Jesus' Teaching After Resurrection

From The Life Study of Exodus by Witness Lee.

Concerning Jehovah and the Angel of Jehovah in Exodus. My bolding

A. The
Angel Of Jehovah

The One who called Moses was firstly the Angel Of Jehovah (v. 2). In his translation, Darby capitalizes the word “Angel” to indicate that this Angel was someone unique. Actually, it was Christ, the Son of God, who is God's Angel, the unique sent One. According to the Bible, an angel is a messenger, that is, one who is sent. In the book of Revelation the leading ones in the churches are called angels, messengers, sent ones. The Angel of the Lord, therefore, in 3:2 is God's sent One.

When we put verses 2 and 4 together, we see that this sent One, the Angel Of Jehovah, is actually Jehovah Himself. Verse 4 says, “And when Jehovah saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the thorn-bush” (Heb.). This proves that the Angel Of Jehovah is Jehovah Himself and that Jehovah is God. The New Testament reveals that the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, came as the Father's sent One. As God's sent One, He was God Himself.

For the purpose of calling and sending Moses, God, the sending One, appeared to him as the sent One. Only the One who has been sent can send out the sent ones. For example, the apostles, the sent ones in the New Testament, were sent out by the Lord Jesus, God's sent One. In John 20:21 the Lord Jesus said to the disciples, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” Therefore, we, the Lord's disciples, are sent out by God's sent One, who is Christ as the Angel Of Jehovah.

According to Exodus 3, the calling One is the sent One. This is a crucial point in God's calling. The one who knows how to use his employees and how to properly supervise them is the one who has done their particular job already. In the same principle, because Christ is God's sent One, only He knows how to send forth others.

Regarding creation, Genesis 1 says that in the beginning it was God who created the heavens and the earth. But in Genesis 2, when God came to contact man and to develop a relationship with him, the name “Jehovah” is used. Here in Exodus 3 God came in to call Moses, not directly in the name of God nor firstly in the name of Jehovah, but in the name of the Angel Of Jehovah. In this chapter it is not a matter of creation nor of developing a relationship with man; it is a matter of calling Moses. To be such a calling One there is the need for someone with the qualifications of a sent one, qualifications met uniquely by Christ as the Angel Of Jehovah. Because it is the sent One who calls the sent one, the Angel Of Jehovah, the Son of God, came to send Moses.

Why is the title “the Angel Of Jehovah” not used in the first two chapters of Exodus? It is not until chapter three that Moses was prepared and ready. Therefore, God came to him as the Angel Of Jehovah to call him and to send him. For the sending of Moses, there was the need of One with the experience of having been sent. According to Zechariah 2, the sending One is the sent One, and the sent One is the sending One. We see the same principle at work in chapter three of Exodus. The Angel Of Jehovah is Jehovah Himself. The sent One of God, the Son of God, is actually God Himself. The very One who was in the beginning with God and who is God Himself was sent by God.

The title “the Angel Of Jehovah” mainly refers to Christ, the Son of God, sent to save God's people from their situation of suffering (see Judg. 6:12, 22; 13:3-5, 16-22). Here in Exodus 3 the Lord came to call Moses for the delivery of the children of Israel from bondage. Hence, He came as the Angel Of Jehovah.

http://www.ministrybooks.org/SearchMinBooksDsp.cfm?id=3EF9C9140C

Originally posted by sonship
[quote] He 1:8 “Your throne, O god.” Quoted from Psalm 45:6. To understand why we have “god” in lower case in this verse, there is some important background information that must be understood. For one thing the Greek word theos, often translated “God,” can also refer to a pagan “god” or “goddess” (Acts 19:37), the Devil or a demon (2 Cor. 4:4), or of people ...[text shortened]... polytheistic belief of another god with a everlasting throne.

I have to discontinue for now.

Do you think that [b]Hebrews 1:8 is saying that the Son of God is a pagan "god" or "godess" ?

If "No" then that is no reason to read theos as "god" in verse 8.

Do you think verse 8 is saying the Son is a demon or a "devil" ?
If the answer is "No" then that rationale is also no good reason to read theos as "god" as pertaining to the Son.

