Outline
In this book, Christ Ahnsahnghong taught that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not different, but one God the Father. He testified that God the Father who created the heavens and the earth and divided the Red Sea, Jesus who shed His blood on the cross for the atonement of humankind’s sins, and the Holy Spirit who gives different kinds of gifts to the saints are not different but the same.
Preface
Today, all the churches around the world call on the name of Jesus, but many of them do not know correctly who Jesus is by nature. It’s because each church interprets the Bible according to its own doctrine. Some churches consider Jesus only as a creature like one of us, denying the Trinity; some say that Jesus is one of the angels; some insist that God and Jesus are not the same, even though the purpose and will of the two are the same; some even say that Jesus failed to fulfill God’s will because He was crucified on the cross 1,900 years ago; some dare to curse Jesus, even saying, “He is a sinner.”
Then, why is there such a great difference among the churches in interpreting the same Bible? It’s because they see the Scriptures, written by the inspiration of the Spirit, with their physical eyes obscured by sin. Jesus said, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me” (Jn 5:39).
The Scriptures Jesus mentioned mean the books of the Old Testament, not of the New Testament. Only those who study all the Prophets of the Old Testament will understand the prophecy that the LORD God will come in the flesh and save His people from their sins as the Messiah; and they will know who He [Jesus] is. In order to recognize Jesus, we should study the Old Testament Prophets carefully rather than waste time constantly arguing with each other.
Without studying the Old Testament prophecies about the Christ to come, we cannot understand who Jesus is. Then, where was Jesus before He came to this earth and who was He? First, let’s study the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets.
CONTENTS
- Chapter 1 About Jesus
- Chapter 2 God in Nature
- Chapter 3 The Prophecy About the LORD Coming as the Messiah
- Chapter 4 Jesus Means Savior
- Chapter 5 Jehovah of the Old Testament Is Jesus of the New Testament
- Chapter 6 Jesus, the Son of God
- Chapter 7 A Stone That Causes Men to Stumble and a Rock That Makes Them Fall
- Chapter 8 About the Holy Spirit
- Chapter 9 Angels and the Holy Spirit
Chapter 1 About Jesus
The Bible prophesies about Jesus in various ways; it describes Him sometimes as God, sometimes as the Son of God, sometimes as a servant of God, and sometimes as a prophet. Unless we study the prophecies carefully, we will fail to realize who Jesus really is. Now, let’s study the prophecies in the Old Testament and their fulfillments in the New Testament.
Dt 18:18 『“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.”』 The Apostle Peter testified that this prophecy was fulfilled through Jesus.
Ac 3:22-24 『“For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to every-thing he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.’ Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days.”』
In the above prophecy, Jesus is described as a prophet. Isaiah the prophet wrote:
Isa 42:1-4 『“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.”』 The fulfillment of this prophecy is found in the Gospel of Matthew.
Mt 12:16-21 『. . . warning them not to tell who he was. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.”』
In the above prophecy, Jesus is described as God’s servant whom God has chosen, the one in whom God delights. The prophet Isaiah also prophesied:
Isa 61:1-2 『The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn . . .』 The fulfillment of this prophecy is found in the Gospel of Luke.
Lk 4:16-21 『He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”』
In this prophecy, Jesus is also regarded as a prophet. However, in the following prophecy written by the same prophet Isaiah, the LORD Himself was prophesied to come as Jesus.
Isa 40:3, 9-11 『A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.” . . . You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.』 This prophecy was fulfilled through John the Baptist and Jesus. As it is written:
Mt 3:1-3 『In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the LORD, make straight paths for him.’”』 This is the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isa 40:3-11.
John the Baptist is the one who came to prepare the way for the LORD, and Jesus is the LORD who came in the flesh.
The prophet Isaiah also prophesied that the LORD would be born as a child:
Isa 7:14 『Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.』 The fulfillment of this prophecy is found in Mt 1:18-23.
