There is a great misunderstanding in the church (including Messianic and Hebrew Roots followers), of the 21st century that says the Father in the Old Testament is Jehovah/Yehovah (Some say Yahweh, but that spelling isn't in the Masoretic Text/Hebrew Bible).
This is erroneous.
The New Testament writers clearly teach that Yahweh/Jehovah (who is also known as The Word in other contemporary Jewish translations of the time period - the Targums and John 1:1), became Jesus in the flesh, which means that Jesus in his pre-incarnate state was the God of the Old Testament whom people saw 44 times and interacted with, even speaking with face-to-face.
Jesus himself admitted this fact when he replied to the high priest in John 8:58, " Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." Jesus claimed to be the unique Son of God. As a result, the Jewish leaders tried to kill Him because in “calling God his own Father, "[Jesus was] making himself equal with God” (John 5:18). To the Judean leadership this was the epitome of blasphemy, for they knew that in doing so Jesus was clearly claiming to be God. On yet another occasion, Jesus explicitly told the them: “‘I and the Father are one.’ Again the Judean Leadership picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, ‘I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?’ ‘We are not stoning you for any of these,’ they replied, ‘but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God’” (John10:30–33).
Jesus made an unmistakable claim to deity before the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin. Caiaphas the high priest asked Him: “‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?’ ‘I am,’ said Jesus. ‘And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven’” (Mark14:61–62). A biblically illiterate person might well have missed the import of Jesus’ words. Caiaphas and the council, however, did not. They knew that in saying he was “the Son of Man” who would come “on the clouds of heaven” he was making an overt reference to the Son of Man in Daniel’s prophecy (Dan. 7:13–14). In doing so, He was not only claiming to be the preexistent Sovereign of the universe but prophesying that He would vindicate His claim by judging the very court that was now condemning Him. Moreover, by combining Daniel’s prophecy with David’s proclamation in Psalm 110, Jesus was claiming that He would sit upon the throne of Israel’s God and share God’s very glory. To students of the Old Testament this was the height of “blasphemy,” thus “they all condemned him as worthy of death” (Mark14:64–65).
Finally, Jesus claimed to possess the very attributes of God. For example, He claimed omniscience by telling Peter, “This very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times” (Matt.26:34); declared omnipotence by not only resurrecting Lazarus (John 11:43) but by raising Himself from the dead (John 2:19); and professed omnipresence by promising that He would be with His disciples “to the very end of the age” (Matt.28:20). Not only so, but Jesus said to the paralytic in Luke 5:20, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” In doing so, He claimed a prerogative reserved for God alone. In addition, when Thomas worshiped Jesus saying “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28), Jesus responded with commendation rather than condemnation.
Jesus stated clearly that,No one has ever seen his Father, except him. (John 6:46) And Jesus also stated, "Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
THE CREATOR - JESUS OR HIS FATHER?
The New Testament writers clearly teach us that Jesus, as God/The Word, created all things: Jn 1:1-3 See also Jn 1:10; Ac 3:15; 1Co 8:6; Col 1:15-16; Heb 1:2
Jesus himself sustains the created universe: Heb 1:3 See also 1Co 8:6; Col 1:17; Rev 3:14 The word translated “ruler” can mean either “beginning” or “first in rank”.
Jesus will bring the entire work of creation to perfection: Eph 1:9-10 See also Ro 8:19-22; Col 1:20
THE NEW CREATION MADE BY JESUS OR HIS FATHER?
Jesus makes a new creation possible -
Jesus recreates people through a new birth: 2Co 5:17 See also Jn 1:12-13; Jn 3:5-6; Gal 6:15; Jas 1:18
Jesus’s work of new creation should be evident in believers’ lives: Eph 4:24 See also Eph 3:15; Col 3:10
Through Jesus a new heaven and earth will be created: 2Pe 3:13 The promise was given in Isa 65:17; 66:22. See also Rev 21:1,4-5
So in the HEBREW Bible/Old Testament, who have Men seen?
(NOTE: Some people go on to teach that Jesus and the Father are one-in-the-same, not understanding the doctrine of the Godhead. This Oneness Doctrine is not justified, and falls apart when looking at actual historical texts, and the Bible, to understand what the 1st believers accepted, understood, knew and taught.)
This very basic study is an example of what Believing Scholars have historically called, Christology. A foundational study sadly missing from basic discipleship in many circles today.
Here is a final thought. COMPAIR the following:
The Theology of the New Testament is exactly the Theology of the Old Testament (Malachi 3:6/Hebrews 13:8, 4.9)
Isaiah 44:6
"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.
Isaiah 48:12
"Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last.
Isaiah 41:4
"Who has performed and accomplished it, Calling forth the generations from the beginning? 'I, the LORD, am the first, and with the last I am He.'"
Revelation 22:13
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."
And finally, in this passage, Jesus calls himself a title for God that is only reserved for the God of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible:
Revelation 1:8
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
Interested in learning more? Get the Bible that reveals it all more clearly than any other:
