The God
A comprehensive examination of Trinitarianism
Chapter Seventeen
Jesus in the Revelation
Revelation 1:1-2: “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw--that is, the word (logos) of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John writes that God gave Jesus the Revelation. Since God is commonly used throughout the NT to designate the Father, we can assume John sees the Father as giving the Revelation to Jesus. As discussed in Chapter four, the word of God is the thoughts of God expressed in speech and creative activity. John writes of testifying to the word (logos) of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. John makes a distinction between the logos of God and Jesus. This shows the logos of God is not Jesus as is often claimed. Trinitarians will argue that when John writes it is God who gave Jesus the Revelation, it is God as Father giving the Revelation to Jesus within the Trinitarian relationship of Father, Son and Spirit. The following passage dispels such a notion.
Revelation 1:4-6: John, To the seven churches in the province of
In this passage John gives greetings from “him who is, and who was, and who is to come” and from the seven spirits before his throne and from Jesus Christ who is identified as the first born from the dead who has made us a kingdom of priests to serve His God and Father. Here we see distinction not only between the Father and Jesus but between God and Jesus. If distinction was only being made between the Father and Jesus, it could possibly allow for some kind of single Being, indwelling relationship as found in Trinitarianism. Distinction, however, is made between God and Jesus. John is clearly saying that the Being who is to be praised is both God and Father of Jesus, not just the Father of Jesus. If God is seen as the God of Jesus, how can Jesus be that same God? Remember, we are seeing Jesus after His ascension. Jesus still relates to God as His God after he has ascended to God. In Revelation 3:12, Jesus is quoted four times as referring to God as His God. Therefore to postulate that God and Jesus are a single Being and equally God is a virtual oxymoron.
Distinction is made between the one associated with the throne before which are seven spirits and the person Jesus. Who is associated with the throne? In chapter four is a description of the throne on which sits the Lord God Almighty who is characterized as “who was, and is, and is to come."
Revelation 4:2: before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. Verse 8: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
In chapter five, the one who sits on the throne is seen as handing the scroll to Jesus Christ who is represented by a lamb. In chapter 11:17, the Lord God Almighty is identified as “the one who is and who was”
Revelation 5:6-7: Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne; ---- He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
Revelation 11:16-17: And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
It is apparent that the one who sits on the throne is the Lord God Almighty. The one sitting on the throne is seen as interacting with the lamb (Jesus) in various ways throughout the Revelation and is seen as separate from the one sitting on the throne.
Revelation 7:10: And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."
Revelation 12:10: Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ.
Revelation 20:6: but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
Christ is seen as separate from the Lord God Almighty who sits on the throne and is identified as the Christ of God. Therefore, Jesus is not one and the same God who sits on the throne as the Lord God Almighty. It is the Lord God Almighty who is seen as “him who is, and who was and who is to come.” Therefore, this title is not referring to Jesus. Since God the Father is seen as the God and Father of Jesus in 1:5, it should be apparent Jesus is the servant of the Lord God Almighty who sits on the throne.
Some believe Revelation 1:8 refers to Jesus as the Alpha and the Omega and “him who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." Therefore, Jesus is believed to be the Almighty God no less than the Father.
Revelation 1:8: "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
In this passage reference is made to "who is, and who was, and who is to come.” This title is associated with the Lord God Almighty who sits on the throne in Revelation 4:2. The one who sits on the throne is seen as separate from the Lamb in Revelation 5:6-7. Therefore, it should be apparent the Lord God Almighty of 1:8 is the same as the Lord God Almighty of 4:2. Since the Lord God Almighty is identified in Scripture as the Father, He who sits on the throne is God the Father and is the Alpha and the Omega of verse eight. Since it is the Father and not Jesus who sits on the throne, Revelation 1:8 is speaking of the Father and not Jesus. In Revelation 21:5-7 the one who sits on the throne is specifically identified as the Alpha and the Omega.
Revelation 21:5-7: He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son."
In this passage it is the one seated on the throne who will be the God of those who overcome and they will be his sons. Since the scriptures speak often of we becoming sons of God and since becoming a son implies a Father/son relationship, it is evident we become sons of God the Father which further verifies that the one seated on the throne is God the Father who is the Lord God Almighty and the God and Father of Jesus.
