaning “Yah Saves”). The name “Yah” is a shortened form of the
name, “Yahweh.” Yahweh is the name of
God the Father. Jesus acknowledged in
prayer that he was sharing his Father’s “name” in John chapter 17:
·
John 17:11 “And I am no more in the world; and {yet} they themselves
are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep them in Thy
name, the name which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, even as
We are.” (NAS)
If the Father gave Jesus His own
name, the meaning of Isaiah 9:6 becomes clear. Jesus inherited the name
of his Father. Jesus was GIVEN a name, which is above every other name:
·
Phil 2:9-11 Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name
of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and
on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God
the Father. (NAS)
·
Heb 1:3-5 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact
representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His
power. When He had made purification of
sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become as
much better than the angels, as He
has inherited a more excellent name than they. For
to which of the angels did He ever say, “Thou art My Son, today I have begotten
Thee”? And again, “I will be a Father to Him And He shall be a Son to Me”? (NAS)
All this makes us love the Father,
and His son Jesus even more. We love the Father because He was willing to
give His only begotten son Jesus. We love Jesus for his atoning
sacrifice, and for being the mediator between God and man. We love the
Father for bestowing His name (and authority) upon His son Jesus, and we love
Jesus for using that authority with compassion, righteousness, and love.
Jesus is our Advocate; he is the one whom God has chosen to come alongside us
in time of need. He is there to offer
comfort, direction, and mercy. Jesus is
our brother.
·
Heb 2:9-13 But we do see Him who has been made for a little while
lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned
with glory and honor, that by the grace of God He might taste death for
everyone. For it was fitting for Him,
for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons
to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are
sanctified are all from one Father
for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying,
"I will proclaim Thy name to My brethren, in the midst of the
congregation I will sing Thy praise."
And again, "I will put My trust in Him." And again,
"Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me." (NAS)
“You are
gods” (John 10:24-39)
John 10:24-39 The Jews therefore gathered around Him, and were saying to
Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell
us plainly." Jesus answered them,
"I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's
name, these bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not
of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I
give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch
them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than
all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the
Father are one." The Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus
answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of
them are you stoning Me?" The Jews answered Him, "For a good work
we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make
Yourself out to be God." Jesus answered them, "Has it not been
written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods' (theos)? "If he called
them gods (theos), to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture
cannot be broken), do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into
the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If
I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though
you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that
the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." Therefore they were seeking
again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.
(NAS)
Jesus never calls himself
“God.” Jesus never calls himself
“Yahweh.” The Jews wanted to know if
Jesus was the “Christ” (the anointed one sent by God). Jesus replied to them saying, “I and the
Father are one.” This infuriated the
Jews, who believed Jesus was claiming to be God Himself.
The Jews assumed that Jesus was
using the greatest commandment they had (Deu. 6:4) to assert his
position as the “Christ.” The Jews were
monotheistic, and to them, a person claiming to be “one” with Yahweh was a
perversion of Deu. 6:4. Jesus never
quoted Deu. 6:4, but the Jews assumed that this is what Christ was alluding to
when he said, “I and the Father are one.”
We will quote Deu. 6:4 later.
The Jews knew the Messiah (i.e.
the Christ) would be a man because of the numerous prophecies concerning him:
·
Isa 9:6 For a child will
be born to us, a son will be given to us;
and the government will rest on His shoulders…(NAS)
·
Micah 5:2 "But
as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from
you One will go forth for me to be ruler in Israel…(NAS)
·
Isa 7:13-16 Then he said, "Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the
patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you
a sign: behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call
His name Immanuel. He will eat curds
and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. For before the boy will know enough to
refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be
forsaken.” (NAS)
·
Dan 9:25-27 "So
you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and
rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and
sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times
of distress. 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 with the many for one week, but in the middle of the
week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of
abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete
destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes
desolate." (NAS)
There are over 300 prophecies of
the Israel’s Messiah, or Christ, who would be born, and be their ruler and
judge. Why then should it have come as
a surprise to the Jews when Jesus was claiming to be “one” with the
Father? Because of their jealousy and
love for power, the Jews were blinded and deceived. In their minds, Jesus was somehow claiming to be the
Almighty. Here is the verse that the
Jews were familiar with in relationship to Yahweh being “one.”
·
Deut 6:4-6 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD (Yahweh) our God,
the LORD (Yahweh) is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with
all your soul, and with all your strength.
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.” (NKJ)
Jesus was not claiming to be “God”
because he had just told the Jews, “the works that I do in My Father's name,
these bear witness of Me,” and, “My Father, who has given them to Me, is
greater than all.” Jesus even asked
the Jews, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which
of them are you stoning Me?" If
the Jews, who were familiar with the OT prophets, had been honest, they would
have known that the “Father” referred to Yahweh.”
·
Jer 3:18-19 "In those days the house of Judah will walk with the
house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the
land that I gave your fathers as an inheritance." Then I said, 'How I would set you among My
sons, and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of the
nations!' And I said, 'You shall call me, My Father, and not turn away
from following me.' (NAS)
·
Mal 2:10 "Do we not all have one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously each against
his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers? (NAS)
When Jesus said, “ I and the
Father are one,” he meant that they were in agreement. That is, Jesus did only the things that
pleased the Father; he did only the works (i.e. miracles) that the Father
wanted him to do, and gave him the authority to do:
·
John 5:30 "I
can do nothing on My own initiative. As
I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will,
but the will of Him who sent Me. (NAS)
·
John 8:28-29 Jesus therefore said, "When you lift up the Son of
Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative,
but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I
always do the things that are pleasing to Him." (NAS)
Note from the above verses that
Jesus never sought to do his own will, but the will of Yahweh, his
Father. Jesus said, “As I hear, I
judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will
of Him who sent Me.” Jesus could
act in judgment of these self-righteous Jews because he was speaking on behalf
of the Father, having been given authority by Him to do so. Also note that Jesus said, “and I do
nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.”
Jesus was not claiming to be the
Almighty (i.e. God), because of his statements about the Father, and his
submissive role to the Father (who alone was “God”).
Jesus replied to the accusations
of the Jews by quoting the Psalms saying, “Has it not been written in your
Law, 'I said, you are gods'? If he
called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be
broken), do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world,
'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?.” Jesus claim that he was “one” with the
Father was his way of telling the Jews that he was “the son of God.” These verses PROVE this! Jesus never told the Jews that he was
Yahweh.
Jesus did not call himself, “the
God.” Jesus called himself “the son of
God” and thus revealed that he was the “Christ.” Christ means, “anointed one.”
Christ is a term applied to Israel’s Messiah. Later in Psalms 82:6, you will see clearly that Jesus refers to
Israel’s leaders as men who were supposed to make righteous judgments amongst
the people; they were supposed to be righteous magistrates (i.e. judges).
Jesus told the Jews that they were
called “gods” in the 82nd chapter of Psalms. The Greek word “gods” that Jesus used in John
10:34, 36 (for quoting Psalms 82:6) is the same as the Greek word
for “God” in John 10:33. This
Greek word is defined by Strong’s Dictionary as follows:
·
“gods” = 2316 theos (theh'-os);of uncertain affinity; a
deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a
magistrate; by Hebraism, very: KJV-- X exceeding, God, god [-ly, -ward].
To the Jews, the “Christ” was a
man who would be sent by Yahweh to rule them, and overthrow the Gentile
rulers. The Jews had asked Jesus to
tell them “plainly” whether or not he was the Christ (John 10:24). Jesus told them that his “works” declared he
was from the Father (Yahweh), and that his sheep heard his voice. He told the Jews they did not believe the
works, and were therefore not his sheep (John 10:25-26). It was THEN that Jesus told the Jews, “I and
the Father (Yahweh) are one.”