That is a rather strange way of looking at it.
No one is saying Jesus is any of these.
Jesus has been given all authority by God.
God does not need anyone to give Him authority since He is God.
The reason Jesus is given a title of "god" is an honor, but distinguishes the difference between him and God.
Jesus, for all intents and purposes is like God to us, because God appointed him to this position.
The best Old testament example is Joseph.
Joseph was given all authority by Pharaoh. He was given the "signet ring" by Pharaoh, which represented authority.
No one could do anything in Egypt without going through Joseph.
Joseph was "like" Pharaoh to all in Egypt.
Here is what Pharaoh said....

Gen 41:44-45
Pharaoh also said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."
NKJV

Notice the parallels here...

Gen 41:42-44
Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph's hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, "Bow the knee!" So he set him over all the land of Egypt.
NKJV

Does "bow the knee" sound familiar? It should, because every knee will bow to him.
Now here is the interesting section...

Gen 41:40-41
You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you." 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."
NKJV

On the throne alone only Pharaoh is Pharaoh. Does this sound familiar?
It should, because 1st Cor. 15 says basically the same thing.

1 Cor 15:25-28
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.
NIV

You quote Hebrews where it says Jesus is the "express image" of the living God.
Glad you brought it up. If I look in a mirror, what I see is not me, it is a reflection of what I look like.
Jesus declared God, he always did the Fathers will, he represented God perfectly.
That is why Jesus said "if you have seen me, you have seen the Father".
If he was God he would have said "I am the Father".
It means he has the same attributes his father has, the same love, compassion, etc.
But it is his Son, not Him.
I could say I have a son just like me. It does not make him me.

Finally, Jesus IS unique. He was born of a virgin, who miraculously was impregnated with seed from God. He is called the 2nd Adam because he did not inherit the sin nature from Adam.
He was and is unique because he was 100% man. He could have sinned, but unlike Adam he chose not to.
That is why he was the unique Son of God who was the only one ever qualified to be the Atonement, the Sacrificial lamb, sinless blood to pay for sin.
He is the first born, and the first raised from among the dead to ascend into heaven and sit on the right hand of the Throne of God.

Originally posted by sonship
So when Jesus says that He and the Father will come and make an abode with the lovers of Jesus as [b]"WE", that means to you God and someone else who is not God ?

[quote] " Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him." (Joh ...[text shortened]... thers were right to arrive at a phrase "Trinity" to describe this mysterious Divine [b]"We".[/b]

Feel free not to address the scriptural points I raised.

Originally posted by checkbaiter

That is a rather strange way of looking at it.
No one is saying Jesus is any of these.
Jesus has been given all authority by God.
God does not need anyone to give Him authority since He is God.

That is no reason to believe that small letter "god" should be read in Hebrews 1:8.

God can express Himself as perfect authority.
And God can express Himself as perfect submission to authority as well.

So far I have not read any response to Jesus speaking that He is "the First and the Last" as Jehovah God. Those verses are not going to just kind of disappear you know ?

The reason Jesus is given a title of "god" is an honor, but distinguishes the difference between him and God.

He is the mingling of God and man. For two or more things to be mingled means that they are combined in such a way that the components remain distinguishable in the combination.

In Jesus Christ we discern man and we discern God.
This is the essence of the incarnation - God was manifest in the flesh.

Jesus, for all intents and purposes is like God to us, because God appointed him to this position.

Jehovah God is the First and the Last. And Jesus after resurrection says He is the First and the Last.

You do not have a First before the First. Nor do you have after the Last the Last.

The best Old testament example is Joseph.
Joseph was given all authority by Pharaoh. He was given the "signet ring" by Pharaoh, which represented authority.

That is not a good example of the Three-oneness of God.
At best we could say that Joseph was a type of Christ. For Christ is God mingled with man. So on the side of his humanity Joseph surely is a suitable type of Jesus Christ.

Jesus, post resurrection, teaches that He is "the First and the Last".

God said that He is the First and the Last and that apart from Him there IS NO GOD.

" Thus says Jehovah the King of Israel. And his Redeemer, Jehovah of hosts.

