Particulars
of Christianity:
302
The Trinity
The Trinity:
Establishing Eternal Past Existence
Introductions
The
Angel of YHWH as YHWH God
The
Angel of YHWH as Distinct from YHWH God
Immediate
Interactive Dialogue
A
Consistent Expectation about Seeing God's Face
Survey
Examining Eternal Past Existence
Establishing
Eternal Past Existence
Distinction
of the Spirit of YHWH
Ancient
Jewish Recognition of Trinitarian Facts
The
Trinity in the New Testament
Addendum
1 & 2
Addendum
3
As
we have seen, the key Hebrew and Greek words translated as
eternal can be applied to finite items that began at a certain
point, and therefore these words can simply refer to a finite
long duration or an eternal future after a finite starting
point. Consequently, this survey prompts an important question:
how is the eternal past existence of God established at all,
let alone for figures such as the angel of YHWH or the Spirit
of YHWH? Well, there are proofs for God’s eternal past existence
in scripture, including proofs for the eternal past existence
of the angel of YHWH and the Spirit of YHWH. And we will now
turn our attention to establishing those proofs.
The
first, the most important, and perhaps the most obvious proof
for eternal past existence is the name YHWH itself. As we
saw earlier in our study, God’s name reflects his self-existence,
reflects that he has the power of existing within himself,
and that he always has and always will exist. This was made
plain in Exodus 3 when God declares this name to Moses. And
the prominence of this episode in Old Testament Jewish theology
demonstrates that the implications of this passage would have
been central to the Old Testament Jewish understanding of
the Godhead.
When
Moses asks God his name in Exodus 3, God answers Moses’ request
for his name by stating “I AM THAT I AM.”
Exodus
3:13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come
unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The
God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall
say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto
them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM 01961 THAT I AM
01961: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children
of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
The
Hebrew text for the phrase “I AM THAT I AM” is the word “hayah”
(Strong’s No. 01961) repeated twice. Hayah literally means
“to be.” And it is from “hayah” in verse 14 that we get the
name “YHWH” or “Yehovah,” which God declares as his name and
as his memorial forever in his very next statements in verses
15 and 16. Below is the text of verses 15-16 and the definition
for “YHWH” or “Yehovah” along with the notation in the definition
that “YHWH” comes “from 01961,” which is “hayah.” And, as
the definition also notes, the proper meaning of YHWH is “the
existing one,” a meaning that denotes God’s attribute of self-existence
and therefore his eternal past, uncreated status.
Exodus
3:15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou
say unto the children of Israel, The LORD 03068 God of
your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the
God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name
for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say
unto them, The LORD 03068 God of your fathers, the God
of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me,
saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which
is done to you in Egypt.
03068
Yehovah
from
01961;
TWOT - 484a; n pr dei
KJV
- LORD 6510, GOD 4, JEHOVAH 4, variant 1; 6519
Jehovah = "the existing One"
the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings
of 0136
Consequently,
from both the text and the definition, it is clear that the
name YHWH itself is the most direct and prominent proof of
God’s eternal past existence, that he always has and always
will exist. But more importantly, as we also established earlier,
this name is applied to the angel of YHWH. We saw this plainly
in not only Exodus 3 itself, where the text states both in
verse 2 that it is the angel of YHWH who appears to Moses
in the bush and also in verse 4, which interchangeably refers
to the angel of YHWH simply as “YHWH” watching Moses from
within the bush.
Exodus
3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law,
the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside
of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even
to Horeb. 2 And the angel of the LORD 03068 appeared unto
him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and
he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the
bush was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, I will
now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush
is not burnt. 4 And when the LORD 03068 saw that he turned
aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the
bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am
I. 5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes
from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is
holy ground. 6 Moreover he said, I am the God of
thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the
God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid
to look upon God…
In
addition, verse 16 of the same chapter is even more explicit.
While verse 2 specifies that it is the angel of YHWH who appears
to Moses, in verse 16, God himself states that it is YHWH
who is appearing to Moses, using the same name that he has
just declared to be his eternal name and memorial in verses
14-15.
Exodus
3:16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and
say unto them, The LORD 03068 God of your fathers,
the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto
me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen
that which is done to you in Egypt.
