God and Messiah
Posted on Nov 29, 2011 in David L Cooper | 0 comments
by David L. Cooper
The God of Israel
Throughout all nature there is abundant evidence of the existence of a supreme, intelligent, personal Being.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his
handiwork.”
(Psalm 19:1)
The fingerprints of this divine Architect are discoverable on all His handiwork; hence the Scriptures assume the existence of this eternal God in whom all live, and move, and have their being.
Being face to face with the fact of God’s existence, it behooves us (His creatures) to become acquainted with Him as far as possible. This God of whom we read in the book of nature has given us full and detailed information concerning Himself and His redeeming love in His book of revelation known to us as the Bible. In this holy and infallible record we find detailed statements concerning Him.
The proper approach to our subject is an investigation of the evidence set forth in the Old Testament, which by our Jewish friends is called the Tenach. The Hebrew Scriptures having been examined, it is then in order to turn to the New Testament to learn the teachings found therein.
The doctrine of the Old Testament concerning God and His nature may be summarized under three captions—namely, the Plurality of the Divine Being; the unity of the Divine Being; and the Trinity of the Divine Being. We shall briefly investigate each of these topics in order. That there is a plurality of Divine Personalities constituting the Supreme Being is seen by the use of the plural noun in the first verse in the Bible: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The word rendered God is in the plural form, as is well-known to all Hebrew scholars. This same form occurs throughout the entire Old Testament although there is the singular form of two similar words which, likewise, are used frequently.
In contemplating the crowning work of Creation the Persons of the Godhead are said to have used this language: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Gen. 1:26). Those who held the conversation were of the same image and likeness; hence, of the same substance. This fact precludes the possibility that this language was spoken to an angel or inferior being. In the light of the facts of the context we must believe that this statement was made by one individual to another or others of the same nature and essence. This passage, therefore, assumes the existence of more than one Personality of the same divine nature and essence.
There are many passages in the Old Testament which confirm this position. But, one may ask, does the Old Testament teach polytheism—the doctrine that there are many Gods? Most positively, NO!
There is another line of thought that runs throughout the Old Testament which declares the Unity of the Divine Being. This teaching is clearly set forth in what might be properly called Israel’s Great Confession. This passage is translated in the American Standard Version as “Hear O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.” The original test is: dja hwjy wnhla hwhy larvy umv (literally rendered): “Hear, O Israel: the Eternal our Gods is the Eternal a unity.” The word Elohenu is a plural noun to which the plural suffixour is added and is literally rendered “our Gods.” This fact is admitted by Hebrew grammarians.
The word echad which is rendered in our Version one does, in many contexts, mean one in the absolute sense of the term but in other places it also connotes the idea of a unity. For instance, in Genesis 2:25, God said that a man should leave his father and his other and should cleave to his wife and “they shall become one flesh.” Here are two people—two personalities—who are said to be one. This oneness can only be used in the sense of a unity. It is this very word that was employed by Moses in Deuteronomy 6:4. In view of these facts, therefore, we must believe that Israel’s Great Confession, “Hear, O Israel: Jehovah (or the Eternal) our Gods is Jehovah a unity.” meaning that the Plurality of Personalities constituting the Divine Being is one in substance, character, plan, and purpose.
At this point of our investigation the question immediately arises, How many of these Divine Personalities are there? An intimation of the answer to this question may be found in Numbers 6 in the form of the triple blessing:
“Jehovah bless thee, and keep thee; Jehovah make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: Jehovah lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
Here the name Jehovah appears three times in this wonderful benediction. Can it be that these three petitions are addressed to three Personalities constituting the Godhead? Theanswer may be found in Isaiah 48:16. A glance at the context of this verse shows us that the prophet was here impersonating the Creator of the universe. After speaking of His great creative activity back in the eternity past and of His providential overruling of human history, this Divine Personality declared: “Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. Yea, my hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spread out the heavens; when I call unto them, they stand up together. . . I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him; I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous. Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; from the beginning I have not spoken in secret; the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord Jehovahhath sent me, and his Spirit” (Isa. 48:12-16). Here we see the Lord Jehovah, the Creator of the universe, and the Spirit—three Personalities. From this passage it becomes immediately evident that the prophet Isaiah recognized that there are three Persons constituting the Godhead. This teaching is confirmed by other portions of Holy Scripture found throughout the Old Testament.