At this point the Jews were ready
to stone Jesus, because they knew that his miraculous works verified his
claim to be the son of God. The Jews
were enraged and jealous, and feared that Jesus would usurp their position as
the leaders and judges of Israel. The
proof for this is seen in other texts where Jesus rebukes the multitudes of Jews
for being unjust judges:
·
Luke 12:54-59 And He was also saying to the multitudes, "When you
see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and
so it turns out. And when you see a
south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be a hot day,' and it turns out that
way. You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of
the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time? And why do you not even on your own
initiative judge what is right? For
while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your
way there make an effort to settle with him, in order that he may not drag you
before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the constable, and the
constable throw you into prison. I
say to you, you shall not get out of there until you have paid the very last
cent." (NAS)
The Jews falsely accused Jesus of
claiming to be “God,” though they knew Jesus was only a man. Jesus refutes the Jews and their false
accusation by giving them quotes from Psalms 82:6. The context of Psalms 82 shows that Yahweh was chastising and
rebuking the leaders of Israel for being unjust rulers, or magistrates:
PSALMS CHAPTER 82
Psalms 82:1-8 God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges
in the midst of the rulers. How long will you judge unjustly, and show
partiality to the wicked? Selah. Vindicate the weak and fatherless; do
justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver
them out of the hand of the wicked. They do not know nor do they understand;
they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I
said, "You are gods (elohim), and all of you are sons of the Most
High. Nevertheless you will die like men, and fall like any one of the
princes.” Arise, O God, judge the earth! For it is Thou who dost possess
all the nations. (NAS)
In Psalms chapter 82, God is
clearly speaking to Israel’s leaders as “magistrates,” or “judges.” Israel’s judges were wicked judges (just as
the Jews that Jesus was rebuking in John chapter ten). Yahweh said to them, “How long will you
judge unjustly…?” and “do justice.”
After correcting them for their impartiality, Yahweh tells the leaders
of Israel, “I said, "You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most
High. Nevertheless you will die like
men, and fall like any one of the princes." This proves they were mere men!
As Yahweh’s ambassadors, the leaders should have been righteous
magistrates!
Jesus addressed the Jews from
Psalms chapter 82 because they were guilty of the same thing as their
ancestors. The Jews were not
vindicating the weak and fatherless, nor were they doing justice to the
afflicted and destitute. They were
greedy, power hungry, self-righteous hypocrites. The Jews never rescued the weak and needy. Instead, they plundered them, and took
advantage of them, charging exorbitant temple taxes and the like. Like Israel’s ancient magistrates, the Jews
had no spiritual understanding, and walked about in darkness.
The Hebrew word for “gods” in
Psalms 82:6 is also defined as “magistrates” to correspond with the Greek word,
“theos”:
·
“gods” = 430 'elohiym (el-o-heem'); plural of 433; gods
in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially
with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of
deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative: KJV-- angels, X
exceeding, God (gods)- dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty. (Strong’s
Electronic Dictionary)
Psalms 82:6 says that “elohim” refers to men who are “sons of God.”
·
Ps 82:6 I said, "You are gods (elohim, meaning
“magistrates), and all of you are sons of the Most High. (NAS)
It is very clear that Jesus
declared himself to be the “Christ” and “the son of God.” Jesus used the miraculous works he performed
as proof that Yahweh (the Father) was with him, and that his works testified
that he was the son of God. What
becomes confusing is the manner in which the translators chose to use the word
“gods” where they rightly should have used “magistrates” or “judges”
respectively.
What is very apparent in this, and
in other scenarios where Jesus confronted the Jews is the fact that Jesus spoke
on behalf of his Father (Yahweh God), and often his words were used to judge the
self-righteous behavior of the Jewish leaders, (including the scribes, lawyers,
Pharisees, and the Sanhedrin).
Therefore God the Father used Jesus to “judge” the Jews, just as a
magistrate presides over a court of law, and makes legal and moral decisions.
PART I :Yahweh
(the Father) Is the Ultimate Judge
This section will list many
scriptures that reveal Yahweh as the supreme Judge of all mankind. Even Jesus himself is subject to Yahweh,
because Yahweh is the only true God. It
is imperative to understand this principle teaching of scripture before one can
see Jesus’ role as a judge, appointed by Yahweh, to act on His behalf.
·
1 Cor 15:27-28 For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything"
has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself,
who put everything under Christ. When
he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put
everything under him, so that God may be all in all. (NIV)
Yahweh (meaning “He is”) alone is
Deity. Yahweh is the third person
singular form of the Hebrew word, “ehyeh.”
The Hebrew word ehyeh is what God calls Himself in Ex. 3:14;
ehyeh means “I Am.” Moses asked what
God’s name was, and here is how God replied to him:
·
Exod 3:13-15 Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the
sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me
to you.' Now they may say to me, 'What
is His name?' What shall I say to
them?" And God said to Moses,
"I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of
Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
And God, furthermore, said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the
sons of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all
generations. (NAS)
There are not three persons of
Yahweh. Yahweh did not say to Moses,
“We are.” God is not “three-in-one” as
Trinitarian theologians have asserted.
Yahweh is the same as Elohim (as Elohim is used for the Supreme
Deity). As the one and only God, Yahweh
is the Creator and the Judge of all mankind.
Jesus cannot be “God” while Yahweh is God. That would make two Gods, and would be polytheism (more than one
God).
We must establish that Yahweh is
the supreme Judge of all mankind first, in order to determine what Jesus’ role,
as a “magistrate” will be. While it is
true that Jesus will act in judgment of mankind, the church, and the wicked,
yet he only does so on behalf of Yahweh his Father.
From the beginning we see that
Yahweh was recognized as the Judge of men.
The Old Testament is replete with examples of His judgment on both the
righteous and the wicked. Judgment must
not always invoke a negative connotation.
God’s judgment can be rewarding to those who heed His voice, and obey
His commands. On the other hand, His
judgment can be retribution to those who are openly His enemies.
There are a variety of ways in
which God executes His judgment. Sometimes
He uses humans as instruments of judgment (e.g. Israel defeating Jericho). Sometimes He uses angelic beings to judge
humans, or entire cities, as in the case of Sodom and Gomorra.
Most often, God’s judgment is
allowing the laws of sowing and reaping to take their natural course. For example, if a person insists on drinking
alcoholic beverages on a regular basis, the likelihood is he will become an
alcoholic. Being an alcoholic, he may
destroy his liver, and die of cirrhosis of the liver. This is a judgment from God, because God commands us not to get
drunk with alcohol, and His command is in our own best interest.
God commanded Israel to rest on
the seventh day. This day was set aside
to honor their Creator, but also to give their bodies rest. Today, we don’t observe the Sabbath
ordinances under the Law of Moses, because the Sabbath rest is fulfilled in
Christ (i.e. ceasing from our own “works” to attain salvation). However, it is still a scriptural principle
to give our bodies a day of rest from labor.
Those who are workaholics, laboring seven days a week without allowing
their body to rebuild itself risk a number of maladies, such as stress, heart
attack, stroke, strained back and muscles, fatigue, etc. This is also God’s judgment, because they
dishonor the Lord by neglecting His command to rest.
There will be an eternal judgment
for every person born. Those who know
God, and His son Jesus, and serve Him faithfully, will attain eternal
life. They will be judged according to
their deeds, and their transgressions will be passed over for judgment because
of the atoning work of Jesus Christ.
Yahweh is Judge of all the earth
·
Gen 18:25 "Far be it from Thee to do such a thing, to slay the
righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated
alike. Far be it from Thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal
justly?" (NAS)
Yahweh the Judge, judges between the righteous and
unrighteous nations
·
Judges 11:27 'I
therefore have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by making war
against me; may the LORD, the Judge, judge today between the sons of Israel
and the sons of Ammon.'" (NAS)
The Judge Yahweh judges our words and reasonings when we
contend with Him
·
Job 23:4-7 "I
would present my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would learn the words which He would
answer, and perceive what He would say to me.
