YAH'S WORD IS TRUTH!

Who or what was our Savior before His human birth? There are different ideas in the world concerning the nature of Yah’shua [contraction of YahwehShua, also His prophetic human name] the Messiah: There are three main ideas: One is that Yah’shua preexisted eternally; two, that He preexisted but was a product of creation, and three, that He came into being as a human and was given immortality. Not everyone can be correct. I think if we look at the Scriptures to see what Yah’shua was, and if He existed before with the Father, they it will give us a better understanding of the sacrifice that was actually offered up. This study is concerned mainly with the first and second of these views.

The Book of John is an absolute powerhouse concerning some of the insights concerning the nature of Yah’shua. Remember John was that disciple whom Yah’shua loved and that there was a very close bond between them - a close camaraderie - a very effective bonding of two men who loved each other very much. John had a certain insight, a certain perception, about Yah’shua the Messiah that some of the other disciples and apostles didn't really have. So he speaks more concerning the nature of Yah’shua the Messiah than do the other three Evangels. Let’s take a look at John 17 and let’s pick up in verse 1

"These words spake Yah’shua and lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, ‘Father the hour is come; glorify Thy Son that Thy Son may also glorify Thee as Thou hast given Him power over all flesh that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou has given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee (or the Father), the only true Elohim, and Yah’shua the Messiah Whom Thou has sent. I have glorified Thee on earth. I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do, and now Oh Father glorify Thou Me with Thine own Self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.’"

The Apostle Paul also had a very unique insight to the nature of Yah’shua the Messiah because he was taught of Messiah directly. After he was called by YahwehShua, he was instructed of Him for about the space of three years. He affirmed this unto the other apostles that he wasn't taught the Evangel after men but that he had learned it directly from YahwehShua the Messiah.

Paul has some things to say also concerning the nature of Yah’shua the Messiah in Colossians 1 beginning in verse 9;

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you might walk worthy of the Master unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of YAHWEH; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son; in Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins."

The Apostle Paul now enters into the nature of YahwehShua the Messiah. Leading up to this Paul is clearly talking about YahwehShua and it’s through Him that we have redemption

Who is the image of the invisible YAHWEH, the Firstborn of every creature: For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the Head of the Body, the Assembly: Who is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead; that in all things He may have the preeminence.

We note, or we have at least two (2) testimonies here that He preexisted with the Father. The Apostle Paul says that He was before all things and he enumerates some of the things that had come into being. I want to come back to that in a second, but first let’s turn to John the first Chapter, John 1 and verse 1 is very familiar to nearly every student of the Bible, but John 1:1 has a way of stating it that isn't entirely clear. We read:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim."

The actual Greek I believe says -

Now in the Greek manuscripts the word ‘Elohim’ is not there; we all recognize that. What is there is theos. Now if we take theos (with the definite article) to be a proper name, then the term should be YAHWEH. The term theos if we take it to be a title, (without the definite article), then we would use Elohim. I have chosen Elohim for this particular passage because the second usage is not preceded by the definite article, and to allay the fears of some, at least at this point, that would think that I would have the audacity - not rather I, but the writers of the Scriptures - would have the audacity to say that the Word was YAHWEH.

We will, for the time being, put Elohim in this particular place.

"The same was in the beginning with Elohim. All things were made by Him; [speaking of, again, the Word] and without Him was not anything made that was made."

This corresponds to Colossians 1 where we read the description that Paul gave where Messiah was before all things. The connotation in Colossians 1 which is clearly that before anything was formed, Yah’shua existed, and He is the direct cause of all created things. Paul lists all these created things in Colossians 1:16:

"And all things in heaven, earth, visible or invisible; thrones, dominions, principalities or powers."

There are no other created things according to Paul, and Paul was taught directly by YahwehShua Himself. Could it be that Messiah Himself is excluded from all things? Would that make Him self-existent?

First, it will help to see what Messiah was known as in the Old Testament. Since those who knew Him personally, ascribed to Him the role of Creator, we’ll start there. Let’s turn to Genesis the first chapter. In Genesis 1 beginning in verse, we’re told that

"In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and the earth."

From sticks and stones of idols and demons, to YAHWEH, elohim is descriptive of that which has power over others. It is an all-inclusive term, therefore, for a person to say "I worship Elohim" makes little or no sense unless you tell or describe what "elohim" it is that you worship. Elohim is descriptive of that which has power over others, whether real or only in the minds of the subjugated. A person - a primitive person, that would worship a stock of wood or stone believes that inanimate object has power over him and because he believes it; therefore, it exists, even in his own mind, because he has subjugated himself to it.