Mt 1:18-23 『This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”』
Immanuel means “God with us,” and Jesus “The One who saves His people from their sins.” Immanuel or Jesus indicates God. It is also prophesied:
Isa 9:6-7 『For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the gov-ernment will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.』
The above prophecy is also about the LORD God being born as a child. Besides this verse, there are many verses that prophesy about God coming into the world. Unless we study them carefully, we will not understand them correctly. It is not up to man to recognize Christ; it is a special gift from God. As it is written:
Jn 1:10-13 『He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God―children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.』
Mt 16:16-17 『Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.”』
Chapter 2 God in Nature
God is omnipresent and omnipotent and His throne ranges over the whole universe; so the heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain Him. As it is written:
1 Ki 8:27 『But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!』
Jer 23:24 『“Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the LORD.』
God sees everything. Nothing is hidden from God; everything, even something hidden in the most secret of places, lies bare and completely exposed before the eyes of God. He holds the whole universe in His hands. God is the Almighty, who searches even the smallest things.
Here, we should know that God exists not only as the spirit but also in the flesh; sometimes He may appear as a passerby. As it is written:
Ge 18:1-4, 10 『The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.”』 Then Abraham made some bread and took a tender calf, and he brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before the LORD God, who ate them and said: “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”
By these words God meant that He would be born as Isaac. As it is written:
Jn 8:56 『“Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”』 And the Apostle Paul wrote:
Gal 3:16 『The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.』
“God is spirit” (Jn 4:24). The Spirit of God was once born as Jesus through the body of Mary.
Mt 1:18 『This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.』
And it is written, “. . . you are to give him the name Jesus,” which means “the One who will save His people from their sins.” The prophet Isaiah prophesied:
Isa 7:14 『The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.』 Matthew wrote the meaning of the name:
Mt 1:23 『. . . Immanuel―which means, “God with us.”』
Therefore, the Apostles John and Paul called Jesus the Creator:
Jn 1:1-3 『In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.』
Jn 1:14 『The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.』 And the Apostle Paul wrote:
Php 2:6-8 『Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death―even death on a cross!』
Ro 9:5 『Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.』
Col 1:16 『For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.』
Nothing is too hard for God Almighty. He can be born as a man or appear as a passerby or even as a beggar. So it shouldn’t be a surprise if God is born as a man in this world.
Chapter 3 The Prophecy About the LORD Coming as the Messiah
In the Old Testament, it was prophesied that the LORD [Jehovah] Himself would come into the world as the Messiah. The prophet Malachi wrote:
Mal 3:1 『“See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.”』 By these words the LORD meant that He would send His messenger, John the Baptist, who would prepare the way for Him before He came into this world.
In regard to this prophecy, the prophet Isaiah wrote as follows:
Isa 40:3, 10-11 『A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.” . . . See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.』
Everyone knows that this prophecy is about Jesus’ first coming (Mt 3:1-3; Lk 7:24-27). And the prophet Isaiah wrote:
Isa 54:13 『All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children’s peace.』 In regard to this prophecy, Jesus said as follows:
Jn 6:45-46 『“It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.”』
Jn 14:7-9 『“If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”』
The prophecy in Isa 54:13 is about the LORD coming into this world as the Messiah to teach His people. Whoever has been taught by Jesus is the one who has been taught by God and has seen God. Jesus said, “Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.” This means that everyone who learns from Jesus can come to Him.
Jn 6:46 『“No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.”』
Jn 14:9 『“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”』
Jn 10:30 『“I and the Father are one.”』
When you refer to the above verses, no more explanation is needed. Let’s take a look at the prophecy of Isa 7:14 again:
Isa 7:14 『Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.』 Everyone knows that this prophecy was fulfilled through Jesus, the Spirit of God, who was born as a child through the body of Mary.
In Mt 1:18-23, it is written, “. . . she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit . . . you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” And it is written, “. . . they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”
To speak again, the word “Immanuel” or “Jesus” implies that the Holy Spirit comes in the flesh and saves His people from their sins and is with them. So Isaiah wrote about the child by using honorific titles as follows:
Isa 9:6 『For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the govern-ment will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.』
Jesus called Himself the Son of God, but the Pharisees knew that the Christ, the Son of God, was God Himself. So they blamed Jesus as follows:
Jn 10:33 『“We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”』 The reason the Jews said these things to Jesus was that they knew the Christ, prophesied in the Old Testament, to be God who would come into the world.