Would He contend with me by the greatness of His power? No, surely He
would pay attention to me. There the
upright would reason with Him; and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.” (NAS)
Yahweh is the Judge of the proud and the humble alike
·
Ps 75:4-7 "I
said to the boastful, 'Do not boast,' and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up the
horn; do not lift up your horn on high, do not speak with insolent pride.' For not from the east, nor from the west,
nor from the desert comes exaltation; but God is the Judge; He puts down
one, and exalts another.” (NAS)
Yahweh the Judge is the God of vengeance, recompensing the
proud
·
Ps 94:1-2 O LORD, God of vengeance; God of vengeance, shine
forth! Rise up, O Judge of the
earth; render recompense to the proud.
(NAS)
Yahweh is the Judge of those who oppress the righteous
·
Lam 3:59-61 O LORD, Thou
hast seen my oppression; Judge my case.
Thou hast seen all their vengeance,
all their schemes against me. Thou hast
heard their reproach, O LORD, all their schemes against me. (NAS)
Yahweh is the Judge of all, whereas Jesus is the mediator
of a new covenant
·
Heb 12:22-24 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the
living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general
assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to
God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and
to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood,
which speaks better than {the blood} of Abel.
(NAS)
Yahweh (the Father God) is the one Judge and Lawgiver who
is able to save and destroy
·
James 4:12 There is {only}
one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor? (NAS)
The Father God (Yahweh) will judge those who reject His son
Jesus
·
John 3:17-21 "For God did not send the Son into the world to
judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who
does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the
name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men
loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light,
and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the
light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in
God." (NAS)
Yahweh will judge the Jews as those who have been given the
Law
·
Rom 3:1-7 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Great in every respect.
First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. What then?
If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the
faithfulness of God, will it? May it
never be! Rather, let God be found
true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, "That Thou
mightest be justified in Thy words, and mightest prevail when Thou art judged." But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the
righteousness of God, what shall we say?
The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking
in human terms.) May it never be! For otherwise how will God judge the world? But if through my lie the truth of God
abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? (NAS)
Yahweh will judge those who take pleasure in wickedness,
and who don’t believe the truth by sending them a deluding influence
·
II Th 2:8-13 And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord
will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of
His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of
Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception
of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the
truth so as to be saved. And for
this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might
believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe
the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved
by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation
through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. (NAS)
Yahweh, the Lawgiver, will judge those under the terms of
the Law who have shown partiality towards the poor, and have not allowed mercy
to triumph over judgment
·
James 2:5-13 Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of
this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to
those who love Him? But you have
dishonored the poor man. Is it not the
rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which
you have been called? If, however, you
are fulfilling the royal law, according to the Scripture, "You shall love
your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are
convicted by the law as transgressors.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has
become guilty of all. For He who said,
"Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not commit
murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have
become a transgressor of the law. So
speak and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be merciless to one who
has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. (NAS)
Yahweh (God) judges the dead through destruction, and
rewards the faithful, at the time when his son Jesus begins to reign with Him
·
Rev 11:16-18 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their
thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: "We
give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you
have taken your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead,
and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who
reverence your name, both small and great-- and for destroying those who
destroy the earth." (NIV)
Yahweh God will judge the great harlot, and avenge the
blood of His bond-servants
·
Rev 19:1-2 After these things I heard, as it were, a loud voice of a
great multitude in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and
power belong to our God; because His judgments are true and righteous; for
He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her
immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her." (NAS)
Yahweh judges the dead, whose names are not written in the
book of life by throwing them all into the lake of fire (the second death)
·
Rev 20:11-15 And I saw a
great white throne and Him who sat upon it,
from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for
them. And I saw the dead, the great
and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another
book was opened, which is {the book} of life; and the dead were judged from the
things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea
gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which
were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. And death and Hades were thrown into the
lake of fire. This is the second death,
the lake of fire. And if anyone's name
was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of
fire. (NAS)
God brings judgment on those who persecute the righteous
·
Job 19:26-29 "Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I
shall see God; Whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes shall see and not
another. My heart faints within
me. If you say, 'How shall we persecute
him?' And 'What pretext for a case against him can we find?' Then be afraid of the sword for
yourselves, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, so that you may know
there is judgment." (NAS)
God’s judgment comes in the form of calamity for those
whose hearts and actions are sinful, and who trust in riches, and who ignore
the plight of the needy
·
Job 31:1-6, 9-11, 19-28 "I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I
gaze at a virgin? And what is the
portion of God from above or the heritage of the Almighty from on high? Is it not calamity to the unjust, and
disaster to those who work iniquity?
Does He not see my ways, and number all my steps? If I have walked with falsehood, and my
foot has hastened after deceit, let Him weigh me with accurate scales, and let
God know my integrity…"If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or I
have lurked at my neighbor's doorway, may my wife grind for another, and let
others kneel down over her. For that
would be a lustful crime; moreover, it would be an iniquity punishable by
judges…If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or that the needy
had no covering, if his loins have not thanked me, and if he has not been
warmed with the fleece of my sheep, if I have lifted up my hand against the
orphan, because I saw I had support in the gate, let my shoulder fall from the
socket, and my arm be broken off at the elbow.
For calamity from God is a terror to me, and because of His majesty I
can do nothing. If I have put my
confidence in gold, and called fine gold my trust, if I have gloated because my
wealth was great, and because my hand had secured so much…If I have
looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon going in splendor, and my heart
became secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, that
too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment, for I would have denied
God above. (NAS)
Even a righteous man cannot annul Yahweh’s judgment, though
he content with Him with words
·
Job 40:1-8 Then the LORD said to Job, "Will the faultfinder
contend with the Almighty? Let him who
reproves God answer it." Then Job
answered the LORD and said, "Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply
to Thee? I lay my hand on my
mouth. Once I have spoken, and I will
not answer; even twice, and I will add no more." Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm, and said, "Now
gird up your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you instruct me. Will you really annul My judgment? Will
you condemn me that you may be justified?”
(NAS)
The wicked will not stand before Yahweh with the righteous
in judgment; they will perish
·
Ps 1:5-6 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked
will perish. (NAS)
Yahweh judges the peoples; His adversaries He appoints
judgment, and He vindicates those who walk in integrity
·
Ps 7:6-8 Arise, O LORD, in Thine anger; lift up thyself against
the rage of my adversaries, and arouse thyself for me; Thou hast appointed
judgment. And let the assembly of
the peoples encompass Thee; and over them return Thou on high. The LORD judges the peoples; vindicate
me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me. (NAS)
Yahweh has established His throne for judgment; He judges
the world in righteousness, and with justice
·
Ps 9:7-8, 16 The LORD reigns forever; he has established his throne
for judgment. He will judge the world
in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice…The LORD is known by
his justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Higgaion.
Selah {LIT. pause in meditation on what has just been read} (NIV)
The fear of God invites His judgment, and delivers the
oppressed
·
Ps 76:7-9 You, Yourself, are to be feared; and who may stand in Your
presence when once You are angry? You
caused judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared and was still, when
God arose to judgment, to deliver all the oppressed of the earth. Selah
(NKJ)
The upright in heart will follow Yahweh’s judgment, and
they will take a stand against evildoers
·
Ps 94:14-16 For the LORD will not abandon His people, nor will He
forsake His inheritance. For
judgment will again be righteous; and all the upright in heart will follow it. Who will stand up for me against
evildoers? Who will take his stand for
me against those who do wickedness?
(NAS)
God will bring into judgment those who follow after
youthful impulses
·
Eccl 11:9-10 Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your
heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your
eyes. Yet know that God will bring
you to judgment for all these things.