Since elohim is a collective noun all that is ascribed to it may be more than one in number. Elohim is a collective noun. Some have described it as a "plural unity", if you can use that form of English, but I prefer "collective noun". It conveys a similar connotation as "group". For example the word "group" conveys the meaning that there are a number of individuals gathered together that form a recognizable unit.

Individuals are usually classified together because of common characteristics and/or interests. The best illustration of a group that we have is a family. It contains many members yet remains a single unit and shares a common family name. In that respect the Body of Messiah is a group; yet it is only one body. There are many members and we all bear the same family Name - the family Name of YAHWEH. So if we understand elohim to be a group containing certain characteristics, then the defining factors attached to or are used in conjunction with the Name, or the term ‘elohim’ - define just what group, kind or type of group we are referring to. Therefore, the term YAHWEH Elohim stands distinct from all other elohim.

We’re told that the idols of the nations, the "elohim" of the nations, are but nothings. They’re nothingness; that’s what the term means. In comparison to the transcendent greatness of YAHWEH they just really don't exist; but they do exist in the mind of the people that worship them. So YAHWEH stands as a distinct descriptive term of a particular type of elohim. And it is YAHWEH Elohim that created all things.

"Oh YAHWEH, how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom hast Thou made them all: The earth is full of Thy riches."

Dropping down to verse 30:

"Thou sendest forth Thy Spirit, they are created: and Thou renewest the face of the earth. The glory of YAHWEH shall endure forever: YAHWEH shall rejoice in His works."

If we go back to Genesis the second chapter we can see that Who was actually doing the works. In Genesis 2 beginning in verse 1,

"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them."

We just read in Psalm 104 YAHWEH rejoices in His works. And here we are finding that it is the works of creation.

"And on the 7th day Elohim ended His work which He had made; and He rested the 7th day from all His work which He had made. And Elohim blessed the 7th day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which Elohim created and made. These are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created, in the day that YAHWEH Elohim made the earth and the heavens, And every plant of the field which was before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for YAHWEH Elohim had not caused it to rain upon the earth and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the ground and watered the whole face of the ground. And YAHWEH Elohim formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

So according to Genesis 2 that it was YAHWEH Who made these things and rejoices in them.

Let’s notice next in Jeremiah the 27th Chapter - Jeremiah 27 verses 4 & 5:

"And command them to say unto their masters, thus saith YAHWEH of Hosts, the Elohim of Israel; Thus shall you say unto your masters; ‘I have made the earth, and the beasts that are upon the ground, by My great power and My outstretched arm, I have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto Me.’"

So here Jeremiah in Chapter 27 verifies the fact that it was YAHWEH Who created the earth by His great power.

We remember in Genesis 1 that the Spirit of YAHWEH moved across the face of the earth and that it transformed the face of the earth into something that was again habitable. Notice in Isaiah 45 and verse 12:

"I have made the earth and created man upon it: I, even My hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their hosts have I commanded."

Who was this? Let’s look in verse 11

"Thus saith YAHWEH, the Holy One of Israel, and his [Israel's] maker, ‘ask Me of things to come concerning My sons, and considering the work of My hands command ye Me. I have made the earth.’"

Who is speaking? YAHWEH the Holy One of Israel. Okay let’s go back over to Jeremiah Chapter 32 this time - Jeremiah 32 - let’s notice verses 17 & 18. Jeremiah 32 verse 17:

"Ah YAHWEH Elohim! behold, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy Great Power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee. Thou showest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompense the iniquity of the fathers unto the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty El, YAHWEH of Hosts, is His Name."

And again in Isaiah 42 verses 5 & 6 - Isaiah 42 verses 5 & 6:

In the same context of creating and stretching out the heavens the same YAHWEH also created man. And in Genesis 2 we read that it was YAHWEH Elohim that created man and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.

"YAHWEH have called Thee in righteousness, and will hold Thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the gentiles."

And in Chapter 45 and verse 18.

"For thus saith YAHWEH that created the heavens; Elohim Himself that formed the earth and made it; He that established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: I am YAHWEH.:"

Thus far we have seen that YAHWEH Elohim created the heaven and the earth. He created man and everything that’s upon the earth. We have also seen that those who knew Messiah said that He was the creating agent.

YAHWEH is Creator, but couldn't He have had a special agent - couldn't He have had a special agent like an angel or something inferior to Himself to have done the creating? Let’s ask ourselves some questions.

What does the Name YAHWEH represent? What are some of the characteristics of YAHWEH? Let’s turn to Exodus the 34th chapter - Exodus 34:14, and let’s notice:

"For thou shalt worship no other elohim; for YAHWEH, Whose Name is Zealous, is a Zealous El."

- (zealous: from 7065. qana’, kaw-naw’; a prim. root; to be (caus. make) zealous, i.e. (in a bad sense) jealous or envious: - (be) envy (-ious), be (move to, provoke to) jealous (-y), X very, (be) zeal (-ous).) YAHWEH doesn't consider His name in any bad sense, therefore "zealous" is to be read.