Therefore,
God’s own words attest that the angel of YHWH who is appearing
to Moses is YHWH. And subsequently, by applying this name
to the angel of YHWH, God is testifying that the very trait,
which the name signifies, also applies to the figure known
as the angel of YHWH. Specifically, the words of God himself
attest that the angel of YHWH who is appearing to Moses in
the bush is “the existing one,” the one with the power of
being in himself, who always has and always will exist. Consequently,
the angel of YHWH was not created.
Here
the question might be raised as to whether or not the name
YHWH could be applied to a created being. In other words,
even if the angel of YHWH is a creation, couldn’t God have
given him the same name? However, the fact that this trait
is unique to God alone and not applicable to any other beings
or created beings is itself demonstrated by its usage as his
name. It could not be appropriately used as his name if this
attribute applied to others beside him. If that were the case,
this attribute would not distinguish him since others would
share that name and trait as well. Conversely, since the name
itself denotes the self-existent and always existent attribute,
that name cannot be applied to any being, which does not self-exist
or did not always exist. For these reasons, the application
of the name YHWH to the angel of YHWH would not be possible
unless the figure known as the angel of YHWH was himself YHWH
God and had always existed. The application of God’s unique
name, which denotes his eternal past and future existence,
to a created being would not only be misleading and wholly
inappropriate but it would undermine the meaning of the name
and the idea that God himself had always existed. If the name
“the existing one” could be applied to a created being, then
how would we know that its application to God meant that he
always existed and wasn’t created? Once it is applied to a
created being, the name would no longer designate anything.
Therefore, the application of the name YHWH to any figure
automatically denotes that this figure is YHWH God and has
always existed.
In
addition, as we have seen earlier in this study, this is not
the only account in which the name YHWH is applied to the
figure known as the angel of YHWH. Consequently, denying the
eternal, uncreated status of the angel of YHWH is not simply
a matter of side-stepping one passage. The name YHWH is interchangeably
applied to the angel of YHWH in other accounts that are similar
to the appearance to Moses here in Exodus 3. Since we have
covered each of these passages in depth earlier, we will revisit
them only with brief comments at this time.
Exodus
13:21 states that YHWH is in the midst of the pillar of fire
but just one chapter later, Exodus 14:19 states that this
is the angel of YHWH. And yet just 5 verses later, Exodus
14:24 states that it is YHWH who is looking out from within
the pillar. Similarly, Numbers 14:13-14 states that it is
YHWH who is within the pillar of fire.
Exodus
13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar
of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a
pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the
pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
Exodus
14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the
camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar
of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind
them…24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch
the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through
the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the
host of the Egyptians.
Numbers
14:13 And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians
shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy
might from among them;) 14 And they will tell it to
the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that
thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD
art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth
over them, and that thou goest before them, by day
time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
Likewise,
Deuteronomy 4 describes that it is YHWH who spoke from out
of the fire on the mountain, an encounter which is identical
to the angel of YHWH speaking to Moses from out of the fire
on the burning bush.
Deuteronomy
4:10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the
LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather
me the people together, and I will make them hear my words,
that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall
live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.
11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the
mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness,
clouds, and thick darkness. 12 And the LORD spake unto
you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the
words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.
In
Judges 6:11-24, it is the angel of YHWH who comes to speak
with Gideon, but throughout the passage, particularly in verses
12, 14, 16, 20, and 22-23 the text repeatedly identifies this
speaker as YHWH and angel of YHWH interchangeably.
Judges
6:11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under
an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained
unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat
by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said
unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man
of valour. 13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord (0113),
if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us?
and where be all his miracles which our fathers told
us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but
now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands
of the Midianites. 14 And the LORD looked upon him, and
said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel
from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? 15
And he said unto him, Oh my Lord (0136), wherewith
shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh,
and I am the least in my father’s house. 16 And
the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and
thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. 17 And he said
unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then
shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. 18 Depart not
hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth
my present, and set it before thee. And he said,
I will tarry until thou come again. 19 And Gideon went
in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah
of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth
in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak,
and presented it. 20 And the angel of God said
unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and
lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And
he did so. 21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth
the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched
the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire
out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened
cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel
of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord (0136) GOD (03069)!
for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.
