We come to the fifth installment (https://islamunmasked.com/2018/10/12/jesus-is-jehovah-god-according-to-the-jehovahs-witnesses-bible-pt-4/) in my on-going series where I prove from the New World Translation (NWT) of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs) that Jesus is Jehovah God Almighty in the flesh.

The Only Divine, Spirit Son of Jehovah Who Is Identical to Him in Power and Essence!

The Scriptures proclaim that Jehovah is greater than all the gods, and far exalted above them all, in fact above all creation:

“Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all the other gods, because of what he did to those who acted arrogantly against his people.” Exodus 18:11

“For Jehovah is a great God, A great King over all other gods.” Psalm 95:3

“For you, O Jehovah, are the Most High over all the earth; You are exalted FAR ABOVE all other gods.” Psalm 97:9

“May people know that you, whose name is Jehovah, You ALONE are the Most High over all the earth.” Psalm 83:18

The God-breathed revelations also proclaim that Jehovah is incomparable since there is no one exactly like him, none among the heavenly beings that even come close to resembling him in his power and majesty:

“Who among the gods is like you, O Jehovah? Who is like you, showing yourself mighty in holiness? The One to be feared with songs of praise, the One doing wonders.” Exodus 15:11

“O Sovereign Lord Jehovah, you have begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty arm, for what god in the heavens or on the earth performs such mighty deeds as you?” Deuteronomy 3:24

“The heavens praise your marvels, O Jehovah, Yes, your faithfulness in the congregation of the holy ones. For who in the skies can compare to Jehovah? Who among the sons of God is like Jehovah? God is held in awe in the council of holy ones; He is grand and awe-inspiring to all who are around him. O Jehovah God of armies, Who is mighty like you, O Jah? Your faithfulness surrounds you.” Psalm 89:5-8 – cf. 86:8-10

“Who is like Jehovah our God, The one who dwells on high?” Psalm 113:5

We are even told that, not only shall Jehovah be exalted forever,

“But you are exalted forever, O Jehovah.” Psalm 92:8

But also that he alone possesses a name which far transcends everything imaginable:

“Let them praise the name of Jehovah, For his name ALONE is unreachably high. His majesty is above earth and heaven.” Psalm 148:13

Since JWs believe that Jesus is not Jehovah, but is a god or god-like,

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god… No man has seen God at any time; the only-begotten god who is at the Father’s side is the one who has explained him.” John 1:1

“The Jews answered him: ‘We are stoning you, not for a fine work, but for blasphemy; for you, although being a man, make yourself a god.’” John 10:33

And one of the heavenly sons of Jehovah God, then this means Jesus cannot possibly be identical to Jehovah in his power and essence. Nor could he be greater and exalted far above all beings, and he definitely cannot possess the name that is above every name in existence.

However, this is precisely what we find the inspired Christian Scriptures teaching!

For instance, after humbling himself to the point of becoming a lowly slave in order to die a shameful, brutal death,

“Keep this mental attitude in you that was also in Christ Jesus,  who, although he was existing in God’s form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God. No, but he emptied himself and took a slave’s form and became human. More than that, when he came as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, yes, death on a torture stake.” Philippians 2:5-8

Christ has now been exalted far above every created being, transcending the heavens themselves, and possesses the name that far transcends every other name in all existence. And from this exalted position, Jesus is supposed to receive the worship from every creature that Jehovah is supposed to receive:

“For this very reason, God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name (to onoma to hyper pan onoma), so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend—of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground— and every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11

{Note: The Society has inserted the word “other” in their translation, even though the Greek plainly says that Jesus possesses the name that is above every name. This can be easily confirmed by looking at the Society’s very own Greek interlinear translation of the New Testament, which can be accessed online https://www.jw.org/en/publications/bible/kingdom-interlinear-greek-translation/books/philippians/2/#v50002009.}

Remarkably, the blessed Apostle ascribes to the risen Christ the very homage which the prophet Isaiah says Jehovah demands from the entire inhabited earth!