To worship any thing other than YAHWEH is idolatry!

Let me repeat that - to worship anything other than YAHWEH is idolatry. So what does it mean that His Name is zealous? We can find an explanation of that in Ezekiel Chapter 39 - Ezekiel Chapter 39 and verse 25,

"Therefore thus saith YAHWEH Elohim; Now will I bring the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and I will be jealous for My Holy Name."

His Name was not "jealous" but He is zealous in a positive way for His Name. And as we have already seen YAHWEH demands exclusive worship. To worship anything other than YAHWEH would be idolatry as I said. Only YAHWEH Elohim may be worshiped - and that includes HIS Holy Name. Let’s notice how YAHWEH looks upon His Name in Psalm 72:17-19.

"His Name shall endure forever (the ages): His Name shall be continued as long as the sun: And man shall be blessed in Him: all nations shall call Him blessed. Blessed be YAHWEH Elohim, the Elohim of Israel, Who only doeth wonderful things. And blessed be His glorious name for ever (the ages): And let the whole earth be filled with His glory: Amen, and Amen"

"Give unto YAHWEH the glory due unto His Name; Worship YAHWEH in the beauty of holiness." Psalm 29 verse 2

We find in many passages that YAHWEH’s Name is connected with His glory. There is an understanding among Jews that according to their idea or concept of creation that they said when YAHWEH uttered His Name that creation came to be. That at the utterance of His Name all things were created. It shows how important or how exalted the Jews believe YAHWEH considers His Holy Name. A good study sometime would be to see what is holy and how YAHWEH ascribes holiness, and what He expects in return. But be that as it may, we’re going to be looking right now in Psalm 79:9 concerning the glory of YAHWEH and how that is attached to His Name. Psalm 79 and verse 9

"Help us, O Elohim of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake."

But bear in mind sins must be purged through the Name of YAHWEH. YAHWEH can forgive and does forgive sins for His Name’s sake. There is glory in His Name and in His Name sins can be purged or be removed.

Isaiah 42 - Isaiah Chapter 42:8, YAHWEH is very zealous for His Name, we know. He reserves that glory and He reserves that honor and majesty only to Himself for in Isaiah 42:8 we read,

"I am YAHWEH: that is My Name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images."

And if that isn't enough for some people let’s turn over to Isaiah 48:11,

"For Mine own sake, even for Mine own sake, will I do it: for how should My Name be polluted? and I will not give My glory unto another."

We are to worship YAHWEH, and the glory that is in, and attached to Him by His Name, He states that He will not give to another nobody else - no one or no thing.

I’d like to regress at this point. We said that we are not supposed to worship any other Elohim except YAHWEH. I would like to point out a couple of things that YAHWEH considers worship in Psalm 95 - Psalm 95. We are told that those who fall down worship. Psalm 95:6. We read:

"Oh come, let us worship and bow down: Let us kneel before YAHWEH our Maker."

Bowing down and kneeling is an act of worship. We can see this also in Daniel the third Chapter in Daniel 3 (beginning in verse 6). Here the writer is accounting the account that all men in Babylon were supposed to worship this image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And he says

"Whoso falleth not down and worship shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and other kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar set up."

Well, there were some in that kingdom that knew to bow down was an act of worship. They also knew that to worship anything other than YAHWEH was punishable by death, death by fire. They were determined not to do that even if it meant giving up their own physical lives.

Let’s drop down to verse 14

Faced with certain death, three of YAHWEH’s faithful refused to bow to the dictates of men and worship the created thing.

"If it be so, our Elohim Whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning firey furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy elohim, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."

So bowing down, we see, is very much an act of worship. Isaiah also says in Isaiah 46 and verse 6 much the same thing, Isaiah 46 and verse 6,

"They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god."

"But they fall down; yea they worship."

So it really doesn't matter whether it’s an inanimate object, or whether it’s a person, or whether it’s an idea, or a concept, or a system, or anything: if it isn't YAHWEH you will be held accountable.

Let’s notice Psalm 45 and verse 11 - Psalm 45 verse 11,

"So shall the king greatly desire Thy beauty: For He is YAHWEH; and worship thou Him."

It is to YAHWEH that we devote our worship. I think I’ve pretty much established the fact that YAHWEH is to be worshipped, but there are some curious instances in the New Testament like Matthew the 8th Chapter and verse 2.

"And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped Him, [Yah’shua] saying, ‘Master, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean. ‘ And Yah’shua put forth His hand, and touched Him, saying, ‘I will; be thou clean’, and immediately his leprosy was cleansed."

