Who is the LORD?

Now, brethren, when I came into God's Church at age 18, I was absolutely thrilled at the truth that God was revealing to me through the power of His Holy Spirit and also because of the direct calling that God was giving me. I understood then that it was the Father who was calling me to an understanding of who He is and who His Son is.

The Bible now made good common sense to me. I felt like I could understand the Bible for the very first time. It was like every booklet, every article I read, it seemed like a piece of the puzzle was fitting in and the Bible was making sense as it had never been had never done before.

And I really had a zeal to study the Bible, to look into God's Word and to prove everything, as the Brians want to do. And so it was very, very exciting for me, a wonderful first love, and I believe that love has only matured over the years. You know, it's very near and dear to me, God's truth. John 644 was indelibly stamped into my mind. Christ said, No one can come to me unless the Father draw him. So I came to accept Christ as my personal Savior, a very personal relationship developing with Jesus Christ.

But you know, I've always had a very close relationship with the Father because it's the Father to whom I pray every day. No, it's the Father that the majority of the contact is really with in terms of our prayers. We pray to the Father. We pray in Jesus' name, of course.

And Jesus Christ is very important to us. He died for us. He is our Savior. But nevertheless, we have a very special relationship with the Father. And that's important to understand and to realize and to be grateful for. It was the Father who was calling me. And it was, again, a relationship that was developing between the Father and the Son that has lasted over 40-plus years now.

I knew that God loved me enough to give His Son for me. He loved you enough to give up His only Son. And I've had the opportunity to have a son and a daughter. And it's just difficult to even comprehend what that would mean to make that sacrifice. But the Father made that sacrifice and the Son made that sacrifice. He loved us enough to lay His life down for us. He calls us friends. And so we have a wonderful relationship with God the Father and with Jesus Christ. When I came to realize that Jesus Christ actually pre-existed, that was not something I understood in the Methodist Church, even though I'd read some scriptures that should have, you know, should have tipped me off about that.

But I didn't put it together. It was in God's church that these things were coming to light. And again, the Bible was really making sense. It was very clear to me that God the Father and the Logos, the Word, the spokesmen were there together from the very beginning.

They devised a plan of salvation for me and for all of us. And they did it in complete harmony and unity. And I think we can't underestimate what God wants us to learn about harmony and unity. When we see the example of the Father and the Word, the Logos, and how they work together. Look, the Father was preeminent. He was the most high God in that sense.

But the Word was also God. The Logos, the spokesmen, was also God. And they were together, they were in complete harmony and unity. And it's just a wonderful relationship. So I hope you'll think about that as we go through this sermon and consider the unity and the harmony that they have and the strife that human beings oftentimes allow to go on in their relationships. You know, it's really quite sad. We are not following God's example.

We're not following the example of the Father and the Word, the Logos, Jesus Christ. Oftentimes, we really need to do better and follow that example. The Father is very happy to give glory to his Son, in whom he is very well pleased. And the Son is very happy to give glory to the Father, whom he has loved forever as the Word, the Logos, the spokesmen.

They've been together for eternity and they love each other deeply and completely, something that we can't comprehend. God is love.

The Father is love, the Word, the Logos is love, Jesus Christ. Followed their example. It was perfect. Never sinned. Jesus Christ is love.

So, it's a wonderful relationship and we can be a part of that, a part of the family of God. So, God brings us into something very, very special.

There's no competition whatsoever between the Father and the Son. They, as I said, they honor each other, they love each other.

And I'll try to bring that out as we go along, but let's ask ourselves some questions. Just who and what was Jesus Christ before his human birth of the Virgin Mary? She was a virgin.

Obviously, something was different about Jesus being born. Mary was the human mother, but the Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit, was indeed the Father of Jesus Christ. Is Jesus Christ really God? Is Jesus Christ a created being? Was Jesus Christ formerly the primary God that is talked about or interacted mostly with human beings in the Old Testament? That's a good question. That's a question we should ask ourselves. Who is the Eternal? That's the title of the sermon today. Who is the Eternal? The Tetragrammaton? The YHWH?

You know, if we don't understand this, we could very easily be misled. We could be deceived. And I believe it is an important topic. May the Eternal refer to the Father when we see Eternal in all caps in the Bible? May that refer to the Father? May it also refer to the logo? The spokesman? The one who became Christ? Where should we look for these answers? Obviously, there's only one place to look, and that's in the Word of God, in the Bible, in the Scriptures. Lord or Eternal? L-O-R-D in capital letters is the Tetragrammaton, the YHWH. It's used 6,807 times in the Bible. 6,800 times? That's a lot of times. I don't know how many times other words are used, but that's a lot of times. I never, you know, did an exhaustive study of all the different words, but that's used a lot. And the Lord and the Eternal together are used nearly 8,000 times in the Bible. So it is important that we do strive to grasp and understand this topic.