23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee;
fear not: thou shalt not die. 24 Then Gideon built
an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom:
unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
In
Judges 13, particularly verses 3, 8-9, 13, 15-16, 22-23, the
visitor is first identified as the angel of YHWH and then
is referred to interchangeably as YHWH.
Judges
13:1 And the children of Israel did evil again in the
sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand
of the Philistines forty years. 2 And there was a certain
man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name
was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.
3 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and
said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest
not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. 4 Now therefore
beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink,
and eat not any unclean thing: 5 For, lo, thou shalt
conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head:
for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb:
and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the
Philistines. 6 Then the woman came and told her husband,
saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance
was like the countenance of an angel of God, very
terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither
told he me his name: 7 But he said unto me, Behold, thou
shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor
strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the
child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day
of his death. 8 Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said,
O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again
unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child
that shall be born. 9 And God hearkened to the voice of
Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman
as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was
not with her. 10 And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed
her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared
unto me, that came unto me the other day. 11 And Manoah
arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said
unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman?
And he said, I am. 12 And Manoah said, Now let thy
words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how
shall we do unto him? 13 And the angel of the LORD said
unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her
beware. 14 She may not eat of any thing that cometh
of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor
eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let
her observe. 15 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD,
I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made
ready a kid for thee. 16 And the angel of the LORD
said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat
of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering,
thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not
that he was an angel of the LORD. 17 And Manoah
said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name,
that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
18 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest
thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? 19
So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered
it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel
did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. 20 For
it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from
off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the
flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked
on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.
21 But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah
and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was
an angel of the LORD. 22 And Manoah said unto his wife,
We shall surely die, because we have seen God. 23 But
his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us,
he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering
at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things,
nor would as at this time have told us such things
as these.
In
Zechariah 2, the passage depicts Joshua and Satan standing
before the angel of YHWH, but then as the angel of YHWH speaks,
he is referred to as YHWH while at the same time, as the speaker
he refers to another figure as YHWH as well.
Zechariah
2:1 I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold
a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 Then said
I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To
measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof,
and what is the length thereof. 3 And, behold, the
angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went
out to meet him, 4 And said unto him, Run, speak to
this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as
towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein…3:1
And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before
the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand
to resist him. 2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The
LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath
chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand
plucked out of the fire?
And
just as Zechariah 3 refers to the angel of YHWH as YHWH and
at the same time refers to another figure as YHWH, Genesis
19:24 also refers to YHWH on earth bringing down fire from
YHWH out of heaven.
Genesis
18:1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of
Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the
day; 2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three
men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran
to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward
the ground, 3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found
favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy
servant: 4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched,
and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5
And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye
your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are
ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast
said. 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah,
and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal,
knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. 7
And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and
good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to
dress it. 8 And he took butter, and milk, and the
calf which he had dressed, and set it before them;
and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife?
And he said, Behold, in the tent. 10 And he said, I will
certainly return unto thee according to the time of life;
and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard
it in the tent door, which was behind him. 11
Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken
in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner
of women. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying,
After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being
old also? 13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore
did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child,
which am old? 14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At
the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the
time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. 15 Then Sarah
denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And
he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. 16 And the men
rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham
went with them to bring them on the way. 17 And the
LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty
nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed
in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command his children
and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of
the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring
upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 20 And the
LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great,
and because their sin is very grievous; 21 I will go
down now, and see whether they have done altogether according
to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will
know. 22 And the men turned their faces from thence,
and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy
the righteous with the wicked?...26 And the LORD said,
If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then
I will spare all the place for their sakes…30 And he said
unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will
speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And
he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak
unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there.
And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s
sake. 32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and
I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be
found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for
ten’s sake. 33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he
had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto
his place. 19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom
at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom.
Moreover,
as we can see from Genesis 18-19, throughout the passage Abraham’s
visitor is identified simply as YHWH. However, by a comparison
to Exodus 3:1-16 and 6:1-3 (see below), we find that it is
the angel of YHWH who appears to Moses in the burning bush,
who is referred to as YHWH in Exodus 3, and who goes on to
state that it was he that appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, which would include this account in Genesis 18-19.