Bowing down in this manner is an act of worship, and here we find someone that recognized Yah’shua’s authority, came, and did just that very same thing. What was Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s hangup? I mean if it was only an image and it really didn't mean anything then why did they jeopardize their lives? Why didn't they simply comply with the ‘government’, to bow down and worship that image? It was forbidden; they could only worship YAHWEH.

But here one comes and does the very same thing to Yah’shua the MESSIAH! Does Yah’shua say, "No, don't do that?" No. He simply says "I will", and He performs the act.

Perhaps Yah’shua didn't quite understand what was happening. Not so, He completely understood the full implications of what was occurring, because we see in Mat 4:9-10 His own use of the word proskuneo.

And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Yah’shua unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship YAHWEH thy Elohim, and him only shalt thou serve.

Not only did Yah’shua understand the implications, He was also using verbal jujitsu on the Adversary. Satan was saying ‘worship me’, but Yah’shua turned it around, saying, ‘No, you worship ME!’ Why? Because, Yah’shua WAS the YAHWEH of the Hebrew Scriptures! We know this because we are told three times that no one has ever seen the Father:

No man hath seen YAHWEH at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. [John 1:18]

And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. [John 5:37]

Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of Elohim, he hath seen the Father. [John 6:46]

Yet the YAHWEH of the Hebrew Scriptures WAS seen and heard. . . and WORSHIPPED!

In Chapter 9 and in verse 18 in Matthew,

"While He spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped Him, saying, ‘my daughter is even now dead: but come and lay Thy hand upon her, and she shall live’. And Yah’shua arose, and followed Him, and so did His disciples."

And He came, and He touched her, and she lived. He imparted life unto the ruler’s daughter. Here again, we see this man who obviously should have known better came and worshipped Yah’shua the MESSIAH. Let’s notice in Matthew 14th chapter - Matthew 14 and verse 33, This is when Yah’shua had come to his disciples into the ship. This is at the same time when Peter was bid to come out upon the water, and Peter walked upon the water, until he looked around and became afraid. But when Yah’shua came unto the ship the wind ceased and verse 33 it says,

"They that were in the ship came and worshipped Him, saying, ‘Of a truth Thou are the Son of YAHWEH."

Thou art the Son of YAHWEH. . . . Being a son entitled that son to his father's name, and an inheritance! Therefore, when Yah'shua was immersed and received the holy spirit, there was an acknowledgement that He was The Son of YAHWEH...and held title to the sacred name as His own! Continuing...

Thus far, we know that YAHWEH is only supposed to be worshipped, but yet we find instances in the New Testament where Yah’shua was worshipped. Why would that be? Let’s turn over to Philippians 2:10, we read that...

Here we are frankly told that we are to bow the knees as an act of worship unto Yah’shua the MESSIAH. This is a direct reference from YAHWEH concerning Himself as recorded by Isaiah (45:23):

"I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear."

Now so far what we have gathered from the Scriptures is that YAHWEH is to be worshipped and that worship is exclusive to YAHWEH Elohim. But we find that we are also to worship Yah’shua the Messiah. In fact that was done with no apparent contradiction by Yah’shua Himself, whereas when an angel appeared and someone bowed down they were always told to rise saying ‘don't worship me, worship YAHWEH’.

Speaking of angels let’s go on to Exodus 23. There are some that feel that Yah’shua the MESSIAH was something less than YAHWEH. In Exodus 23 there are those that will explain that an angel - a created being, a created thing - a mere servant of mankind was worthy to be worshipped. Let’s read Exodus 23 verses 20-25,

"Behold I send an angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring unto the place which I have prepared. Beware of him and obey his voice, provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my Name is in Him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak then I will be an enemy to thine enemies and an adversary unto thine adversaries for My angel shall go before thee and bring thee unto the Amorites and Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off. Thou shalt not bow down unto their elohim nor serve them after their works but thou shalt utterly overthrow them and their images. And you shall serve YAHWEH your Elohim and He shall bless thy bread and thy water."

Let’s go back to verse 13 in this chapter - verse thirteen

"And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect and make no mention of the names of other elohim neither let it be heard out of thy mouth."

There is the belief that this angel of YAHWEH was the one that actually did the creating. Perhaps, perhaps not. But it very plainly says that you are to worship YAHWEH. So what exactly was this angel? First, let’s notice that it was YAHWEH speaking. Let’s notice in Genesis 22 a very related passage, beginning in verse 11 - Genesis 22 and verse 11.

"And the angel of YAHWEH called unto him out of heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham’, and he said, ‘Lay not thine hand upon the lad neither do thou anything unto him. For now I know that thou feareth Elohim seeing that thou has not withheld thy son - thine only son from me. ‘"

‘Me’ is the angel of YAHWEH that is speaking.