“Make your report, present your case. Let them consult together in unity. Who foretold this long ago And declared it from times past? Is it not I, Jehovah? There is no other God but me; A righteous God and a Savior, there is none besides me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth, For I am God, and there is no one else.  By myself I have sworn; The word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, And it will not return: To me every knee will bend, Every tongue will swear loyalty.” Isaiah 45:21-23

Pay attention to what Paul wrote elsewhere:

“and how surpassing the greatness of his power is toward us believers. It is according to the operation of the mightiness of his strength, which he exercised toward Christ when he raised him up from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE every government and authority and power and lordship and EVERY NAME that is named, not only in this system of things but also in that to come. He also subjected all things under his feet and made him head over all things with regard to the congregation, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills up all things in all.” Ephesians 1:19-23

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold on to our public declaration of him.” Hebrews 4:14

“For it is fitting for us to have such a high priest who is loyal, innocent, undefiled, separated from the sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” Hebrews 7:26

The Apostle Peter proclaimed the same truth:

“He is at God’s right hand, for he went to heaven, and angels and authorities and powers were made subject to him.” 1 Peter 3:22

Even more remarkable is the fact that Jesus is said to be able to only do whatever the Father does, and performs the same deeds that his Father does in the exact same way that the Father does them:

“Therefore, in response Jesus said to them: ‘Most truly I say to you, the Son CANNOT do a single thing of his own initiative, but ONLY what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things that One does, these things the Son does also in like manner. For the Father has affection for the Son and shows him all the things he himself does, and he will show him works greater than these, so that you may marvel. For just as the Father raises the dead up and makes them alive, so the Son also makes alive whomever he wants to. For the Father judges no one at all, but he has entrusted all the judging to the Son, so that all may honor the Son JUST AS they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him… Most truly I say to you, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the dead will hear THE VOICE OF THE SON OF GOD, and those who have paid attention will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted also to the Son to have life in himself… Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear HIS [the Son’s] VOICE and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.’” John 5:19-23, 25-26, 28-29

The Son is further said to be perfectly identical to the Father in essence, and is the Agent that God appointed to create and sustain the entire creation, and who reigns forever with all the angels being subject to him:

“Long ago God spoke to our forefathers by means of the prophets on many occasions and in many ways. Now at the end of these days he has spoken to us by means of a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the systems of things. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the EXACT REPRESENTATION of his very being, and he sustains all things by the word OF HIS POWER. And after he had made a purification for our sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty ON HIGH. So he has become better than the angels to the extent that he has inherited a name more excellent than theirs… But when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says: ‘And let ALL of God’s angels do obeisance to him.’… But about the Son, he says: ‘God is your throne forever and ever, and the scepter of your Kingdom is the scepter of uprightness. You loved righteousness, and you hated lawlessness. That is why God, your God, anointed you with the oil of exultation more than your companions.’ And: ‘At the beginning, O Lord [the Son], you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the works OF YOUR HANDS. They will perish, but you will remain; and just like a garment, they will all wear out, and YOU will wrap them up just as a cloak, as a garment, and they will be changed. But YOU are the same, and YOUR years will never come to an end.’ But about which of the angels has he ever said: ‘Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet’?” Hebrews 1:1-4, 6, 8-13

Astonishingly, not only does Paul say that Jesus is the exact representation or copy of God’s infinite, uncreated Being, something impossible for a creature to be since, as we saw above, nothing in creation comes close to being like Jehovah, but he also took the following Psalm, which describes Jehovah as the unchanging Creator and Sustainer of all things,

“O Jehovah, hear my prayer; Let my cry for help reach you… But you remain forever, O Jehovah, And your fame will endure for all generations… Long ago you laid the foundations of the earth, And the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; Just like a garment they will all wear out. Just like clothing you will replace them, and they will pass away. But you are the same, and your years will never end.” Psalm 102:1, 12, 25-27

And applied it to the Lord Jesus!

Hence, even the JWs’ very own (per)version of the Bible testifies that Christ is not a mere spirit creature. Rather, in union with the Father and the Holy Spirit, Jesus is Jehovah God Almighty who became flesh, thereby contradicting the very beliefs of JWs.

This explains why Jesus can do everything that God the Father does, in the same exact manner that the Father does it, and how he could be identical to God in his infinite, eternal Being. It also explains how Jesus could possess the name that transcends all names, and why he has been exalted far above all creatures, and therefore greater than all the gods or spirit sons of Jehovah. And it further helps us to see why a Psalm, which describes Jehovah as the immutable Creator and Sustainer of all created reality, can be applied to the Lord Jesus.

Jesus Christ is Jehovah to the glory of God the Father. Amen!

Proceed to the next part in my series https://islamunmasked.com/2018/10/20/jesus-is-jehovah-god-according-to-the-jehovahs-witnesses-bible-pt-6/.

 

 

 

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