It is now proper for us to investigate the teaching found in the New Testamentconcerning the Godhead.
Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ constantly during His personal ministry spoke of God the Father and of His being on an equality with Him. This teaching is especially brought out forcefully throughout the Gospel of John. The writer of this record began his account by declaring, “In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and the Word was God.” According to verse 3 of this chapter, the One who is called the Word is the Creator of the material universe. According to verse 14, the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory.”
In various passages of the New Testament record we read of the Spirit of God, or the Holy Spirit. To Him are attributed characteristics possessed by none other than God Himself. The Apostle Paul in II Corinthians declared, “For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God.” Here the inspired apostle declared that the Spirit of God comprehends and understands God who is an infinite Being. Only another infinite Being can understand and comprehend another such one. Since the Spirit does understand God, the conclusion is that the Spirit Himself likewise is of the same divine nature and essence as God.
As stated before, there is a divine Unity existing and subsisting between these Personalities constituting the Godhead. This unity is clearly set forth in our Lord’s great intercessory prayer recorded in John 17. In that great petition He recognized that there is perfect unity between Himself and the Father. On numerous occasions He likewise declared that He and the Father were one. They are two separate Personalities and yet are one in another sense. This oneness can be interpreted only as indicating likeness of nature, substance, character, essence, purpose and the like.
Since the Spirit, according to our Lord’s promise, would not take of the things of Himself but rather of Christ and show them to the apostles, we may conclude that He, the Spirit, was of the same nature and essence as God and Christ, because only a divine Being could so efface Himself in giving forth the testimony concerning the other two divine Personalities.
From all this testimony we are driven to the conclusion that there is perfect unity, harmony, and oneness existing in the Godhead.
The third and last phase of this subject which comes up for consideration is the number of divine Personalities as set forth in the New Testament teaching. A close perusal of it shows that there are but three such Personalities, just as was indicated in theOld Testament. The first hint at the triune nature of God is found in the baptismal scene of the Lord Jesus Christ. As Jesus was coming up out of the water (Matt. -17), the heavens were opened and Jesus saw the Spirit of God coming in the form of a dove and lighting upon Him. At the same time there was a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Here we see the Lord Jesus upon the earth, the Father in heaven, and the Spirit appearing in the visible form of a dove coming upon Him—three divine Personalities.
May I ask each of you, my readers, to accept this triune God and yield loving obedience to Him? In order to do this you must accept the Second Person of the Trinity, the Lord Jesus Christ, as your personal Saviour who laid down His life for you that you might live. Only in the Lord Jesus is there life. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed out of death into life.”
MESSIAH: Nature & Person
“Man is incurably religious.” The proof for this statement is seen on every hand. Man’s need of and utter dependence upon the Supreme Being is in evidence among all races. In crises, especially in the hour of death, does this innate feeling express itself. Instinctively in these moments of helplessness men call upon God for assistance and deliverance. This feeling, therefore, is a part of man’s nature. God, who created man, planted the spirit of worship in his breast. He, the benevolent Being, has undoubtedly prepared everything that meets this heart-yearning. The Scriptures tell us that the One who can meet the longings of the human heart is the Messiah of Israel of whom we read throughout the Old Testament, which to our Jewish friends is known as Tenach. To it, then, we must turn to see what God has to say concerning His Messiah and our Saviour.
In this message I shall first call attention to the teaching found in the Old Testament and then turn to that which is presented in the New. We shall investigate theOld Testament and view very briefly the outstanding promises concerning King Messiah and His coming.