"And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh-yireh, as it is it is said today, It is the mount of YAHWEH; it shall be seen. And the angel of YAHWEH called unto Abraham out of heaven a second time and said, ‘by myself have I sworn, saith YAHWEH, for because thou has done this thing and hast not withheld thy son that in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thee as the stars of the heaven.’"

The messenger in this instance cannot rightly be identified. There is no direct contact; there is only speech. In verse 16 we read and he says,

"And by myself have I sworn saith YAHWEH for because thou hast done this thing and not withheld thine only son".

He is saying that the messenger is speaking or coming from YAHWEH or perhaps an angel and is therefore inconclusive.

So we really haven't solved the problem just as yet, but let’s notice in Chapter 24 and verse and verse seven,

"YAHWEH Elohim of heaven which took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred and which spake unto me has sweared unto me saying, unto thy seed will I give this land. You shall send His angel before thee and thou shalt take a wife unto thy son." . . . "And he said unto me, YAHWEH therefore before Whom I walk will send His angel with thee and prosper by the way. That thou shalt take a wife for my son, for my kindred and for my father."

Who was the leader? Who was the one leading? Let’s notice in verse 27,

"And he said blessed be YAHWEH Elohim of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, YAHWEH led me to the house of my master’s brethren."

And again in verse 48,

"And I bowed down my head and worshipped YAHWEH. And blessed YAHWEH Elohim of my master Which had lead me in the right way to take my master’s brother, my brother’s daughter unto his son."

So we see the one that was actually doing the leading was named YAHWEH. And in Chapter 31 in Genesis beginning in verse 11 - 31 verse 11,

"And the angel of Elohim spake unto me in a dream saying, Jacob, and I said here am I, and he said lift up now thine eyes and see, for all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstreaked, speckled and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee? I am El of Beth-el, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto Me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred."

So here we say in verse 11 it says the angel of Elohim spoke that he was the El of Beth-el. So who was the El, who was this angel that spoke? Well let’s turn back a couple of chapters to Chapter 28 - Genesis 28, verse 10, we read the actual account,

"And Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Paran. And he lighted upon a certain place and tarried there all night because the sun was set and he took a stone-took other stones of that place and put them for his pillows and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed and behold a ladder set upon the earth and the top of it reached unto heaven. And behold the angels of Elohim ascending and descending on it. And behold YAHWEH stood above it and said, ‘I am YAHWEH Elohim of Abraham thy father and the Elohim of Isaac. The land where on thou liest to thee will I give it and to thy seed.’"

The elohim or the angel of Beth-El, the angel that was the El of Beth-El, is identified as YAHWEH. Let’s notice in Exodus 14 - In Exodus 14 and verse 19

"And YAHWEH shall fight for you and you shall hold your peace". And YAHWEH said unto Moses, ‘Wherefore crieth thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward’". [In verse 24], "And it came to pass that in the morning watch YAHWEH looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud and troubled the host of the Egyptians."

The angel that was in the pillar of fire that lead Israel and protected Israel in the wilderness here is identified YAHWEH Elohim.

Let’s turn back to Genesis the 48th Chapter - Genesis 48, verse 16,

"The angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac: and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth."

Who is the messenger or the angel that redeems? Let’s turn to Psalm 19 - Psalm 19 and let’s see what YAHWEH has inspired concerning who redeems Jacob - Psalm 19 and verse 14,

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart in thy sight, O YAHWEH my Strength, and my Redeemer."

And again in Psalm 78 verse 35,

"And they remembered that Elohim was their Rock and the High El their Redeemer."

And in Isaiah 41 we read verses 13 and 14 - Isaiah 41 verses 13 and 14,

"For I, YAHWEH thy Elohim, will hold thy right hand and saying unto thee, fear not; I will help thee. Fear not thou worm Jacob and ye men of Israel; I will help thee saith YAHWEH, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."

And in Isaiah 43 verses 11-15, we see who the Redeemer-Savior is,

And again in Isaiah 44 and verse 6,

"Thus saith YAHWEH, the King of Israel and His Redeemer, YAHWEH of Hosts, ‘I am the first and I am the last. Beside Me there is no Elohim. ‘"

And Isaiah 47 and verse 4,

"As for our Redeemer, YAHWEH of Hosts is His Name, the Holy One of Israel." And in Isaiah 48 verse 17,"Thus saith YAHWEH, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, ‘I am YAHWEH thy Elohim Which teacheth thee to profit Which leadeth thee by the way that Thou shouldest go."

And in 49 in Chapter 49 and verse 26 we read,

"And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh and they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine. And all flesh shall know that I YAHWEH am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."