So, remove vexation from your heart and put away pain from your body,
because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting. (NAS)
Fear God, and obey His commandments, for He will bring
every good or evil deed into judgment
·
Eccl 12:13-14 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God
and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment,
everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. (NAS)
Yahweh enters into judgment on the leaders of His people
who have abused them and taken advantage of them
·
Isa 3:14-15 The LORD
enters into judgment with the elders and princes of His people, "It is you who have devoured the vineyard; the plunder
of the poor is in your houses. What do
you mean by crushing My people, and grinding the face of the poor?" Declares the Lord GOD of hosts. (NAS)
Yahweh executes judgment by destruction on the wicked
·
Isa 66:16 For the LORD
will execute judgment by fire and by His
sword on all flesh, and those slain by the LORD will be many. (NAS)
Yahweh’s judgment purges His people of sin
·
Isa 4:4 When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of
Zion, and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of
judgment and the spirit of burning.
(NAS)
Yahweh God will bring destructive judgment against Israel’s
enemies at Armageddon
·
Ezek 38:18, 21-23 "And it will come about on that day, when Gog comes
against the land of Israel," declares the Lord GOD, "that My fury
will mount up in My anger…"And I shall call for a sword against him on all
My mountains," declares the Lord GOD. "Every man's sword will be
against his brother. And with
pestilence and with blood I shall enter into judgment with him; and I shall
rain on him, and on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, a
torrential rain, with hailstones, fire, and brimstone. And I shall magnify Myself, sanctify Myself,
and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I
am the LORD."' (NAS)
·
Ezek 39:21-22 "And I shall set My glory among the nations; and
all the nations will see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I
have laid on them. And the house of
Israel will know that I am the LORD their God from that day onward.” (NAS)
Yahweh is the Ancient of Days who passes judgment on the
beast who slay the saints of His Highest One (Jesus) during the great
tribulation
·
Dan 7:21-22, 25-26 "I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the
saints and overpowering them until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment
was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived
when the saints took possession of the kingdom…'And he 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. 'But
the court will sit {for} judgment, and his dominion will be taken away,
annihilated and destroyed forever. (NAS)
Yahweh judged the Levites and the priests of Israel for
oppressing the people
·
Mal 3:5 "Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and
I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and
against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner
in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien, and
do not fear Me," says the LORD of hosts.
(NAS)
Yahweh (the Holy Spirit) will judge men by their words; he
will either justify them, or condemn them
·
Matt 12:31-37 "Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall
be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. And whoever shall speak a word against the Son
of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against the Holy
Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in the age to
come. Either make the tree good,
and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is
known by its fruit. You brood of
vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out
of that which fills the heart. The good
man out of {his} good treasure brings forth what is good; and the evil man out
of {his} evil treasure brings forth what is evil. And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall
speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified,
and by your words you shall be condemned." (NAS)
PART II: Jesus
Acts As Yahweh’s Judge (Magistrate)
The Judge, the
Accuser, and the Mediator
Picture a courtroom scene. You stand before the judge, accused of a
crime. The prosecutor is your accuser,
and he is demanding punishment for your wrongdoing. Also in the courtroom is your advocate, a mediator that pleads
your case before the judge. The
advocate is declaring your freedom based upon certain criteria you must
follow. If you are unwilling to follow
this criterion, then the mediator becomes another magistrate, and he is, with
great sadness of heart, forced to pronounce your guilt before the judge. It is then that the supreme judge renders
his judgment.
The scenario above is what happens
in our life. We stand before the Judge
of the universe (Yahweh), our actions either convicting or acquitting us of His
righteous judgment. Satan, the Accuser
(and ironically the Tempter), seeks to get permission from the Judge to pass
judgment on us, in order that we may be punished. Jesus is both our Advocate (one called alongside) to assist us in
following the commands handed down by the Judge and Ruler of mankind
(Yahweh). When we keep those commands,
our Advocate can stand before the Supreme Judge, and announce our
innocence. The Judge then makes a
decision as to how our case should be handled.
The best example of this in the Old Testament is the case of servant Job
vs. the accuser Satan:
·
Job 1:7-12 And the LORD (Yahweh) said to Satan, "From where do
you come?" So Satan answered the
LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back
and forth on it." Then the LORD
said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none
like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns
evil?" So Satan answered the LORD
and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing?
Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around
all that he has on every side? You have
blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the
land. But now, stretch out Your hand
and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your
face!" So the LORD said to Satan,
"Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his
person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.” (NKJ)
Job’s courtroom trial happened
long before Jesus was born. Job would
have no mediator, in the event he sinned.
Yet, because of Job’s obedience, Yahweh refers to him as, “My servant
Job…there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who
fears God and shuns evil?" Yahweh
invited Satan to present his case regarding Job. Satan had been wandering about the earth seeking to accuse
others, but had been unable to bring Job to court because of Job’s righteous
life.
Yahweh had set up a “hedge” around
Job, and this prevented accessibility by the Accuser (Satan). Yahweh had made a righteous judgment that a
man like Job was worthy of such a hedge, and Job reaped the benefit of that
hedge. The Hebrew word for “hedge” is:
·
“hedge” = 7753 suwk (sook); a primitive root; to
entwine, i.e. shut in (for formation, protection or restraint): KJV--
fence, (make an) hedge (up). (Strong’s
Dictionary)
Job was entwined in Yahweh’s
protection; therefore the accuser was restrained from having access to
him. Satan asked permission of the
Judge to remove the protection, and he went so far as to demand that the Judge
use His own power to curse Job.
Yahweh the Judge is a pure and
righteous Judge. He does no evil to His
servants that walk in His ways. Job had
been faithful to Yahweh, but now the Judge had been presented with a legitimate
argument from the Accuser/Prosecutor (or should we say “Persecutor?). If you read the Book of Job, you will find
that he went through a horrific ordeal.
Job was stripped of his possessions, family, and his health. He was even chided by his self-righteous
so-called “friends” who acted as unwitting dupes of the Accuser. They blamed Job’s calamity on his behavior,
and they were acting like the devil in doing so.
Even Job’s wife acted like the
devil, and blamed God for his calamity:
·
Job 2:9-10 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast
your integrity? Curse God and
die!" But he said to her,
"You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good
from God and not accept adversity?"
In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (NAS)
The Judge knew that Job would hold
fast to his integrity, and the case was settled forever in heaven, and recorded
for our admonition.
·
Job 31:4-6 “Does He not see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with falsehood, or if my
foot has hastened to deceit, let me be weighed on honest scales, that God may
know my integrity. (NKJ)
Job was eventually vindicated at
the end of his suffering. Yahweh the
Judge passed judgment on the Accuser instead, and restored Job to health, and
even possessions. Job learned some
valuable lessons during his affliction, including learning to love those who
persecute you. Perhaps one of the most
valuable lessons Job learned was that he must always trust God. This kind of trust cannot be built without
adversity.
·
Job 13:15-16 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before
Him. He also shall be my salvation, for
a hypocrite could not come before Him.
(NKJ)
The Hebrew word for “slay” means
to “cut-off.” Yahweh had cut off Job’s
protection and other blessings to teach him a valuable lesson. The lesson was for Job to “trust” Him. The Hebrew word for “trust” means, “to
patiently hope.” The Judge wanted Job
to learn how to patiently hope in His righteous judicial decisions, regardless
of the circumstances.
Yahweh God has not changed. Today we live in a new covenant, with a
Mediator between God and man:
·
1 Tim 2:5-6 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men-- the testimony
given in its proper time. (NIV)
The man Christ Jesus is our
mediator, standing in the courtroom between Yahweh God and us. The Accuser Satan is still in the courtroom,
making either false or true accusations about us. When we sin, and disobey God, the Accuser’s testimony is
accurately brought before the Judge for punitive action. When we repent of our wrongdoing, and
confess our sins before the Judge, acknowledging the ransom price paid (the
blood of Jesus), which is ever present and testifying in His courtroom, the
guilt for our sin is forgiven.
