You might be surprised to know how often the OT indicates that the Messiah would be the LORD Himself, and how often those OT passages are used in the NT of Jesus of Nazareth. We mentioned one in the previous post.
· Isaiah 43:11/Titus 2:13. There are frequent statements by God that there is no other God. This one also states, besides Me there is no savior. A good friend and fellow-laborer of my father, who became a good friend to us as well, liked to use this with Jehovah’s Witnesses when he encountered them. He would turn to Titus 2:13 where Jesus is referred to as, our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (NKJV). I like to check the New World “perversion” (the J.W. translation, which regularly reads different than any other English versions). Here is what the latest edition says: “while we wait for the happy hope and glorious manifestation of the great God and of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” Notice that they put in an extra “of” to distinguish between God and Jesus, as if they are not the same. The Greek does not call for this. But even if you lay aside that issue, the passage still says Jesus Christ is our Savior, and Isaiah says there is no savior but Jehovah.
· Isaiah 48:12-13/Rev. 1:11,17; 22:13. How many can be said to be the first and the last? Only one, of course. If there are two, then one must be second and second to the last. Isaiah clearly identifies the creator of heaven and earth, the God who called Israel to be His, He is the first and the last. Revelation, in the passages we have given, is clearly speaking of Jesus. In 1:11,17 it is the voice that John heard, and who is described in v11-17. It is Jesus. In 22:12-13, the first and the last is the One who is coming quickly. It is Jesus. How can Jehovah and Jesus both be first and last? Only if they are One!
· Isaiah 48:16. While we are in this area of Isaiah, notice this great statement about the Triune God. The one who is claiming to be “first and last” (v12-13) continues to speak, and says And now the Lord GOD (Adonai Jehovah) and His Spirit have sent Me.
· Isaiah 59:15-21/John 10:30-39. Israel, and all of humanity, need a Redeemer (v20). But look, in v16, there is another term: “intercessor.” That is what a Redeemer is: one who intercedes, who comes between holy God and sinful Man and resolves the sin issue so that Man and God can be at peace, reconciled, no longer at enmity. Remember: the Redeemer/Intercessor God promised would be “the seed of the woman” (Gen. 3:15; i.e. a human, a man). But Isaiah says the LORD looked and there was no man. No one could fill the requirement of one who was sustained by “His own righteousness” (v16). Every man had his own sin and thus could not be the spotless Lamb of God. Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him. You mean He found something or someone else? No! For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. The LORD did this. HE BECAME A MAN! He met the requirements! That is why there is such a perfect unity between the LORD and His words and works (v21). As Jesus said, I and My Father are one (Jn. 10:30). The Jews understood, He was claiming to be God (v31,33). Jesus asked “Why, for what works of My Father do you stone Me” (v32). If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him (v37-38). Jesus was fulfilling the requirement of Isaiah when He said these things.
With all this in mind, remember: If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Rom. 10:9-10).
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