True Christianity # 83
83. The idea that it was some eternally begotten Son who came down and took on a human manifestation turns out to be utterly wrong, collapses, and vanishes in the face of passages in the Word like the following, where Jehovah himself says that he is the Savior and Redeemer:
Am not I Jehovah? And there is no other God except me. I am a just God, and there is no Savior except me. (Isaiah 45:21-22)
I am Jehovah, and there is no Savior except me. (Isaiah 43:11)
I am Jehovah, your God, and you are not to acknowledge a God except me. There is no Savior except me. (Hosea 13:4)
So that all flesh may know that I, Jehovah, am your Savior and your Redeemer. (Isaiah 49:26; 60:16)
As for our Redeemer, Jehovah Sabaoth is his name. (Isaiah 47:4)
Their Redeemer is strong; Jehovah Sabaoth is his name. (Jeremiah 50:34)
Jehovah, my rock and my Redeemer. (Psalms 19:14)
Thus says Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am Jehovah, your God. " (Isaiah 48:17; 43:14; 49:7)
Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer: "I, Jehovah, am the maker of all things. I alone [stretch out the heavens. I extend the earth] by myself. " (Isaiah 44:24)
Thus said Jehovah, the King of Israel, and its Redeemer, Jehovah Sabaoth: "I am the First and the Last, and there is no God except me. " (Isaiah 44:6)
You, Jehovah, are our Father; our Redeemer from everlasting is your name. (Isaiah 63:16)
"With the compassion of eternity I will have mercy. " So says your Redeemer, Jehovah. (Isaiah 54:8)
You have redeemed me, Jehovah of truth. (Psalms 31:6)
Israel should hope in Jehovah, because with Jehovah there is compassion; with him there is the most redemption. He will redeem Israel from all its forms of wickedness. ()
Jehovah God and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, will be called God of all the earth. (Isaiah 54:5)
From these passages and very many others, all who have eyes and open minds can see that God, who is one, came down and became human for the purpose of redeeming people. Anyone who pays attention to the divine sayings just quoted can see this as clearly as something in the morning light.
There are people, though, who are in the dark of night because they have convinced themselves that there was another god, eternally begotten, who came down and redeemed humankind. These people close their eyes to these divine sayings, and consider with eyes shut how to twist the sayings and apply them to their false beliefs.
2 Samuel 1
1
Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
2
It came even to pass on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
3
And David said to him, From whence comest thou? And he said to him, Out of the camp of Israel have I escaped.
4
And David said to him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen, and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
5
And David said to the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?
6
And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
7
And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, Here am I.
8
And he said to me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
9
He said to me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.
10
So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he had fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither to my lord.
11
Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
12
And they mourned and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they had fallen by the sword.
13
And David said to the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
14
And David said to him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?
15
And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
16
And David said to him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.
17
And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son:
18
(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)
19
The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!
20
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21
Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither rain upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.
22
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
24
Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan thou wast slain in thy high places.
26
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been to me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
27
How have the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!