Trinitarians point to Revelation 22:12-13 referring to Jesus as the "Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End," as Jesus being YHWH.
Revelation 22:12-13: Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
In Revelation 11:16-18 the Lord God Almighty (YHWH) is seen as being worshiped on his throne and is identified as the “one who is and who was.” He is also seen as bringing reward to his servants (verse 18). In Matthew 6:1-4, reward is seen as derived from the Father. As already discussed, the Lord God Almighty is the Alpha and Omega sitting on the throne and is seen as separate from the lamb (Jesus) and as the God (YHWH) of Jesus throughout the Revelation. Therefore, references to the coming of Jesus must be seen in the context of Jesus acting as the agent of His God (YHWH) and Father. Matthew writes that Jesus comes in the glory of the Father. It is the Father who facilitates reward and judgement through the Son. The Son is seen as coming in the presence of God the Father.
1 Thessalonians 3:13: May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
God the Father is seen as the one coming through His agent Christ Jesus. Jesus, as the "Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End," in 22:12-13 is Jesus coming as the representative of His God and Father and as such is given these titles. Application of these titles to Jesus does not define Jesus as being the one He consistently calls His God.
YHWH is identified as the first and last in Isaiah 44:6 and 48:12. It should be apparent from our discussion to this point that YHWH, as the "first and the last" is the God and Father of Jesus. Therefore, Jesus is not the first and the last in the same manner as YHWH is. Any reference to Jesus as the "first and the last" must be seen in the broader context of who God is versus who Jesus is.
In Revelation 1:17 and 2:8, Jesus is seen to be the "first and the last." Do these passages identify Jesus as YHWH? In both these passages Jesus associates being the first and the last with His death and resurrection and not as being without beginning or end as is true of YHWH. Jesus died. Jesus is identified as the Lamb of God (YHWH) slain for the sins of the world and not as the Almighty God who sits on the throne as the Alpha and Omega. In Revelation 1:19 Jesus is quoted as saying “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!” In Revelation 2:8, John speaks of Christ who died and came to life again. As previously discussed, God can't die.
The designation, "first and last" is being applied in two different ways in the Revelation. In relation to the one who sits on the throne, it signifies the eternally existing YHWH, the one and only Almighty God the Father. In the case of Jesus, it signifies His death and His resurrection to eternal life through YHWH who is the God and Father of Jesus.
The very language of the passages we have considered from the Revelation should make it clear Jesus is not God as the Father is God. Jesus is not the YHWH who sits on the throne but is the anointed of YHWH and as such is the Christ of YHWH (Revelation 12:10). The Father is the Eternal Almighty Creator God and Jesus is the resurrected Son of this God unto whom this God has granted eternal life, great power, authority and glory.
The Melchizedek Issue
Because of the manner in which Melchizedek is portrayed in scripture, some believe Melchizedek is one and the same with a pre-incarnate Christ. It is believed it was Jesus Christ who appeared to Abraham as the priest Melchizedek.
Genesis 14:18-20: Then Melchizedek king of
Melchizedek is seen as bringing bread and wine. Bread and wine were used by Christ to represent his body and blood at the Passover before the crucifixion. Melchizedek, as priest of the Most High God, is seen blessing Abraham. Abraham is seen as giving a tenth of everything to Melchizedek. In Psalm 110:4, the LORD (YHWH) is seen as declaring to the lord (adoni), “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." As earlier discussed, adoni pertains to Christ and YHWH is God the Father.
The writer to the Hebrews discusses the issue of Christ becoming a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 5:5-6: So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father." And he says in another place, "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." Verse 9-10: Once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:20: He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7:1-4: This Melchizedek was king of
The writer explains the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness” and “king of
In view of all this, Melchizedek is believed to have existed eternally and since the Son of God is believed to have existed eternally (without beginning of days or end of life) and the writer says, “like the Son of God remains a priest forever,” it is believed Melchizedek and Christ are one and the same.
The expression “being without father or mother” was a common way of saying there was no recorded genealogy for a person. This expression was commonly used in the secular literature of the first century. The Greek word for genealogy is a word that means having no recorded ancestry, nothing recorded on an official document. Since Jesus has a recorded genealogy and has a mother of record and God proclaiming to be His Father, it becomes problematical that Melchizedek and Christ are one and the same. The scripture says he was like the Son of God in relation to being a priest forever and not that he was the Son of God. The relationship between Melchizedek and Christ is further defined in Hebrews 7:14-17.