Consequently, Genesis 18-19 is yet another episode in which
the name YHWH is applied to the angel of YHWH.
Exodus
3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law,
the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside
of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even
to Horeb. 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him
in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he
looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush
was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, I will now turn
aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God
called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said,
Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. 5 And he said,
Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet,
for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father,
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon
God…13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I
come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them,
The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall
say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto
them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and
he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel,
I AM hath sent me unto you. 15 And God said moreover unto
Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The
LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is
my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all
generations. 16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together,
and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God
of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me,
saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which
is done to you in Egypt.
Exodus
6:1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou
see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall
he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them
out of his land. 2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto
him, I am the LORD: 3 And I appeared unto Abraham,
unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God
Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
Lastly,
Genesis 16 records a conversation between the angel of YHWH
and Hagar and verse 13 of the passage applies the name YHWH
to the visitor that Hagar had seen and been conversing with,
which was the angel of YHWH.
Genesis
16:5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon
thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw
that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD
judge between me and thee. 6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold,
thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee.
And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
7 And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of
water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to
Shur. 8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest
thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from
the face of my mistress Sarai. 9 And the angel of the
LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit
thyself under her hands. 10 And the angel of the LORD said
unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it
shall not be numbered for multitude. 11 And the angel of
the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child,
and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because
the LORD hath heard thy affliction. 12 And he will
be a wild man; his hand will be against every man,
and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the
presence of all his brethren. 13 And she called the name
of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she
said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
14 Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold,
it is between Kadesh and Bered.
The
application of the name YHWH to the angel of YHWH is the first
and most obvious proof of his uncreated, eternal past existence.
And the fact that this theme occurs in some of the most prominent
Old Testament passages demonstrates that this perception would
have been present in the Israelites’ perception of the Godhead
as well as their perception of the angel of YHWH from the
earliest Old Testament times.
Moreover,
in this proof concerning the angel of YHWH, we also find indications
concerning the eternal, uncreated status of the Holy Spirit.
In short, since the formulaic title “the angel of YHWH” is
shown to refer to YHWH in the humbler guise of a visiting
angel, the presence of the same formula in the titles “the
Word of YHWH” and “the Spirit of YHWH” should also be understood
respectively to refer to YHWH as a speaker and YHWH as a visiting
Spirit. The format of these titles applies the name YHWH to
these figures, just as is demonstrably the case concerning
the title “the angel of YHWH.” (For clarity, earlier we already
noted that the title, “The Word of YHWH” is an alternate reference
to the same figure known as “the angel of YHWH.)
And
since the bulk of the proof of God’s uncreated status rests
upon the meaning of his name, it is important to note the
centrality of this name and its meaning to all of Judaism.
So while there may not be as many outright proofs as we would
think (in terms of the Hebrew or Greek words surveyed above),
the proofs that we have are monumental, the very name of God
itself. And that name is applied to the figure known as the
angel of YHWH. And this fact, in turn, constitutes firm evidence
that the figure known as the angel of YHWH is uncreated, has
always existed, and is simply the existing one coming to visit
with men in the humbler guise of a fiery angel or a man.
A
second proof for eternal past existence can be found in Isaiah
43, which provides additional clear evidence for the uncreated,
eternal status of the angel of YHWH, who is the pre-incarnate
Word. In this passage, YHWH is speaking and he mentions references
to Israel being without harm in the midst of the water (as
in the parting of the sea) and in the midst of the fire (as
on the mountain with Moses). He also refers to the destruction
of Egypt as he redeemed his people. These are clear references
to the Exodus, reminding the Jews of Isaiah’s day that God
had been faithful in times past and was still reliable. Specifically,
as God led them out of Egypt into the Promised Land, he was
promising to bring them back to the Promised Land from the
nations to which they were scattered. And his faithfulness
in Egypt was to be the basis of their trust in this promise
as well.
Isaiah
43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee,
O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for
I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name;
thou art mine. 2 When thou passest through the waters,
I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall
not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou
shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of
Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba for thee. 4 Since thou wast precious in
my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee:
therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy
seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; 6 I
will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep
not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the
ends of the earth.