I am the First and I am the Last, And apart from Me there is no God." (Isaiah 44:6)

You're teaching that yes there is a "god" besides Jehovah who is the Son.
You don't believe He's a pagan small letter god.
You don't believe He's a demon or "devil" god.
But you believe He is a "god" who is "the First and the Last" BESIDES Jehovah, Who declared that He is "the First and the Last".

Apart from the First and the Last there is no god.
Apart from the First and the Last there is no God.

Though Paul says that there are many lords and many gods, to the CHRISTIANS - "to us" the believers in Christ, there is ONE God and ONE Lord.

" ... there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods. either in heaven or on earth, even as there are many gods and many lords.

Yet to us there is one God, the Father, out from whom are all things, and we are unto Him,; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through Him." (1 Cor. 8:4c-6)

I am part of the "us" that Paul speaks of.
To us believers in Christ there is one God not many.

In this one God's eternal purpose to dispense Himself into man He is triune. And the divine "We" who comes to make an abode with the lovers of Jesus is not God PLUS someone else as a small letter "god".

The Divine "We" who comes to make an abode with us is "the First and the Last" apart from Whom "there is no God".

The THREE of the Father and Son and Spirit revealed for imparting all that God is into man is very nicely revealed concisely in John 16:13 - 15.

"But when He, the Spirit of reality. comes, He will guide you into all the reality; for He ill not speak from Himself, but what He hears He will speak; and He will declare to you the things that are coming.

All that the Father has is Mine; for this reason I hae said that He receives of Mine and will declare it to you."

All that the Father is is embodied in the Son. And the Holy Spirit will convey all that is the possession of the Son which is the Father's and impart those riches to the believers in the Son. In this verse we see God is three-one for the eternal purpose of dispensing Himself into man.

"All that the Father has is Mine; for this reason I have said that He [the Spirit] receives of Mine and will declare it to you." (v.15)

No one could do anything in Egypt without going through Joseph.
Joseph was "like" Pharaoh to all in Egypt.
Here is what Pharaoh said....
Gen 41:44-45
Pharaoh also said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."
NKJV

As to that aspect of Christ being a man, surely Joseph serves as a type.

But we also see Jehovah God sending Jehovah God in the book of Zechariah.
That is God is both the One sent and the Sender of the One sent.

" For thus says Jehovah of hosts, After the glory He has sent Me against the nations who plunder you; for he who touches you touches the pupil of His eye. (v.8)

For I am now waving My hand over the them, and they will be plunder for those who served them: and you will know that Jehovah of hosts has sent Me. (v.9)

Give a ringing shout and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for now I am coming, and I will dwell in your midst, declares Jehovah, (v.10)

And many nations will join themselves to Jehovah in that day and will become My people; and I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that Jehovah of hosts has sent Me to you." (v.11)

Jehovah of hosts is the speaker (v.8). Yet He is also the one SENT by Jehovah of hosts.
Jehovah of hosts is waving His hand over the nations (v.9). Yet they shall know that Jehovah of hosts has sent Him to do so.
Jehovah is coming to dwell in the midst of His people v.10. He declares so.
Yet the people shall know that Jehovah of hosts has sent Him to dwell in the midst.

Examining these verses carefully we see the mysterious nature of God as the One sending and the One sent as well.

So we also see the sending Father and the sent Son coming as the Divine 'We" coming to make an abode with the lovers of Christ in John 14:23.

" ... and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him."

The revelation is not going to go away though you want to ignore this passage.

Originally posted by sonship

That is a rather strange way of looking at it.
No one is saying Jesus is any of these.
Jesus has been given all authority by God.
God does not need anyone to give Him authority since He is God.

That is no reason to believe that small letter "god" should be read in [b]Hebrews 1:8.

God can express Himself as perfect authority. ...[text shortened]... [/b] [/quote]

The revelation is not going to go away though you want to ignore this passage.[/b]

“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God.” These words apply to God, not to Christ. The one, “who is, and who was and who is to come” is clearly identified in the context as God, not Jesus Christ. Revelation 1:4, 5 reads: “Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.” The separation between “the one who was, is and is to come” and Jesus Christ can be clearly seen. The one “who is, and who was and who is to come” is God.

This verse is made slightly more ambiguous in the KJV than the REV because the word “God” is left out of the Greek text from which the KJV was translated. Nevertheless, modern textual research shows conclusively that it should be included, and modern versions do include the word “God.”

