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Jesus, the Heavenly Man
Writter: Evangelos D. Kepenes (October 19, 2021, 17:30)
The First man and the Second man
“For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another.” (1Cor, 15:39-40)
Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life, is the One true God who appeared in heavenly flesh (body).
Jesus identified his flesh with the manna from heaven
“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John. 6:48-51)
“He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.” (John 8:23)
“The First man [being made] out of the earth, [was] earthy: the Second man [is] the Lord from heaven.” (1Cor. 15:47, Worsley)
The First earthly man returns to the soil
“Please remember that you’ve made me like clay and you’ll return me to dust.” (Job 10:9, ISV)
Jesus, the Second man from heaven, returned to the heavenly Glory
“I came out from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go unto the Father.” (John 16:28)
God is One
“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am Ηe. Before Μe no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior.” (Is. 43:10-11)
“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.” (Is. 44:6)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev. 1:8)
By saying "I am the Alpha and the Omega " the Lord Jesus identifies himself with the ONE Almighty God, since only one God exists, has always existed without beginning and will exist forever. The verse has the same meaning, where the Son of God says about himself: "I AM the First and the Last and the Living" (Rev. 1:17-18)
These are attributes of God alone, since the One God Father through Isaiah reveals that: "I am the First and I am the Last, and besides me there is no God" (44: 6).
Jesus testified about Himself that He is the visible manifestation of the Father “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father”. (John 14:9)
He did not say, " Whoever has seen me has seen the incarnated pre-existing second god, the Son."
The right side of God / the right hand of God
“If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” (Ps. 139:9-10)
“Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power, your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.” (Ex. 16:6)
“Therefore being exalted by the right [hand] of God, and having received of the Father the promise of the holy Spirit, He hath poured forth this [gift,] which ye now see and hear.” (Acts 2:33, Worsley. See also Acts 5:31)
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at [the] right [hand] of God.” (Col. 3:11. EMTV)
“So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19)
Note: Grk txt quotes “at the right side of God”
It is also written about wisdom
"Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding … Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor." (Prov. 3:13-16)
“A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.” (Ec. 10:2)
The whole Bible contains anthropomorphic or natural expressions and local designations that define the character and attributes of God, e.g.
His miraculous power and majesty:
“So the charmers said to Pharao, This is the finger of God. But the heart of Pharao was hardened, and he hearkened not to them, as the Lord said.” (Ex. 8:19)
“Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies.” (Ps. 68:34)
His sorrow:
“And the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.” (1Sam. 15:35)
His protection and His mercy:
“How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.” (Ps. 36:7-8)
“The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.” (Ps. 34:35)
His omniscience and His omnipresence:
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” (2Chron.16:9)
His righteousness:
“As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with righteousness.” (Ps. 48:10)
“The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.” (Ps. 97:6)
His sovereignty:
“Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?” (Is. 66:1)
His judgment:
“And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.” (Mat. 25:33)
His anger:
“He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them: and the Lord shall deride them.” (Ps. 2-4)
Note: Grk txt quotes “shall ἐ κ μ υ κ τ η ρ ι ε ῖ them = he shall turn up His nose”. The Hebrew word for “nose” or “nostril” is often used figuratively for anger.
So can we think that God, who is Spirit, has hands, feet, eyes, ears, nostrils, heart or wings? Of course not.
And how do we locally determine the right or the left of God, since He is the Lord of Heaven and Earth and in Him we live and move and have our being; (Acts 17:24-28)
Conclusion
“And blessed be the name of His majesty (Grk txt quotes glory) for ever: and the whole earth shall be filled with his glory. So be it. So be it.” (Ps. 72:19, DRC)
Jesus Christ Himself is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his hypostasis, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power”, “who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption” for the purpose of the intercession and our reconciliation with God.
“But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1Cor. 1:23-24)
Τhere are no two gods, one small and one big. nor are they two gods sitting side by side, nor are there two thrones. God is One.
In the book of Revelation there is One seated on the Throne
"A glorious throne set on high from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary." (Jer. 17:12)
“At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a Throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the Throne.” (Rev. 4:2)
“And He who was seated on the Throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.” (Rev. 21:5-6)
Amen
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