In this short post I will cite from a renowned medieval rabbi named Moses Maimonides (referred to by the acronym Rambam) who interpreted texts such as Isaiah 9:6, 11:1-4 and Psalm 2:7 as Messianic prophecies. This proves quite significant since it exposes the lies and deceit of Jewish anti-Christian polemicists such as Tovia Singer who deny that verses such as Isaiah 9:6 where the Messiah is described as the Mighty God coming to be born as a human child.

Commenting on a false messianic claimant who appeared in Yemen, Maimonides wrote:

Do these characteristics make him a Messiah? You were beguiled by him because you have not considered the pre-eminence of the Messiah, the manner and place of his appearance, and the marks whereby he is to be identified. The Messiah, indeed, ranks after Moses in eminence and distinction, and God has bestowed some gifts upon him which he did not bestow upon Moses, as may be gathered from the verses: “His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.” (Isaiah 11:3). “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. (11:2). “And Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins.” (11:5). Six appellations were divinely conferred upon him as the following passage indicates: “For a child is born unto us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder, and he is called Pele, Yoetz, El, Gibbor, Abiad, Sar-Shalom.” (Isaiah 9:5). And another verse alluding to the Messiah is the following manner: “Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.” (Psalm 2:7). All these statements demonstrate the pre-eminence of the Messiah. (Moses Maimonides’ Epistle to Yemen [American Academy For Jewish Research, 1952], Edited from manuscripts with introductions and notes by Abraham S. Halkin, and an English translation by Boaz Cohen, The Louis M. and Minnie Epstein Series, Volume One, pp. xvi-xvii https://archive.org/details/epistletoyemen0000maim/page/n27/mode/2up; bold emphasis mine)

In accepting the Messianic interpretation of the aforementioned texts, Maimonides ends up confirming the Christian view that Jesus the Messiah is the only-begotten Son of God and also the very Mighty God that became flesh for our salvation!

FURTHER READING

A Leading Jewish Rabbi Exposes the Duplicity of Jewish anti-Christian Missionaries!

How Rabbinic Judaism’s Belief in Two Messiahs proves that Jesus is the Christ

Messianic Prophecy in light Muhammadan Polemics

Jesus Christ: The God Whose Glory Isaiah Beheld

Jesus Christ: The God of the Patriarchs and Prophets

A SQUEAKY THRONE, AN ANCIENT WHALE AND HEAVENLY GOATS

In this post I will be citing specific extracts from an important and valuable work on Islamic “history” by Ibn Kathir titled Al-Bidayah wa-Nihayah (“The Beginning and the End”). The excerpts will give the readers an idea of how unbelievable, incoherent, and just plain silly the Islamic view of reality is.

I begin by quoting what Ibn Kathir claims in regards to Allah’s whereabouts prior to the creation of the heavens and earth.

Imran ibn Husayn narrated that there was Allah and there was nothing that preceded Him. His throne was upon the water. He inscribed everything on the Preserved Tablet, and THEN created the heavens and the earth.

WHERE WAS ALLAH: Abu Razin Laqit ibn Aamir narrated that he asked, “O Messenger of Allah, where was our Lord before He created the heavens and the earth? He said, “He was in ama… there being no air above Him. Then He created His throne over the water. (The word ama’ is said to be: a vacuum, fine cloud, something incomprehensible to men).

THE FIRST THING CREATED: The ulama (Scholars) differ on what was created first. Some say that the pen was created before all these things. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Jawzi and others have this opinion. Ibn Jarir said that, after the pen, fine cloud was created. Ubadah ibn Samit narrated that Allah’s Messenger said, “The first thing Allah created was the pen. Then He said to it, “Write!” So, at that very moment it began to write what was to transpire till the Day of Resurrection.

However, the majority concur with Hafiz Abul Ula Hamdani and others (that the arsh, throne, was a creation before it). This is what Ibn Jarir reported from Ibn Abbas. Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Aas narrated that he heard Allah’s Messenger say, “Allah recorded the destiny of the creatures before He created the heavens and the earth by fifty thousand years. And His throne was on the water”. This is the destiny that the pen wrote down. Thus, it is established that the throne preceded the pen. It is possible that the pen was the first creation in the universe, and we have support for it in the hadith narrated by Imran ibn Husayn that the people of Yaman said to Allah’s Messenger, “We have come to you to attain comprehension of the religion and to ask about THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION”. He said, “There was Allah and there was nothing before Him or with Him or other than Him”. Next, “He recorded on the preserved tablet everything. THEN He created the heavens and the earth”. Since they had asked about the beginnings of the creation of the heavens and the earth, he told them only what concerned them and did not speak the creation of the throne, as he informed in the preceding the hadith of Abu Razin.

Ibn Jarir also reported that it is said, “Surely, our Lord created–after the pen–kursi (chair). Then–after the kursi–He created the arsh (throne). Then, after that, He created the air and the darkness. Then He created water and placed His throne on water.” Allah, Glorious and Exalted, knows best. (Ibn Kathir Ad-Damishqi (700-774 AH), Al Bidaayah Wannihaayah (From the Beginning to the End), translated by Rafiq Abdur Rahman [Darul-Ishaat, Karachi, Pakistani, First edition 2014], Volume 1. The Story of Creation, Ummah of the Past, The Life of Muhammad up to 9. AH, pp. 48-49; capitalized, italicized underline emphasis mine)

Notice just how confusing and unintelligible all of this is. Before creation Allah supposedly created the pen and the throne, and his throne was suspended on water!

The problem with this assertion is, how can there be any created thing before the creation of the heavens and earth, which even the above reference identifies as the beginning of creation? I.e., the beginning of creation is the moment when the heavens and earth were created.

Therefore, how can the throne, water and pen exist or have been created prior to creation, when these objects would also have to be a part of creation itself?  

It gets worse since Ibn Kathir goes on to say:

Abbas ibn Muttalib narrated: We were sitting with Allah’s Messenger when a cloud passed overhead and he asked us, “Do you know what it is?” We said, “The cloud.” He said, “The muzn (the white, rain cloud).” So we repeated, “The white cloud.” He said, “And the inan or anan (meaning, the cloud),” but we kept quiet. He asked, Do you know how much distance there is between the heaven and the earth?” We said that Allah and His Messenger know.” He said, “Between them is a distance of five hundred years and between every two heavens is a distance of five hundred years the opening of every heaven is a distance of five hundred years. Above the seventh heaven is a sea between whose surface and floor is like between the heaven and the earth. Beyond that are eight (angels like) mountain goats between whose hoofs and haunches is like the distance between the heaven and the earth. Above that is the arsh (throne) between whose bottom and top is as the distance between the heaven and the earth. Allah is above that and nothing is hidden from Him from the deeds of the children of Aadam.  

This hadith is transmitted through Simak in similar words.  