So how important is it to know who Christ was, who He is today, and also the Father, the Eternal?

What does it mean, and who may it refer to? In John 17, let's go there for a moment. It is important, I believe, and Jesus Christ underscores the importance of this topic. John 17, verse 1. John 17, verse 1, Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son also may glorify you. Again, see the unity? No competition. They're very willing and desirous of glorifying each other.

As you have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as you have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you. Okay, we are to know the Father. This is eternal life, that we understand who the Father is, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do. And now, O Father, glorify me together with yourself, with the glory which I had with you, before the world was. Okay, that verse right there tells us that Jesus Christ obviously existed before the world, before the material universe was ever created. And then, when we go to John 1, and we will in a few moments, we'll see how that all fits together.

To know the real Jesus would include the fact that of what He really taught, what He really did, and how it's essential for eternal life. These are the words of life, and we should strive to understand them as best we possibly can. And Jesus said we need to know the Father, the only true God.

So let's go to John 1. And rather than read these 18 verses, feel free to look at them as I talk, but I'm just going to bring out some points that I made out of these 18 verses. You can read and listen to me at the same time. You can, you know, it's possible the human mind can handle that. So I'm not offended if you want to read it while I bring out some of these points and think about them, but try to listen to the points I'm making. What do we know about Christ from these verses? Number one, we know the Word existed in the very beginning of everything. The Word, the logos, the spokesman, existed in the very beginning with the one we know as the Father.

The Word was with God. There were two beings. Initially, there was the one who became known as the Father and the one who became Jesus Christ eventually, but was known as the logos or the Word, the spokesman. It says the Word was God. That's the third point. The Word was God.

Second point, if you're writing down points, the Word was with God. Number one, the Word existed in the very beginning. Number two, the Word was with God. Number three, the Word was God. Number four, all things were made by the Word, and without Him nothing was made that was made. So it reveals that the Word was the creative being that the Father used. We'll see that the Father could also be referred to as the Creator because He created through the Word, the logos, the spokesman.

Number five, in Him was life. In Jesus' Christ, the Word, the logos, was eternal life. He's always existed. He was not created. In Him was life, eternal life. He was the light of men.

John the Baptist, that's number six. He was the light of men. We should look to Him for guidance, for direction. Number seven, John the Baptist was sent by God to introduce or bear witness of the light. Number eight, the Word became flesh and dwelt among mankind as Jesus Christ. That's very clear. It's indisputable. The Word became flesh.

And that's what he was talking about in John 17 that I just read. The glory that he had before the world began. He became flesh. He dwelt among mankind as Jesus Christ.

Number nine, the manifested light had the glory of the only begotten of the Father.

The Father is the Father. He begat Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit.

It was the Father conceiving through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Number 10, John reveals that the light, the Word, existed before Him.

Okay, John says He existed before Him, even though we know that Jesus was actually born of the flesh after John was born. He was six months younger than John. John was born first.

But John says he knew He existed before that. Number 11, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ brought so much understanding and showed us what grace is all about and what it means and truth. Number 12, no one has seen God the Father at any time. That's what the Scripture says. No one has seen God the Father at any time. In fact, I think we should read that, John chapter 1, because this is a very, very important point that we do need to grasp and understand. So in John chapter 1, John says, no one has seen God at any time. He's speaking to the Father. No one has seen God the Father at any time. The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. He came to declare who the Father is, to show the Father. He said, if you've seen Me, you've seen the Father. So the implication is that the Father is not revealed in any huge way in the Old Testament. I mean, at least that's what I get from that, that He came to declare the Father to make an understanding of the Father more full, and which I believe He's certainly done that for me personally. Now, let's go to Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians chapter 1 verse 13. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood the forgiveness of sin. We are redeemed. Christ is our Redeemer. Now, it would be okay to say that the Father is our Redeemer, too, because the Father and the Son, or the Word, the Logos, have worked together to redeem us. It's part of the plan, but certainly Christ shed His blood, and it's by His shed blood that we are redeemed. In whom we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins, He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. So that's what it says. That's what it means. All things were created through Jesus Christ. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and to Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning of the firstborn from the dead. You know, we call it the Church of God. It is God's Church. Christ is the head of the Church, but it's God's Church. It's the Father's Church. The Father has preeminence. Christ is the head of the Church. You know, that's the way that the Father ordained it to be. Again, there's no competition. They're not worried about which role each one is playing, and we should try not to bring any kind of competition into our minds when it comes to the Father and the Son. You know, we should strive to honor both the Father and the Son. In Ephesians chapter 3 verse 9—let's go there for a moment—it shows, again, that God created all things through Jesus Christ. Ephesians chapter 3 verse 9. So would it be okay to refer to Jesus Christ as the Creator? Well, of course, but it would also be fine to refer to the Father as the Creator. They work together on the creation. Ephesians chapter 3 verse 9.