However,
since we know from our examination of Exodus 3 that YHWH who
met with Moses and led the people out of Egypt to the Promised
Land was in fact the figure known as the angel of YHWH, we
therefore also know that the speaker in this passage is the
angel of YHWH as well. Once again, here we see the name YHWH
applied directly to the figure known as the angel of YHWH,
and by means of that name affirming his uncreated, eternal
status. But moreover, in verse 13, amidst a string of proclamations
that he is YHWH, we find this figure who led the Israelites
out of Egypt declare that he existed “before the day.” (From
verse 15, we also note YHWH’s reference to himself as the
Creator.)
Isaiah
43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside
me there is no saviour. 12 I have declared, and
have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange
god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses,
saith the LORD, that I am God. 13 Yea, before
the day was I am he; and there is
none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who
shall let it? 14 Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the
Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon,
and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans,
whose cry is in the ships. 15 I am the LORD,
your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.
Since
we already know that YHWH who led the people out of Egypt,
who allowed them to pass through the waters unharmed, and
who did not let the fire consume them on the mountain, is
the angel of YHWH, this statement about existing “before the
day” must be understood to be about the angel of YHWH. The
phrase “before the day” in combination with the phrase “I
am he,” is clearly meant to convey the speaker’s existence
prior to the day. Of course, this brings up another question.
What is “the day” and why is “the day” being cited as evidence
for the speaker’s credentials as God? The day is created in
Genesis 1:1-5.
Genesis
1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and
the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and
darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And
God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God
saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the
light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day,
and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the
morning were the first day.
Consequently,
here in Isaiah 43 YHWH, specifically the angel of YHWH, is
declaring his credentials as God by citing the fact that he
existed before the first day of creation. This declaration
itself denotes that he is uncreated and has always eternally
existed.
The
third proof for eternal past existence is closely related
to this comment in Isaiah 43. In addition to Isaiah’s specific
statement, we can also include the following, more general
item as a proof of eternal, uncreated status. In close relationship
to Isaiah’s declaration, the idea of any figure being already
present “when the beginning begins” should also be understood
as a declaration of that figures uncreated status. The beginning
is the initiation of all created things.
Genesis
1:1, 31 and 2:1-4 summarize this fact. The beginning is the
time when created things began to exist as a result of God’s
creating them. This included all created things, whether in
heaven or on earth.
Genesis
1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth…31
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold,
it was very good. And the evening and the morning were
the sixth day. 2:1Thus the heavens and the earth were
finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh
day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on
the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because
that in it he had rested from all his work which God created
and made. 4 These are the generations of the
heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day
that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
Therefore,
if a figure is present at the very threshold of that beginning
and depicted as the creator rather than among the created
things, this clearly demonstrates classification in the uncreated,
eternal category rather than the created category. And not
only does Isaiah declare that YHWH who led the Israelites
out of Egypt was present before the first day of creation
in Genesis 1, but it describes him as the Creator. Likewise,
Genesis 1 itself clearly depicts the Spirit of YHWH as already
present at the threshold of the beginning and as the Creator,
rather than as awaiting creation and being created along with
the rest of the universe. Consequently, since the angel of
YHWH is described as existing before and at the very beginning
of creation, and are placed in the category of Creator rather
than created, he must be understood to be uncreated and existent
for all eternity past.
And
Genesis 1:26-27, likewise, confirms that all persons of the
Trinity exist at the beginning of creation as Creator not
creations. (Just as in other passages we have examined, here
in Genesis 1:26-27, we see multiple persons of God communicating
with each other and aware of their own personal distinction
from one another. Yet all are God. All are Creator.)
Genesis
1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after
our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish
of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle,
and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own
image, in the image of God created he him; male and female
created he them.
The
fourth proof for eternal past existence is also related. It
comes in the form of God’s use of the title “the first and
the last” with regard to himself. Like the name “YHWH,” which
is derived from the Hebrew word for “to be” and conveys that
God is “the existing one,” who always exists, this title is
also meant to convey God’s transcendence before and beyond
the created things. We first find this title declared by God
himself in Isaiah 41, where God connects it to his name “YHWH”
in the phrase “I YHWH, the first and the last.”
Isaiah
41:4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling the
generations from the beginning? I the LORD 03068, the first
07223, and with the last 0314; I am he.