Jubayr ibn Mut’im narrated that a villager came to Allah’s Messenger and said, “O Messenger of Allah, people are in distress, the families are hungry, the properties are exhausted and the animals are perishing. Do pray to Allah to give us rain for, we place you as an intercessor with Allah, and Allah as an intercessor with you.” Allah’s Messenger said, “Woe to you. Do you realise what you say?” And he glorified Allah and kept glorifying Allah till that was obvious on the faces of the sahaba (companions). Again he said, “Woe to you! Allah is not sought as an intercessor for anyone of His creatures. His state is greater than that. Woe to you! Do you realise what (mighty) Allah is? His arsh (throne) is over His heavens like this and he showed with his fingers something like a dome–AND IT SQEAKS BECAUSE OF HIM LIKE THE SQUEAKING OF A SADDLE BECAUSE OF THE RIDER.

Ibn Bishar narrated in his Hadith, “Surely Allah is above His heavens,” and (narrated the hadith) to the end. However, Ibn Asakir has composed a booklet rejecting this hadith and questioned Muhammad ibn Ishaq for narrating it, but these words are narrated also through other lines of transmission and cited by Abu ibn Humayd and Ibn Jarir in their tafsirs, and Ibn Abu Aasim and Tabarani in their books on the sunnah. Bazzar in his musnad and Hafiz Diya Muqadisi in Muktar transmitted from Umar ibn Khattab that a woman came to the Prophet and requested him to pray to Allah that He admit her to Paradise. He extolled Allah and said, “His kursi (chair) extends over the heavens and the earth and IT SQUEAKS AS SQUEAKS THE NEW SADDLE UNDER THE WEIGHT (OF THE RIDER). However there is doubt on the reliability of a sub-narrator.

The Prophet Muhammad said, “When you ask Allah for Paradise, ask Him for the Firdaws, for it is the highest of Paradise and its centre, and above it is the throne of Ar-Rahman. According to some aathar, “The people of the Firdaws will hear THE SQUEAK OF THE ARSH (THRONE). That will be its glorifying and extolling Allah”. They will hear it because of their nearness to it. The Prophet Muhammad said, “THE THRONE of Ar-Rahman (The Compassionate with pleasure) SHOOK on the death of Sad ibn Muadh. (Ibid., pp. 50-51; bold and capital emphasis mine)

Not only did Muhammad believe that there were eight mountain goats living beyond some celestial sea which is located above the seventh heaven, he even thought that Allah’s throne is an actual material object that squeaks from carrying Allah’s body mass!

The fact that the throne literally squeaks as a saddle does from the weight of Allah proves that Allah is a spatial, corporeal being with a body small enough to fit within a material object.

In other words, the throne must be large enough and Allah’s shape must be small in enough for him to be able to seat himself upon it. And yet for Allah to have a material body he must by necessity be bound to space and matter, since a shape requires space and place for it to exist.

This in turn means that Allah did not create all dimensions of space and place since the body he possesses, and the space and place required to contain it, are uncreated. And if they are uncreated then he has no control over them, but rather they control him since he is bound to them by necessity.     

And lest a Muhammadan argue that the throne isn’t a literal object that Allah literally sits upon, note what Ibn Kathir went on to write:

LITERAL MEANING OF ARSH: The word arsh is a throne used by kings as is evident from the words of Allah…

And she has a mighty throne (27:2, 3)

It is not falak or sky, neither do the Arabs understand it to mean that. The Qur’an when it was revealed, made it clear that it is a throne with stands on pillars borne by angels and it is dome-shaped over the universe and a ceiling over the creation. Allah says…

THOSE WHO BEAR THE THRONE, and those who are around it glorify the praise of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who believe (saying), “Our Lord! You embrace everything in mercy and knowledge. Sura al-Ghafir, 40:7…

According to the hadith narrated already, eight angels who carry the arsh on their backs. Allah says…

And EIGHT OF THEM SHALL CARRY ABOVE THEM THE THRONE of your Lord… al-Haqqah. (69:17)

Shahr ibn Hawashab narrated that the bearers of the arsh (throne) are eight, four of them pray…

Glory be to You, O Allah, and with Your praise. All praise belongs to You for Your clemency in spite of Your knowledge.

The other four say…

Glory be to You, O Allah, and with Your praise. All praise belongs to You for Your forgiveness in spite of Your power.

Ibn Abbas narrated that Allah’s Messenger confirmed Umayyah ibn Salt as true, when he said in his poetry…

The Prophet Muhammad said again, “He spoke the truth”.

Since he asserted THAT FOUR ANGELS CARRIED THE THRONE AND THE prophet MUHAMMAD CONFIRMED HIM, it follows that the arsh IS CARRIED BY FOUR ANGELS IN TURNS. Even if we concede to this explanation, the numbers are not contradicted.

Jabir ibn Abdullah narrated that the Prophet said, “I have been permitted to narrate about an angel among THE ANGELS of Allah WHO BEAR THE ARSH that between his earlobe and his shoulders is a distance of seven hundred years journey.” (Ibn Kathir, Al Bidaayah, pp. 52-53; capital emphasis mine)    

It makes absolutely no sense to speak of eight angels in total bearing or carrying a metaphorical throne, unless we assume that the term angels is also a metaphor that does not refer to actual beings which exist.

It also seems that Muhammad may have based his fable of eight extraterrestrial mountain goats on his belief that there are eight throne bearing angels.  

Speaking of these eight mountain goats from outer space, Ibn Kathir wasn’t the only Sunni scholar that mentioned them:

Al-‘Abbas b. ‘Abd al-Muttalib asserted that he was sitting in al-Batha’ with a company among whom God’s messenger was sitting when a cloud passed. They looked at it and God’s messenger asked, “What do you call this?” and they received the reply “Clouds (sahab).” He said, “And rain-clouds (muzn),” to which they agreed. He asked, “Do you know the distance between heaven and earth?” and when they replied that they did not, he said, “The distance between them is seventy-one, seventy-two, or seventy-three years, the heaven which is above it is at a similar distance (going till he counted seven heavens). Above the seventh heaven there is a sea the distance between whose surface and bottom is like that between one heaven and the next. Above that there are EIGHT MOUNTAIN-GOATS the distance between whose hoofs and haunches is like that between one heaven and the next. On their backs is the Throne the extent of which from top to bottom is like the distance between one heaven and the next. Then God is above that.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it. (Mishkat Al-Masabih English Translation With Explanatory Notes by Dr. James Robson, Volume II [Sh. Muhammad Ahsraf Publishers, Booksellers & Exporters, Lahore-Pakistan, Reprint 1994], p. 1226; bold and italicized emphasis mine)

Narrator: Al-Abbas ibn AbdulMuttalib

I was sitting in al-Batha with a company among whom the Apostle of Allah was sitting, when a cloud passed above them. The Apostle of Allah (looked at it and said: What do you call this? They said: Sahab. He said: And muzn? They said: And muzn. He said: And anan? They said: And anan. AbuDawud said: I am not quite confident about the word anan. He asked: Do you know the distance between Heaven and Earth? They replied: We do not know. He then said: The distance between them is seventy-one, seventy-two, or seventy-three years. The heaven which is above it is at a similar distance (going on till he counted seven heavens). Above the seventh heaven there is a sea, the distance between whose surface and bottom is like that between one heaven and the next. Above that there are eight mountain goats the distance between whose hoofs and haunches is like the distance between one heaven and the next. Then Allah, the Blessed and the Exalted, is above that. (Sunan of Abu Dawood – 2205 https://www.alim.org/hadith/sunan-of-abu-dawood/2205)

(13) Chapter: Concerning what the Jahmiyyah denied (i.e., seeing Allah in the Hereafter, etc.)