The phrase “the Alpha and the Omega,” has caused many people to believe this verse refers to Christ. However, study of the occurrences of the phrase indicates that the title “Alpha and Omega” applies to both God and Christ. Scholars are not completely sure what the phrase “the Alpha and the Omega” means. Lenski (The Interpretation of St. John’s Revelation) concludes, “It is fruitless to search Jewish and pagan literature for the source of something that resembles this name Alpha and Omega. Nowhere is a person, to say nothing of a divine Person, called ‘Alpha and Omega,’ or in Hebrew, ‘Aleph and Tau.’”

Although there is no evidence from the historical sources that anyone is named “the Alpha and Omega,” Bullinger (Commentary on Revelation) says that the phrase “is a Hebraism, in common use among the ancient Jewish Commentators to designate the whole of anything from the beginning to the end; e.g., ‘Adam transgressed the whole law from Aleph to Tau’ (Jalk. Reub., fol. 17.4).” That would make the expression the figure of speech, polarmerismos, similar to ‘and there was evening, and there was morning,” which stands for the whole day, in Genesis 1. The best scholarly minds have concluded that the phrase has something to do with starting and finishing something, or the entirety of something. Norton writes that these words, “denote the certain accomplishment of his purposes; that what he has begun he will carry on to its consummation” (A Statement of Reasons for Not Believing the Doctrines of Trinitarians; 1877, pp. 479, 480).

Since both God and Jesus Christ are “the Alpha and the Omega” in their own respective ways, there is good reason to believe that the title can apply to both of them, and no good reason why this title makes the two into “one God.” The titles “Lord” (see Rom. 10:9 above), “Savior” (see Luke 1:47 above) and “king of kings (see 1 Tim. 6:14-16 above) apply to both God and Christ, as well as to other men. As with “Lord,” “Savior” and “King of kings,” this title fits them both. God is truly the beginning and the end of all things, while Christ is the beginning and the end because he is the firstborn from the dead, the Author and Finisher of faith, the Man by whom God will judge the world, and the creator of the new ages to come (see Heb. 1:10 above).

The opening 8 verses of Revelation are very choppy, as are the openings of many of the Epistles. The multiple doxologies make the opening choppy. As we read we notice: the first two verses explain a couple things about the book of Revelation. Verse 3 changes the subject, and is a blessing upon those who read and those who hear. Verse 4 and the first half of verse 5 are the “to whom” the book of Revelation is addressed. The last half of verse 5, and verse 6, are a doxology to Christ (this would have been easier to see if verse 6 had started with “To him who loves us,” in the middle of verse 5). Verse 7 is an exclamation to the people that Jesus Christ is coming. Verse 8 is a doxology to God, who is “the Power” behind the Return of Jesus Christ. That verse 7 is about Jesus’ coming while verse 8 is a doxology to God should not confuse us; as we have just seen, the opening verses change subjects a lot.

http://www.revisedenglishversion.com/commentary/Revelation/1

Originally posted by sonship

That is a rather strange way of looking at it.
No one is saying Jesus is any of these.
Jesus has been given all authority by God.
God does not need anyone to give Him authority since He is God.

That is no reason to believe that small letter "god" should be read in [b]Hebrews 1:8.

God can express Himself as perfect authority. ...[text shortened]... [/b] [/quote]

The revelation is not going to go away though you want to ignore this passage.[/b]

" ... and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him."

The revelation is not going to go away though you want to ignore this passage.

I'm not ignoring it, I just don't see a Triune God with this.
God and Jesus make their abode with us.
Would you rather it said "I am the Father and I will come make my abode with you"?

Originally posted by checkbaiter

One source says:

“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God.” These words apply to God, not to Christ.

Your other paste says:

However, study of the occurrences of the phrase indicates that the title “Alpha and Omega” applies to both God and Christ.

So which do YOU want to represent your interpretation - Alpha and Omega refers not to Christ as the first paragraph says, or Alpha and Omega refers to both God and Christ as the second paragraph says?

Originally posted by checkbaiter

Would you rather it said "I am the Father and I will come make my abode with you"?

I don't "rather" it say anything but what it says. I say "Amen" to whatever it says.

