Jesus in the Old Testament

Jesus in the Old Testament

For a long time, I used to be confused as to who was the one who 'walked in the garden of Eden', 'gave the ten commandments', and who 'dwelt in the tabernacle'. Was it God the Father? Or was it Jesus Christ? But after studying this, I came to an understanding that it was in fact Jesus Christ the Son of God who spoke and appeared on earth as 'the LORD' [Jehovah]. Now many Trinitarians believe that because it was Jesus who appeared in the Old Testament, and that He bore the name 'the LORD' [Jehovah], as for example, when He appeared to Abraham in Genesis 18, then they take this to mean that Christ Himself is the one true God. But there is a problem with that. The Bible and Spirit of Prophecy says that 'no man has ever seen God or can see God and live', look:

1 John 4:12 ...'No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.'

1 Timothy 6:16 ...'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.'

John 1:18 ...'No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.'

"I saw a throne, and on it sat the Father and the Son. I gazed on Jesus' countenance and admired His lovely person. The Father's person I could not behold, for a cloud of glorious light covered Him. I asked Jesus if His Father had a form like Himself. He said He had, but I could not behold it, for said He, 'If you should once behold the glory of His person, you would cease to exist." (E.White, Early Writings, p.54)

So straight away we have a problem if we believe that Jesus is the one true God. Because if we cannot be in the presence of the Father's person, or behold God 'face to face', then how is it that a number of Old Testament people, like Abraham, Jacob and Moses have 'seen the LORD [Jehovah] face to face' and lived? This is a clear contradiction. Yes, a contradiction only if you believe that Jesus is the one true God.

So how can we reconcile the fact that Jesus the Son of God is the one whom appeared to the people in the Old Testament, and was called 'the LORD' [Jehovah] (Genesis 18). Isn't that name solely reserved for the one true God, the Father? To answer this, as we do with all questions, we turn to the inspired scriptures.

Philippians 2:9 ...'Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.'

The scriptures reveal that Christ has been given a name that is above every other name. What name is that? Think about this. What name does a child receive on earth? A child receives the name of their father right? Just like I have a son and he bares my name. Does this apply to Christ?

John 5:43 ...'I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.'

John 10:25 ...'Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.'

Hebrews 1:4 ...'Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.'

"Jehovah is the name given to Christ. 'Behold, God is my salvation,' writes the prophet Isaiah; 'I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation." (E.White, Signs of the Times, May 3, 1899, par.18)

Yes! This also applies to Christ being the Son of the living God. He bares the name of His Father. Think about it. What does John reveal in the first chapter of John? He reveals that Jesus is the WORD OF God. Christ is the one who communicates with us. He is the one who reveals the will of the Father to us. As we have seen above, God the Father dwells in 'light unapproachable' (1 Timothy 6:16) who no man can see. Therefore, God needs a 'Mediator' between man and Himself, so that the Father can reveal Himself to us, without us being destroyed. And who is that 'Mediator' between God and man? It's Jesus Christ, the SON of God.