·
Rom. 8: 1-4 THEREFORE,
[there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are
in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the
flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. [John 3:18]. For the law of the Spirit of life [which is]
in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and
of death. For God has done what the Law
could not do, [its power] being weakened by the flesh [the entire nature of man
without the Holy Spirit]. Sending His own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and
as an offering for sin, [God] condemned sin in the flesh [subdued,
overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that sacrifice], [Lev.
7:37]. So that the righteous and
just requirement of the Law might be fully met in us who live and move
not in the ways of the flesh but in the ways of the Spirit [our lives
governed not by the standards and according to the dictates of the flesh, but
controlled by the Holy Spirit]. The Amplified New Testament, (La Habra CA: The Lockman
Foundation) 1999.
Even though our sin is forgiven,
this does not mean that we will not suffer consequences for our actions. God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, he shall reap. It is a law of the universe; for every action, there is an equal
and opposite reaction:
·
Gal 6:7-8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man
sows, this he will also reap. For the
one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one
who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. (NAS)
One example of “sowing and
reaping” would be involvement in pornography.
A man who yields to the temptation to view perverted material will
weaken his moral fiber and integrity.
He can repent and ask God’s forgiveness through Jesus, but he has now
made himself vulnerable to the temptation.
The more he yields to the temptation, the weaker his resolve
becomes. Eventually, his pornographic
addiction could turn into adultery, fornication, incest, or even rape.
A person can be forgiven of the
sexual sins mentioned above, but not without consequence. The man who commits adultery may lose his
wife and family. This is God’s judgment
in the form of sowing and reaping. Or
he may contract AIDS, or some other STD, and suffer horrible pain the rest of
his life.
Jesus gave himself as a ransom,
and his blood is always ready to testify at the “proper time.” The only proper time is when we repent, and
ask God’s forgiveness. When we do this,
we are freed from the guilt of sin, and the debt of eternal punishment it would
have cost us. When we refuse the grace
of God, and walked away from the only thing that can testify on our behalf, we
are condemned along with the rest of mankind who don’t know God, or who do not
obey the Lord Jesus Christ:
·
II Th 1:5-12 All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a
result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are
suffering. God is just: He will pay
back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled,
and to us as well. This will happen
when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful
angels. He will punish those who do not
know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting
destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of
his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be
marveled at among all those who have believed.
This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. With this in mind, we constantly pray for
you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he
may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord
Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our
God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV)
The Father (Yahweh) God chose to
use His only begotten son Jesus as the instrument through whom He would judge
the world. We have already quoted
several verses that prove this, including Acts 10:40-42, 17:30-31, 2 Cor.
5:10, and 2 Tim. 4:7-8. Jesus would
prefer to be our Mediator and our Advocate.
But Jesus will act as a Judge (magistrate) on behalf of Yahweh one day,
executing the punitive action that the Father (Yahweh) renders as just. This judgment will begin first with the
church, as is seen in the story of the sheep and the goats.
·
Matt 25:31-34, 41 "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all
the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before
Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the
sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on
the left. Then the King will say to
those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Then He will also say to those on His left,
'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared
for the devil and his angels.” (NAS)
Other scriptures that speak of
Jesus as a magistrate, or judge are:
Jesus is the judge standing right at the door
·
James 5:7-9 Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the
Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being
patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for
the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do
not complain, brethren, against one another, that you yourselves may not be
judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. (NAS)
Jesus is the one appointed by God to judge the living and
dead
·
Acts 10:42 "And He ordered us to preach to the people, and
solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as
Judge of the living and the dead.
(NAS)
God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ
·
Rom 2:11-16 For there is no partiality with God. For all who have sinned without the Law
will also perish without the Law; and all who have sinned under the Law will be
judged by the Law; for not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the
doers of the Law will be justified.
For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of
the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show
the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness,
and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when,
according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ
Jesus. (NAS)
We give thanks to God the Father through the judge Jesus
·
Col 3:16-17 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom,
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (NOTE: Lord = theos;
should be translated as, “the judge, or the magistrate here, because the
context is speaking of the “Christ” or anointed one of God). And whatever you do in word or deed, do
all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through
Him. (NKJ)
God’s Spirit will convict the world of sin once Jesus goes
to the Father & judge Satan as the Accuser
·
John 16:7-13 "But
I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not
go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to
you. And He, when He comes, will
convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment; concerning
sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I
go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me; and concerning judgment,
because the ruler of this world has been judged. I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them
now. But when He, the Spirit of truth,
comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own
initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what
is to come.” (NAS)
Jesus judges the Gentiles through the church’s preaching of
the gospel and their prayers for them
·
1 Pet 4:3-8 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have
carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality,
lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. And in all this, they are surprised that you
do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you but
they shall give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For the gospel has for this purpose been
preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh
as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. The end of all things is at hand; therefore,
be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one
another, because love covers a multitude of sins. (NAS)
We cannot enter into Yahweh’s judgment without the blood of
Jesus, for no man is righteous in His sight
·
Ps 143:1-2 Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications! Answer me in Thy faithfulness, in Thy
righteousness! And do not enter into
judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight no man living is righteous. (NAS)
Yahweh laid Jesus as the tested corner stone, granting him
a spirit of justice; Jesus will repel evil as a magistrate for Yahweh; justice
will be his measuring line
·
Isa 28:5-6, 16-17 In that
day the LORD of hosts will become a beautiful crown and a glorious diadem to
the remnant of His people; a spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment, a strength to those who repel the onslaught at the
gate…Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a
stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He
who believes in it will not be disturbed.
And I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the level;
then hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow
the secret place. (NAS)
Yahweh will use Jesus to feed the shepherds with judgment,
and separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; the sheep
go into eternal life, the goats into eternal punishment
·
Ezek 34:15-17 "I will feed My flock and I will lead them to
rest," declares the Lord GOD. I
will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and
strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment. And as for you, My flock, thus says the Lord
GOD, 'Behold, I will judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and
the male goats. (NAS)
·
Matt 25:31-46 "But
when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He
will sit on His glorious throne. And
all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one
another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put
the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are
blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world. For I was hungry, and
you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a
stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you
visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we
see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and
invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?
And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them,
'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of
Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ Then He will also say to
those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which
has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you
gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was
a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me;
sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' Then they themselves also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we
see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and
did not take care of You?' Then He will
answer them, saying, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it
to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go
away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (NAS)
Jesus was Yahweh’s instrument of judgment to the Jews;
Jesus was sent by the Father, and when they reject Jesus, they reject Yahweh
who sent Jesus
·
Luke 10:13-16 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if
the miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they
would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre
and Sidon in the judgment, than for you.
And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You
will be brought down to Hades! The one
who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and
he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me." (NAS)
PART III: Jesus
is a Prince under the King Yahweh; as such, he judges Israel and the Gentile
world; this position is often referred to as the “throne of David”
When examining Jesus’ role as a
judge, or a ruler who executes justice, one must refer to the many promises
that Yahweh made to David and his descendents.
Yahweh promised that from David’s seed, from his lineage, would arise
one who would ascend the, “throne of David.”
This promised descendent is prophetic of Jesus.
The reason it is necessary to
become familiar with Jesus’ role, as the heir to David’s throne is twofold.
David was known as a man after
God’s own heart. Jesus was also a man
after God’s own heart. The difference
between David and Jesus is quite simple:
David sinned, and needed redemption; Jesus did not sin, and he became
the way of redemption. King David’s
throne, therefore, was a temporary throne, whereas Jesus’ throne will be an
everlasting throne.