Well, let's read verse 8 along with it. To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, and I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ. So it's speaking about God the Father, who created all things through the one who became Christ. He wasn't yet known as Christ, obviously. He was the word, the Logos, the spokesman referred to also as God in the Bible. According to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, this was God's eternal purpose, and he accomplished it in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

So, rather, we do have confidence knowing God and knowing Christ, and we can have faith and trust in both of them to see us into the Kingdom of God as we turn to both of them in repentance to the Father and the Son. Let's notice Hebrews chapter 1.

Hebrews chapter 1. So John 1, Colossians 1, Hebrews 1 all speak about Jesus Christ as the creator, and how God created the worlds through Jesus Christ. Hebrews chapter 1. So, if you want to remember where to find some of this, remember chapter 1 of Colossians, Hebrews, Colossians, Hebrews, and John. And then, if you can remember Ephesians 3, then you'll have all four of those main ones. But in Hebrews chapter 1, Hebrews chapter 1, let's read in verse 1.

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, as in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds, who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. Christ is now our high priest. He sits at the right hand of the Father, having become so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. There's no name given under heaven whereby we may be saved. It's only through Jesus Christ, our Savior, the Messiah, that we may be saved. Now let's go to Genesis 1. Okay, so not only do we have John 1, Hebrews 1, Colossians 1, but we have Genesis 1. Okay, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Notice it goes on to say in many verses, like verse 3, then God said, let there be light, and there was light. And then in verse 6, then God said, let there be a firmament in the heaven. Verse 9, then God said, let the waters under the heavens be gathered. Verse 11, then God said, okay, this is the spokesman. This is the logos. Who's speaking? I mean, that's how I understand it. It makes perfect sense to me that the one that's doing the creating, as we've already seen, was the one who became Christ, the Word, the logos, the spokesman. Yes, the Father doing it through Jesus Christ, but Christ was the being that was actually doing the creating. It was Christ who was speaking. Then God said, and God said. So clearly, the one who became Christ, the Word, was the one who initially created the heavens and the earth, and then re-created them in seven literal days, which is what we believe. There's likely a gap there between verse 1 and 2. I don't have time to go into that, but I think you basically understand what we have taught on that topic.

The Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters at creation. The Spirit of God is the essence of God. It is God's power. Of course, the Holy Spirit was the power and the force used to create both the Father and the Word composed of Holy Spirit. Now, in Genesis 1, 26, and if you'll look through there, it continues to say that then God said, then God said, and it was created. Then in verse 26, let us make man in our image. Now, we believe that is referring to the Word, the Logos, and also to the Father. Let us make man in our image according to our likeness. We have been created after the God kind, you might say. Everything else had been created after their own kind, the cattle kind, you know, the plant kind. We have been created after the God kind. We're different. We have the spiritual, unbelievable spiritual potential.

It's important to understand that we are made in God's image and in His likeness. Let us make man in our image. I'm not going to go to Genesis 11, but at the Tower of Babel, it is also said, let us go down. Let's check out what's happening here. Again, the Father and the Word working together to, you know, to look into this. Clearly, two beings from the very beginning working together in complete unity and in complete harmony. Genesis 2, in speaking, it refers to the Sabbath and how the Sabbath was created by resting on the Sabbath. Jesus Christ, we know, is referred to as the Lord of the Sabbath in Mark 2, verses 27 and 28, and also in Matthew 12, verse 8, because He was the one who created the Sabbath for mankind by resting on the seventh day of creation. He became Lord of the Sabbath.

And then when He came in the flesh, He was Lord of the Sabbath and referred to as such.

And it points back to creation. So this being in Genesis was clearly the one who later became born of the Virgin Mary. Remember, John the Baptist said He was before Him. The Word who became Christ created the heavens and the earth long before John the Baptist was born.

That is why his earlier statement in John is true. Jesus Christ came before Him, even though John was born before Christ, you know, as far as humanly, six months later, John was born first. In Philippians chapter 2, let's go there for a moment, Philippians chapter 2, again, it talks about the one who became Christ became flesh. Philippians chapter 2. So there's a tremendous weight of evidence when we put it all together that really, you know, I've studied the Bible for 40-some years, and this is, for me at least, it has proved over the test of time. You know, over all these years of reading the Bible and thinking about these things, I'm every bit as convinced now as I was in the beginning, perhaps a lot more so, of this truth.

