Jesus Christ is Yahweh incarnate. Jesus Christ is the covenant God of Israel – the one true God of heaven and earth – become man. He is the divine Creator who, to Moses, named himself “I Am”, or “Yahweh” (Exodus 3:14). In order to demonstrate this, I offer you all the biblical evidence, both explicit and implicit, concerning the deity of Jesus Christ. Let me cite just one example. When Judas Iscariot came with the temple guard to arrest Jesus in the garden at Gethsemane, John records Jesus asking, “Whom do you seek?” (Jn. 18:4, LSB). When they answer, “Jesus the Nazarene,” Jesus responds, “I am He” (Jn. 18:5, 6). In Greek, Jesus’ response is simply two words: “I am.” John tells us that when Jesus utters this statement, his arrestors, “…drew back and fell to the ground” (Jn. 18:6). John doesn’t specify why they do this. He doesn’t need to. Anyone who knows the Old Testament, anyone who’s read John’s gospel up to chapter 18, can’t miss the point: This Jesus is Yahweh incarnate! How could these men not fall on their faces when he answers, “I am”?
Because Jesus Christ is Yahweh incarnate, it’s important to read the Old Testament with an awareness of Christ. Now, to be sure, we must be careful in doing so. It’s also important to let the Old Testament speak on its own terms, as it did to its original audience. We can’t replace Yahweh of Genesis-Malachi with Jesus Christ alone, and thereby forget Scripture’s doctrine of the Trinity. But, with these cautions in place, we must let Scripture – Scripture in its totality – be what it is, a testimony to Christ (Luke 24:27). Accordingly then, let’s consider something of a devotional move with Psalm 34. Consider this Psalm with Jesus Christ explicitly present as Yahweh incarnate (Note: I’ve used the English Standard Bible’s translation of Psalm 34, and substituted JESUS for LORD, which translates Yahweh, whenever LORD appears):
I will bless JESUS at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in JESUS; let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify JESUS with me, and let us exalt his name together.
I sought JESUS, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and JESUS heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of JESUS encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that JESUS is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Oh, fear JESUS, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!
The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek JESUS lack no good thing.
Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of JESUS.
What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of JESUS are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.
The face of JESUS is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, JESUS hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.
JESUS is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but JESUS delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.
Affliction will slay the wicked and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
JESUS redeems the life of his servants;
None of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Should we always read Psalm 34 like this? No. There’s a reason the Holy Spirit inspired David to write in days before the incarnation of the Son of God. Psalm 34 testifies to God’s work in his triunity – Father, Son, and Spirit. But, it is the privilege and joy of Christians to find in Psalm 34 what’s really there; namely Jesus Christ glorified.
(Note: I’m indebted here to John Piper for spurring my thoughts through recent reading in his book: Expository Exultation.)
Fix Your Mind 