The throne of David was recognized
by Israel as the fulfillment of the one who would be their Messiah. The true followers of Jesus often referred
to him as, “son of David,” because they knew only a man with his authority
could be sent from Yahweh. Jesus’ works
and miracles testified legally Yahweh was his Father, and that he was in
complete agreement with God (i.e. that Jesus was “one” with the Father).
What the Jews did not realize,
because of their hardness of heart and unbelief, is that their Messiah would be
cut off and crucified. The OT prophet
Daniel had written about this, but they saw only what they wanted to see in the
scriptures (much like allot of Christians today!). Furthermore, David prophesied that the Messiah (Yahweh’s “holy
one”) would be raised from the dead (i.e. not “undergo decay”).
·
Ps 16:8-11 I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my
right hand I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will
rest in hope. For You will not leave
my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; in
Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures
forevermore. (NKJ)
When Jesus was raised from the
dead, this furnished absolute proof that he was the chosen one of God; he was
the Messiah, the Christ (anointed one) of Yahweh. After Jesus was raised, and he ascended, he took his seat at the
right hand of God, just as Ps. 16:11 said he would. The “right hand” is a metaphor for the
authority Jesus has to act on Yahweh’s behalf.
Jesus is Yahweh’s “right-hand man,” (so to speak).
After Jesus’ ascension to God’s
right hand, Peter preached to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost. Peter’s words explain the prophecy that
David had penned hundreds of years earlier, as he expounded on Jesus’
resurrection and Messiahship:
·
Acts 2:22-36 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a
Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did
through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know--Him, being delivered by
the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless
hands, have crucified, and put to death; "whom God raised up, having
loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held
by it. For David says concerning Him:
'I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is at my right hand, that I
may not be shaken. Therefore my heart
rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; moreover my flesh also will rest in
hope. For You will not leave my soul in
Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life;
you will make me full of joy in Your presence.' Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch
David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this
day. Therefore, being a prophet, and
knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body,
according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he,
foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul
was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we
are all witnesses. Therefore being
exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the
promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens,
but he says himself: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand,
till I make Your enemies Your footstool." ' Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has
made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." (NKJ)
Many Israelites believed Peter,
and the other apostles, as they went about preaching Christ, and him
crucified. But because Israel (as a
nation) rejected their Prince (Jesus), Christ could not have ascended the
throne of David yet, and fulfilled the prophecies concerning him. Jesus will, at the proper time ascend David’s
throne, and establish everlasting righteousness. From this position, Jesus will reign, and will judge with
righteous judgment.
Jesus’ glorified church, (i.e. the
overcomers), will rule and reign together with him on the throne of David. The overcomers are the sheep that hear
Jesus’ voice now, and in the past, and who are a just and merciful people. Thus, the church has a role in judgment,
provided they make just and right decisions while here on the earth. This topic will be addressed in the study, “Judgment
Begins First With The House Of God.”
Yahweh (God
the Father) raised Jesus from the dead after he was crucified, and then exalted
Jesus as a Prince AND a Savior, giving Jesus the authority to grant repentance,
and the forgiveness of sins
·
Acts 5:29-31 But Peter and the apostles answered and said, "We must
obey God rather than men. The God of
our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a
cross. He is the one whom God
exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to
Israel, and forgiveness of sins. (NAS)
Jesus, as the
Prince of peace, will ascend to the throne of David; on this throne, Jesus will
govern his kingdom on earth, and uphold justice and righteousness (NOTE: It is the
“zeal of Yahweh” who accomplishes this assignment)
·
Isa 9:6-7 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and
the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His
government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, to
establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and
forevermore. The zeal of the LORD (Yahweh) of
hosts will accomplish this. (NAS)
Jesus fulfills the promise to David that a Prince would
ascent to his throne, ruling and dispensing justice forever; Jesus was known as
the Christ (Messiah), the son of David to all in Israel
·
I King 2:33 …but to David
and his descendants and his house and his throne, may there be peace from the
LORD forever." (NAS)
David’s descendents are prophetic of Jesus’ disciples
·
Ps 18:50 He gives great deliverance to His king, and shows lovingkindness
to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever. (NAS)
Jesus is David’s seed forever, and Jesus’ throne will rule
all generations
·
Ps 89:1-4 I will sing of the lovingkindness of the LORD forever; to
all generations I will make known Thy faithfulness with my mouth. For I have said, “Lovingkindness will be
built up forever; in the heavens Thou wilt establish Thy
faithfulness." I have made a
covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant, I will establish
your seed forever, and build up your throne to all generations. "
Selah. (NAS)
Prophetic vision of Yahweh making Jesus (i.e. David His
servant) the highest of all the kings of the earth; Jesus will judge and crush
his adversaries
·
Ps 89:18-29 For our shield belongs to the LORD (Yahweh), and our king
to the Holy One of Israel. Once Thou
didst speak in vision to Thy godly ones, and didst say, "I have given help
to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found David My servant; with My holy
oil I have anointed him, with whom My hand will be established; My arm also
will strengthen him. The enemy will not
deceive him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him. But I shall crush his adversaries before him, and strike those
who hate him. And My faithfulness and
My lovingkindness will be with him, and in My name his horn will be
exalted. I shall also set his hand on
the sea, and his right hand on the rivers.
He will cry to me, 'Thou art my Father, My God, and the rock of my
salvation.' I also shall make him My
first-born, the highest of the kings of the earth. My lovingkindness I will keep for him
forever, and My covenant shall be confirmed to him. So I will establish his descendants forever, and his throne as
the days of heaven. (NAS)
Prophetically, Yahweh establishes Jesus as David’s
descendent, and Jesus throne will endure forever, and be as the sun and moon
·
Ps 89:30-37 "If
his sons forsake My law, and do not walk in My judgments, If they violate My
statutes, and do not keep My commandments, then I will visit their
transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. But I will not break off My lovingkindness
from him, nor deal falsely in My faithfulness.
My covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of My
lips. Once I have sworn by My
holiness; I will not lie to David. His
descendants shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established forever like the moon,
and the witness in the sky is faithful." Selah. (NAS)
Jesus’ throne is a throne of judgment, and his throne
involves (prophetically) the thrones of those who reign with him
·
Ps 122:4-5 To which the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD-- an
ordinance for Israel-- to give thanks to the name of the LORD. For there thrones were set for judgment,
the thrones of the house of David. (NAS)
Jesus’ will seek justice from his throne, acting as a
magistrate
·
Isa 16:5 A throne will
even be established in lovingkindness, and a judge will sit on it in
faithfulness in the tent of David; moreover, he will seek justice and be prompt
in righteousness. (NAS)
Yahweh (the Father) will establish Jesus on His own throne
of glory; from this throne, Jesus holds the key to open and shut
·
Isa 22:22-25 "Then I will set the key of the house of David on
his shoulder, when he opens no one will shut, when he shuts no one will open. And I will drive him like a peg in a firm
place, and he will become a throne of glory to his father's house. So they will hang on him all the glory of his
father's house, offspring and issue, all the least of vessels, from bowls to
all the jars. In that day,"
declares the LORD of hosts, "the peg driven in a firm place will give way;
it will even break off and fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut off,
for the LORD has spoken." (NAS)
Jesus uses the key given him by Yahweh to open doors for
the church of Philadelphia in the last days
·
Rev 3:7-8 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one
will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: 'I know your deeds.
Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you
have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.” (NAS)
Yahweh promises to raise up Jesus as a wise king who acts
as a magistrate, and does justice in the land
·
Jer 23:5 "Behold, the days are coming," declares the
LORD, "When I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will
reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the
land.” (NAS)
Jesus is the prince, called “David My servant” by Yahweh
·
Ezek 37:25 "And they shall live on the land that I gave to Jacob
My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and
their sons, and their sons' sons, forever; and David My servant shall be
their prince forever. (NAS)
For Israel (prophetically) Jesus is called, “David their
king”
·
Hosea 3:4-5 For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king
or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or household
idols. Afterward the sons of Israel
will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king; and they will
come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days. (NAS)
Jesus is the offspring descendent of the man David; God
brought Jesus to Israel as a savior, because he too was a man after God’s heart
·
Acts 13:22-23 "And after He had removed him, He raised up David to
be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, 'I have found David
the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.' From the offspring of this man, according
to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus.” (NAS)
Jesus is called, “the son of David”
·
Matt 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of
David, the son of Abraham. (NAS)
Yahweh conceives Jesus in Mary’s womb; Mary is a descendent
of David by bloodline; God promises Mary that her child Jesus will ascend to
the throne of David, and reign over his kingdom forever
·
Luke 1:25-33 "This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the
days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among
men." Now in the sixth month the
angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth, to a
virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and
the virgin's name was Mary. And
coming in, he said to her, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with
you." But she was greatly troubled
at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this might
be. And the angel said to her, "Do
not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your
womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High;
and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will
reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end." (NAS)
Jesus was born in the city of David as the Christ (Messiah)
·
Luke 2:11 For today in the city of David there has been
born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (NAS)
The people of Israel called Jesus “the son of David”
·
Matt 9:27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed
Him, crying out, and saying, "Have mercy on us, Son of
David!" (NAS)
Jesus, the son of David, proclaims justice (in the role of
a magistrate) for the Gentiles
·
Matt 12:15-23 But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many
followed Him, and He healed them all, and warned them not to make Him known, in
order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, might be fulfilled,
saying, "Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom My soul
is well-pleased; I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall proclaim justice
to the Gentiles. He will not
quarrel, nor cry out; nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A battered reed He will not break off, and a
smoldering wick He will not put out, until He leads justice to victory. And in His name the Gentiles will
hope." Then there was brought to
Him a demon-possessed man who was blind and dumb, and He healed him, so that
the dumb man spoke and saw. And all the
multitudes were amazed, and began to say, "This man cannot be the Son
of David, can he?" (NAS)
The multitudes called Jesus, “the son of David…in the
highest”; they acknowledged him as the promised Messiah
·
Matt 21:9-11 And the multitudes going before Him, and those who followed
after were crying out, saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is
He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!" And when He had entered Jerusalem, all the
city was stirred, saying, "Who is this?" And the multitudes were saying, "This
is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee." (NAS)
The Pharisees knew the Christ (Messiah) was called the
"son of David"; David called the Christ his “Lord” (i.e. master)
prophetically, knowing one of his descendents would rule Israel as their king
·
Matt 22:41-45 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked
them a question, saying, "What do you think about the Christ, whose son
is He?" They said to Him, "The son of David." He said to them, "Then how does David
in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at
My right hand, until I put Thine enemies beneath Thy feet"'? "If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is
He his son?" (NAS)
Jesus fulfills Yahweh’s promises to David, and exalts Jesus
to His right hand, making him “Lord and Christ”
·
Acts 2:25-38 "For
David says of Him, 'I was always beholding the Lord in my presence; for He is
at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; moreover my flesh
also will abide in hope; because Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Hades, nor
allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay.
Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; Thou wilt make me full of
gladness with Thy presence.' Brethren,
I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died
and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn
to him with an oath to seat {one} of his descendants upon his throne, he looked
ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither
abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all
witnesses. Therefore having been
exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the
promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and
hear. For it was not David who
ascended into heaven, but he himself says: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit
at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy
feet." Therefore let all the house
of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ-- this
Jesus whom you crucified." Now
when they heard this they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the
rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent, and
let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of
your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (NAS)
Jesus, a descendent of David according to the flesh, was
declared the son of God when Yahweh raised him from the dead, and made him both
Lord and Christ
·
Rom 1:1-4 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle,
set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His
prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a
descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God
with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of
holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,
(NAS)
Jesus is the root of David who was worthy to open the
sealed book in the right hand of Yahweh God
·
Rev 5:1-5 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a
book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a
loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its
seals?" And no one in heaven, or
on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look into
it. And I began to weep greatly,
because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look into it; and one
of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from
the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and
its seven seals." (NAS)
Jesus is the “root” (i.e. – prophetic fulfillment of
Yahweh’s promises) and the “offspring” (i.e. – descendent according to the
flesh) of David
·
Rev 22:16 "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these
things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the
bright morning star." (NAS)
PART IV:More
verses regarding Jesus as a Prince, Ruler, and Judge
There are numerous passages of
scripture that testify to Jesus’ role as a Prince and a Judge. He has been appointed by God his Father, and
given authority to act as such. It would
be far too lengthy to list every verse, but a general overview of scripture
will help build your understanding of the position Jesus has in the kingdom of
God.
The antichrist will oppose Jesus as the Prince of princes,
but Yahweh will not allow him to prevail over Jesus
·
Dan 8:23-25 "And
in the latter period of their rule, when the transgressors have run their
course, a king will arise Insolent and skilled in intrigue. And his power will be mighty, but not by his
own power, and he will destroy to an extraordinary degree and prosper and perform
his will; He will destroy mighty men and the holy people. And through his shrewdness He will cause
deceit to succeed by his influence; and he will magnify himself in his heart,
and he will destroy many while they are at ease. He will even oppose the Prince of princes, but he will be
broken without human agency. (NAS)
Jesus is Messiah (Christ) the Prince who will appear 62
weeks after the decree was given to rebuild Jerusalem, and he will be cut off
(crucified)
·
Dan 9:25-26 "So
you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and
rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and
sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times
of distress. 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. (NAS)
Yahweh (God) glorified Jesus after raising him from the
dead, and made him the Prince of life; as the Prince of life, God brings
healing in Jesus’ name
·
Acts 3:13-16 "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of
our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered
up, and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release
Him. But you disowned the Holy and
Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to
death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to
which we are witnesses. And on the
basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this
man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him
this perfect health in the presence of you all. (NAS)
The Greek definition of the word
translated as, “Prince,” means, “a leader.”
·
“Prince” = 747 archegos
(ar-khay-gos'); from 746 and 71; a chief leader: KJV-- author, captain,
prince. (Strong’s Electronic Dictionary)
The word archegos is used only
four times. Below are listed the verses
of scripture that contain this Greek word:
Archegos 747 (KJV)
·
Acts 3:15 But put to death the Prince (archegos) of
life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are
witnesses. (NAS)
·
Acts 5:31 "He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a
Prince (archegos) and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and
forgiveness of sins.” (NAS)
·
Heb 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and
through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author
(archegos) of their salvation through sufferings. (NAS)
·
Heb 12:2 Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author (archegos)
and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (NAS)
A Different
Greek Word For “Magistrate”
Another more frequently used word
for someone who acts as a ruler, or as a magistrate, or as a prince, is the Greek
word “archon.” Strong’s Dictionary
defines “archon” as follows:
·
758 archon (ar'-khone); present participle of 757; a first (in
rank or power): KJV-- chief (ruler), magistrate, prince, ruler.
Jesus is called the “ruler” (archon) of the kings of the
earth
·
Rev 1:4-6 John to the seven
churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was
and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne; and
from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the
ruler (archon; magistrate)of the kings of the earth. To Him who
loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood, and He has made us to be
a kingdom, priests to His God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion
forever and ever. Amen. (NAS)
Jesus Christ has been given a
place of dominion and rule as a magistrate over all the kings and rulers of the
earth. God the Father appointed Jesus
to this position, and gave him the authority to act as judge over the nations,
and over principalities in spiritual places.