So now we get to... Actually, let's go to 1 Corinthians 10. I'm sorry. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 10 first, and then we'll go to Philippians 2 after that. 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 1, Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. It's obviously talking about the crossing of the Red Sea at the time of Moses. And all ate the same spiritual food, the manna that came from heaven, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.

The one that was working with Moses was the one who became Christ.

And to me, that fits in very nicely, doesn't it? Jesus Christ was the rock in the wilderness, the rock that the children of Israel drank from in a spiritual sense.

It was the rock that was keeping them alive, was bringing them the manna from heaven. And the father may have had a role in that, too. I don't know that we can say for sure, but certainly the one that was working with Moses and with the children of Israel was the one who became the Christ, the Word, the Logos, the spokesman, the Creator, the one that was there with Adam and Eve, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now, I will show you a scripture in a bit that refers to the father as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I don't have any problem with that. He's my father, too. He's your father. He's certainly the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Nothing wrong with referring to him as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But certainly the weight of the scriptures shows that it was the one who became Christ, who was the primary God that was working with these men and women, the children of Israel, at this time. Now, let's go to Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2, verse 5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Let's try to think like Christ, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God.

You see, again, they're in complete unity and harmony. They're not competing with each other. They were, in a sense, very equal. Equal human beings, or not human equal beings, in the God family in the very beginning. The Word, the Logos, the spokesman, the Father, they're both God. And we'll see that both of them can be referred to as the Eternal.

That will be the conclusion, is that both may be referred to as the Eternal. And we'll see that, I believe, very clearly as we go on.

So here it says that the one who became Christ did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. He was equal with God from the very beginning. Yes, He was subordinate to the Father. The Scripture tells us that He was. And now how that happened, I don't know. The Scripture doesn't tell us. But I'm fine with that, and Jesus Christ was fine with that. And the Logos was fine with that. So, going on, but made Himself of no reputation. Okay, a God being, now being born as a little baby.

Quite remarkable, isn't it? I think that is unbelievably remarkable.

Think about that for a moment. A lot of you have had children, little babies, you've born them. How would you like to be the mother of the Savior of the world? I mean, that was pretty awesome. Mary, we don't worship Mary, but she had quite a role to play. You'll have to admit that, especially any of you women who have had babies, you certainly can, I think, maybe put yourself into that role a little bit better than I can. I haven't had a child, but I've been around a lot of kids, my own kids, especially. Anyway, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself, the one who was all-powerful, almighty, the ever-living God.

From the very beginning, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those in heaven and those on earth and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord through the glory of God the Father. Again, tremendous unity and harmony between the Father, the Word, the Logos, the Son, Jesus Christ. So Christ died on the stake. He was crucified. He was resurrected by the Father.

He's now at the right hand of the Father. He makes intercession for us. He has retained His glory, He has gotten that glory back. He's eternal. Once again, all-powerful, almighty God.

Now the demons recognize Jesus for who He was. In Luke 8, verse 28. Let's go there for a moment. Luke 8, verse 28.

Luke chapter 8 and verse 28.

Luke 8, verse 28.

When He saw Jesus, He cried out, fell down before Him. This was a person who had been demon-possessed.

It says, When He saw Jesus, He cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Son of the Most High God, I beg you, do not torment me. For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man, for it had often seized Him. And of course, that evil spirit had to listen and had to obey.

In John chapter 6, verse 38. Let's go there. John chapter 6, verse 38.

Notice what it says here. John 6, verse 38.

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.

The Father sent Jesus Christ, who was a part of the plan. I'm sure they agreed that it would be this way. I have no doubt they were in complete harmony and unity as far as that goes. But the Father sent me, Christ says, this is the will of the Father who sent me, that of all who has given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise Him up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life. Do you want everlasting life? Is that something you desire to live forever?

Remember, you're not going to have to live forever in the flesh. We're talking about being spirit beings living forever with all power. Sinless, no longer sinning, no longer subject to the flesh. I want to be there.

That's an unbelievable gift that God is offering each and every one of us if we will accept His Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior. If we will repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, the one who created us by the will of the Father, if we repent of our sins, if we do what the Bible tells us to do, be baptized, have hands laid upon us, God will give us the Spirit, the Spirit of God, and it will seal us for the resurrection.

We will be sanctified and set apart, made holy, for a holy purpose, for a divine purpose.