In case we haven't gotten the picture yet, YAHWEH is the Saviour; He is the Redeemer and besides Him there is none else. Isaiah 48 verse 20, you don't have to turn there but it says,

"Go ye forth from Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans. With a voice of singing declare ye; tell this that unto the ends of the earth say ye YAHWEH has redeemed His servant Jacob."

And in Isaiah 60 verse 16-Isaiah 60 and verse 16 - "

Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles and shall suck the breast of kings. And thou shalt know that I, YAHWEH am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer - the Mighty One of Jacob.

And again in Jeremiah 50 verse 34 Jeremiah 50 & verse 34:

"There Redeemer is strong: YAHWEH of Hosts is His Name: He shall thoroughly plead their cause, that He may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon."

It would be or should be apparent that YAHWEH Himself is the Savior. Yet there are some that still can't grasp that concept. Let’s turn over to Genesis and the 11th Chapter verse 5, we see a rather unique statement from verses five to nine.

"And YAHWEH came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men buildeth. And YAHWEH said, ‘Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language;’. . . YAHWEH said, ‘let us go down that they may not understand one another’s speech’. So YAHWEH scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of the earth: and from thence did YAHWEH scatter them abroad - the face of all the earth."

YAHWEH said "let us go down". Could there have been more than one YAHWEH at that point? Let’s turn over to Genesis the 19th Chapter - Genesis 19 and let’s look at verse 24 - Genesis 19 and verse 24.

"Then YAHWEH rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from YAHWEH out of heaven;" Gen.19:24

- a YAHWEH upon earth and a YAHWEH in heaven.

Some have misunderstood the term angel in the Old Testament as always applying to a supernatural type of being. That is not always the case; that is not always the case: it simply means ‘messenger’. And where there are no identifying terms, sometimes it’s difficult to tell what kind of messenger it is. But I’d like to talk about a messenger - the messenger of YAHWEH - this malawk as it’s called wherever you see the term angel. The term ‘malawk’ simply means ‘messenger’. There’s a description of this messenger of YAHWEH in Malachi the third chapter, verse 1:

"Behold I will send My messenger and he shall prepare the way before Me. And ha-Adon of whom you seek shall suddenly come to His temple even the messenger of the Covenant whom you delight in. Behold he shall come saith YAHWEH of Hosts."

This messenger or malawk - the first messenger who is sent that "shall prepare the way before Me" - we know from Matthew 11 and the other Evangels that John came and prepared the way before Yah’shua [His prophetic name] the MESSIAH. But who was he preparing the way for? In Malachi 3:1, he says "Me" and at the end of verse one it says "saith YAHWEH of Hosts". But who is ‘Me’? Well, let’s back up first to Ha-Adon whom you seek; what is Ha-Adon commonly printed in the King James as ‘the Lord’ - not coming from the tetragrammaton - but from a different word. "Ha-Adon" whom you seek shall suddenly come to (where? what?) - His temple. Even the messenger (the malawk) of the Covenant saith YAHWEH of Hosts - YAHWEH Saboath. The ‘I’, the ‘Me’, and the Ha-Adon are all the messenger that refer to YAHWEH. If we go back and we see that Who it was that made the Covenant with the people of Israel upon Mt. Sinai; we know that it was YAHWEH Elohim. And it was YAHWEH that was among Israel when dwelling in the temple and in the tabernacle. Let’s turn over to Deuteronomy the fourth chapter - Deuteronomy 4 verses 12-13:

"And YAHWEH spake unto you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the voice of the words but saw no similitude only you heard a voice. And he declared unto you His Covenant which He commanded you to perform even Ten Commandments. And He wrote them upon two tables of stone."

So the messenger of the Covenant, or the One that brought the message was YAHWEH Elohim, HE spoke unto Israel. So there are two messengers mentioned in Malachi 1. One meaning the One that would come and prepare the way for the messenger of the Covenant Who was YAHWEH Elohim. We know that John the Baptist prepared the way for Yah’shua; and if that is a fulfillment of the one that came to prepare the way that it would seem, wouldn't it, that messenger prepared the way for YAHWEH Who we know as Yah’shua the MESSIAH.

Let’s notice Isaiah 40 - Isaiah Chapter 40 and verse three (3) where we read about that prophecy. Isaiah 40 and verse three (3).

"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare you the way of YAHWEH make strait in the desert a highway for our Elohim."

Who was the way prepared for if it wasn't Yah’shua the MESSIAH? If you believe that Scripture was fulfilled in Yah’shua, then you must acknowledge that He did preexist as YAHWEH. YAHWEH was Ha-Adon, (c.f. Ps 8:1,9). YAHWEH was also Malawk - the Messenger of YAHWEH.

I said before that we would look at some of the characteristics of YAHWEH Elohim. One of the characteristics of YAHWEH is His eternity. YAHWEH’s Name by definition means that HE causes to be. And by extension HE must be before any created thing or have been at a time before anything existed. Consequently HE is no created thing, just as Paul stated in Colossians 1. But let’s look at some of the affirmations concerning Himself - where YAHWEH describes Himself.