Hebrews 7:14-17: For it is clear that our Lord descended from
The Greek word translated "like" (“similitude” in the KJV and “likeness” in many other versions) is homoioteta. This word indicates being similar or like something but not being identical with that something. Melchizedek represented an eternal priesthood that can never die out. The writer compares this to the temporal priesthood under Moses that had to be continually replenished as priests died. The writer did not say Jesus is Melchizedek but that Jesus’ priesthood is similar to Melchizedek's. The writer speaks of another priest like Melchizedek appearing, one who becomes a priest, not on the basis of ancestry but on the basis of living forever. Christ is seen as becoming this priest. Becoming a priest presupposes not having been a priest at some time in the past.
Melchizedek is a priest. If Jesus was Melchizedek, He would already be the priest Melchizedek. He would not have to become the priest Melchizedek or a priest like Melchizedek. The writer clearly shows that Jesus became a priest like Melchizedek. It is contradictory to conclude Jesus became who He already is. Some will argue that the Son set aside being Melchizedek when He became the human Jesus. As already discussed, the idea that the Son was able to divest Himself of eternal properties or add temporal properties to eternal properties to become the human Jesus and still die as the eternal God is highly problematical.
It is much more scriptural to conclude that Jesus, as the humanly begotten Son of God the Father, became a priest in the order of Melchizedek upon completing His earthly mission. This happened in association with His receiving authority, power and glory and an everlasting Kingdom as pictured in Daniel. Admittedly, this doesn’t define or identify Melchizedek other than what we see in Genesis and Hebrews. To conclude, however, that Melchizedek is the Son of God runs contrary to what we see the writer to the Hebrews recording and therefore becomes nothing more than speculations based on assuming the thing to be proved.
Those who hold to the position that Christ is Melchizedek often hold to the position Christ is YHWH. In Psalm 110:1-4, YHWH is seen as addressing Christ (adoni). As covered in Chapter Three, the Hebrew adoni is not a reference to deity but to man unto whom power and authority is granted. This passage of Scripture shows YHWH granting adoni the right to be at His right hand and declaring adoni to be a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. If YHWH is granting adoni (Christ) authority and power and declaring adoni to be a priest in the order of Melchizedek, how can Christ be YHWH? Trinitarian’s often argue that Scriptures showing YHWH speaking to the Son are showing YHWH the Father speaking to YHWH the Son in a Trinitarian indwelling of Father, Son and Spirit. Psalm 110 makes this argument untenable.
In Genesis 14:18-20, Melchizedek is called the priest of God Most High. In Luke 1:31-35, Mary is told she will be with child and give birth to a son, who will be called the Son of the Most High. Throughout Scripture, the Most High is identified as YHWH. There can only be one Most High. Melchizedek is shown as a priest of the Most High and Jesus is called the Son of the Most High. This clearly shows both Melchizedek and Jesus are subservient to YHWH who alone is the Most High God. YHWH, as the Most High God is not God the Son but is the God of the Son as has been clearly shown throughout this discussion.
The Holy Spirit
Inclusion of the Holy Spirit in the Trinitarian concept of God did not materialize until the Council of Constantinople in AD 381. The tenets of the Constantinople Creed pertaining to our discussion are as follows:
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds (aeons), Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified.
The Holy Spirit is described as the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified. Since this Creed identifies the Spirit as a “who,” it is apparent the Spirit is viewed as a person as is the Father and the Son. It is interesting that the Spirit is seen as proceeding from the Father. We have seen throughout our discussion that the Father is consistently identified as God in the Scriptures. If the Spirit proceeds from God the Father and yet is God as the Father is God, the Creed is virtually saying God proceeds from God.
The primary argument offered by Trinitarians for the Holy Spirit being God is the Spirit's close association with God and Christ as seen throughout the scriptures. The Spirit is seen as exerting influence in a great number of ways and always doing so in association with the Father and/or the Son The Spirit is seen as active in creation, in the affairs of Israel, in the Prophets, in Jesus Christ, the Apostles and the New Testament Church. The Holy Spirit is seen in association with the manifestation of power, wisdom, understanding, judgement, love and truth.