Christ said, nevertheless, not my will. When He was here humanly, nevertheless, you know, He was in the flesh, and He had some fleshly thoughts. He was tempted at every point as we are, yet He was without sin. He never sinned. He never stepped over the line. He never sinned, and yet He was tempted as we are.

So again, I think this fits together so beautifully. It's such a wonderful truth. Remember, it says, no one, no human being has seen the Father. Only the Son has seen the Father.

Let's go to a few other verses that bring this out. John chapter 5, verse 18.

Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, to kill Christ, because He not only broke the Sabbath, it says, of course He didn't break the Sabbath, He was Lord of the Sabbath.

He's the one that created the Sabbath. He knew how to observe the Sabbath.

He showed us how to observe the Sabbath. He inspired Isaiah 58. He showed us how to keep the Sabbath holy. So, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Okay, we mentioned Him being equal with God. Well, yes, He was on the same plane. He was a God-being of the God-kind. Then Jesus answered and said to them, Most assuredly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do. For whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. Again, complete unity and harmony. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself does, and He will show Him greater works in these that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so, the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son, just as they honor the Father.

We should honor the Father and the Son. We shouldn't have to be in some competition about who gets honored the most. I mean, that's human thinking.

That will lead us down a wrong path. We should have a godly balance, which means to honor both the Father and the Son.

They should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. So we show respect and honor to both the Father and the Son.

Jesus was literally God's Son, conceived again by the Father through the Holy Spirit, and so He was equal with God, especially given His pre-existence as the Word. And the Father Himself who sent Me has testified of Me, He said, you have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. So let's go to verse 37, where it says that in this same chapter, John 5, verse 37.

And the Father Himself who sent Me has testified of Me, you have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. So that's consistent with what was said in John chapter 1 about no one has seen the Father at any time.

And then John chapter 6, verse 46. John chapter 6, verse 46.

Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God, He has seen the Father, speaking about the Word, the Logos, the spokesman. He obviously saw the Father.

Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God, He has seen the Father, the one who became Christ, saw the Father, but no one else saw the Father. The Logos, the Word, the spokesman, He's the one that was appearing and working with human beings, the children of Israel, various kings of Judah and Israel, prophets.

Primarily, when we see the word eternal, the Lord, the tetragrammaton, in most cases it is speaking about the one who became Christ. Not in every case. So you have to read the context carefully to know for sure, but the Bible does reveal who we're talking about in any given verse in Scripture. So we just have to study carefully to know and understand. But if it's someone who's appearing, talking, seeing face-to-face, eating with, that's the one who became Jesus the Christ. John 1, verse 18, we already read, No man has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him. 1 John 4, verse 12. So John continues to say that no man has seen God at any time. 1 John 4, verse 12, No man has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us and his love is perfected in us.

No man has seen God at any time. So a number of times in the Scripture, it brings that point out for a purpose, because if we didn't understand that, then it would certainly be more confusing when we go to the Old Testament and we look at all the times that the word eternal is used. But with this understanding, it helps us tremendously to sort through it all.

Let's see that Moses spoke to the eternal, the God of the Old Testament, or I mean, it's not really proper in one sense to call the word, the Logos, the God of the Old Testament, because the Father is also mentioned in the Old Testament. So it's not really the best. We might say he's primarily referred to as God, as eternal in the Old Testament. I believe that would be accurate, but certainly not the God of the Old Testament, because again, the eternal does refer to the Father in certain cases. Now let's go to Exodus chapter 33, Exodus 33 verse 11. Exodus chapter 33 verse 11. So here it says, the eternal spoke to Moses face to face.

As a man speaks to his friend, the eternal. Now I certainly believe that's speaking of the word, the Logos, the spokesman, the one that the Father used to create and is revealed in Genesis, who revealed himself to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Joseph, to the children of Israel, was there in the cloud and in the pillar of fire by night, was with Moses. Here again, the eternal spoke to Moses face to face. So not only did he speak to him, but they saw each other face to face as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant, Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle. We can also see that he appeared to Joshua as well. And throughout the Bible, when we see the eternal appearing, speaking, talking to, there's even a case in Exodus 24. If we go back there where God revealed himself to 70 elders, to Aaron, Nadab, and Abiyu. Let's look at that instance. Exodus 24, verse 9. Then Moses went up also, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abiyu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. And they saw the God of Israel. Does that mean what it says? They saw the God of Israel.