In Deuteronomy 32 - Deuteronomy 32 verses 39 & 40,

"See now that I, even I am HE and there is no Elohim with Me. I kill; I make alive. I wound and I heal. Neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand for I lift up My hand to Heaven and say I live forever (the ages)."

Also in Daniel the 12th chapter - Daniel 12, verse 7,

"And I heard the man clothed in linen that was upon the waters of the river and he held up his right hand and left hand up unto heaven and swear by Him that liveth forever (the ages)."

So one of the characteristics of YAHWEH is that HE does have life eternally - life without end in both directions. Let’s notice Exodus and the fifteenth chapter Exodus 15 verse 18:

"YAHWEH shall reign forever and ever (ages upon ages)."

And in Psalm 90 and verse two, we read,

"Before the mountains were brought forth or ever Thou hast formed the earth and the world even from everlasting to everlasting (ages unto ages) Thou art Elohim."

And in Deuteronomy 33 and verse 27, we’re again told,

"And the eternal Elohim is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting (age abiding) arms and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say, destroy them."

Eternal is from Strong’s no. 6924. qedem, keh’-dem; or qedmah, kayd’-maw; from H6923; the front, of place (absol. the fore part, rel. the East) or time (antiquity); often used adv. (before, anciently, eastward): - aforetime, ancient (time), before, east (end, part, side, -ward), eternal, X ever (-lasting), forward, old, past.

There are numerous Scriptures. . . the Bible is absolutely filled with statements saying that YAHWEH is eternal. In Genesis 21:33 we are told that

"Abraham planted a grove or trees in Beersheba and called there upon the Name of YAHWEH, the Everlasting (age-abiding) EL".

Let’s notice one more quick verse in Isaiah 57 and verse 15,

"For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabited eternity Whose Name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place. With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

Eternity is from the Hebrew ad, and is defined in Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary this way; [5703. ‘ad, ad; from H5710; prop. a (peremptory) terminus, I. e. (by impl. ) duration, in the sense of advance or perpetuity (substantially as a noun, either with or without a prep. ): - eternity, ever (-lasting, -more), old, perpetually, + world without end. ].

Notice that YAHWEH inhabits eternity He wraps Himself around it and He is intimately familiar with it. So the Name YAHWEH represents that which exists without beginning or ending - forever. THEY exist. YAHWEH IS. YAHWEH could not bear the Name YAHWEH unless they were eternal.

I say "they" because Elohim consists of more than one entity. If not, then the use of Elohim is totally incorrect. You could only read the singular which would be El. And that would make many or most of the statements concerning YAHWEH where HE speaks in the plural or it is spoken of in the plural as being nonsensical. Let’s notice in Deuteronomy 6 and verse 4 - Deuteronomy 6 and verse 4, we are told,

"Hear O Israel, YAHWEH our Elohim is YAHWEH One."

The word ‘One" is from the Hebrew, echod. Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary describes echod this way: ‘echad, ekh-awd’; a numeral from H258; prop. united, I. e. one; or (as an ordinal) first: - a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any (-thing), apiece, a certain [dai-] ly, each (one), + eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together.

Echod is often used to desciribe a group unity, for example in Gen 2:24

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be (echod) one flesh."

This is stated also in Mat 19:5-6

"And said, ‘For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore Elohim hath joined together, let not man put asunder. ‘" (cf. Mk 10:8-9).

The concept of uniting two into one is certainly one of the greatest mysteries in the universe. Not only are a husband and wife partakers of this mystery union, but it is also seen in uniting Gentile and Jew into one body: Eph 2:15

"Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace".

Echod is used 9 times for the number eleven, for example:

And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. [Gen 32:22]

And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. [Gen 37:9]

(There are eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea. ) [Deu 1:2]

And of course the many times that a large group is referred to as "one".

And YAHWEH said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. [Gen 11:6]

Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. [Gen 34:16]

Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised. [Gen 34:22]

And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one (there were two dreams): Elohim hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do. [Gen 41:25]

And Moses came and told the people all the words of YAHWEH, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which YAHWEH hath said will we do. [Exo 24:3]

Nearly half of the time the expression "one of" appears it is from echod. . . over 100 times! To be "one of" something necessarily shows that there is a multiple involved. Not multiples of different kinds, but multiples with commonality, a unity, many of the same type or kind.

The group that consists of YAHWEH - YAHWEH that is Eternal, having always been - is the Elohim of ISRAEL.

