Who Was the God of the Old Testament?

“Why, of course, God the Father!”

That’s what most Christians would say, without hesitation. Would you agree with it? Are you really sure?

It is popularly taught, seemingly as a standard doctrine, that God the Father is the God of the Old Testament, while Jesus Christ is the God of the New Testament.

But what does the Bible really say? Can that belief be proven beyond a shadow of doubt? The true biblical answer may shock you!

It’s time we carefully examine the Bible to find the truth concerning this popular belief. But first, here is one difficult and intriguing question.

A difficult question some prefer not to even ask

Since God the Father is supposedly the God of the Old Testament, and since Jesus Christ is also God (as the “Alpha and Omega”— the First and the Last, the One with no beginning and no end), where was Christ during the thousands-of-years-long period of Old Testament history? Or, where was Jesus Christ as a God Being before His human birth?

The very shocking revelation of Jesus Christ

When Christ was on earth, He shocked the religious community of His day. He made some very disturbing and startling revelations which toppled the solidly established beliefs of the people — especially the top religious leaders and scholars. In effect, He told them that the real Supreme God of All (which for the first time He began to call His Father) has never revealed Himself to mankind — in any manner, shape, or form. The Father was not seen or heard by anyone during all those ancient times! Adding to their shock and disbelief, Jesus Christ — who just looked like an ordinary man — claimed that only He has seen God the Father! For all these unorthodox statements, Christ was vigorously opposed, hated, and almost stoned for blasphemy.

Christ accused on being influenced by the Devil

Not only did the religious establishment hate Him for His unheard-of and shocking statements, they also accused Him of being demon-possessed (John 7:20). Of course, Christ countered by saying that, due to their lying and murderous attitudes, their [spiritual] father was the Devil (John 8:44).

Christ older than their father Abraham?

This animosity turned from bad to worse when Christ said: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (John 8:56). This disbelief and disdain grew to a great hatred when Christ clearly affirmed: “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58). With this, they took up stones to stone Him [to death for blasphemy] (John 8:59).

SOME VERY SHOCKING STATEMENTS OF CHRIST QUOTED BY JOHN:

Here are some of those shocking statements uttered by Christ concerning God the Father, as quoted by the apostle John in his writings:

[Christ said] “No one has seen God [the Father] at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared [revealed] Him.” (John 1:18)

[Christ said] “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He [Christ] who is from God; He [Christ] has seen the Father. (John 6:46)

[Christ said] “And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.” (John 5:37)

[John re-affirmed] “No one has seen God [the Father] at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. (1 John 4:12)

[NOTE: Toward the end of his life, very late in the first century, the last surviving apostle John still remembered what he heard from Christ about 70 years earlier as a young disciple then when he stated, “No one has seen God [the Father] at any time.”]

WHO THEN WAS THAT “GOD-BEING” THE PEOPLE OF OLD SAW?

If no one (whether patriarchs like Abraham, nor other biblical personalities) has ever seen or heard the Father at any time, who then did they actually meet?

MANIFESTATIONS OF THE “GOD OF ISRAEL” IN ANCIENT TIMES:

• God appeared to Abraham many times (Genesis 12:1-3, 7; 17:1-22; 18:1-33)
• God appeared to Isaac at least twice (Genesis 26:2-5, 24)
• God appeared to Jacob many times: (Genesis 35:1, 9; 32:22-30)
• God appeared to Moses many times (Exodus 3:2-4:17; Deuteronomy 31:14-21)
• God appeared as a pillar of fire and cloud to Israel (Exodus 13:22; Numbers 14:14)
• God thundered His Laws from Mt. Sinai before Israel (Exodus 19:16-20)
• God appeared to Moses with the 70 Elders of Israel (Exodus 24:9-18)
• Joshua encounters the Commander of the Lord’s Army (Joshua 5:13-15)
• God appeared to Samuel (1 Samuel 3:21)
• God appeared to Solomon twice (1 Kings 3:5-15; 9:2-9)

PROOFS THAT THE GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IS THE ONE WHO BECAME JESUS THE CHRIST IN THE NEW TESTAMENT:

[Please compare each of the Old Testament Scripture with the corresponding New Testament Scripture, and you will see that both refers to that very same Being (the God in the Old Testament) and the Christ in the New Testament.]

