The Eternal Pre-Existence of Christ (Parts 1 & 2): May 23 & 30, 2021

The Christ Before Christmas:

The Eternal Pre-existence of Christ; Part I

(Pastor Terry Reese; Valley GBC, Armagh, PA; Sunday, May 23, AD 2021)

 

I. The Pre-Existence of Christ: Its importance.

 

A. It is inseparably linked to His Deity.

 

B. Such a study has great personal devotional value.

1. It enhances our appreciation of the OT (John 5:39 Luke 24:25-27).

2. It gives us new insights into the Nature & work of Christ.

Studying His Pre-Incarnational activity provides a revelation of His thousands of years of OT ministry unto His People!

 

For example, we see Him as Creator… as the One who delivered Hagar & Ishmael… as the One who called Moses and led Israel through the Wilderness… as the One who commissioned Joshua, and who delivered His people from Assyria in the days of Hezekiah.

 

We are reminded by Micah (5:2) that the coming One has been Ruler from Eternity!

 

II. The Pre-Existence of Christ: A survey of various viewpoints.

A. Denied by those who deny His Deity in any form.

i. The “nice man” of Liberal Theology & infidel philosophy.

ii. The “Second Moses” of Ebionite Theology (an ancient heresy).

iii. The Islamic Prophet Jesus (accepted by ¼ of humanity!)

 

B. Temporal pre-existence (vs. Eternal Pre-existence).

i.e., Jesus existed before Bethlehem, but not eternally.

The ancient Arian heresy, embraced by various pseudo-Christian cults (e.g., the Watchtower Jesus, Mormonism).

 

C. The Biblical Witness: the Word is Eternally Pre-existent.

1. Much OT Testimony (Isa. 9:6, Micah 5:2).

 2. The entire fabric of the NT: He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last (Rev. 1:17 & Rev.  22:13; cf., Isa. 41:4, 44:6, 48:12).

 

a. The Testimony of John the Baptist: John 1:15.

b. The Testimony of our Lord: (John 6:62, 8:56-59, 16:28 17:5, 17:24)

c. The testimony of the Apostles (John 1:1-3, 1 Cor. 10:4, Phil 2:5-7, Col. 1:16-17).

 

III. Conclusion: a crystal clear teaching!

But men still persist in unbelief! 1 Cor. 2:14!

The Christ Before Christmas: Part II

(Pastor Terry L. Reese; Valley GBC of Armagh; May 30, AD 2021)

 

“Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to  them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”—Luke 24:27

 

I. The Eternal Pre-Existence of Christ: Its importance.

A. Inseparably linked to the matter of His Deity. (Mic. 5:2, Isa. 9:6).

 

B. A matter of great devotional value.

1. It enhances our appreciation of the OT (John 5:39, Luke 24:27)

2. It gives us new insights into His Nature and work.

 

II. Q: “What was the Eternal Son doing before Bethlehem?”

A: He is the Creator & Sustainer of the cosmos! (Jn1:1-3; Col.1:16-17)

 

III. OT Testimony concerning His pre-Incarnational ministry.

A. Theophanies: a means of communication (Ex. 33:20).

Theophany: a temporary & sudden manifestation of Deity in a sensible form that is tangible to the human senses.

Not like the Incarnation! Temporary manifestations; not a genuine or permanent assumption of humanity (Gen. 18). Theophanies had no past nor future; only a brief ministry for revelational purposes.

It seems that Theophanies were usually the Son, prefiguring and anticipating the Incarnation and the Son’s role as the visible Member of the Godhead (exception: Dan. 7:9; a rare theophany of God the Father).

 

B. A Theophany: “the Angel of the Lord” (Heb., malak YHWH)

The term “Angel” (“Messenger”) is used of men, created angels, and, in this case, of God Himself. Context determines meaning.

 “The Angel of the LORD” can be identified with Christ in His pre-Incarnate state; a Person identified with God—and yet, distinct in Personality; One who is sent.

 A functional emphasis: Christ is YHWH in terms of His Deity, Being, and Essence, and co-equal with the Father. In relation to the Father, however, He acts functionally as One who is sent.

This anticipates NT revelation concerning multiple Personality within the Godhead.

 

1. Some of His Appearances and proofs of His Deity:

a. Gen. 16:7:  To Hagar, by the spring. (cf. v. 13).

Gen 16:7: The angel of the LORD found her…  13: So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen Him who looks after me.”

 

b. Gen. 21:17: To Hagar & Ishmael. 

Gen 21:17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven…

 

c. Gen. 22:11-12; 15-16: To Abraham on Mt. Moriah.

Gen 22:15-17 And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven  and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD…

 

d. Gen. 32:24-30: To Jacob at Peniel (cf. Hosea 12:4)

Gen 32:30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”

Hos. 12:4  He strove with the angel and prevailed…  

 

e. Ex. 3:1-6, 13-14: From the burning bush (cf. Acts 7:30-34)

Ex 3:2: And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. 14: And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM."

 

f. The One who led Israel in the Wilderness.

>Compare Ex 14:19 with Ex. 13:21.    

>Who was the Rock? Comp. 1 Cor. 10:4 with Deut. 32:4, 15, 18, 30-31.

 

g. Judges 13:2-3: Manoah & his wife [cf., Judges 6, Gideon].

Judges 13:3: “And the angel of the LORD appeared…” Judges 13:22:  And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.”

 

h. 2 Kings 19:35: When Sennacherib of Assyria threatened

Jerusalem in the Days of Hezekiah; 185,000 killed!

 

THUS: We have One who was God, speaks for God, accepts worship (e.g., Ex. 3:5, in contrast to created angels, as in Rev. 19:10 & 22:8-9)… and yet, is distinct, and “sent.”

 

2. His identification with Christ; the pre-incarnate Son. 

a. Judges 13:18: “WONDERFUL!” (cf. Isa. 9:6).

b. Mal. 3:1: “The Messenger of the Covenant” is Christ!

c. The Angel of the LORD’s ministries mirror those of Christ, especially prefiguring His reconciling ministries:

 

i. Rescuer, Redeemer, Deliverer (Gen. 48:15-16; Ps 34:7, Isa 63:8-9).

ii. He comes as Destroyer of God’s enemies (Assyria; cf., Rev. 19:11-21)

iii. He comes as One who is sent (Heb. 3:1; John 20:21)

 

d. His disappearance after the Incarnation!

 

C. Other Theophanies; Christ identified as the LORD (YHWH).

1. Joshua’s Commander of the Army of the LORD (5:15; 6:2).

 2. Isaiah’s LORD is the Second Person of the Trinity (Isa. 6).

John 12:41: Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke of Him.