In
the New Testament, we find this title applied directly to
Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word, two times. And it is accompanied
by similar descriptions,
including “Alpha and Omega,” “the beginning and the end,”
and “which was, and is, and is to come.”
Revelation
1:5
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,
and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of
the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us
from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and
priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory
and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he cometh
with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also
which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail
because of him. Even so, Amen. 8 I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which
was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Revelation
22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward
is with me, to give every man according as his work
shall be.13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
746 and the end 5056, the first 4413 and the last 2078…16
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these
things in the churches. I
am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright
and morning star.
Just
as Isaiah 41 associated such titles with God’s name “YHWH,”
which means “the existing one,” we can clearly see that Revelation
1:8 connects these titles to the fact that God “was, is, and
is to come.” This assertion of God’s existence in the past,
present, and future is similar to the name “I AM” and the
longer phrase “I AM THAT I AM.” Both convey the idea of God
always existing. Once again, by conveying that God exists
both before and beyond creation, these titles reaffirm the
meaning of God’s name, which denotes that he is “the existing
one,” the one that is not created but has always lived and
always will live. Like God’s name, these titles convey that
he is uncreated.
What
is also interesting is that while Revelation 1:5-8 and 22:12-16
clearly apply these titles to Jesus Christ, the incarnate
Word, Revelation chapter 21 applies them to the figure known
as God the Father. The fact that the Father is in view is
indicated clearly by God’s statement to men in verse 7 that
those who overcome will be his “son.” In addition, verse 9
refers to the Word by the title “the Lamb” whereas the rest
of the chapter uses the title “God.” The fact that in Revelation
John used the term “the Lamb” as a reference to the Word is
demonstrated by the fact that chapter 1 (particularly verses
29 and 36) use the term “the Lamb” when referring to the Word.
Clearly, the reason for the different titles is to differentiate
between two figures, one who voluntarily became a man and
died as a sacrificial lamb and the other who remained in heaven,
operating all along as the transcendent Creator, the Father
of all.
Revelation
21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and
Omega, the beginning 746 and the end 5056. I will give
unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life
freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things;
and I will be his God, and he shall be my son… 9 And there
came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials
full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying,
Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
Consequently,
in these passages of Revelation, we see the same title applied
to both the incarnate Word and to the Father. And more importantly,
the title being used is one that conveys God’s eternal, uncreated
status. It conveys his existence not as a creation or part
of the creation but before it and beyond it. Therefore, the
New Testament clearly applies this uncreated status to both
the Father and the Word, demonstrating that both figures eternally
exist. Neither one is a temporary extension or a creation
from the other. In this fact also we see that the New Testament
is unavoidably Trinitarian, just as we have seen from the
Old Testament as well.
And
it is important not to overlook two other evidences from Revelation
1, which demonstrate that the Word of YHWH is uncreated and
has always existed. First, It is interesting that Revelation
1:18 uses this familiar phrase “I am he that liveth” with
regard to Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word, thereby firmly
identifying him as YHWH, the “I AM,” the existing one, who
lives forever, who was, is, and is to come. And we know explicitly
that this is Jesus Christ, since verse 18 describes the speaker
as having died and been resurrected to live forevermore.
Revelation
1:18 I am he that liveth 2198 (5723), and was
dead; and, behold, I am alive 2198 for 1519 evermore 165 165,
Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
And
second, it is also important not to overlook one other proof
that is found among these passages. In Revelation 1:8, among
these other declarations, we find the title “the Almighty.”
Revelation
1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending,
saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come,
the Almighty 3841.
The
Greek term for “Almighty” here is “pantokrator” (Strong’s
No. 3841), which literally means “the ruler of all” or “all-powerful.”
It is a compound word derived from the terms “pas” (Strong’s
No. 3956), meaning “each and every” and the term “kratos”
(Strong’s No. 2904), meaning “force, strenght, power, or dominion.”
But more importantly, it is the Greek equivalent to the Old
Testament Hebrew word “Almighty,” which is “Shadday” (Strong’s
No. 07706) and which likewise simply means, “the almighty,
most powerful.”
