In my former post (https://islamunmasked.com/2020/07/30/jesus-christ-and-jws-who-is-the-jehovah-that-saves/), I used the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ very own (per)version of the Holy Bible to establish Jesus’ identity as Jehovah God Almighty who became flesh for our redemption. In this short part, I will provide additional evidence that Jesus is not a mere creature, but the fulfillment of the OT proclamation that the one true God is coming to reign and judge the whole earth.

The Hebrew Bible states that Jehovah is the God who made the heavens and would someday descend to the earth on the mount of olives to inherit the nations and rule over the world as King. This would also be the day when he would judge the earth in righteousness since he is exalted over it as its sovereign Lord. Jehovah is further said to be far exalted above all the gods who are required to worship him as he comes to destroy them in his righteous wrath:

“God takes his place in the divine assembly; In the middle of the gods he judges: ‘How long will you continue to judge with injustice And show partiality to the wicked? (Selah) Defend the lowly and the fatherless. Render justice to the helpless and destitute. Rescue the lowly and the poor; Save them out of the hand of the wicked.’ They do not know, nor do they understand; They are walking about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are being shaken. ‘I have said, “You are gods, All of you are sons of the Most High. But you will die just as men do; And like any other prince you will fall!”’ Rise up, O God, and judge the earth, For all the nations belong to you.” Psalm 82:1-8

“All the gods of the peoples are worthless gods, But Jehovah is the one who made the heavens… Declare among the nations: ‘Jehovah has become King! The earth is firmly established, it cannot be moved. He will judge the peoples fairly.’ Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be joyful; Let the sea thunder and all that fills it; Let the fields and everything in them rejoice. At the same time let all the trees of the forest shout joyfully Before Jehovah, for he is coming, He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the inhabited earth with righteousness And the peoples with his faithfulness.” Psalm 96:5, 10-13

“Jehovah has become King! Let the earth be joyful. Let the many islands rejoice. Clouds and thick gloom are all around him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him And consumes his adversaries on every side. His lightning bolts light up the land; The earth sees it and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before Jehovah, Before the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, And all the peoples see his glory. Let all those serving any carved image be put to shame, Those who boast about their worthless gods. Bow down to him, all you gods. Zion hears and rejoices; The towns of Judah are joyful Because of your judgments, O Jehovah. For you, O Jehovah, are the Most High over all the earth;” Psalm 97:1-9

“Look! The day is coming, a day belonging to Jehovah, when the spoil from you will be divided in your midst. I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for the war; and the city will be captured and the houses plundered and the women raped. And half of the city will go into exile, but the remaining ones of the people will not be cut off from the city. Jehovah will go out and war against those nations as when he fights in the day of a battle. In that day HIS FEET will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in half, from east to west, forming a very great valley; and half of the mountain will move to the north, and half of it to the south. You will flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains will extend all the way to Aʹzel. You will have to flee, just as you fled because of the earthquake in the days of King Uz·ziʹah of Judah. And Jehovah my God will come, and all the holy ones will be with him… And Jehovah will be King over all the earth. In that day Jehovah will be one, and his name one… Everyone who is left remaining out of all the nations that come against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to bow down to the King, Jehovah of armies, and to celebrate the Festival of Booths. But if anyone among the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to bow down to the King, Jehovah of armies, no rain will fall on them.” Zechariah 14:1-5, 9, 16-17

The inspired NT writings, on the other hand, state that the risen and glorified man Christ Jesus is the One who reigns as the sovereign Lord over all the earth and who shall return to the mount of olives to judge the world in righteousness:

“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.” John 5:22-23

“After he had said these things, while they were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud caught him up from their sight. And as they were gazing into the sky while he was on his way, suddenly two men in white garments stood beside them and said: ‘Men of Galʹi·lee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus who was taken up from you into the sky will come in the same manner as you have seen him going into the sky.’ Then they returned to Jerusalem from a mountain called the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem, only a sabbath day’s journey away.” Acts 1:9-12

“He sent out the word to the sons of Israel to declare to them the good news of peace through Jesus Christ—this one is Lord of all… Also, he ordered us to preach to the people and to give a thorough witness that this is the one decreed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.” Acts 10:36, 42

“True, God has overlooked the times of such ignorance; but now he is declaring to all people everywhere that they should repent.  Because he has set a day on which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by A MAN whom he has appointed, and he has provided a guarantee to all men by resurrecting him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31

“For to this end Christ died and came to life again, so that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you also look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written: ‘“As surely as I live,” says Jehovah, “to me every knee will bend, and every tongue will make open acknowledgment to God.”’ So, then, each of us will render an account for himself to God.” Romans 14:9-12

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of the Christ, so that each one may be repaid according to the things he has practiced while in the body, whether good or bad. Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord, we keep persuading men, but we are well-known to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:10-11

“so that he may make your hearts firm, blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the presence of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.” 1 Thessalonians 3:13

“and from Jesus Christ, ‘the Faithful Witness,’ ‘the firstborn from the dead,’ and ‘the Ruler of the kings of the earth.’” Revelation 1:5

“These are symbolized by the two olive trees and the two lampstands and are standing before the Lord of the earth… And their corpses will be on the main street of the great city that is in a spiritual sense called Sodʹom and Egypt, where their Lord was also executed on the stake.” Revelation 11:4, 8

“These will battle with the Lamb, but because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those with him who are called and chosen and faithful will do so.” Revelation 17:14

Jesus is also said to be the Creator of the heavens and earth who has been exalted far above all creation subsequent to his physical, bodily resurrection and heavenly ascension. As a result, all creation is now in subjection to him and required to worship him. This is especially true of the angels:

“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

“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… 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.’… 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.” Hebrews 1:2-3, 8, 10-12

“Baptism, which corresponds to this, is also now saving you (not by the removing of the filth of the flesh, but by the request to God for a good conscience), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 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 3:21-22

“When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, and each one had a harp and golden bowls that were full of incense. (The incense means the prayers of the holy ones.) And they sing a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, for you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought people for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings+ over the earth.’ And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, and they were saying with a loud voice: ‘The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy to receive the power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.’ And I heard EVERY CREATURE in heaven and on earth and underneath the earth and on the sea, AND ALL THE THINGS IN THEM, saying: ‘To the One sitting on the throne and TO THE LAMB be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might forever and ever.’ The four living creatures were saying: ‘Amen!’ and the elders fell down and worshipped.” Revelation 5:8-14

Thus, the JWs’ very own Bible translation identifies Jesus as Jehovah God Almighty who became flesh, even though he is personally distinct from the Father and the Holy Spirit!

FURTHER READING

Is the Savior necessarily God?

The Lord Jesus: Our Divine Redeemer

Jesus Christ, the Justifier and Forgiver of Sinners

 

 

 

 

 

 

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