Jehovah is Christ Searching the Scriptures Series

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe that Jehovah is Christ. There are some who are not of our faith who also share in that belief. For instance, we have Franz Delitzsch, one of the most eminent Old Testament exegetes, who explained: “יְהוָה צִדְקֵנוּ (Jehovah our Righteousness) is also used as a name of the Messiah—a Messianic name [one also included in Jewish teachings] (vid. Midrash Mishle 57a, where this is adduced as one of the eight names of the Messiah).”  

Some of our fellow Christians, however, have been confused into thinking that Jehovah is the Father. I will attempt to demonstrate, rather, that Jehovah is Jesus Christ. I will do so using the Bible as my proof text. More specifically, Isaiah 6 which is quoted in John 12.  

Biblical proof

As I read John 12:36–41, I see John testifying that Jehovah is Jesus the Christ.

Let us first turn to Isaiah 6:3–5 (in these verses the Seraphim were giving glory to Jehovah יהוה, or Yahweh, after which Isaiah speaks of his feelings of inadequacy at seeing Jehovah):

“And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. ¶ Then said I, Woe is me!  for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 6:3–5).

Carefully note the double mention of the Lord of Hosts, Jehovah Tzebaoth, or יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת: once in Isaiah 6:3 (Holy, Holy, Holy is Yahweh Tzebaoth: קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת) and once in Isaiah 6:5 (The King Yahweh Tzebaoth: אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת). It is established without a doubt, then, that the Hebrew text is speaking of Jehovah (יהוה).

Now we quote additional verses in Isaiah 6 in order to give added context: “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?  Then said I, Here am I; send me. ¶ And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed” (Isaiah 6:8–10).

Now, let us go to John 12. We first quote the end of Christ’s comments: “While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.” Next, John quotes Isaiah 6 (see above), and closes with an allusion to the early verses, where Isaiah saw the pre-mortal Jehovah: “But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him [that is, on Christ—GB]: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he [i.e., Isaiah—GB] saw his [i.e., Christ—GB] glory, and spake of him [i.e., of Christ—GB]” (John 12:36–41, speaking that they would not believe in Christ, emphasis added).

Proof

The Isaiah 6 verses speak about Jehovah. John quotes these same verses as referring to Jesus Christ. Therefore, we have Biblical proof that Jesus Christ is Jehovah. More importantly, we have the testimony of the latter-day prophets, seers and revelators.

Source

Isaiah Testifies of Christ (3rd Edition, 2017) by Gregorio Billikopf.

Searching the Scriptures Series

This is the fourth article in the Searching the Scriptures Series. You may contact the author at bielikov2@yahoo.cl