According to the Hebrew Bible and Jewish tradition, YHWH is the only Lord of lords and King of kings that dwells in heaven above:
“For Yahweh your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the fearsome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.” Deuteronomy 10:17
“Give thanks to the Lord of lords, For His lovingkindness endures forever.” Psalm 136:3
“The king answered Daniel and said, “Truly your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries since you have been able to reveal this mystery.” Daniel 2:47
“But the King of kings moved Antiochus’ mind against this wicked wretch, and Lysias informed the king that this man was the cause of all mischief, so that the king commanded to bring him unto Berea, and to put him to death, as the manner is in that place.” 2 Maccabees 13:4 LXX
“The Jews, having heard of these events, praised the glorious God and King of kings, because they had obtained this help, too, from him.” 3 Maccabees 13:5 LXX
And yet the inspired NT writings identify the risen Christ as the One who reigns in heaven as the Lord of lords and King of kings!
“I direct you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without fault or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and ONLY Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who ALONE possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal might! Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:13-16
“These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and elect and faithful.” Revelation 17:14
“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sits on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; having a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself, and being clothed with a garment dipped in blood, His name is also called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the wrath of the rage of God, the Almighty. And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’” Revelation 19:11-16
“and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler 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 might forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5-6
The Hebrew Bible also states that YHWH alone sits enthroned in heaven since the heavens belong exclusively to him:
“Who is like Yahweh our God, The One who sits on high (LXX en hypselois),” Psalm 113:5
“The heavens are the heavens of Yahweh, But the earth He has given to the sons of men.” Psalm 115:16
The OT further proclaims that YHWH’s name alone is exalted on high, and that he is the only heavenly Lord whom believers are to look to:
“Let them praise the name of Yahweh, For His name alone is set on high; His splendor is above earth and heaven.” Psalm 148:13
“To You I lift up my eyes, The One enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a servant-girl to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to Yahweh our God, Until He is gracious to us.” Psalm 123:1-2
However, the NT authors proclaim that Jesus sits enthroned on high alongside the Father and that he possesses the name above every name and authority in all existence:
“and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe according to the working of the might of His strength, which He worked in Christ, by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE ALL rule and authority and power and dominion, and EVERY NAME that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put ALL THINGS in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over ALL THINGS to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:19-23
“Therefore, God also highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is ABOVE EVERY name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that EVERY TONGUE will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11
“who is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power; who, having accomplished cleansing for sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (en hypselois),” Hebrews 1:3
Now the only way for Christ to share in the Father’s reign from heaven and sit enthroned as the heavenly Lord of lord and King of kings is if he is YHWH Almighty who became a Man, being essentially one with the Father. Otherwise, if he were a mere creature then this would mean that the NT contradicts the Hebrew Bible.
FURTHER READING
The Messiah on Yahweh’s Throne Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Addendum
THE NWT TESTIFIES THAT JESUS IS JEHOVAH WHO REIGNS
THE JW BIBLE AFFIRMS: JESUS’ REIGN IS ETERNAL
Jesus Christ – The Sovereign Lord In and From Heaven
The New World Translation Proves Jesus Reigns as Jehovah in Heaven!
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