And there was under his feet, as if, as it were, a paved work of sapphire stone. And it was like the very heavens in his clarity. But on the nobles of the children of Israel, he did not lay his hand. So they saw God, and they ate, and they drank. Then the eternal said to Moses, Come up to me on the mountain. And he talks about the Ten Commandments. And I certainly believe it was the one who became Christ who was thundering the Ten Commandments to Moses, to the children of Israel. So he appears to seventy elders. He speaks to them. They see him. They eat together.

Now, nearly all of the instances where face-to-face encounters are described, they're usually...they're exactly what it says they are. They're not visions. Now, there are a few cases where it says it's a vision. Fine. God also spoke at times in visions, revealed things through visions. But oftentimes, again, you have to look at the context to see what's happening. Oftentimes, most of the time, it wasn't a vision when God spoke and appeared, especially with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In addition to these visions, Abraham and Jacob did have face-to-face encounters with God. Even Jacob wrestled with God all night long.

The one who became Christ was the one who he was wrestling with.

I should also note that there are times when a being appears and speaks with people, and that being is called the angel of the Eternal, the angel of the Lord.

Then a few verses later, the angel of the Lord is called the Eternal, revealed as the Eternal. In Hebrew, the word translated angel is Melek, M-E-L-E-K, which means messenger. It can be a human messenger or it can be an angel. Again, we have to look at the context in the Scriptures. That's a very important principle.

It can be a human messenger. It can be an angel. It can be a messenger of God. It can be the word, the logos, who's the messenger of the Father, messenger and spokesman, logos. They're tied together. What does the Apostle John call the being who was born human as Christ? He calls him the Word or the spokesman. In the Old Testament, this same being sometimes appears as the messenger of God. There's an obvious link between the messenger of God and the Word or the spokesman. We don't have time to get into all of that today, but there is a clear connection there between the Word who is God in John 1 and the angel or messenger of God.

Again, the Father is somewhat revealed in the Old Testament, but not to the degree that Christ came to reveal Him in the New Testament. Now, in Matthew 22, let's go there where we see that Jesus asked the Pharisees who the Son Christ is. Let's see that encounter here. Matthew 22, Matthew 22, verse 41, While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He? They said to Him, the Son of David.

He said to them, How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying, verse 44, The Eternal said to my Lord, sit at my right hand. So we're quoting. David is quoting from the book of Psalms in Psalm 110. We'll get to that in a moment.

If David then calls him Lord, how is he his Son?

And no one was able to answer him a word. They didn't understand. They didn't comprehend. But we can understand and we can comprehend. Let's go back to Psalm 110. Psalm 110.

This is an interesting encounter. Jesus brought this up with the Pharisees. Psalm 110.

Verse 1, The Eternal said to my Lord. Okay, again, the Eternal can refer to the Father, and this is an instance where it is referring to the Father. The Eternal said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool. Notice that your is capitalized.

Your enemies your footstool. It's talking about the Christ, the one who became Christ. The Father said to my Lord, to the one who became Christ, to the word, the logos, the spokesmen, sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstools. The Eternal shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion, rule in the midst of your enemies. Your people shall be volunteers in the day of your power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning. You have the dew of your youth. The Eternal has sworn and will not relent. You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. The Lord is at your right hand. We know that Christ is at the right hand of God. We've already mentioned that. He's at the right hand of the Father.

But David is saying, the Eternal said to my Lord. David understood that the word, the logos, was the one that was dealing with him. He was the one that was interacting with David. The Eternal said to my Lord.

So there is, obviously, some understanding of the Father by certain ones in the Bible.

David had a certain understanding. But, you know, it's hard to say how many others really understood about the two beings and the God family. I don't know that, you know, we don't have a lot of information on that subject. But David clearly did. And then, if we go to Hebrews chapter 5, it speaks of Melchizedek here, Hebrews chapter 5. So it all ties in, again, very beautifully, Hebrews chapter 5. And I know I'm going through a ton of scriptures today, which I don't normally do, but this is a doctrinal sermon. And it's important that we cover as many scriptures as we can, because I believe the proof is overwhelming in this regard. Hebrews chapter 5.

This may be a sermon you'll have to go back and listen to again. If this doesn't all make sense to you, if it doesn't make as much sense to you as it does to me, then perhaps you need to go back and listen to it some more and go through the scriptures and study the scriptures and consider everything that's being said here today. Hebrews chapter 5, verse 5. So also Christ did not glorify himself to become high priest, but it was he who said to him, You are my son. Today I have begotten you. As he also says in another place, You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears to him, who was able to save him, yes, Jesus prayed to the Father. There was no more word-logo spokesmen up there.