This
is significant to our study for the following reason. As we
saw earlier, it is the figure known as the angel of YHWH who
appears to Moses in Exodus 3:2, 4, 6, 14-16 and announces
his name as the “I AM” (or “YHWH”). And most significantly,
we also notice that the figure known as the angel of YHWH
also announces himself as the God who appeared to Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob.
Exodus
3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in
a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked,
and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was
not consumed…4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside
to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush,
and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. 5 And
he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off
thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy
ground. 6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy
father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to
look upon God…14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM:
and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel,
I AM hath sent me unto you. 15 And God said moreover
unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel,
The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this
is my name for ever, and this is my memorial
unto all generations. 16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel
together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers,
the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto
me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen
that which is done to you in Egypt:
And
as we noted earlier, Exodus 6:2 records another early conversation
between the angel of YHWH and Moses, which closely parallels
their dialog in Exodus 3. However, this time the angel of
YHWH not only refers to himself once again by the name YHWH
(or “JEHOVAH,” Strong’s No. 03068), but he specifically states
that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob only knew him by the name “God
Almighty,” which is the term “Shadday.”
Exodus
6:2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I
am the LORD: 3
And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by
the name of God Almighty 07706, but by my name
JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
Since
it is the angel of YHWH who announces that he was first known
to the patriarchs by the name “Almighty,” when Revelation
1:8 associates all of these phrases, which affirm God’s uncreated,
eternal existence, with the term “Almighty,” it is directly
and intentionally ascribing that trait to the incarnate angel
of YHWH (Jesus Christ) and ascribing him eternal, uncreated
status.
Revelation
1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending,
saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come,
the Almighty.
In
summary, like the name YHWH itself, the titles “Alpha and
Omega,” “the beginning and the end,” “the first and the last,”
“he that liveth,” “who liveth forevermore,” and “who was,
is, and is to come” are all intended to convey God’s eternal,
uncreated, self-existent status. But more important to our
study, all of these terms are applied to the angel of YHWH,
the figure who first announced himself to Moses as “YHWH”
and to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as “the Almighty.” So, every
single, clear proof that exists for God’s eternal, uncreated
status is applied to the angel of YHWH. It’s simply impossible
to avert the conclusion that the angel of YHWH has always
existed. It is simply impossible to assert that the angel
of YHWH is a mere creation or a mere recent extension of YHWH’s
being (as Arianism and Modalism respectively assert). Instead,
every conceivable declaration that could prove he always existed
has been applied to this figure.
The
fifth proof for God’s uncreated, eternal past existence is
also related to both God’s name and to the phrases and titles
that we’ve been discussing. It surrounds the phrase “I swear
as I live,” an oath that God takes from time to time in scripture.
The assurance found in the oath is based on the veracity of
God’s own existence. The intention is to convey that what
is being promised is a true as the very power of being itself,
which resides in God alone as the uncreated first cause. This
assurance itself, in turn, demonstrates the utmost, constancy
and permanency of God’s existence.
Not
only do we find this phrase in chapter 49:18 of Isaiah, the
book we’ve been discussing in recent proofs but more importantly
we find it spoken by YHWH in Numbers as he leads the people
of Israel into the Promised Land. In fact, the first occurrences
of this oath are in chapter 14 of Numbers, one of the very
same passages that demonstrated “the angel of YHWH” as another
title for YHWH.
In
order to understand the significance that this oath has for
our current study, we need to understand it amidst its context
and historical backdrop. We recall from Exodus 3 that it is
the angel of YHWH who appears to Moses from within the midst
of the flaming fire engulfing the bush. And we also recall
that the text of Genesis 3 refers to the angel of YHWH as
himself being YHWH God. In Exodus 14, the Israelites have
already left Egypt under the leadership of Moses and as they
make their way out into the wilderness they are led in the
day by a pillar of cloud and in the night by a pillar of fire.
Very similar to Exodus 3, verse 19 of Exodus 14 refers to
the angel of YHWH being in the midst of the fire, so that
when the angel of God moves to the rear of the camp so does
the pillar of fire. However, verse 24 of Exodus 14 as well
as Exodus 13:21and Numbers 14:11 explicitly state that it
is YHWH who looks out from the midst of the pillar of fire.
Exodus
14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the
camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar
of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind
them…24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch
the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through
the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the
host of the Egyptians.
