Jehovah, The Son

by G.K. Kennedy, Sydney | Category: General | Mar 1974

The name Jehovah belongs to God Almighty (Exod. 6:2,3). It is uniquely His, expressing His eternal existence (Exod. 3:13-15) as the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity (Isa. 57:15). In our English Old Testament the title is usually translated LORD, in capitals, as in Isaiah 42:8, "I am the LORD; that is My name". It is not the name of any other than the Eternal and Supreme Creator who is over all. The title is never given to any created being.

In this brief article we will note some of the occurrences of the name Jehovah where it applies to Christ. In so doing we shall confirm from Scripture the deity and eternal existence of Christ, and repudiate the false teaching that the Lord Jesus is not Jehovah God.

(1)In John 10:11,14, Jesus said, "lam the good Shepherd". In Heb. 13:20 the Lord Jesus is called "the great Shepherd of the sheep"; and in 1 Pet. 5:4 He is called "the chief Shepherd". He calls the sheep "My sheep" (John 21:16,17). In Psa. 23:1 we read, "the LORD (Jehovah) is my shepherd".

(2)The Scriptures teach that the Lord Jesus is coming to earth to reign. There are many references to this in Scripture. One such reference is in Isa. 24:23, "The LORD (Jehovah) of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His ancients gloriously".

(3)The Son of God came into the world to engage in battle with Satan, the great enemy of God and man. He won the battle, and passing through death brought "to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the Devil" (Heb. 2:14). Scripture says that He was "received up in glory" (1 Tim. 3:16). He is "the Lord of glory" (1 Cor. 2:8). In Psa. 24:7,8, we read, "the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory? The LORD (Jehovah) strong and mighty, the LORD (Jehovah) mighty in battle".

(4)In Rev. 17:14, the Lamb (the Lord Jesus) is called the "King of kings". In Psa. 10:16 we read, "the LORD (Jehovah) is King for ever and ever".

(5)In John 12:41, the apostle, after quoting from the prophecy of Isaiah about the Lord Jesus, says, "These things said Isaiah, because he saw His glory; and he spake of Him". Isaiah saw His glory in the vision recorded in chapter 6 of his prophecy. The One Isaiah saw is the One to whom the seraphim cried, "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD (Jehovah) of hosts" (v.3).

(6)In Mark 1:2-8 is the record concerning John the Baptist, who said in reference to the Lord Jesus that "there cometh after me He that is mightier than I". John was preaching and baptizing in the wilderness, fulfilling the prophecy of Isa. 40:3, prepare ye in the wilderness the way of the LORD (Jehovah)".

(7)The Lord Jesus will come in flaming fire, taking vengeance, (2 Thess. 1:7-10) and setting up His kingdom. Concerning this time the prophet Zechariah wrote, "Then shall the LORD (Jehovah) go forth, and fight . . . and His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives" (14:3,4). This is a clear reference to the Son of God, here called Jehovah.

(8)Zech. 2:8-11 is very important because two persons are each called Jehovah (twice). In verse 8 the One who is sent is the Speaker and He is called "the LORD (Jehovah) of Hosts". Still speaking in verse 9, He says, "the LORD (Jehovah) of Hosts hath sent Me". This surely means that Jehovah the Son is sent by Jehovah the Father. Then in verses 10 and 11 Jehovah the Son says, "I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee", and proceeds, "Thou shalt know that the LORD (Jehovah) of Hosts hath sent Me".

(9)In Gen. 18 and 19 is the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah concerning which the LORD (Jehovah) warned Abraham. Three persons came to Abraham (18:2); two of them (angels, 19:1), went on to Sodom while Abraham stood yet before the LORD (Jehovah) who revealed His intention regarding Sodom (18:22). The LORD (Jehovah) later arrived at Sodom to deliver Lot (19:16). In 19:24, again we have two persons called Jehovah, "The LORD (Jehovah) rained ... brimstone and fire from the LORD (Jehovah) out of heaven". Here the Father and the Son act together in judgement.

(10)In Rev. 22:13, the Lord Jesus, the coming One, says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last". This should be compared with Isa. 41:4 which reads, "I the LORD (Jehovah), the first, and with the last, I am He" and also with Isa. 44:6, "Thus saith the LORD (Jehovah) ... I am the first, and I am the last; and beside Me there is no God".

The Scriptures we have quoted bear out fully that the title Jehovah belongs to the Son of God as well as to the Father. There are many other examples of this, testifying to the full deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the reader is encouraged to search these out for himself. To any who deny this claim we refer the solemn words of Christ Himself, "Except ye believe that I am He, ye shall died in your sins" (John 8:24). All should "honour the Son, even as they honour the Father" (John 5:23).

G.K. Kennedy, Sydney | Mar 1974
General