We showed that he became the Christ. ...who was able to save him from death and was heard because of his godly fear, though he was a son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. And having been perfected, he became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him, called by God as high priest, according to the order of Melchizedek, of whom we have much to say and hard to explain, since you have become doll of hearing. When people are doll of hearing, it is difficult to understand.

Hopefully we're all willing to listen, to hear, to understand. Hopefully none of us are doll of hearing. Again, if you're not getting this, then you need to study it more. Look into it more. Chapter 7. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham, returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him. I believe that goes back to, I think it's Genesis 14. But I'm not going to go there and take my time to go there. But again, speaking of Melchizedek, the king of Salem, priest of the Most High God.

Who met Abraham, returning from the slaughter. Again, the one who became Christ, meeting Abraham, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. Very valid, and we'll see that even more in a few minutes. To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem. So Abraham tithed to Melchizedek. Christ is after the order of Melchizedek. Again, there's tremendous harmony in the Bible. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having either beginning of days nor end of life. It sounds like the word, the logos, the spokesman. There from the very beginning.

But made like the Son of God, the one who became the Son of God.

Remains of priests continually. Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils.

Okay, this was not a... it was referred to as the Son of Man, who became flesh.

That's whom the Chisadec was.

Again, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

All right, now Daniel chapter 7. Let's go there for a moment. Daniel chapter 7. I saw in the night visions, I'm in verse 13, Daniel 7 verse 13, I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of days and they brought him near before him. The ancient of days. Daniel chapter 7.

I believe this is a reference to the Father. Two beings in the God family. I saw in the night visions, behold one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of days. All right, now again, who is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? If you haven't yet, if you don't yet see that, let's go through some more. Now, I mentioned Acts chapter 3, so let's go to Acts chapter 3. This is where the Father is revealed as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

And the Father is indeed the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but is also not the Son, the one who became the Son, also the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I think we've clearly seen that already, and we'll go into some more verses that bear that out.

Acts chapter 3, verse 12 and 13. So you have to take a little here, a little there, you have to put it all together. And you know, really, in some ways, the Bible isn't any different from other books. If you want to understand a book, you have to read all of it.

You have to put it all together. You can't skip chapters and get an understanding. I don't care what the book is.

If you want to get a full understanding, you have to read it all.

And you have to put it all together. A little here, a little there. It has to all fit together. It has to all make sense.

And God also has to open our minds to His truth and to understanding.

Okay, so Acts chapter 3, verse 12. So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people, men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Someone had been healed here.

Or why look so intently at us as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers glorified His servant Jesus.

Okay, it must be talking about the Father, right? Because He glorified His servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate when He was determined to let Him go.

And you denied the Holy One and the just and asked for a murderer to be granted to you. And I don't need to read any longer, but they killed the Prince of Life. Peter is referring here to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers as one who glorified His servant Jesus. That was indeed the Father. Again, I don't have any problem with that at all.

Of course, God the Father is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He's the God of all people.

But so was the Word, the Logos, the spokesman. And let's see this. Let's nail it down now. This is a true statement, but let's nail this thing down. Exodus chapter 3. Let's go there. Exodus chapter 3.

Exodus chapter 3 verse 13.

Okay, this is the burning bush incident. Then Moses said to God, Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they say to me, What is His name? What shall I say to them? And God said to Moses, God said to Moses, okay, this is an interaction, a very intimate interaction going on here. God said to Moses, spoke to him, I am who I am.

And he said, Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, The eternal, the Lord, the tetragrammaton, the YHWH, the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations. Okay, again, I submit that the eternal is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations. I submit that the eternal can refer to the Father, and it can also refer to the Word, the Logos, the spokesman. Both were God. In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. We've shown many scriptures that Christ was the rock that followed them in the wilderness, that He was the one that interacted and appeared and ate with various ones in the Old Testament. And you can go through this 8,000 times, 6,700 times or so it's speaking about the eternal. So there are many references in the Bible, and you have to go back and look at the context and consider who it's talking about. All right, let's go to John chapter 8. John chapter 8.

John chapter 8.

John chapter 8 verses 56 through 58. John chapter 8.

It would be good to read this whole chapter to get more of the context here, but let's go to John chapter 8 verse 56. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.

Then the Jew said to him, you are not yet 50 years old, and have you seen Abraham? Okay, now this is very important. Jesus is speaking to the Jews, to the Pharisees, the scribes, those who wanted to kill him that did eventually kill him and crucify him.

You are not yet 50 years old, and have you seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, most assuredly I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.

Then they took up stones to throw at him. Why did they do that? Because they thought that was blasphemy. For him to say that, to equate him with God, the I am, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to them it sounded like blasphemy, but instead it was the truth.