Exodus
13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar
of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a
pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the
pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
Numbers
14:13 And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians
shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy
might from among them;) 14 And they will tell it to
the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that
thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD
art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth
over them, and that thou goest before them, by day
time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
Since
we know that it is the figure known as the angel of YHWH who
is interacting with Moses and Israelites during the Exodus
journey (including Numbers 14), the use of this oath constitutes
another manner in which scripture attests that the angel of
YHWH is “the existing one.” If it were not so then his life
as a created being would be no more relevant to his oath than
any human’s life. In other words, the item being sworn to
would be no more assured than the certainty of a man’s life
or the life of any created being. Here we might consider whether
this could be a mere ordinary oath that even a man could swear.
After all, a man might swear by his own life, if he really
wanted to created assurance regarding a particular claim.
However, before we accept this conclusion, we should take
note of the fact that these oaths, whenever they occur, always
accompany the name “YHWH,” which as we demonstrated at length
earlier, means “the living one.” Consequently, these passages
record, “As I live saith Existing One.” Such phrasing clearly
demonstrates that the oath is connected to God’s uncreated
and eternal existence. Therefore, it is not comparable to
any oath in which an ordinary man might swear by his own uncertain
life.
Furthermore,
since the earliest occurrences of this oath can be attributed
to the angel of YHWH, as a matter of simple precedent, the
later occurrences of it in Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Zephaniah
should be as well. As a result, by means of this peculiar
oath, there are no less than 22 attestations that the angel
of YHWH is the existing one, and has always existed, never
being created. Below is a list of those 22 passages. After
this list we will move on to a brief discussion concerning
the distinction of the Spirit of YHWH in the Old Testament,
followed by a summary of our findings concerning the Trinity
in the Old Testament.
Numbers
14:20 And the LORD said, I have pardoned according
to thy word: 21 But as truly as I live 02416, all the
earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.
Numbers
14:28 Say unto them, As truly as I live 02416, saith
the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do
to you:
Isaiah
49:18 Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all
these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As
I live 02416, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe
thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on
thee, as a bride doeth .
Jeremiah
22:24 As I live 02416, saith the LORD, though Coniah
the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my
right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;
Jeremiah
46:18 As I live 02416, saith the King, whose name is
the LORD of hosts, Surely as Tabor is among the mountains,
and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.
Ezekiel
5:11 Wherefore, as I live 02416, saith the Lord GOD;
Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy
detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore
will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither
will I have any pity.
Ezekiel
14:16 Though these three men were in it, as I live
02416, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither
sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the
land shall be desolate.
Ezekiel
14:18 Though these three men were in it, as I live
02416, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither
sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.
Ezekiel
14:20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as
I live 02416, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither
son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by
their righteousness.
Ezekiel
16:48 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy
sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast
done, thou and thy daughters.
Ezekiel
17:16 As I live 02416, saith the Lord GOD, surely
in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king,
whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even
with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.
Ezekiel
17:19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live
02416, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my
covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon
his own head.
Ezekiel
18:3 As I live 02416, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall
not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
Ezekiel
20:3 Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and
say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come
to enquire of me? As I live 02416, saith the Lord GOD,
I will not be enquired of by you.
Ezekiel
20:31 For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your
sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with
all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired
of by you, O house of Israel? As I live 02416, saith the
Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.
Ezekiel
20:33 As I live 02416, saith the Lord GOD, surely
with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with
fury poured out, will I rule over you:
Ezekiel
33:11 Say unto them, As I live 02416, saith the Lord
GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but
that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn
ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Ezekiel
33:27 Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord
GOD; As I live 02416, surely they that are in the
wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open
field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that
be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.
Ezekiel
34:8 As I live 02416, saith the Lord GOD, surely
because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to
every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither
did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed
themselves, and fed not my flock;
Ezekiel
35:6 Therefore, as I live 02416, saith the Lord GOD,
I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee:
sith thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee.
Ezekiel
35:11 Therefore, as I live 02416, saith the Lord GOD,
I will even do according to thine anger, and according to
thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against
them; and I will make myself known among them, when I have
judged thee.
Zephaniah
2:9 Therefore as I live 02416, saith the LORD of hosts,
the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and
the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles,
and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my
people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall
possess them.