The words Spirit and Holy Spirit appear hundreds of times in the scriptures. In Hebrew the word for spirit is ruah and in Greek the word for spirit is pneuma. These words have the same basic meaning. They mean air. More specifically these words denote the movement of air as in breath or wind. Scripture speaks of the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the spirit of life, the spirit in man and the Spirit in a variety of others ways. The Scriptures often show the Spirit as speaking, teaching, helping, interceding, guiding and doing many other such things. Therefore, Trinitarians view the Spirit as a person and believe only a person could be said to do what the Spirit is said to do. For example the Spirit teaches, convicts, is truth, guides, speaks, hears, restrains, sanctifies and even appears to think. The following Scriptures provide some examples of what the Spirit does.
John 14:26: But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
John 16:8: When he (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:
John 16:13: But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
Acts: 16:6: Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and
1 Peter 1:2: Who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit
1 Corinthians 2:10: but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
Such activity of the Spirit has led many to conclude the Spirit has personality and must be a distinct person like the Father and the Son. Others believe the recorded activity of the Spirit reflects the mind and power of God at work in His creation. References to the Spirit teaching, convicting, guiding, speaking, hearing, restraining, sanctifying and so forth are seen as personifications the Spirit. To personify something is to give that something a figurative life (personhood) of its own. One dictionary definition of personify is to be “the perfect example of something.” Another definition is “to perfectly represent something.”
In Scripture, we find attributes such as wisdom and understanding represented as having a life of their own. In the Proverbs, wisdom is personified as a woman and is said to speak, cry out, raise her voice, reprove, laugh and so forth. Wisdom is seen as being loved, having a mouth, having a house and offering bread and wine (See Proverbs chapters one, four, eight and nine). Yet we all know that wisdom is not a person but an attribute of mind. The Spirit of God is seen as doing many things. Upon close examination, the Spirit of God is seen as the mind and power of God expressing all that God is. It is His knowledge, understanding and wisdom. It is his power and authority. It is His love, mercy, righteousness and justice. It is the outward manifestation of all that God is. The scriptures actually identify God as Spirit.
John 4:24: God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.
The human spirit is the manifestation of all that humans are. The body without the spirit has no expression of thought or will. The body without the spirit is dead. Spirit is the life of the living physical body. In Genesis 2:7 it is recorded God breathed (Hebrew ruah) into man and man became a living soul. Spirit gives life. God is Spirit and is inherent life. Because God is life He is the source of all other life including the life of Jesus as Jesus plainly said (John 5:26). Our human life comes from God and is subject to death. God’s will is that we be reborn to eternal life. Eternal life comes from the Father through Jesus who was the first to be reborn to eternal life (Colossians 1:18, Revelation 1:5, 1 Corinthians 15:20).
God is manifested in the world and in us through His Spirit. It is called Holy Spirit because it is from God who is holy. Sinning against the Spirit is the same as sinning against God and vice versa. When Ananias and his wife lied about the money, they are seen as lying to the Holy Spirit and this is seen as lying to God.
Acts 5:3-4: Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."
Trinitarians believe that in their lying to the Holy Spirit, Ananias and his wife lied to a distinction of the one God called the Holy Spirit and that is how it can be said they lied to God. The Holy Spirit, however, is seen in Scripture as proceeding from the Father which even the Constantinople Creed states. If the Holy Spirit is God as the Father is God, to say the Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father is to say God proceeds from God which makes no sense at all. Apostle Paul shows God gives of His Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 4:8: Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
Scripture repeatedly speaks in terms of the Spirit of God, not the Spirit as God. It is the Spirit of God which is seen as working in us to facilitate eternal life and behavior in line with the will of God the Father.
Romans 8:11: And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22: Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Ephesians 2:21-22: In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 3:16: I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.
1 John 4:12-14: No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
The last quote above is especially revealing in that it clearly shows it is the Father’s Spirit given to us that results in God the Father living in us and we living in God the Father. John states no one has ever seen God. We know it is the Father John is speaking of because John makes this same statement in his Gospel where by context it can be seen he is referring to the Father (John 1:18). Trinitarianism teaches God is a mutual indwelling of Father, Son and Spirit. If this is the case, when John speaks of God dwelling in us he must be saying Father, Son and Spirit dwell in us. John, however, is not saying this. He is saying it is the Father who dwells in us through indwelling of the Father’s Spirit.