It was narrated that ‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul-Mutallib said:

“I was in Batha with a group of people, among them whom was the Messenger of Allah. A cloud passed over him, and he looked at it and said: ‘What do you call this?’ They said: ‘Sahab (a cloud).’ He said: ‘And Muzn (rain cloud).’ They said: ‘And Muzn.’ He said: ‘And ‘Anan (clouds).’ Abu Bakr said: “They said: ‘And ‘Anan.'” He said: ‘How much (distance) do you think there is between you and the heavens?’ They said: ‘We do not know.’ He said: ‘Between you and it is seventy-one, or seventy-two, or seventy-three years, and there is a similar distance between it and the heaven above it (and so on)’ until he counted seven heavens. ‘Then above the seventh heaven there is a sea, between whose top and bottom is a distance like that between one heaven and another. Then above that there are eight (angels in the form of) mountain goats. The distance between their hooves and their knees is like the distance between one heaven and the next. Then on their backs is the Throne, and the distance between the top and the bottom of the Throne is like the distance between one heaven and another. Then Allah is above that, the Blessed and Exalted.”

Grade: Da’if (Darussalam)

Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah 193

In-book reference: Introduction, Hadith 193

English translation: Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 193 (Sunan Ibn Majah 193 – The Book of the Sunnah)

What is meant by this layering of the heavens, with the lowest of the seven heavens having been adorned by stars?⁴⁴ This layered space definitely refers to the physical structure of the cosmos, but is not limited to it, for there are unfathomable worlds in these seven heavens which were made from steam or smoke (dukhan).⁴⁵ Each of these heavens is separated from each other by a distance of 500 years, we are informed in A SOUND TRADITION. “We were with the Prophet,” al-‘Abbas bin ‘Abd al-Muttalib narrates, “when he asked: ‘Do you know what is the distance between heaven and earth? We answered: ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said: ‘Between them there is a distance of 500 years; and from every heaven to another heaven there is a distance of 500 years. The diameter of every heaven is 500 years. Above the seventh heaven there is a sea, the distance from its surface to its greatest depth is as much as the [distance] between the heaven and the earth. Then, above that, there are eight mountain goats (aw’al); the distance between their knees (rukba-hunna) and their hoofs (azlafa-hunna) is like the distance between the heaven and the earth. Still above this, there is the Throne; the distance between its lowest and uppermost part is like the distance between the heavens and the earth. Above that, there is Allah, the Praised and Exalted.’”⁴⁶

46. Reported by Ahmad b. Hanbal in his Musnad, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi–who declared it to be hasan–Ibn Majah, Ibn Abi Asamm in his Sunna, Abu Ya’la, Ibn Khuzayma, al-Tabarani, al-Hakim–who classified it AS SAHIH–and Abu al-Shaykh. al-Hay’a as-Saniyya, 8. (Contemporary Issues in Islam and Science, ed. Muzaffar Iqbal [Routledge, 2016], Volume 2, Part III. Islamic Cosmology. 14. Muzaffar Iqbal (2006), “’In the Beginning: Islamic Perspectives on Cosmological Origins – II’, Islam & Science, 4, pp. 61-78”, p. 392; bold and capital emphasis mine)

Let the readers pay close attention to the foregoing author’s admission that this fairytale of eight celestial mountain goats is based on hasan (“good”) and sahih (“sound”) sanad (“chains of transmission”). Therefore, a Sunni Muslim cannot simply toss this fable aside on the grounds that it is a weak or fabricated hadith.

Suffice it to say, Muhammad’s fairytale of extraterrestrial mountain goats caused quite a stir among the “learned” Muslims:

Because Simaak’s report is not to be accepted when he is the only one narrating it, and because we find that there are some doubts about ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umayrah, the scholars differed as to whether the hadeeth should be classed as saheeh or da’eef. 

Al-Tirmidhi said concerning the hadeeth: it is HASAN ghareeb. It was classed as SAHEEH by Ibn Khuzaymah in his report in his book al-Tawheed where he stipulated some conditions for its soundness. Al-Haakim said in al-Mustadrak: it is SAHEEH according to the conditions OF MUSLIM although they (al-Bukhaari and Muslim) did not narrate it.

The text of the hadeeth of the mountain goats is as follows: 

It was narrated that al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib said: 

I was in al-Batha’ with a group of people, among whom was the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). A cloud passed over him, and he looked at it and said, “What do you call this?” They said, Sahaab (a cloud). He said, “And muzn (rain cloud).” They said, And muzn. He said, “And ‘anaan (clouds).” Abu Bakr said: they said, “And ‘anaan.” He said: “How much (distance) do you think there is between you and the heaven?” They said, We do not know. He said, “Between you and it is seventy-one or seventy-two or seventy-three years, and there is a similar distance between it and the heaven above it [and so on]” – until he has counted seven heavens. “Then above the seventh heaven there is a river, between whose top and bottom is a distance like that between one heaven and another. Then above that there are eight (angels in the form of) mountain goats. The distance between their hooves and their kneesis like the distance between one heaven and the next. Then on their backs is the Throne, and the distance between the top and the bottom of the Throne is like the distance between one heaven and another. Then Allaah is above that, may He be blessed and exalted… 

Among the later scholars, Ibn Taymiyah in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (3/192) and Ibn al-Qayyim in Mukhtasar al-Sawaa’iq (433) said its isnaad is jayyid. 

With regard to the scholars who classed it as da’eef: 

This is what is understood from the words of al-Bazaar in his Musnad (4/115), where he says: We do not know of these words being narrated except with this isnaad from al-‘Abbaas from the Prophet. We do not know of anyone who narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umayrah except Simaak ibn Harb. End quote.

Ibn ‘Adiyy said in al-Kaamil (9/27): it is not known. 

Al-Mazzi indicated that it is da’eef in Tahdheeb al-Kamaal (10/391). 

