Jesus, the Son of God

Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus, the Son of God. Not Jesus God; but, the Lord God, Prince God. In terms of His kingdom, He was God over it because He was divine. He has always been the Law enforcing King of earthly kings. He was the King of angelic kings and King of other worldly kings.

He has ever been the Commander in chief of “the army of heaven” (Dan. 4:35), the holy “captain of the host of the LORD” (Josh. 5:14), “the Prince of the host” (Dan. 8:11). He was “Prince of princes” (Dan. 8:25), the “King of Kings, and Lord of Lords” (Rev. 19:16). He was “Messiah the Prince” (Dan. 9:25), “the Prince of the covenant” (Dan. 11:22), “Michael…, the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people.” (Dan. 12:1). But, He has never been King over His Father.

His “Father” was always “greater.” (Jn. 14:28). Jesus was “the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:3). Yet, He doesn’t sit in His Father’s place, but at His right hand. Only the Father is styled the “Ancient of days” (Dan. 7:9, 13); while in comparison, Jesus is called, “one like the Son of man.” (Dan. 7:13).

Jesus told His disciples, “My Father is greater than I.” Was that the truth? Yes, verily. But, His Father wasn’t greater only because Christ was in His incarnated form when He said that. Of course, God’s superiority was truer when Michael tabernacled in the likeness of sinful flesh. But “from of old, from everlasting” the Son had His “goings forth” coming “unto Me [God, the Father]” (Mic. 5:2). From the beginning He was the “the Word of life” (1Jn. 1:1) with God. Though divine “God” (Jn. 1:1), He was not the Father. He was not God, but “with” God (Jn. 1:1), sitting at His Father’s right hand.

He was “the beginning of the creation of God” (Rev. 3:14). “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.” (Jn. 1-3).

The Son was sinless, perfect, infinite, omniscient, yet inferior to His Father. He was “the firstbegotten (Heb. 1:6), “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature” (Col. 1:15) , even as David, the historical type of Christ, was called “My firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.” (Ps. 89:27). Yet, David and Jesus, the son of David, both freely expressed the greatness of God.

“I will speak of the glorious honour of Thy majesty, and of Thy wondrous works.

And men shall speak of the might of Thy terrible acts: and I will declare Thy greatness.

They shall abundantly utter the memory of Thy great goodness, and shall sing of Thy righteousness.

The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

The LORD is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.

All Thy works shall praise Thee, O LORD; and Thy saints shall bless Thee.

They shall speak of the glory of Thy kingdom, and talk of Thy power;

To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom.

Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.” (Ps. 145:5-14).

“While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.” (Ps. 146:2).

“Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.” (Ps. 147:1).

“Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.” (Matt. 19:17).

 “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in Thy sight.” (Lk. 10:21).

Seeing the faith-bestowing intensity of Christ’s praise to God, Peter freely spoke his faith, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt. 16:16). “We believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Jn. 6:69). The Son of God.

Yet, this is not the picture that comes from the Trinity. In the Trinity, we see a Father and Son of perfect equality. Like the Mormon’s mirror image of God and Christ, the Catholic Trinity are identical in every respect. The Trinity dogma treats the Father like Jesus’ brother. But, even if we say it a thousand times, “[My brother] which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name….” (Matt. 6:9), it doesn’t tell the truth.

The Trinity downgrades the Father; the Papacy’s three-headed god. Revelation clearly shows Christ as ministering to His Father on the throne (see Revelation 5:1-6; 8:1-4:15:8). And there we see Him swearing by His Father, endorsing Himself by His God who “liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein” (Rev. 10:6). This was witessed not only by Daniel (12:6), but also by John after Christ’s ascension.

Before His incarnation, Michael declared His submission to His Father. “Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me” (Heb. 10:5). From the days of eternity, “from of old, from everlasting” (Mic. 5:2), “before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting” (Ps. 90:2), Christ submitted to God.

From forever, the Son of God came forth from God, by His Father’s choice. Daily, moment by moment, subservient and infinitely starving for His Father’s love, He perfectly imitated each new characteristic that He saw in the great Owner of the universe, His Father. Michael could create, and create perfectly. Intent on pleasing His Father in every way, nothing was too hard for the Lord.

“Then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.” (Prov. 8:30). From forever, Michael was Heir apparent, “Lord of all” (Gal. 4:1). He was “the Son of the Highest” (Lk. 1:32), as God had “said unto Him, Thou art My Son, to day have I begotten Thee. And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son.” (Heb. 5:5). “And let all the angels of God worship Him.” (Heb. 1:6).

It was Christ’s infinitely high example of needing His Father’s fellowship that teaches us the science of salvation. Jesus suffered when He was permanently made a creature. His fellowship with His Father suffered, and He felt the chastisement of peace which His incarnation caused. So He strove more intensely to have His Father near. His experience with the things of God was beyond human comprehension, yet it demanded His constant effort, which resulted in 100% blessing and power to save others. In Him was no sin. He kept Himself pure as His Father was pure, even when on the cross. But, on the cross, all that He revealed to us of His inner life was a revelation of His infinitely more intense communion with His Father before His incarnation.

He was the “Son of the Blessed” (Mk. 14:61), “God blessed for ever. Amen.” (Rom. 9:5).

He was His Father’s little lamb, yet full of grace and truth and power to convict and to comfort. One look would cut an unworthy sinner to pieces; yet He was His Father’s Son. Ezekiel, beheld the Son of God upon His throne above the billions that surrounded Him, and he hasted to hide the sight from his eyes. (See Eze. 1:26-28). Yet, lifted up beyond the blue haze of Ezekiel’s vision of the sapphire heaven, was the Father, neither seen by Ezekiel, nor by us. This is far from the picture given by the Trinity.

“Which in His times He shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” (1Tim. 6:15,16).

“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.” (Rev. 5:13).