I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. He reveals himself as the I am. In Exodus 3, I am who I am. Now that can also refer to the Father, because the Father is the self-existent one as well. But no one has seen the Father at any time. John chapter 18, at his arrest, let's see what Jesus says. Let's see what happens here. John chapter 18 verses 5 and 6. Then Jesus, I'm sorry, they answered him. Jesus said, whom are you seeking? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, I am. I am he. This is actually a reference to the he is italicized. It was added. He says, I am. And what happens? And Judas, who betrayed him, also stood with them. Now when he said to them, I am, they do back, and they fell to the ground. This was a very dramatic moment.

Christ said, I am. They fall back at the power of that statement. I am the son of God. I am the logos, the word, the spokesman, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. I am. They were killing, they were going to kill God.

They fell back at the powerful statement that Christ made here. Jesus said, I am. So let's summarize some things that we've talked about today. We know that the word is Jesus Christ and that the word was with God the Father in the very beginning. We know that Jesus is God because the word was God, and we know that there were two God beings there in the beginning. The word and God Most High are the one who became known as God the Father.

So we have the word and we have God Most High or the one that became known as the Father. I think it's actually debatable whether God Most High has to always refer to the Father as well. I think it is possible that God Most High could even be a reference to the word, the logos, the spokesman, the one who was basically equal from the very beginning. I think that's debatable when you look at the verses that are in the Bible that refer to God Most High, especially the one in Daniel. But you can be the judge of that yourself. Secondly, we know that the word created all things and that Jesus Christ created all things, so the word and Jesus Christ are the same being. Yes, the Father created through the Son, through the word, through the logos, through the spokesman.

We know that the one who created the heavens and the earth was the one who primarily worked with the children of Israel. It's consistent through the Scriptures. It's consistent through the Scriptures. It primarily worked with the children of Israel and is primarily the God that is most revealed in the Old Testament.

I don't think there's any question that most of the time where eternal is used, the tetragrammaton, in most cases it's referring to the one who became Christ, the word, the logos, the spokesman. Christ came to reveal the Father. Look, if Christ didn't speak, I mean, if the spokesman didn't speak in the Old Testament, would he be a spokesman?

It seems like some people want to try to take that away from the logos, the spokesman.

The Father was fine with that. We should be fine with that.

We know that the one who created the heavens and the earth was the one who primarily worked with the children of Israel. He is primarily the God revealed in the Old Testament, the one who became Christ. We know that no one has seen the Father at any time except the Son, and we know Moses saw the God of the Old Testament face-to-face, as did Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. So the God of the Old Testament, who primarily worked with mankind, again, the Father is mentioned in the Old Testament. Don't want to take anything away from that, but the one who primarily worked with mankind was not the Father. Now, again, I have a very close relationship with the Father. I pray to the Father daily. Christ came to reveal the Father to me, as He did to you.

No one can come to Christ unless the Father draws him. Right? But the Son reveals the Father. You have to have it all to really comprehend and understand this.

Another point is we know that Jesus revealed Himself as the I AM, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. The Almighty can refer to the Word, the Logos, the spokesman, or it can refer to the Father. The living God can refer to the Father. It can also refer to the one who became Christ. You have to look at the context to understand it. You have to look at all these points and principles to really know who the Bible is speaking of. But it is very possible to understand the Bible. This is what God revealed to me many, many years ago, 40-plus years ago. The Bible has made sense ever since. It continues to make sense to me because of what I'm telling you today, at least partially. This is important. All right, we know that there was more than one God being at creation and at the Tower of Babel. Remember, let us make man in our image. Let us go down. In Psalm 110, we see two God beings speaking to one another. The Eternal spoke to my Lord, is what David said. And in Daniel 7, we see two God beings, one like the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, and the other the Ancient of Days. So we've gone through a lot of verses today. We've gone through a lot of scriptures. I appreciate your patience. Again, if this isn't crystal clear to you, go back and study it. Listen to it again. Study it. It is important.

Both the Father and the Word, the Logos, the Spokesman, the One who became Christ, may be referred to as the Eternal. Who is the Eternal? It depends on the context. It can be either the Father or it can be the Logos, the Word, the Spokesman, the One who became Christ.

By the context of the passage in the scriptures, we can know to whom that particular verse is referring. When you look at all the principles that we talked about today, it can become very clear. Thank God for revealing His truth about Himself and about His Son and opening the scriptures to our understanding. Also, I might add, in the letter that was written, sent out by Mr. Kubik and Dr. Ward, there were a number of booklets and things to look at and read. Again, if you don't quite understand this, if it's not crystal clear, go back and do the homework. Read the information on this topic.