Al-Dhahabi said in al-‘Uluw (1/60): It was narrated only by Simaak from ‘Abd-Allaah, and ‘Abd-Allaah is somewhat unknown. End quote. But al-Dhahabi classed the hadeeth as HASAN in al-‘Arsh (24). 

Another of the later scholars who classed it as da’eef was al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah (1247). (Islam Q&A, 88746.The hadeeth of the mountain goats is a weak hadeeth; bold and capital emphasis mine) 

Now in case the readers thought this was bad, Ibn Kathir explains the Quranic ayat which refer to the order of creation, and mentions a celestial whale that holds up the earth!   

The exegetes differ on the length of the six days. MOST OF THEM hold that they are like these our days. Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Dahhak and Ka’b Ahbar held that each of those days was like a thousand days ‘by your count’. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abu Hatim reported this and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal also preferred the opinion in his book in which he rejected the Jahmiyah, and Ibn Jarir and some of the successors. We will see what leads them to this opinion. Dahhak ibn Muzahim and others gave the names of these six days as: Abjad, Hawwaz, Hutti, Kalaman, Sa’fas and qarashat. There are three views on the first of these days. Muhammad Ibn Ishaq said that the people of the Torah hold that Allah began the creation on Sunday, the people of the Injil (Bible) say that it was on Monday, while we the Muslims, say on the basis of what comes to us from Allah’s Messenger, “Allah began the creation on Saturday”. We will see a hadith of Abu Harayrah [sic] on this subject about the creation on Saturday or Sunday. Ibn Abbas, Ibn Mas’ud and some other sahabah including Abdullah ibn Salaam also narrated ahadith on this subject, beginning the week on Sunday and ending it on Friday which the Muslims regard as their Eid (festival) of the week, we will see more on it soon, in sha Allah.

Allah, the Exalted, says…

He is (Allah) Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then He turned to the heaven and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is the Knower of everything. (2:29)…  

Say, “Are you indeed those who disbelieve in Him who created the earth in two days, and do you set up rivals to Him?” And He set therein firm mountains high above it, and blessed it, and He ordained therein its diverse sustenance in four days, alike for (all) seekers. Then He turned to the heaven when it was smoke, and said it to it and to the earth, “Come both of you willingly or unwillingly”. They both said, “We come willingly”. Then He ordained them as seven heavens in two days, and revealed in every heaven its command. And we adorned the lower heavens with lamps, and made it guarded. That is the decree of the Mighty the Knower. (41:9-12)

This is evidence that the earth was created BEFORE the heaven because it was like the base for the canopy…

He says…

What are you the harder in creation or the heaven He built? He raised up high its canopy and perfected it.  And darkened its night and brought forth its bright moon. And after that He spread out the earth. He brought out therefrom its water, and its pasture, and the mountains He firmly fixed, a provision for you and for your cattle. (79:27-33)

Some people deduce from these verses that the heavens were created before the earth. They CONTRADICT THE CLEAR EVIDENCE of the earlier verses (Fussilat, 9-12) and do not understand this verse. Only the earth was spread out and water and pasture were brought out after the creation of the heaven (the creation of earth had PRECEDED). That was its measure and sustenance…  

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet took him by his hand and said, “Allah created the earth (soil) on Saturday and the mountains on Sunday the trees on Monday and the makruh (disliked) on Tuesday and the light on Wednesday and He scattered the beasts on Thursday and He created Aadam after asr on Friday. This last creation was created in the last moments of Friday between the asr and the night.

He also narrated that the Prophet said, “O Abu Hurayrah, surely Allah created the heavens and the earth and that which is between them in six days. Then He turned to the arsh on the seventh. And he created the soil on Saturday”. And he narrated the rest of the hadith (as the preceding). This hadith is also confirmed by Ka’b Ahbar. However it has some strangeness because it specifies the days too while speaking of the creation and this does not agree with the Qur’an which is explicit that the earth was created in four days and the heavens in two days and the heavens were created from smoke that must have been the steam arising from the excessive stirring of water which was created by Allah’s power as mentioned by Isma’il Abdur Rahman Suddi Kabir on the authority of Abu Maalik, Abu Salih, Ibn Abbas, Murrah Hamdani and Ibn Mas’ud and others in reference to the verse (2:29 al-Baqarah). He said:

Allah’s arsh was on water and He created nothing before water when He decided to create the creatures. He brought out smoke from the water. It rose above the water and was high above (… sama), so it was named … (sama, heaven). Then the water dried up and became solid earth a single solid earth. Then it split and became seven earths in two days (Sunday and Monday). He created the earth ON A FISH, and it was “nun” which Allah called … (Nun, by the pen and by that which they inscribe). (68:1)

THE FISH WAS ON THE WATER which was on a ledge which was ON THE BACK OF AN ANGEL WHO WAS ON A ROCK which was on (solidified) air. Luqman spoke of this rock that it is neither in the heaven nor on the earth. THE FISH STIRRED AND WAS RESTLESS, SO THE EARTH SHOOK. So, He firmly fixed the mountains and it became steady. Allah created the mountains on Tuesday with the advantages that accrue from it. On Wednesday He created the trees, the water, the cities and the ruins. THEN HE SPLIT THE HEAVEN INTO SEVEN HEAVENS IN TWO DAYS, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. (Ibid., pp. 55-58; capital emphasis mine)

And:

We have stated that the creation of the earth PRECEDED the creation of the heaven.

This is as Allah says…

He is (Allah) Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then He turned to the heaven and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is the Knower of everything. (2:29)…  

Say, “Are you indeed those who disbelieve in Him who created the earth in two days, and do you set up rivals to Him?” And He set therein firm mountains high above it, and blessed it, and He ordained therein its diverse sustenance in four days, alike for (all) seekers. Then He turned to the heaven when it was smoke, and said it to it and to the earth, “Come both of you willingly or unwillingly”. They both said, “We come willingly”. Then He ordained them as seven heavens in two days, and revealed in every heaven its command. And we adorned the lower heavens with lamps, and made it guarded. That is the decree of the Mighty the Knower. (41:9-12)…

What are you the harder in creation or the heaven He built? He raised up high its canopy and perfected it.  And darkened its night and brought forth its bright moon. And after that He spread out the earth. He brought out therefrom its water, and its pasture, and the mountains He firmly fixed, a provision for you and for your cattle. (79:27-33)

The spreading out is post-creation and (though the earth WAS CREATED FIRST) it was spread out after the creation of the heaven. (Ibid., p. 70; capital emphasis mine)

Now it starts to make sense.

Allah initially created the earth but did not spread it out yet. He then turned to the heaven when it was smoke and fashioned the smoke into seven heavens. From there he returned his gaze to the earth in order to complete the job of forming it, along with the six other earths, into a flat surface with all the provisions required to sustain earthly life.

