YHWH MANIFEST IN FLESH
Muslims sometimes claim they adhere to a “faith of Abraham” as if Abraham founded a “religion”. Yet most haven’t bothered to learn about Abraham other than through Islamic “tradition”, that was all created and put to the pen in the 7th and 8th centuries AD, that presents itself as thousands of years of prior historical record all the way back to Adam.
If Muslims would simply read about Abraham in the historical record detailed in scripture it might clear up one of their most difficult misconceptions regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Specifically their inability to understand that God manifest, or revealed Himself, through the person of Jesus Christ.
Mohammed’s followers deny this even though they believe that Mary conceived Jesus solely by the direct will of God, and they would also claim that all God would have to do is say “be”, and He could reveal Himself in any manner that He so chose. But I’m sure we would all agree that it’s silly to suggest that God would need to say “be” even if He chose to reveal himself in the person of ten different men at the same time.
So let’s look at the first time that YHWH “manifest” or revealed Himself, in the flesh of a man, to Abraham in Genesis chapter 18.
Genesis 18:1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
Checking Strong’s definitions
And the LORD Old Testament Hebrew Definition: 03068 Y@hovah {yeh-ho-vaw’} from 01961; TWOT – 484a; n pr dei AV – LORD 6510, GOD 4, JEHOVAH 4, variant 1; 6519 Jehovah = “the existing One” 1) the proper name of the one true God 1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of 0136
The “existing One” that is YHWH the “I AM” – that is God Himself appeared to Abraham.
2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw [them], he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
We see three “men” stood by him.
men Old Testament Hebrew Definition: 0582 ‘enowsh {en-oshe’} from 0605; TWOT – 136a; n m AV – man 520, certain 10, husbands 3, some 3, merchantmen 2, persons 2, misc 24; 564 1) man, mortal man, person, mankind 1a) of an individual 1b) men (collective) 1c) man, mankind
So Abraham bowed himself toward the ground …..
3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight,pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
My Lord Old Testament Hebrew Definition: 0136 ‘Adonay {ad-o-noy’} am emphatic form of 0113; TWOT – 27b; n m AV – Lord 431, lord 2, God 1; 434 1) my lord, lord 1a) of men 1b) of God 2) Lord – title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence
Before the Jews surrendered to a later doctrine in which men declared that the name Yahweh was too sacred to say or write, the tetragrammaton YHWH occurred in this spot before being replaced by their later substitute title “Adonay”. The NAME of God – YHWH – generally pronounced “Yahweh”, occurs nearly 7,000 times in older versions of their scriptures, prior to being scrubbed out by this pop-doctrine. How different might the world be today if Arabic speaking Christians and Jews had used God’s name in their Bibles?
Some suggest that the three “men” in our passage were angels, but the context doesn’t allow that. Are we to believe that Abraham thought himself a “servant” of an angel, rather than YHWH, particularly in light of all the direct contact Abraham had with Yahweh? Of course not. Abraham knew he was a servant of YHWH. Abraham continues….
4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
Abraham not only fetches some water so these men can wash their feet, but Abraham offers the men food, and they accept his offer.
8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set [it] before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
And so these men – one being YHWH Himself – did eat. Later in the passage we read…
22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. 23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Who has the power to destroy a city of men?
24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that [are] therein? 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Who was the “man“, that Abraham called Yahweh, that acts as “the Judge of all the earth”?
26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
Who had the power and authority to spare Sodom? The answer is again obvious.
Those of us that recognize the co-existence of YHWH and His Messiah Yahshua, as well as other “Christophanies” or appearances of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, realize that this “man” that Abraham met, that had the power to destroy Sodom, was Jesus Christ/Yeshua, YHWH’s ONE mediator.
1Timothy 2:5 For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Let’s look at the term “angel” in context as used four chapters later.
Genesis 22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here [am] I.
Does that verse indicate the angel is in the form of a man? He’s calling out from the heavens, or from overhead. Whether in the Old Testament or the New, angels are messengers.
And the angel Old Testament Hebrew Definition: 04397 mal’ak {mal-awk’} from an unused root meaning to despatch as a deputy; TWOT – 1068a; n m AV – angel 111, messenger 98, ambassadors 4, variant 1; 214 1) messenger, representative 1a) messenger 1b) angel 1c) the theophanic angel
In the verse we see the angel, or messenger, is “of” the Lord.
of the LORD Old Testament Hebrew Definition: 03068 Y@hovah {yeh-ho-vaw’} from 01961; TWOT – 484a; n pr dei AV – LORD 6510, GOD 4, JEHOVAH 4, variant 1; 6519 Jehovah = “the existing One” 1) the proper name of the one true God 1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of 0136
Genesis 22:11 And the angel of the LORD….
Now look at the verse again and notice the article “the” before angel indicating very a unique and specific “messenger”. Checking Stong’s definition again we find “the theophanic angel”. When the term “the angel of the Lord” is used in the Old Testament it is generally understood by Christians to be a Christophany or appearance of Yeshua/Jesus Christ. This phrase occurs 58 times in the KJV. You can Google the term “Christophany” or the phrase “the angel of the Lord” or “the theophanic angel” to learn more.
Exdodus 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush [was] not consumed.
And when the LORD Old Testament Hebrew Definition: 03068 Y@hovah {yeh-ho-vaw’} from 01961; TWOT – 484a; n pr dei AV – LORD 6510, GOD 4, JEHOVAH 4, variant 1; 6519 Jehovah = “the existing One” 1) the proper name of the one true God 1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of 0136
3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here [am] I.
God Old Testament Hebrew Definition: 0430 ‘elohiym {el-o-heem’} plural of 0433; TWOT – 93c; n m p AV – God 2346, god 244, judge 5, GOD 1, goddess 2, great 2, mighty 2, angels 1, exceeding 1, God-ward + 04136 1, godly 1; 2606 1) (plural) 1a) rulers, judges 1b) divine ones 1c) angels 1d) gods 2) (plural intensive – singular meaning) 2a) god, goddess 2b) godlike one 2c) works or special possessions of God 2d) the (true) God 2e) God
Elohiym is another later Hebrew term used 2346 times as a substitute for the name of God. It can mean the God and also a god as in a pagan god, depending on context. We don’t have to wonder which in the context of this passage
5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy ground. 6 Moreover he said, I [am] the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
The “angel of the LORD” declared in this passage that He is God, thus the Messiah – that is Yahshua – Jesus Christ – is God.
1Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
A final note on the “the Judge of all the earth” mentioned above, Jesus Christ declared….
John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
He is the ONE mediator and THE WAY God chose to reveal Himself to us.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
After the Messiah, Yeshua – Jesus Christ was crucified, died, and resurrected, He appeared before hundreds of witnesses in His glorified body, and just before His ascension into heaven He declared….
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Will you continue to reject the Messiah Jesus Christ, to instead continue to follow in the 7th and 8th century created historical fiction, of Mohammed and his followers? Will you continue to reject the sinless Lamb of God – the Prince of Peace – to follow a man who Islam’s own books reveal as a murdering, prisoner abusing, thief? The hour is growing late. You could die this very day. Are you ready to stand before Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God in judgment? The very one you reject?
Originally posted on July 19, 2021 @ 3:45 pm