• The CREATOR GOD in the O.T. is the One who became Jesus Christ in the N.T.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

“In the beginning was the Word [who was Jesus Christ, v.14], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him [Jesus Christ], and without Him nothing was made that was made.” (John 1:1-3)

“For by Him [Jesus Christ] all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1:16)

• The God of Israel who led Israel out of Egypt is the Christ in the N.T.

“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4)

• Christ Existed Before Abraham, when He said, “before Abraham was, I AM”

Then the LORD appeared to him [Abraham] … as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. …and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said,” My Lord,… (Genesis 18:1-3)

[NOTE: Abraham worshipped that Divine Being who visited him in the Old Testament time. Notice that in the New Testament, Christ spoke about that very same meeting with Abraham.]

[Christ said] “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (John 8:56-58)  [NOTE: “I AM” was an answer to Moses’ question. (Exodus 3:13,14)].

• The “First and the Last” in the O.T. is the same “First and the Last” in Revelation

“Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? ‘I, the LORD, am the first; And with the last I am He.‘” (Isaiah 41:4)

“And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.” (Revelation 1:17)

• The Old Testament God of Israel is also called “Savior”

“For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” (Isaiah 43:3)

“I, even I, am the LORD, And besides Me there is no savior. (Isaiah 43:11)

“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)

• The Holy One of Israel in the Old Testament is also called “Redeemer”

“Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel…” (Isaiah 43:14)

“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, (Luke 1:68)

• The Holy One of Israel is also called “The King of Israel”

“I am the LORD, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King.” (Isaiah 43:15)

“Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49)

• The God of the O.T. “blots out transgressions” the same as Christ in the N.T.

“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. “(Isaiah 43:25)

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,” (Acts 3:19)

Thus, we can see from these Scriptural evidences that the God of the Old Testament is the very same Being Who eventually appeared as the Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

IMPLICATIONS

The FACTS presented here have major implications on how we view that part of Scripture called the Old Testament (which should be more properly called the Hebrew Writings). The use of the word “Old” carries the unintended and unwarranted connotation (especially when used to refer to the Scriptures) which denotes worthy of being thrown away, discarded or abolished. Because of such grossly mistaken view, even the very important cardinal Code for human conduct like the Ten Commandments has been erroneously viewed by many as also “abolished.” One of the important reasons why even the ancient history of Israel is preserved for us is stated in 1 Corinthians 10:11.

The Divine Being who inspired all of those writings is still very much alive and will continue to live forever because He is Eternal. His Divine name somehow loses its full powerful implications when it is changed into and substituted with “Lord God.” His true name, YHWH Elohim, denotes One Who is Eternal and connected to a Great Family Name which points also to the Father. (More details on this subject will be discussed in future articles on this website.)

THEREFORE, WHERE IS “GOD THE FATHER” IN ALL THESE?

“For there is one God [the Father] and one Mediator [the Christ] between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,´(1 Timothy 2:5)

Based on this important and pivotal verse, the only Being who interacts between God the Father and humans since the Old Testament time period was/is the LORD God [YHWH Elohim] of Israel, who later appeared in the New Testament period as the Man Jesus the Christ [Yahshua Messiah]. This system of interaction will prevail until Christ has conquered the last enemy (death and mortality) at which time, The Father will finally dwell with men (Revelation 21:3-4), and when God the Father will then be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:25-28).

CONCLUSION

What you just read in this article is likewise a very shocking revelation to most Christians today, in the same way that it was a shocking revelation to the established religious community in Christ’s day. We now know that as the God of Israel in ancient times, Christ has always been a very active Being in human affairs even before His human birth.

In this article, we have again uncovered another great deception foisted upon Christianity itself by Satan, the great deceiver of this world (Revelation 12:9). Let’s continue to help pray that more Biblical Truths article will be published so more people will be enlightened. Christ said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” [including from deception] (John 8:32).