Allah then placed the earth on the back of a huge fish which started convulsing as a result. Allah then cast down mountains as tent pegs in order to keep the earth stabilized from the constant shaking caused by the whale.

Allah also made sure to place this fish inside of water which is suspended on a ledge placed on an angel, who himself is kept afoot by a rock held up by solidified air. And less the readers forget, this rock is neither in the heavens nor on the earth.

In case the readers think that Ibn Kathir is alone in narrating and/or believing such outlandish fairytales, I now cite a few more Sunni authorities to show that such is not the case:

Narrated Anas ibn Malik

Allah’s Messenger said, “When Allah created the Earth it began to oscillate, so He created the mountains, ordered them onto it, and it became steady. The angels marvelled at the strength of the mountains and asked their Lord whether there was anything in His creation stronger than the mountains, to which He replied that iron was stronger. They asked if anything in His creation was stronger than iron, and He replied that fire was. They asked if anything in His creation was stronger than fire and He replied that water was. They asked if anything in His creation was stronger than water and He replied that wind was. They asked if anything in His creation was stronger than wind and He replied, “Yes, the son of Adam who gives sadaqah with his right hand which concealing it from his left.”

Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition. (Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 602 https://www.alim.org/hadith/tirmidi/602)

This next tradition is taken from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Kisa’i’s book Qisas al-Anbiya (Tales of the Prophets):

Kaab al-Ahbar said: When God wished to create the dry land, He commanded the wind to churn up the waters. When they had become turbulent and foamy, waves swelled and gave off vapor. Then God commanded the foam to solidify, and it became dry. In two days he created the dry land on the face of the waters, as He hath said: Say, do ye indeed disbelieve in him who created the earth in two days? (41:9). Then He commanded these waves to be still, and they formed the mountains, which He used as pegs to hold down the earth, as He hath said: And we placed stable mountains on the earth lest it should move with them (21:31). Were it not for the mountains, the earth would not have been stable enough for its inhabitants. The veins of these mountains are connected with the veins of Mount Qaf, which is the range that surrounds the earth.

Then God created the seven seas. The first is called Baytush and surrounds the earth from behind Mount Qaf. Behind it is a sea called Asamm, behind which is a sea called Qaynas, behind which is a sea called Sakin, behind which is a sea called Mughallib, behind which is a sea called Muannis, behind which is a sea called Baki, which is the last. These are the seven seas, and each of them surrounds the sea before it. The rest of the seas in which are creatures whose number only God knows, are like gulfs to these seven. God created sustenance for all these creatures on the fourth day, as He hath said: And he provided therein the food of the creatures designed to be the inhabitants thereof, in four days; equally, for those who ask (41:10).

There are seven earths. The first is called Ramaka, beneath which is the Barren Wind, which can be bridled by no fewer than seventy thousand angels. With this wind God destroyed the people of Ad. The inhabitants of Ramaka are a nation called Muwashshim, upon whom is everlasting torment and divine retribution. The second earth is called Khalada, wherein are the implements of torture for the inhabitants of Hell. There dwells a nation called Tamis, whose food is their own flesh and whose drink is their own blood. The third earth is called Arqa, wherein dwell mulelike eagles with spearlike tails. On each tail are three hundred and sixty poisonous quills. Were even one quill placed on the face of the earth, the entire universe would pass away. The inhabitants thereof are a nation called Qays, who eat dirt and drink mothers’ milk. The fourth earth is called Haraba, wherein dwell the snakes of Hell, which are as large as mountains. Each snake has fangs like tall palm trees, and if they were to strike the hugest mountain with their fangs it would be leveled to the ground. The inhabitants of this earth are a nation called Jilla, and they have no eyes, hands or feet but have wings like bats and die only of old age. The fifth earth is called Maltham, wherein stones of sulphur hang around the necks of infidels. When the fire is kindled the fuel is placed on their breasts, and the flames leap up onto their faces, as He hath said: The fire whose fuel is men and stones (2:24), and Fire shall cover their faces (14:50). The inhabitants are a nation called Hajla, who are numerous and who eat each other. The sixth earth is called Sijjin. Here are the registers of the people of Hell, and their works are vile, as He hath said: Verily the register of the actions of the wicked is surely Sijjin (83:7). Herein dwells a nation called Qatat, who are shaped like birds and worship God truly. The seventh earth is called Ajiba and is the habitation of Iblis. There dwells a nation called Khasum, who are black and short, with claws like lions. It is they who will be given dominion over Gog and Magog, who will be destroyed by them.

And the earth was tossed about with its inhabitants like a ship, so God sent down an angel of extreme magnitude and strength and ordered him to slip beneath the earth and bear it up on his shoulders. He stretched forth one of his hands to the East and the other to the West and took hold of the earth from end to end. However, there was no foothold for him, so God created from an emerald a square rock, in the middle of which were seven thousand holes. In each hole there was a sea, description of which is known only to God. And He commanded the rock to settle beneath the angel’s feet. The rock, however, had no support, so God created a great bull with forty thousand heads, eyes, ears, nostrils, mouths, tongues and legs and commanded it to bear the rock on its back and on its horns. The name of the bull is al-Rayyan. As the bull had no place to rest its feet, God created a huge fish, upon which no one may gaze because it is so enormous and had so many eyes. It is even said that if all the seas were placed in one of its gills, they would be like a mustard seed in the desert. This fish God commanded to be a foothold for the bull, and it was done. The name of this fish is Behemoth. Then He made its resting place the waters, beneath which is the air, and beneath the air is the Darkness, which is for all the earths. There, beneath the Darkness, the knowledge of created things ends. (Ibid., translated by Wheeler M. Thackston Jr. [Great Books of the Islamic World, Inc., Distributed by Kazi Publications; Chicago, IL 1997], pp. 8-10; bold emphasis mine)

Notice how in the foregoing fable, it isn’t solidified air which holds up the rock. Rather it is a humungous bull with forty thousand heads, eyes, ears, nostrils, tongues and legs which suspends the rock upon its back and horns, with the huge fish being made a foothold for this bull!

There you have it, folks. The wonderful, fanciful, fabulous world of Islamic Cosmology!

As I’ve said in the past, and will say it again.

The real miracle of Islam is that there are people who actually take this nonsense seriously due to their believing that a liar, deceiver, conniver, murderer, looter, womanizer, rapist, adulterer, pedophile, and outright sexual deviant was a prophet from God and a moral example to be emulated.

Now that is truly a miracle, albeit a satanic one at that!

FURTHER READING

The Quran and the Shape of the Earth

Revisiting Allah’s Cosmology

Hadith Cosmology

 Analysis and Refutation of The Alleged Scientific Claims Within the Quran

In this post I will employ the 2013 revised edition of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition) to show that Christ’s possesses an indestructible kingdom which can never be supplanted or replaced.

