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The Lord Appeared to Abraham - Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleImages.org - Used under license
"And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power." (Hebrews 1:3)
This lesson teaches that when God has been visible to people in the Old and New Testaments, it was God the Son, the timeless second person of the Trinity.
Consider. Although the Father is unseen, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the visible expression of God throughout the Old and New Testaments.
1. No one has seen the Father except Jesus Christ, God's Son.In John 6:46, Jesus said, "Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father." 2. The Son was with God from the beginning and was God.3. In the Old Testament, when God visibly appeared to people it was God the Son.In the Old Testament, when God visibly appeared to people it was God the Son, the timeless, pre-incarnate second person of the trinity. Consider the following examples from scripture. Note where the One appearing is interchangably called the "Angel of the Lord," "Lord," and "God." Hagar -- Genesis 16:7-13 Abraham -- Genesis 17:1-22, Genesis 18:1-33 Moses -- Exodus 3:1-6, 13-15 (burning bush, John 8:58), Exodus 13:17-22 (pillars of cloud and fire), Exodus 33:9-11 (face to face), Exodus 33:17-23 (Moses sees the Lord's back) Gideon -- Judges 6:11-24 Manoah and his wife (Sampson's parents) -- Judges 13:2-24 Elijah -- 1 Kings 19:9-18 (the Lord speaks with Elijah) 4. In the New Testament, God the Son was visible as a man, fully God and fully human.He became flesh ("Incarnation"). "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). He was fully God and fully human. "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. (9) For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, (10) and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority" (Colossians 2:8-10, italics added). He was and is the visible image of God. "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation" (Colossians 1:15). Helps Word-studies tells us, "Image then exactly reflects its source (what it directly corresponds to). For example, Christ is the very image, (supreme expression) of the Godhead (see 2 Cor 4:4; Col 1:15)" (Ref. 1). Jesus said to Philip, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?" (John 14:9) He was seen, heard, and touched by mankind. "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— (2) and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us" (1 John 1:1-2, italics added).
He was and is the exact representation (character) of God. "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, (2) in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. (3) And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power" (Hebrews 1:1-3, italics added).
The Greek word translated as exact representation in Hebrews 1:3 is charaktér (Ref. 2). Christ exactly represents and reflects the character of God because he is God.
Let us be thankful that we have a God who has visibly revealed himself to us in his Son, Jesus Christ. Out of God's great love for us, Jesus the Son of God, fully God and fully human, gave his life as a sacrifice to atone for our sins. Let us listen to him that we may understand God's character. Let us believe in him that we may have eternal life (John 3:16).
Apply. Believe in (put your faith in, put your confidence in) the Lord Jesus Christ, who was and is the visible expression of God to mankind.
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Jesus Testifies That He is the Son of God - Used by Permission - Good News Productions International and College Press Publishing
"But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, 'I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.' 'You have said so,' Jesus replied. 'But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.'" (Matthew 26:63-64 NIV)
This article presents the eyewitness testimonies and Bible verse references that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
If you are searching to know who Jesus Christ is, consider these eyewitness accounts. If you are a follower of religions or religious philosophies that teach that Jesus Christ was just a great moral teacher or a great prophet, but not the divine Son of God, then consider the truth of these testimonies.
All of the scripture references below are from the New American Standard Bible translation on the Bible Gateway website (Ref. 1).
Testimony of God the Father at Jesus' Baptism "You are My beloved Son" - - Used by Permission - Good News Productions International and College Press Publishing. Photo source: FreeBibleImages.org.
Mark 1:9-11 - "In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. (10) Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; (11) and a voice came out of the heavens: 'You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.'" Also see Matthew 3:13-17 and Luke 3:21-22).
Testimony of John the Baptist about Jesus' Baptism
John 1:32-34 - "John testified saying, 'I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. (33) I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, "He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit." (34) I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.'"
Testimony of God the Father at Jesus' Transfiguration
Mark 9:2-7 - "Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; (3) and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. (4) Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. (5) Peter said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.' (6) For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. (7) Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, 'This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!'" Also see Matthew 17:1-5 and Luke 9:28-35.
Testimony of the Apostle Peter about Jesus' Transfiguration
2 Peter 1:16-18 - "For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. (17) For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, 'This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased'-- (18) and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain."
Explanation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary, the Mother of Jesus
Luke 1:30-35 - "The angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. (31) And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. (32) He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; (33) and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.' (34) Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be, since I am a virgin?' (35) The angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.'"