There are a couple of other things that some turn to, to prove or supposedly prove - that YAHWEH the One, the Logos - the Spokesman came into being at some point. Let’s turn over to Proverbs the eighth Chapter, Proverbs 8 is often quoted to prove that Yah’shua Who is the Wisdom of YAHWEH was created at some time. And usually read is verses 22-31,

"YAHWEH possessed Me in the beginning of HIS way before the works of old. I was set up from Everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was. When there were no depths I was brought forth. When there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled; before the hills was I brought forth while as yet HE had not made the earth nor the fields nor the highest part of the dust of the world, when HE prepared the Heavens I was there. When HE set a compass on the face of the depth; when HE established the clouds above; when HE strengthened the fountains of the deep; when HE gave to the sea HIS decree that the water should not pass HIS commandment; when HE appointed the foundations of the earth; then I was by HIM as ONE brought up with HIM, and I was daily HIS delight rejoicing always before HIM, rejoicing in the habitable part of the earth and MY delights were with the sons of men."

Here, wisdom is personified; but who was it that actually did the actual creating? We have already seen that it was YAHWEH Elohim that did the creating and as testified by John and Paul and others in the New Testament that it was YahwehShua WHO did the creating. Let’s go back to verse 26. In verse 26 to verse 30, we notice that "wisdom" is not - and I repeat is not - the creating agent but was simply a bystander or witness of the creation. Wisdom was there, but had no active part whatsoever in the creation. However, HE, meaning YAHWEH, did. Wisdom speaking in the first person says, "While as yet HE had not made the earth". Since HE is the Creating Agent, HE must be YahwehShua the MESSIAH. Wisdom was merely the observer, not a participant in any aspect, of the creation of the physical or material things.

Let’s notice verse 22 and verse 23,

"YAHWEH possessed Me in the beginning of HIS way before HIS works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning; or earth the ever was."

Interesting point about the term "wisdom"; it is from the term chok-maw’, and it means to gain wisdom by experience - something learned by the act of doing. This wisdom was before the material creation, that is true, before the earth ever was. But how did "wisdom" come into being, or being created before the actual creation? Verse 22 says "possessed Me"; in the Syric and Septuagint, and is translated "created in the beginning of HIS way" - now did YAHWEH have a beginning? No!

But the ANGELIC and the rest of the spiritual realm DOES!

"Before HIS works of old".

This is the creation of the physical works that we know of now. But it was the beginning of the spiritual creation at that time that this chok-maw’ came into being. Understand that the act of creating spirit was an instantaneous act. However, in so doing, YahwehShua the MESSIAH gained the experience through that instant act of creation which HE used in forming the physical creation at a latter time. This is why chok-maw’ or "wisdom" was possessed ‘in the beginning of His way’ before His physical works of old. Chok-maw’ was a result of this act of the creation of the spiritual realm which was from the beginning. Chok-maw’ was not an overt act of creation but an instantaneous result of an act of creation.

Chok-maw’ was not before the beginning of the spiritual creation, but simultaneous from the actual start of the spiritual creation. It was Messiah, then known as YAHWEH, Who gained the wisdom because He created all things. So this chok-maw’ was created by an act of divine fiat where YahwehShua the MESSIAH created all things: the spiritual powers - the visible and the invisible: the thrones, dominions, principalities...the entire angelic creation at that instant gave Him the experience that is described in Proverbs 8.

Another place in Proverbs that is oft quoted in Proverbs 30 and verse 4, reads,

"What is His Name and what is His Son’s Name if thou can tell?"

If some were not so impetuous and took the time to examine the Scriptures, they would see that in verse one that this is prophetic.

"The words of Agar the son of Jakeh even the prophecy."

This is a prophecy concerning YahwehShua the MESSIAH. It’s just as the same as many other Messianic prophecies.

Let me recap what I have gone over so far: we have seen from the Scriptures: that it was YAHWEH Elohim Who did the creating; that only YAHWEH is to be worshiped; and that bowing down is an act of worship. We know that YAHWEH was the Ha-Adon in Malachi 3 and was YAHWEH, and that HE was called the Messenger of YAHWEH the Father. And that there were two YAHWEH(s) preexisting at the same time in the Old Testament. That according to the prophecy that was fulfilled where John the Baptist came and prepared the way before HIM - HIM according to the Old Testament prophecy was none other than YAHWEH, the LOGOS - the Spokesman of the Hebrew Scriptures.

But there are some other things that need to be brought up concerning the preexistence of YahwehShua the MESSIAH. Things that I consider very critical to our understanding at this end time. Things that could possibly make the difference whether a person makes into the Kingdom of YAHWEH or not concerning some of the doctrines and beliefs we have had in the past. So let’s be like those Bereans; let’s search the Scriptures to see whether these things be so. And let’s pray that YAHWEH gives us guidance and understanding and that we can come before Him and worship Him in the beauty of holiness.