The Hebrew Bible attests that God made an irrevocable covenant with David where he swore that he would place one of the latter’s physical descendants upon God’s throne in order to rule upon it forever:

“… Moreover, I tell you, ‘Jehovah will build a house for you.’ When your days come to an end and you go to be with your forefathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your sons, and I will firmly establish his kingship. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will firmly establish his throne forever. I will become his father, and he will become my son. I will not remove my loyal love from him the way I removed it from the one who was prior to you. I will cause him to stand in my house and in my kingship forever, and his throne will last forever.” 1 Chronicles 17:10b-14

“However, the gloom will not be as when the land had distress, as in former times when the land of Zebʹu·lun and the land of Naphʹta·li were treated with contempt. But at a later time He will cause it to be honored—the way by the sea, in the region of the Jordan, Galʹi·lee of the nations. The people who were walking in the darkness Have seen a great light. As for those dwelling in the land of deep shadow, Light has shone on them… For a child has been born to us, A son has been given to us; And the rulership will rest on his shoulder. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. To the increase of his rulership And to peace, there will be no end, On the throne of David and on his kingdom In order to establish it firmly and to sustain it Through justice and righteousness, From now on and forever. The zeal of Jehovah of armies will do this.” Isaiah 9:1-2, 6-7

According to the Christian Scriptures, that physical seed of David who was destined to reign forever is Jesus Christ. The inspired NT writings even cite the aforementioned texts and apply them directly to Jesus:

“Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galʹi·lee. Further, after leaving Nazʹa·reth, he came and took up residence in Ca·perʹna·um beside the sea in the districts of Zebʹu·lun and Naphʹta·li, so as to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, who said: ‘O land of Zebʹu·lun and land of Naphʹta·li, along the road of the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, Galʹi·lee of the nations! The people sitting in darkness saw a great light, and as for those sitting in a region of deathly shadow, light rose on them.’ From that time on, Jesus began preaching and saying: ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.’” Matthew 4:12-17

“In her sixth month, the angel Gaʹbri·el was sent from God to a city of Galʹi·lee named Nazʹa·reth, to a virgin promised in marriage to a man named Joseph of David’s house, and the name of the virgin was Mary. And coming in, the angel said to her: ‘Greetings, you highly favored one, Jehovah is with you.’ But she was deeply disturbed at his words and tried to understand what kind of greeting this might be. So the angel said to her: ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And look! you will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus. This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule as King over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end to his Kingdom.’” Luke 1:26-33

“Men, brothers, it is permissible to speak with freeness of speech to you about the family head David, that he died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that he would seat one of his offspring on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he forsaken in the Grave nor did his flesh see corruption. God resurrected this Jesus, and of this we are all witnesses. Therefore, because he was exalted to the right hand of God and received the promised holy spirit from the Father, he has poured out what you see and hear. For David did not ascend to the heavens, but he himself says, ‘Jehovah said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”’ Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for a certainty that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you executed on a stake.” Acts 2:29-36

“After removing him, he raised up for them David as king, about whom he bore witness and said: ‘I have found David the son of Jesʹse a man agreeable to my heart; he will do all the things I desire.’ According to his promise, from the offspring of this man, God has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus… So we are declaring to you the good news about the promise made to the forefathers. God has completely fulfilled it to us, their children, by resurrecting Jesus; just as it is written in the second psalm: ‘You are my son; today I have become your father.’ And the fact that He resurrected him from the dead never again to return to corruption, He has stated in this way: ‘I will give you the expressions of loyal love promised to David, which are faithful.’  So it also says in another psalm: ‘You will not allow your loyal one to see corruption.’ David, on the one hand, rendered service to God in his own generation, fell asleep in death, was laid with his forefathers, and did see corruption. On the other hand, the one whom God raised up did not see corruption.” Acts 13:22-23, 32-37

“concerning his Son, who came to be from the offspring of David according to the flesh, but who with power was declared God’s Son according to the spirit of holiness by means of resurrection from the dead—yes, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 1:3-4

“Remember that Jesus Christ was raised up from the dead and was David’s offspring, according to the good news I preach,” 2 Timothy 2:8

“I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by HIS manifestation and HIS Kingdom… From this time on, there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me as a reward in that day, yet not to me only, but also to all those who have loved HIS manifestation… The Lord will rescue me from every wicked work and will save me for HIS heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” 2 Timothy 4:1, 8, 18

“For example, to which one of the angels did God ever say: ‘You are my son; today I have become your father’? And again: ‘I will become his father, and he will become my son’?” Hebrews 1:5

“I, Jesus, sent my angel to bear witness to you about these things for the congregations. I am the root and the offspring of David and the bright morning star.” Revelation 22:16

The book of Daniel is another prophetic writing which speaks of the Messiah’s rule lasting forever:

“In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. And this kingdom will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever,” Daniel 2:44

“I kept watching in the visions of the night, and look! with the clouds of the heavens, someone like a son of man was coming; and he gained access to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him up close before that One. And to him there were given rulership, honor, and a kingdom, that the peoples, nations, and language groups should all serve him. His rulership is an everlasting rulership that will not pass away, and his kingdom will not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14

The NT identifies the Son of Man whom Daniel saw coming with the clouds of heaven as the Incarnate Son of God:  

“But he kept silent and made no reply at all. Again the high priest began to question him and said to him: ‘Are you the Christ the Son of the Blessed One?’ Then Jesus said: ‘I am; and you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven.’” Mark 14:61-62

“For the Son of man is to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will repay each one according to his behavior. Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here who will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdom.” Matthew 16:27-28

“When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right: ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world.’” Matthew 25:31-34

“For just as lightning flashes from one part of heaven to another part of heaven, so the Son of man will be in his day. First, however, he must undergo many sufferings and be rejected by this generation.” Luke 17:24-25

“And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory… Keep awake, then, all the time making supplication that you may succeed in escaping all these things that must occur and in standing before the Son of man.” Luke 21:27, 36

“But he, being full of holy spirit, gazed into heaven and caught sight of God’s glory and of Jesus standing at God’s right hand, and he said: ‘Look! I see the heavens opened up and the Son of man standing at God’s right hand.’” Acts 7:55-56

“Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief because of him. Yes, Amen. ‘I am the Alʹpha and the O·meʹga,’ says Jehovah God, ‘the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.’… I turned to see who was speaking with me, and when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands someone like a son of man, clothed in a garment that reached down to the feet and wearing a golden sash around his chest. Moreover, his head and his hair were white as white wool, as snow, and his eyes were like a fiery flame, and his feet were like fine copper when glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth a sharp, long, two-edged sword was protruding, and his countenance was like the sun when it shines at its brightest. When I saw him, I fell as dead at his feet. And he laid his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the living one, and I became dead, but look! I am living forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of the Grave.’” Revelation 1:7-8, 12-18

“Then I saw, and look! a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was someone like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Another angel emerged from the temple sanctuary, calling with a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud: ‘Put your sickle in and reap, because the hour has come to reap, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.’ And the one seated on the cloud thrust his sickle into the earth, and the earth was reaped.” Revelation 14:14-16

Thus, Jesus as the Danielic Son of Man is an eternal king whose kingdom can never be destroyed and whom all the nations shall serve forever.