In Genesis we find the first prediction relative to the Saviour of the world, called “the seed of the woman.” In this original oracle God foretold the age-long conflict which would be waged between “the seed of the woman” and “the seed of the serpent” and which will eventually be won by the former. This primitive promise indicates a struggle between the Messiah of Israel, the Saviour of the world, on one hand, and Satan, the adversary of the human soul, on the other. It foretells complete victory eventually for the Messiah.
An echo of this promise and Eve’s understanding of it is found in Genesis 4:1—the statement of Eve when Cain, her first son, was born. “I have gotten a man, even Jehovah.” She correctly understood this primitive prediction but misapplied it in her interpreting it as being fulfilled in Cain, her son. It is clear that Eve believed that the child of promise would be Jehovah Himself. Some old Jewish commentators used to interpolate the word angel in this passage and say that Eve claimed that her son was “the angel of Jehovah.” There is no ground for this assertion.
When Noah was born Lamech had a vision granted to him of the Lord. He called his newborn son Noah, exclaiming that he would comfort “us in our work and in the toil of our hands, which cometh because of the ground which Jehovah hath cursed.” In this vision it is quite evident that Lamech saw the great work which his son would accomplish for humanity; but the picture of the deliverance which would be wrought by Noah melts into that which will be accomplished by Him whom Noah typified—namely the real Deliverer who will lift the curse at His second coming and will restore the earth to its primitive condition.
The Messiah of Israel is spoken of as “the seed of Abraham” in the promise which the Lord made to this patriarch. This is found in Genesis 12:1-3 and in the passages strewn throughout the book of Genesis which are echoes of this original oracle. TheHebrews from the time of Abraham onward correctly understood that the world-deliverer would come of Hebrew parentage.
In his vision of the condition of his sons in the latter days the patriarch declared:
“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his
feet, Until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be.”
This passage is recognized both by Jews and by Christians as a prediction concerning the coming of King Messiah. According to this verse, the Deliverer of the world comes of the tribe of Judah. He makes His first appearance while the power and the supremacy remain with that tribe. Since that authority passed away from Judah in the overthrow of the Hebrew race in 70 A.D., we may be absolutely certain that Messiah appeared before that time. From this conclusion there can be no escape.
According to this promise, Messiah is the One who has the right to reign. All other monarchs and rulers occupy their positions until King Messiah makes His second appearance who at that time will mount the throne of David and reign over the restored earth.
King Messiah is likewise called the seed of David in such a pivotal passage as II Samuel 7. Thus the promise is narrowed down to the family of the great ideal king ofIsrael.
Isaiah the prophet spoke of this same Deliverer as being born of a virgin: “behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” This passage is a commentary on that found in Genesis 3:15 which says that Messiah is to be “the seed of the woman.”
That the word translated virgin means what we understand by that term today I have clearly shown in my book, Messiah, His Nature and Person. To this very important theme I have devoted forty-eight pages of critical study; hence I refer the reader to this volume for a further discussion upon this most important theme.
Another glimpse of King Messiah found in the Hebrew Scriptures is to be seen inIsaiah 9:6: “For the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” From this verse it is evident that King Messiah is God who enters the world by virgin birth and who is destined to reign over the earth. According to Micah’s prophecy (5:2), the Messiah of Israel and the Saviour of the world makes His advent into the human sphere at Bethlehem of Judah.
From these passages which we have examined, we learn that the Hebrew Scriptures present King Messiah as “the seed of the woman,” “Shiloh” of Jacob’s prophecy, “the seed of David,” and a Son born of a virgin. It is now proper for us to look at the New Testament teaching and ascertain what it has to say on this subject.
The Gospel of Matthew was written primarily by that apostle for the Hebrews. Good news concerning the Messiah is set forth in this record in language that is easily understood by this people. In this connection let me say that, though it is clothed in phraseology readily understandable by the Jewish people, it has its message for all, because the gospel is good news for all peoples.