Right now we don’t see all things completely subject to Jesus, but we
know that God the Father has given Jesus authority to have them in subjection.
There are other places where we
see the Greek word “archon” to referring to magistrates or various rulers are
listed below. The purpose of showing
the various uses of the Greek word archon is to help us understand the manner
and functions of a magistrate or ruler.
We begin by listing various earthly rulers (archon) in the New Testament.
Later in this section will be a
list of scriptures that also apply the Greek word “archon” to ruling powers in
the spiritual realm. First however, we
will peer into the lives of men in their respective positions of
authority, and gain insight into their function, title, role, etc. This helps us then understand how the man
Christ Jesus functions in his position or role as a judge (archon), or
magistrate (archon), or ruler (archon).
There are
earthly magistrates
·
Luke 12:54-59 And He was also saying to the multitudes, "When you
see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and
so it turns out. And when you see a
south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be a hot day,' and it turns out that
way. You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of
the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time? And why do you not even on your own
initiative judge what is right? For while
you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate (archon),
on your way there make an effort to settle with him, in order that he may not
drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the constable, and
the constable throw you into prison. I
say to you, you shall not get out of there until you have paid the very last
cent." (NAS)
·
Matt 9:18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler
(archon) came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died,
but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live." (NKJ)
·
John 3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler
(archon) of the Jews. (NAS)
·
Luke 8:41-42 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was an official
(archon) of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus' feet, and began to
entreat Him to come to his house; for he had an only daughter, about twelve
years old, and she was dying. But as He
went, the multitudes were pressing against Him. (NAS)
·
Matt 20:25-26 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know
that the rulers (archon) of the Gentiles lord it over them, and
those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become
great among you, let him be your servant.”
(NKJ)
·
Luke 14:1 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers
(archon) of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched
Him closely. (NKJ)
·
Luke 18:18 And a certain ruler (archon) asked him,
saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (KJV)
·
Luke 23:13 And Pilate summoned the chief priests and the rulers
(archon) and the people. (NAS)
·
Luke 23:35-38 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers
(archon) with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save
Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God." The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine,
and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself." And an inscription also was written over Him
in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. (NKJ)
·
Luke 24:19-21 And He said to them, "What things?" And they said to Him, "The things about
Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of
God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers (archon) delivered
Him up to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem
Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is
the third day since these things happened.”
(NAS)
·
Acts 3:17 "And now, brethren, I know that you acted in
ignorance, just as your rulers (archon) did also. (NAS)
·
Acts 4:5-6 And it came about on the next day, that their rulers
(archon) and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; and Annas
the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who
were of high-priestly descent. (NAS)
·
Acts 7:22, 26-27 "And Moses
was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in
words and deeds…And on the following day he appeared to them as they were
fighting together, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, 'Men, you
are brethren, why do you injure one another?'
But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, 'Who
made you a ruler (archon) and judge over us…This Moses whom they
disowned, saying, 'Who made you a ruler (archon) and a judge?' is
the one whom God sent {to be} both a ruler (archon) and a deliverer with
the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. This man led them out, performing wonders
and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for
forty years. This is the Moses who said
to the sons of Israel, 'God shall raise up for you a prophet like me from your
brethren.'” (NAS)
·
Acts 14:4-5 But the multitude of the city was divided; and some sided
with the Jews, and some with the apostles.
And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with
their rulers(archon), to mistreat and to stone them. (NAS)
·
Acts 23:5 And Paul said, "I was not aware, brethren, that he
was high priest; for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler
(archon) of your people.'"
(NAS)
·
Rom 13:1-3 Let every person be in subjection to the governing
authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist
are established by God. Therefore he
who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have
opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers (archon) are not a cause of fear for good
behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is
good, and you will have praise from the same.
(NAS)
·
1 Cor 2:4-9 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive
words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that
your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. However, we speak wisdom among those who are
mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers (archon)of
this age, who are coming to nothing.
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God
ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers (archon) of
this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of
glory. But as it is written: "Eye
has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things
which God has prepared for those who love Him." (NKJ)
There are rulers
in the demonic spiritual realm
In the New Testament there is
mention of specific rulers (archon) in the spiritual realm. The list of uses below reflect the teaching
of Jesus and the apostle Paul. It is
important to have a spiritual perspective of how the ‘archon’ of the spirit world
function.
Satan himself is a prince of
darkness. There are other dark angels
who have some form of rule in the realm in which they function (e.g. Beelzebul,
the ruler of the demons). Jesus has
ascended into this spiritual realm, as can be observed in the entire book of
Revelation. As you read these scripture
verses, and observe how the Greek word archon applies, you will also understand
the necessity for God the Father to have someone (Jesus) as the ‘ruler’ of the
domain of righteousness and light.
·
Matt 9:34 But the Pharisees were saying, "He casts out the
demons by the ruler (archon) of the demons." (NAS)
·
Matt 12:24-28 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This man
casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler (archon) of the
demons." And knowing their
thoughts He said to them, "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid
waste; and any city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided
against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast
them out? Consequently they shall be
your judges. But if I cast out demons
by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (NAS)
·
John 12:26-33 "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I
am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will
honor. Now My soul is troubled, and
what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came
to this hour. Father, glorify Your name." hen a voice came from heaven, saying,
"I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." Therefore the people who stood by and heard
it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to
Him." Jesus answered and said,
"This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler
(archon) of this world will be cast out.
And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to
Myself." This He said, signifying
by what death He would die. (NKJ)
·
John 14:28-31 "You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I will
come to you.' If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the
Father; for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you before it comes to pass, that when it comes to
pass, you may believe. I will not speak
much more with you, for the ruler (archon) If the world is coming, and
he has nothing in Me; but that the world may know that I love the Father, and
as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go from here.
(NAS)
·
John 16:7-12 "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage
that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but
if I go, I will send Him to you. And
He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness,
and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning
righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me; and
concerning judgment, because the ruler (archon) of this world has
been judged. I have many more things to
say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
(NAS)
·
Eph 2:1-2 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which
you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince
(archon) of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the
sons of disobedience. (NAS)
Satan has been eluded to in the
scriptures as the, “prince (archon) of the power of the air, of the
spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.” He is also called, “the ruler (archon)
of this world.” Jesus’ kingdom, on the
other hand, is NOT of this world:
·
John 18:33-38 Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus,
and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered him, "Are you speaking
for yourself about this, or did others tell you this about Me?" Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own
nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You
done?" Jesus answered, "My
kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants
would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My
kingdom is not from here."
Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly
that I am a king. For this cause I was
born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear
witness to the truth. Everyone who is
of the truth hears My voice."
Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said
this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in
Him at all.” (NKJ)
Jesus is a king and a prince, sent from the Father to rule His kingdom. Jesus said the cause, or reason he was “born,” to be a king. His position as a ruler is to act on behalf of His Father God. When we see Jesus from the scriptures, knowing he is the son of man, and the son of God, as well as the mediator between God and man, it is evident that he has been appointed ruler over his church, and one day, the whole earth.
Jesus makes certain that when he
comes, it is as the “son of man” and he specifies that he is only the inheritor
of His Father’s kingdom. God has
appointed Jesus as the man through whom He will one day judge the world, and
the god of this world.
·
Acts 17:30-31 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God
is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed
a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He
has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the
dead." (NAS)
As stated in previous scriptures,
Jesus will separate the nations as the good shepherd appointed by God to do so:
·
Matt 25:31-34 "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all
the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before
Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the
sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on
the left. Then the King will say to
those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (NAS)
We will one day be a part of executing judgment, being a part of Jesus Christ’s body. In fact, we are told to exercise a certain judgment and authority in Jesus at this time. This will be discussed in more detail in another study that deals the churches’ role in judgment together with Jesus, with all under the authority of God the Father.
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