This helps us appreciate the repeated NT emphasis that after his physical bodily resurrection, Christ ascended far above the heavens to reign with the Father and is now exalted far above every authority and dominion not only in this age, but in the age to come:

“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

“For you know this, recognizing it for yourselves, that no sexually immoral person or unclean person or greedy person, which means being an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of the Christ and of God.” Ephesians 5:5

“because it is in him that all the fullness of the divine quality dwells bodily. So you have acquired a fullness by means of him, the one who is the head of all government and authority… If, however, you were raised up with the Christ, go on seeking the things above, where the Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” Colossians 2:9-10; 3:1

“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

And yet the age to come is the time when death shall be abolished and a new heavens and earth shall be ushered in.

To put it simply. The inspired NT proclamation is that Christ now possesses an everlasting kingdom where he reigns supreme over the entire creation, and does so throughout all ages:

“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.’” Hebrews 1:8-9

“In fact, in this way you will be richly granted entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:11

“The seventh angel blew his trumpet. And there were loud voices in heaven, saying: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will rule as king forever and ever.’” Revelation 11:15

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: ‘Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.’ And the One seated on the throne said: ‘Look! I am making all things new.’ Also he says: ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.’ And he said to me: ‘They have come to pass! I am the Alʹpha and the O·meʹga, the beginning and the end. To anyone thirsting I will give from the spring of the water of life free. Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowards and those without faith and those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and the sexually immoral and those practicing spiritism and idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This means the second death.’… I did not see a temple in it, for Jehovah God the Almighty is its temple, also the Lamb is. And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp was the Lamb. And the nations will walk by means of its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will not be closed at all by day, for night will not exist there. And they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But anything defiled and anyone who does what is disgusting and deceitful will in no way enter into it; only those written in the Lamb’s scroll of life will enter.” Revelation 21:1-8, 22-27

“And he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, flowing out from the THRONE of God AND OF the Lamb down the middle of its main street. On both sides of the river were trees of life producing 12 crops of fruit, yielding their fruit each month. And the leaves of the trees were for the healing of the nations. And there will no longer be any curse. But the THRONE of God AND OF the Lamb will be in the city, and his slaves will offer him sacred service; and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Also, night will be no more, and they have no need of lamplight or sunlight, for Jehovah God will shed light upon them, and they will rule as kings forever and ever.” Revelation 22:1-5 – Cf. 21:1-8

What makes this astonishing is that Christ’s rule is described in the same way that the Hebrew Bible depicts the reign of Jehovah.

For instance, it is Jehovah alone who is exalted far above all creatures, including over all the other gods:

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

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

It is Jehovah whose kingdom is eternal and who reigns forever:

“Your kingship is an eternal kingship, And your dominion endures throughout all generations.” Psalm 145:13

“As for you, O Jehovah, you sit enthroned forever. Your throne is for generation after generation.” Lamentations 5:19

And it is Jehovah alone that sits enthroned in the heavens above, since he does not share his heavenly dominion with anyone:

“As for the heavens, they belong to Jehovah, But the earth he has given to the sons of men.” Psalm 115:16

And yet Jesus is seated on high along with the Father:

And “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 (hypselois).” Hebrews 1:3

Now contrast this with the following OT passage as I cite from the English rendering of both the Hebrew and Greek versions of this text:

“Who is like Jehovah our God, The one who dwells on high? He stoops down to look on heaven and earth,” Psalm 113:5-6

“Who is as the Lord our God? who dwells in the high places (hypselois),” Psalm112:5 LXX

Hebrews employs the same Greek term that the foregoing OT text used to highlight the fact of Christ reigning from the highest position imaginable, a position which the Psalmist ascribed to Jehovah alone!

In light of all this, could the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ very own Bible (per)version be any clearer that Jesus is Jehovah Almighty in the flesh, even though he is not the Father or the Holy Spirit, which is why he reigns from a position which the Hebrew Scriptures ascribe to Jehovah alone?

I continue from where I left off: THE BIBLICAL GOD VERSUS THE MORMON GODS PT. 2.

LDS TEACH JESUS IS THE JEHOVAH GOD OF THE HEBREW BIBLE

Mormons wholeheartedly affirm that Jesus is Jehovah (Yahweh) God of the Old Testament:

Michael D. Rhodes, a home teacher and member of the Scout committee, Albuquerque Tenth Ward, Albuquerque New Mexico East Stake. 

Our knowledge that Christ is Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament, has support both in the Bible and in modern-day scripture. Among the strongest biblical evidence that Christ was the God of the Old Testament comes from his own statements to the Jews when he was teaching in the temple in Jerusalem: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

“Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

“Then took they up stones to cast at him.” (John 8:56–59.) Here Jesus is unequivocally telling them that he is Jehovah, the great “I Am,” as he declared in Exodus 3:14 [Ex. 3:14]. The Jews did not miss the allusion. They thought him blasphemous; that is why they “took up stones to cast at him.”

The Gospel of John also refers to Christ—“the Word”—as the Creator of all things: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

“The same was in the beginning with God.

“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. …

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” (John 1:1–3, 14.)

The Old Testament identifies the Creator as Jehovah. According to John, therefore, Jesus Christ was Jehovah in premortality.

Paul also identifies Christ as Jehovah, when he alludes to the time when the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness and Moses brought water from a rock. (Jehovah is often referred to as the Rock of Israel in the Old Testament. See Deut. 31:3–4; 2 Sam. 23:3; Ps. 18:31, 46.)

“All our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; …

“And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” (1 Cor. 10:1, 4.)

True to its purpose as a second witness of Christ, the Book of Mormon also shows Christ to be the God of the Old Testament. Nephi knew this great truth and taught it, saying:

“And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos.” (1 Ne. 19:10.)

King Benjamin taught the same principles. He stated that an angel told him that “the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases. …

“And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.” (Mosiah 3:5–8.)

When Jehovah appeared to the Brother of Jared, he said: “Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ.” (Ether 3:14.)

When he appeared to the Nephites after his resurrection, Christ himself said, “Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.” (3 Ne. 11:14.) In 3 Nephi 15:5 [3 Ne. 15:5], he affirmed, “I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel.”

Christ’s role as the Creator is also stressed in the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price. God the Father, speaking to Moses, is quoted as saying, “And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.” (Moses 1:33.)