In the first chapter we have an account of the birth of Jesus Christ of the Virgin Mary. Matthew shows us that the passage found in Isaiah which I have already quoted was literally fulfilled in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Before Joseph took Mary, to whom he was betrothed, to himself as his wife, he became alarmed at her condition, realizing that she was an expectant mother. To allay his fears an angel of the Lord was dispatched who appeared in a dream and explained the entire situation:
“But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. Now all this is come to pass that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying,
Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall
call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us.” (Matthew
1:20-24)
From this passage of Holy Scripture we see that the prophecy of Isaiah was literally fulfilled in the Virgin Birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. That Mary was a true virgin is the testimony of the four gospel writers together with others of the New Testament.
The opening words of the New Testament declare that the Gospel of Matthew is “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” This verse immediately links the history of the Lord Jesus Christ with the promise which God made to Abraham and renewed to David. Hence Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of these two outstanding promises.
In further confirmation that Jesus of Nazareth is the One promised to David I wish to quote the statement of the angel Gabriel which he made to Mary:
“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in they womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke -33).
From these verses it is very clear that Jesus of Nazareth was and is the One to mount the throne of David and to reign over the house of Jacob, extending his reign even to the ends of the earth.
The Apostle John in the first chapter of his Gospel spoke very plainly concerning the nature and the person of the Hebrew Messiah by declaring that, “In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and Word was God.” A glance at the entire Gospel of John shows us very conclusively that King Messiah is none other than God in human form.
In this message, dear friend, I have simply called your attention briefly to the thread of teaching which runs through the sacred Scriptures concerning the nature and person of King Messiah. He is God who enters the world by Virgin Birth, and who gives His live a ransom for all.
Will you not then, if you have not accepted the gracious provision made for your eternal happiness and salvation, receive Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour now? You can neither merit nor work out your salvation. That has been graciously provided for you by the atoning blood of the Lord Jesus Christ which was shed upon Calvary’s Cross 1900 years ago. All you have to do is accept Him as your Sacrifice and by faith turn to God who under no conditions will cast you off. It is impossible for God to reject His Son who He sent to be the propitiation for your sins and for mine. Will you not accept Him, therefore, as you read this message and come out boldly for Him and confess Him before men and follow Him as your Lord and Saviour, giving y our life to Him? May you make this decision, is my sincere, earnest prayer.
MESSIAH: Redemptive Career
In the first tract of this series we saw that the Eternal God is a triune being who is called in the Scripture the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In the second message we learned that the one who is usually designated as the second person of the Trinity, the Son, was scheduled to enter the world by virgin birth and to give His life a ransom for all who will accept Him. It is proper in this, the third message, to examine what might properly be called Messiah’s redemptive career. In this brief study I can call attention only to the bare outline of His activities as set forth in three passages of Scripture. The first is Genesis 49:10:
“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his
feet, Until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be.”
Jacob looked out into the future to the period which he termed “the latter days” and described the condition of his descendants. A study of the term “the latter days” shows that that expression refers to the time beginning with the first advent of the Messiah and continuing as long as the sun, moon, and stars remain in their courses.
According to this promise, the ruling and governing authority continues in the tribe of Judah until He who is called Shiloh—the Hebrew Messiah—makes His appearance. Since every vestige of governmental function and authority passed away from Judah with the destruction of the nation in 70 A.D., Messiah, according to this passage, made His appearance prior to that event. It was utterly impossible for Him to make His first advent after that calamity since the Scriptures cannot be broken; therefore, we must conclude that He came into the world prior to that catastrophe.
This passage, likewise, tells us that all the nations of the world will render loving, filial obedience to Him. When He came nineteen hundred years ago, we know that the nations did not accept His authority. Since every word that God has spoken will be fulfilled accurately, we are safe in arriving at the conclusion that at some future time all nations will render this obedience to Him.
In this passage there are two pivotal points which may be described as the first and the second appearances of King Messiah. Here, however, there is nothing said about the period which intervenes. In the original passage we catch the first gleam of what may properly be called Messiah’s redemptive career. To make this plain, may I call attention to a simple little illustration? The artist begins his work by doing what is technically called “blocking out” the portrait. This is accomplished by a very few strokes of his brush. In the language of this illustration I would say that Jacob blocked out the career of King Messiah in Genesis 49:10. We may be certain that the Holy Spirit, who placed the brush of inspiration in Jacob’s hand, later placed the same in the hands of other servants of God who finally completed the portrait of the longed-for Messiah and Saviour of the world.