It is always best to just "Amen!" the word of God for whatever it says.
So I have no problem with the Father and the Son coming as the divine "We" of the divine Trinity being dispensed into His people.

I can believe that and also believe that the Lord God is one as we are told in Deuteronomy.

I also can believe that Jehovah of host is both the Sender and the One Sent in Zechariah 2.

Originally posted by sonship
One source says:

[b] “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God.” These words apply to God, not to Christ.

Your other paste says:

[quote] The phrase “the Alpha and the Omega,” has caused many people to believe this verse refers to Christ. However, study of the occurrences of the phrase indicates that the title “Alpha a ...[text shortened]... aph says, or Alpha and Omega refers to both God and Christ as the second paragraph says?[/b]

Both, as the commentary says...

Originally posted by checkbaiter
Both, as the commentary says...

So is Christ ANOTHER "Alpha and Omega" besides God the "Alpha and Omega?"

The Bible reveals He is the God who was incarnate as a man.
Or do you have two separate Alphas and two separate Omegas ?

Originally posted by sonship
One source says:

[b] “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God.” These words apply to God, not to Christ.

Your other paste says:

However, study of the occurrences of the phrase indicates that the title “Alpha and Omega” applies to both God and Christ.

So which do YOU want to represent your ...[text shortened]... aph says, or Alpha and Omega refers to both God and Christ as the second paragraph says?[/b]

It's amusing how you trinitarians argue about how many alphas and omegas there are 😵

Originally posted by divegeester

It's amusing how you trinitarians argue about how many alphas and omegas there are 😵

Now we can have a serious conversation or we can resort to time wasting frivolous gimmicks. Does it advance anything for you to brag about how "amused" you are ?

I am ready for a respectful conversation if you wish. Little graphics faces and little wise cracks or generalizations is not going to accomplish much but some light entertainment.

When you start talking in terms contemptuous generalizations like "you trinitarians" the issues are not really being dealt with.

I am not attempting to corner Checkbaiter into something he cannot answer. i am happy if I just get him to consider, and even more so to take the matter to Christ prayerfully.

Does he have a reply for the announcement of God and Christ being Alpha and Omega?

For the moment I will resume concerning Jesus post resurrection teachings.

You have to realize that the seven letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 are the speaking of the resurrected and exalted Christ.

Though many of the utterances are mysterious, we are not altogether clueless as to Christ's meaning and teaching there.

I have already shown that after resurrection Christ declares that he is Jehovah God as the FIrst and the Last who went through death, is alive forever and has the keys to death and Hades.

What a God-man !

He goes on to teach many things in Revelation 2 and 3. Some of these I hope to go over and discuss.

Originally posted by sonship

[b]It's amusing how you trinitarians argue about how many alphas and omegas there are 😵

Now we can have a serious conversation or we can resort to time wasting frivolous gimmicks. Does it advance anything for you to brag about how "amused" you are ?

I am ready for a respectful conversation if you wish. Little graphics faces an ...[text shortened]... .

Does he have a reply for the announcement of God and Christ being Alpha and Omega? [/b]

Funny how everyone needs to pray so that they will believe what you believe., which is a twisted version of the teachings of Christ.

After resurrection - Jesus exhorts us to return to our first love. The church in Ephesus had many commendable things. But they had left their first love.

" I know your works and your labor and your endurance and that you cannot bear evil men, and you have tried those who call themselves apostles and are not, and have found them to be false;

And you have endurance and have borne all things because of My name and have not grown weary.

But I have one thing against you, that you have left your first love." (Rev. 2:2-4)

The beginning of all degradation in the Christian life is the leaving of the first love.
Christians may be busy doing many things and disdain evil people and imposters.
But they can still drift away from their first love - the love which puts Jesus Himself as first place in everything.

This Ephesian church was very busy and enduring and faithful. Jesus is a living Person. And He says He has something against them. They have left their first love.

The most prevailing way to be a follower of Jesus is to love Him. To become cool in the love for Jesus the living Person is a beginning of degradation. No matter how busy one is is doing things "for Christ" he cannot afford to leave the love of Jesus which puts Jesus FIRST in all things.

This is vital post resurrection teaching from the Lord Jesus.