Testimony of Jesus' Disciples in the Boat
Matthew 14:22-33 - "Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. (23) After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. (24) But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. (25) And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. (26) When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, 'It is a ghost!' And they cried out in fear. (27) But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.' (28) Peter said to Him, 'Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.' (29) And He said, 'Come!' And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. (30) But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, 'Lord, save me!' (31) Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, 'You of little faith, why did you doubt?' (32) When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. (33) And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, 'You are certainly God’s Son!'"
Testimony of Jesus at His Trial
Luke 22:66-71 - "When it was day, the Council of elders of the people assembled, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away to their council chamber, saying, (67) 'If You are the Christ, tell us.' But He said to them, 'If I tell you, you will not believe; (68) and if I ask a question, you will not answer. (69) But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.' (70) And they all said, 'Are You the Son of God, then?' And He said to them, 'Yes, I am.' (71) Then they said, 'What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.'"
Testimony of the Roman Centurion and Soldiers Upon Jesus' Death
Mark 15:39 - "When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, 'Truly this man was the Son of God!'"
Matthew 27:54 - "Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, 'Truly this was the Son of God!'"
Wrap Up
It's really simple. Either you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God or you don't believe it. If you believe Jesus was just a great teacher, or a great prophet, but not the Son of God, then you are calling the witnesses and Jesus himself liars - in which case, his being a "great teacher" is not an option. Once you do believe that Jesus is who he says he is, then the great truths of the Bible will fall into place for you, and your life will be changed for the better - eternally.
Apply
Believe in (put your faith in, trust in, put your confidence in) Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Believe that Jesus is who he said he is. Believe the eyewitness accounts that Jesus is the Son of God.
For Additional Reading
"Before Abraham Was Born, I AM" - John 8:58 - Mount Sinai - 123RF Photo - Used under license
Copyright: georgemuresan / 123RF Stock Photo
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation" (Colossians 1:15). "Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am” (John 8:58).
This lesson teaches that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, fully God and fully human, the image of the invisible God, and the same God who spoke to Moses saying, "I AM WHO I AM."
Consider. On the evening before his death, Jesus spoke with his disciples. Jesus told his disciples that he was about to leave them (John 13:33).
Who was this Jesus that was speaking to his disciples? Was he just a great teacher or a prophet? Or, was he God as he claimed?
Let's explore several scriptures that tell us who Jesus is. Jesus is the only Begotten Son of God
When the time came for the second person of the Trinity (Ref. 1) to become flesh, God sent the angel Gabriel to a virgin named Mary (Luke 1:26-27). Gabriel informed Mary, "Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus" (Luke 1:31).
Mary replied, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34) Literally, Mary asked Gabriel, "How can this be since I do not know (sexual intimacy) a man?" (Ref. 2) Gabriel answered Mary, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). John describes Jesus as the only begotten Son of God in John 3:16. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." The Greek word for "only begotten" is monogenés, which means "one (monos) of a class, genos (the only of its kind)." Therefore, Jesus is unique (Ref. 3). The above scriptures establish Jesus' title as the begotten, unique, and only Son of God. Jesus is Fully God and Fully Human
John begins his gospel by describing the Deity of Jesus Christ. "In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself" (John 1:1).
John also describes the Word made flesh. "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). The Apostle Paul states, "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9). These scriptures tell us that Jesus is fully God and fully human. Jesus is the Visible Image of the Invisible God
Throughout Scripture, Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, is the visible image of the invisible God. "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation" (Colossians 1:15). Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9).
The New Living Translation of Hebrews 1:3 explains that Jesus expresses the character of God. "The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God." The Greek word is "charaktér," which means an exact impression (likeness) which also reflects inner character. The Preincarnate Son of God was "exceedingly active in the Old Testament" (Ref. 4). Consider these examples where Christ appeared in visible form:
Jesus is the Same God Who Spoke with Moses
In Exodus 3:13, Moses asked God to tell him God's name. God replied to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you' " (Exodus 3:14).
Jesus confirmed that he is the same God who said to Moses, "I AM WHO IAM." Jesus said to the Jews who opposed him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM" (John 8:58). We began this post with a question. Who was this Jesus that was speaking to his disciples on the evening before his crucifixion? (John 13:33) Jesus who said to his disciples, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6) is the same God who spoke to Moses and said, "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14).
Apply. If someone asked you to explain who Jesus is, how would you answer?
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The ScriptureWay site provides Bible Teachings that point to Jesus. The Bible teaches that believing in Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven.
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." -- Jesus speaking in John 14:6 
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