King David, the ideal ruler of Israel, was the inspired writer to whom God entrusted the task of giving us a full and complete outline of Messiah’s scheme of redemption in that very important passage of scripture—Psalm 110:
“Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine
enemies thy footstool. Jehovah will send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion:
Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people offer themselves willingly
In the day of thy power, in holy array: Out of the womb of the morning Thou hast
The dew of thy youth.”
Speaking dramatically, I would say that when the curtain rises in this psalm, immediately we recognize the scene as one laid in Jerusalem in the first century of the Christian era. The actors on the stage are King Messiah and the populace. Those playing the most important parts are the rulers of the nation who become definitely hostile to King Messiah.
Upon this turn of affairs God in heaven speaking to King Messiah, who Daviddesignates as His Lord, invites Him to leave the earth to ascend to His right hand, and to remain there until He, the Almighty, puts those hostile ones under His (Messiah’s) feet.
The word that is rendered saith in verse 1 has a special meaning, indicating a divine revelation which God makes to a man. This fact becomes immediately apparent by an investigation of the context of every occurrence of the word in the Old Testament.
Although the necessary inference from this word is that the one addressed by the Almighty is a man, David spoke of Him as being his Lord. The word rendered my Lordhas different meanings in the Old Testament. Sometimes it was applied to an angel; at time it was used to refer to men; and on still other occasions it was the title addressed to the Almighty. Since it has these three different significations, it becomes necessary for one to study carefully the facts of every context where it occurs in order to find its special meaning there. What do the facts of this context in Psalm 110 indicate? When we remember that God invited this one to come and sit at His right hand, that this language is from the ancient East, and that oriental monarchs in the time of David never allowed anyone to sit at their right hand except those who were their equals, we conclude that this man concerning whom David was speaking is equal to God himself.
In view of all these facts, we are driven to the irresistible conclusion that King Messiah is God in human form. From Isaiah 7:14, which declares, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel,” we see that God enters the world by virgin birth. This passage from the Prophets makes clear how this one who is a descendant of David is at the same time God in human form.
Thus in this first scene of Psalm 110 we see King Messiah, the God-man, inJerusalem surrounded by a hostile element. This passage does not tell us to what extent their enmity drives them. This information must be gathered from other statements found in the Scriptures bearing upon this point. I may say, however, that from various passages of the Prophets we see that their enmity drives them to demand the execution of King Messiah. From Psalm 16 and other passages we learn that the Father foretold His resurrection and that decomposition and decay would not prey upon His body.
When Messiah is thus executed and raised from the dead, at the invitation of God He ascends to heaven and takes His seat at the right hand of the Almighty. During this period of His reception and entertainment in heaven, the Father, overruling in the affairs of men and disciplining the people of Israel because of their rejection of Him at His first coming, brings them to the point that they will finally accept Him most enthusiastically when the time arrives for Him to return to the earth.
We may never be able to harmonize the two doctrines of God’s sovereignty and overruling providence with that of man’s freedom of choice. We are to accept them, even though we cannot explain the seeming contradictions. When we reach glory, all of these mysteries will be cleared to our perfect satisfaction and joy
When in the providence of God the nation of Israel who rejects Messiah at His first coming is brought to the point that she is willing to accept Him and to acknowledge His Messiahship, He will return to the earth and establish His glorious reign in the city ofJerusalem. This thought is expressed in verses 2 and 3 or this psalm.
“Jehovah will send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion:
Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
Thy people offer themselves willingly in the day of thy power,
In holy array: Out of the womb of the morning Thou hast the dew of thy youth.”
According to verse 2, Messiah at His second coming is to reign in Jerusalem, the very place where He was rejected at His first appearance upon earth. The Hebrew people will (according to verse 3) most enthusiastically accept Him at the time of His second appearance. This thought is expressed in the