In our own dispensation, even the earliest revelations given to the Prophet Joseph Smith teach the same principles. In 1830, for example, the Prophet received a revelation from the Lord that began, “Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I Am, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins.” (D&C 29:1.) As we have already seen, “I Am” is one of the names by which Jehovah identified himself.

Christ stressed his role as Jehovah, the Creator of this world, in another revelation, recorded in 1831:

“Thus saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, the Great I Am, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. …

“I am the same which spake, and the world was made, and all things came by me.” (D&C 38:1, 3.)

In the marvelous vision given to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple in 1836, they explicitly refer to Christ as Jehovah:

“We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber.

“His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:

“I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father.” (D&C 110:2–4.)

Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus Christ is Jehovah because it is true. It was known to be true anciently, by prophets in both the Old and the New Worlds, and it has been made clear from the very beginning of our own dispensation. The Lord Jesus Christ himself has declared it unequivocally: he is Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament. (Why do Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus Christ was Jehovah God of the Old Testament?; emphasis mine)

Now this puts the LDS in a predicament since the Hebrew Scriptures emphasize the fact that Jehovah must be worshiped in the absolute and fullest sense, and that his covenant people cannot worship or serve any other god besides him:

“for thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:” Exodus 34:14

“Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the Lord, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel; with whom the Lord had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them: but the Lord, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice. And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods. And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods. But the Lord your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.” 2 Kings 17:34-39

Therefore, since the Mormons admit that Jesus is none other than Jehovah God Almighty, then they have no choice but to acknowledge that Christ is to be worshiped in the fullest and absolute sense imaginable.

This is easily confirmed by exploring what the God-breathed Scriptures teach in regards to the worship that Jehovah is supposed to receive.

PRAYING TO JEHOVAH JESUS

The sacred writings are replete with examples of people praying to Jehovah:

“For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.” 2 Samuel 7:27

“Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever… And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.” 2 Chronicles 7:1-3, 12-15

“Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.” Psalm 6:8-9

“O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.” Psalm 65:2

“But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.” Psalm 69:13

“O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry… But unto thee have I cried, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.” Psalm 88:1-2, 13

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.” Psalm 143:1

“Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly… When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.” Jonah 2:1, 7

“And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: and I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments… As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth… Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake… And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God; yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.” Daniel 9:3-4, 13, 17, 20-21

This next example is rather amazing:

“A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee… He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer… Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.” Psalm 102:1, 17, 25-27

The reason being is that the foregoing prayer is ascribed to the Lord Jesus!

“And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him… But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord [the Son], in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: they shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.” Hebrews 1:6, 8-12

Here the Father himself glorifies the Son by identifying him as the Jehovah whom the psalmist magnified as the unchangeable Creator and Sustainer of all creation!

This helps us appreciate why the earliest followers of Jesus would direct their prayers and thanks to the risen and exalted Lord:  

“The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen… When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power… Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.” Acts 1:1-2, 6-7, 21-26

“And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” Acts 7:59-60

“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And HE said unto me, MY grace is sufficient for thee: for MY strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” 1 Timothy 1:12-16

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18

“Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:6

The first Christians all knew that Christ is Jehovah Almighty who became Man from the blessed and holy Virgin, and was therefore worthy of their devotion and prayers.

CALLING ON JEHOVAH JESUS

Another way that believers honored Jehovah was by calling upon his name:

“And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.” Genesis 21:33

“For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?” Deuteronomy 4:7

“Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the Lord, and he answered them. He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them. Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.” Psalm 99:6-8

“I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul… I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord… I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.” Psalm 116:1-4, 13-17  

“The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.” Psalm 145:18

In fact, calling upon the name of the LORD is so important that it is directly connected with salvation:  

“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord (YHVH) shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord (YHVH) hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord (YHVH) shall call.” Joel 2:32

Amazingly, the NT identifies Jesus as the Lord whose name a person must call upon in order to obtain salvation, since his name alone is able to save anyone!

“and it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved… Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:21, 37-38

“And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.” Acts 4:5-14

“that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:9-13

What’s more, Jesus’ earliest Jewish followers and the Gentiles who converted later became known for their habitual practice of calling upon the name of Jesus!

“And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?” Acts 9:10-21

“unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:” 1 Corinthians 1:2

WORSHIPING JEHOVAH JESUS

The OT prophets predict the time when all the nations of the world would come to worship Jehovah as the only true God of all creation:

“All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and he is the governor among the nations. All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.” Psalm 22:27-31  

“Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.” Psalm 86:8-10

“And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 66:23

“Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities. Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men. But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens. He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.” Jeremiah 10:6-12

According to this next prophecy,

“Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And HIS FEET shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee… And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one… And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.” Zechariah 14:1-5, 9, 16-17

Jehovah will physically descend with all his saints upon the Mount of Olives, which will then be split in half as a result of Jehovah’s feet touching it, in order to begin reigning from Jerusalem as the King of all the earth.

And yet the NT teaches that it is Jesus who will physically return to the Mount of Olives with all his saints!

“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.” Acts 1:9-12

“to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” 1 Thessalonians 3:13

This means that the Jehovah God whose physical feet Zechariah saw split the Mount of Olives in half upon impact was none other than the risen and exalted Jesus who returns to punish evildoers and save his people from the coming wrath and destruction:

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Philippians 3:20-21

“For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.” 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10

“which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10

In other words, the Holy Spirit enabled this blessed OT prophet of God to actually see the second coming of Christ!

No wonder Jesus regularly allowed people to worship him:  

“While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.” Matthew 9:18

“But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.” Matthew 14:27-33

“Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.” Matthew 15:25

“Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.” Matthew 20:20

“And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him… Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.” Matthew 28:9, 16-17

“But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, and cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.” Mark 5:6-7  

“And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:” Luke 24:50-52

Since Jesus is Jehovah Almighty who became Man, all creation must and shall eventually worship him as the God of all flesh.

THE MORMON DILEMMA

The Mormons are faced with an insurmountable problem. Since they acknowledge that Jesus is Jehovah, and since Jehovah is to receive worship in the fullest sense imaginable, which includes prayers, then this means that believers are to worship and pray to the risen Jesus.

Note how this works out logically:

1. Jesus is Jehovah God Almighty who became flesh (a fact that even Mormons agree with).
2. All creation is expected to worship and pray to Jehovah as the only true God.
3. Therefore, all creation is required to worship and pray to Jesus as that very Jehovah who is the God of all flesh (even though he is not the Father or the Holy Spirit).

There’s simply no way that a Mormon can get around this fact of biblical revelation.

All scriptural references taken from the Authorized King James Version (AV) of the Holy Bible.

FURTHER READING

THE BIBLICAL GOD VERSUS THE MORMON GODS