Psalm 148:13 KJV
And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that that his name is exalted.
Isaiah 12:4 KJV
Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.
1 Chronicles 29:11 KJV
That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
Psalm 83:18 KJV
YAHWEH, the LORD, is exalted over all. The scriptures are abundantly clear. There is no one beside Him. His name, as we have read in the above passages, is exalted above every other name. In fact it states that "His name alone is excellent (or exalted)."
For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take council together: who hath declared this from ancient time? Who hath told it from that time? Have not I the LORD? And there is no God else besides me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
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.
Isaiah 45:19-23 KJV
These verses make it clear. There is one God, the maker of the heavens and earth. All other idols and so called "gods" are nothing. There is no other God, and to Him every knee will someday bow, and tongue confess.
The above verse from 1 Chronicles 29 is a prayer of David given as Solomon his son was about to sit on the throne, ruling Israel. In this prayer he addresses the LORD God as "Our Father" (1 Chronicles 29:10). The language of this prayer is similar to Jesus' words in Matthew 6: 9-13. Jesus begins his model prayer with, "Our Father," and closes it almost verbatim with, "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."
The Father is exalted as God over all. He is worthy of, and receives worship as we have seen. There can be no doubt according to what we have seen so far. However there is more,
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11 KJV
Here we see the passage we have just read in Isaiah 45:19-23 applied to Jesus. The Son of God, who existed as God from eternity past, humbled Himself, took on flesh, died on the cross, and was highly exalted above every other name. The same worship ascribed to the Father belongs to Jesus as well.
Shortly before His arrest and crucifixion Jesus prayed, "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was" (John 17:5). Jesus had humbled Himself, left His glory in heaven and lived upon this earth as a human being. Just like you or I, He faced the limitations of living in a human body. Now He was about to die, yet be powerfully resurrected and ascend to the Father, to receive back the glory he left behind.
Again we read of Christ's exaltation,
Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.
Ephesians 1:20-21 KJV
We have read that the name of the LORD alone is exalted. This is applied to Jesus in these verses. Just as the Father is exalted and worshipped, Jesus is as well. They are both YAHWEH, one God.
The Old Testament actually has much to say about this. It is not silent. These things are hidden in plain sight. The Spirit of Christ within the prophets testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that would follow (1Peter 1:11).
Read a portion of the second Psalm,
Yet I have set my king up on my holy hill of Zion.
I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessel.
Psalm 2:6-9 KJV
Here we have God, the Father giving His Son, Jesus, the nations as an inheritance. Jesus will rule them with a rod of iron.
The LORD said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
Psalm 110:1-2 KJV
Again, the Father giving authority to the Son, who will rule the nations with an iron rod. The religious leaders in Jesus' day were ignorant of this. They could not see that David's Lord (Jesus) would become his descendant through the incarnation (see Matthew 22:41-46).
In Psalm 45 we read,
Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter.
Thou lovest righteousness and hated wickedness: therefore God, thy God hath annointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Psalm 45:6-7 KJV
The author of Hebrews applies this to Jesus in Hebrews 1:8-9. This Psalm prophetically looks to the day when God's everlasting kingdom will arrive. It will be ruled in righteousness. God annointing God as per this Psalm refers to the Father exalting the Son, and giving Him the kingdom. Take note, the Father and Son are both referred to as God.
The author of Hebrews quoting Psalm 8:4-6 has this to say about Jesus as well.
But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put in under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Hebrews 2:6-9 KJV
Jesus, the Son of man, humbled Himself and became flesh. The ultimate purpose was the redemption of a fallen world. He was obedient to the death of the cross, and as a result, crowned with glory and honor. This world is not yielded to the rule of God at this point in history, but the day will come when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign eternal (Revelation 12:15).
Jesus referred to Himself often as the "Son of Man." In fact this title is the one He used the most throughout His earthly ministry. Many commentators state that Jesus is placing emphasis on His human nature. I disagree, and believe that Jesus is actually making a bold declaration of who is really is, the divine Son of God, in the flesh, who receives a universal Kingdom.
We find an amazing vision in the seventh chapter of Daniel. It is a vision of the final days of the gentile world power preceding the coming of the kingdom of the Most High.
I beheld until thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgement was set, and the books were opened.
I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame.
As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Daniel 7:9-14 KJV
Daniel saw the events of the last days, the rise of the beast empire, the little horn (Antichrist) speaking arrogantly against the Most High God, the tribulation, and the ultimate destruction of the Antichrist, and the establishment of God's everlasting kingdom (Daniel 7:21-27).
Who is this Son of man who comes in the clouds of heaven? How can He approach the Ancient of days? Why does He receive an everlasting kingdom, dominion, and glory, and the worship of every tongue and tribe upon the earth?
Jesus used the title "Son of man" around eighty times in the gospels. We could explore them all, but I will only pick two of them to make my point.
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Matthew 24:29-30 KJV
Jesus is speaking of His second coming in this chapter. He outlines the events of the last days, and makes a direct reference to the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven. Jesus is stating that He is that Son of man seen in Daniel's vision. He is the one worthy to approach the Ancient of days and receive and everlasting kingdom.
When Jesus was arrested and brought before the high priest he was asked,
Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Then the high priest rent his clothes, and said, What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.
Mark 14:62-64 KJV
Jesus' statement enraged the high priest. He tore his clothes in anger and accused Jesus of blasphemy. Jesus had just declared four things in His response.
1. He is the Messiah
2. He is the Son of God
3. He is the Lord sitting at the right hand of God (Psalm 110:1).
4. He is the Son of man who will be exalted.
Four statements in one brief reply to the high priest, all pointing to one reality. Jesus boldly declared that He is indeed God. The high priest and the others at this sham trial all understood what Jesus said. They condemned him for what they perceived as blasphemy.
John saw a vision of the Son of man as recorded in Revelation 1:13-18,
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were a flame of fire;
And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand up on me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death.
Jesus, by declaring Himself to be the first and the last declares Himself to be YAHWEH, the King of Israel, and its redeemer, the LORD of hosts (compare Isaiah 44:6). John has seen the glorified Lord. Compare this with the description of the Ancient of days in Daniel 7:9.
If there is still any doubt that Jesus is worthy to receive worship, we have the testimony of John in Revelation,
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
Revelation 5:11-14 KJV
Did you catch that? They worshipped Him who sat upon the throne, and the Lamb. Throughout these passages that we have looked at we have consistantly seen the Father and the Son together, both divine, both God. As Christians we understand the scriptures teach there is only one God and no other beside Him. We believe the Bible teaches God is a triune being, and again, what we have looked at today proves the deity of the Father and the Son.
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