Michael, “Who is like God”

“Who, being in the form of God, … equal with God… made Himself of no reputation, … the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” (Phil. 2:6,7).

There has ever been only one who is just like God. “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Is. 9:6).

The Son, from His divine conception in eternity past, was the seed of the Divine One. Thus, He was equal with God and in the form of God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (Jn. 1:1). All during His slow, development in the express image of God, the condensed and concentrated brightness of His Father’s effulgence, the Father measurelessly poured His peace and His truth upon His dearly beloved Son.

The Son was above all. The angels, though strong and holy ministering spirits, were earthy and crude by comparison to His purity and emptiness of self. Even in early development He displayed the perfection of His God, His Father, a rejoicing to the angels that drew from them intense interest in His expression of divine love and righteousness and Law. They were joyfully involved in raising the Son to have a stronger love for God than they could themselves know.

They thrilled in His humility and deep sense of unworthiness before His Father, yet He surprised them with a boldness and fearlessness to approach the King. The Prince’s lowliness and strength, His self-deprecation and power, continually shocked and provoked deep heart searching among these ministers of His, as He did before the temple’s rabbis when an incarnated twelve-year-old.

“My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
… The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth Him all things that Himself doeth: and He will shew Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.” (Jn. 5:17,19,20).

“My Father is greater than I.” (Jn. 14:28). Here we hear Christ explaining His standing before the great King. My Father is greater than I. My Daddy is bigger than Me. As great as was the Master Teacher and Master Physician, the Master over earth and sea and sky, and the great sacrifice for man’s sin, He said that His Father was categorically greater than Himself in all respects.

“Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again.
No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father.” (Jn. 10:17,18). “This ability to take up My life again comes to Me from My Father.”

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.” (Matt. 28:18). This power is a gift from God. Christ inherited it but only by infinitely perfect obedience to His Father’s law, which Christ loved more than His own life. None other than the Son of God has infinitely obeyed the first commandment. “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” (Ex. 20:3).

The kingdom is also a gift from His Father to share together at the conclusion of the great controversy. “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” (Dan 7:13,14). “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” (Rev 3:21).

“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him:
And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.
And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence.
For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” (Col 1:15,20).

“And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne.
And when He had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped Him that liveth for ever and ever.” (Rev 5).

“Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten [G1080] Thee?” (Heb. 1:5).

Strong’s [G1080]
γεννάω
gennaō
ghen-nah’-o
From a variation of G1085; to procreate (properly of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively to regenerate: - bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of, gender, make, spring.

“The Father is in Me, and I in Him.” (Jn. 10:38). “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed Heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds;
Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” (Heb. 1:1-4).

“As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.” (Jn. 17:2). The Father’s power He shares with His Son.

“I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.” (Jn. 17:4). The work of salvation was derived from His Father.

“And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.” (Jn. 17:5). All glory from the Son comes from the Father.

“Now they have known that all things whatsoever Thou hast given Me are of Thee.” (Jn. 17:7). Everything of the Son’s originated from the Father.

“And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one.” (Jn. 17:22).

“In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (Jn. 14:2).

“And He saith unto them, …to sit on My right hand, and on My left, is not Mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of My Father.” (Matt. 20:23).

“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” (Mk. 13:32).

“Who is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn [G4416] of every creature.” (Col. 1:15).

“And again, when He bringeth in the Firstbegotten [G4416] into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him.” (Heb. 1:6).

Strong's [G4416]

πρωτοτόκος
prōtotokos
pro-tot-ok'-os
From G4413 and the alternate of G5088; first born (usually as noun, literally or figuratively): - firstbegotten (-born).

I am not a Greek scholar, but these last two scriptures use a Greek word which seems to strongly speak of a begetting or a birthing, whereas Paul could have used the word Monogenēs, as was used in Jn. 3:16.

This in no way belittles the Son of God, Messiah the Prince. “That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent Him.”