Is Jesus the Messiah?

BQ NO 98 - WHO IS THE MESSIAH? IS THE MESSIAH GOD OR JESUS CHRIST?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

ABOUT THE MESSIAH

The Messiah is mentioned nine times in several passages of the Old Testament Scripture beginning with Psalm 2:1 and ending with Micah 5:2 which speaks of His coming.

It says "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,

Yet out of you shall come forth to Me

The One to be Ruler in Israel,

Whose goings forth are from of old,

From everlasting” (NKJV)

Two things stand out in the above scripture touching on the Messiah. 

First, His will be coming at a future date from the town of Bethlehem and from the tribe of Judah.

Secondly, he will be a majestic ruler over Israel and will sit on David's throne (2 Samuel 7:16).

Finally he is described as "from everlasting" which speaks of His eternity. He is the one who was, who is, and who is to come (Rev. 1:4).

We learn from the New Testament Scripture that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and is from the tribe of Judah. Judah was the 4th son of David by Leah after Reuben, Simeon and Levi. He was followed by issachar and Zebulun. 

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18-25).

We can therefore authoritatively declare that Jesus is the Messiah whose incarnate birth and earthly ministry fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures.

IS THE MESSIAH GOD OR JESUS CHRIST?

The next question touches on the identity of the Messiah. Is the Messiah God the Father or Jesus Christ or both? 

The Bible reveals that Jesus Christ is God the Son who was revealed in the flesh in order to accomplish the works of the cross (Philippians 2:1-11).

Jesus was fully God and fully Man at the same time. This is what is referred to in theology as the "hypostatic union" in which His divinity and humanity is indivisible. Gnostics could not comprehend this truth and this is the basis of Paul's defense of the christology of Jesus in Colossians 1:1-18.

Jesus is eternally God the Son. This is in accordance with the doctrine of eternal sonship which is affirmed in the Scriptures (see John 8:58). He is elsewhere described as the Alpha and Omega (Rev 1:8).

Jesus shares full and equal divinity and eternal union with God the Father and with God the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus voluntarily left His divine glory in heaven with God the Father during His incarnate coming to earth. This glory was restored to Him in all divine fullness when He ascended to heaven after His resurrection (see Rev 1). 

Jesus never lost His divinity at any time, not even during His incarnate coming or upon His death on the cross!

THE FUTURE MESSIANIC WORKS OF JESUS CHRIST

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ will come for His church at God's appointed time (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Thereafter, He will come a second time in glory to the Earth with the glorified church and will rule from Jerusalem as the Messiah for 1000 years (Zechariah 14:1-15; Rev 20:4-6). This reign fulfills God's promise to David concerning His seed sitting on David's throne forever.

Jesus will be worshipped by the nations of the earth who will finally acknowledge His Messianic authority. (Zechariah 14:16-21). 

After the thousand years are fulfilled, Satan will be temporarily loosed and will go out to deceive the nations of the earth before he is bound again (Rev 20:7-15). He will finally face the judgment throne of God and will be consigned to the Lake of 🔥 together with his followers.

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2019

For more articles by this writer visit www.ezekielkimosop.blogspot.com