Identity Crisis - The Messiah or the LORD? (part 3)

I'm assuming you've read my previous posts, where we began learning from Scriptures that the Messiah is one and the same as the LORD. (If you haven't read it, it would be good to start with Part 1 and Part 2.) Let's jump right back in and continue.

Whose Throne Will Everyone Bow Before?

Most Christians are familiar with the Biblical teaching that everyone will bow before Jesus' throne and confess Him to be Lord. This teaching mainly comes from Paul's writing in Philippians 2:9-11, which says:

"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

But what a lot of people don't realize is that Paul didn't come up with this teaching on His own. Paul was referencing an Old Testament passage, Isaiah 45:22-24.
"Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say, 'Surely in the LORD I have righteousness and strength.'"

It appears that every knee will bow before the throne of Jesus - Who is Yahweh Himself. Now we can see that "Confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Philippians 2:11) means a lot more than simply admitting that He is the boss. No, one day every tongue will confess that Jesus is God!

Paul directly quotes from Isaiah in Romans 14:10-11. Here, he leaves no doubt that Yahweh and Jesus are the same:

"But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ. For it is written, "As I live, says Yahweh, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God."

On that day, millions of people will bow their knees before the throne of Jesus Christ and confess that He is GOD!

Whoever Calls On What Name?

Of course, confessing this truth on the day of Judgment won't be enough for salvation. If you want this confession to make a difference in eternity, then it must be made in this life...before it's too late! Take a look at this well-known passage, and see for yourselves what a person must confess to be saved:

"That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, 'Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For 'whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.'"

Follow Paul's train of thought in this passage:

1 - With the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.

2 - Therefore, you must confess the Lord Jesus to be saved.

Why? 

3 - Because whoever calls on the name of the LORD (Yahweh) shall be saved!

To confess that He is Lord goes far beyond confessing Him as your Lord. No, the confession unto salvation is when you declare Him to be THE LORD - Yahweh Himself!

Who Is Going To Lead the Armies of Heaven?

Looking ahead to the day of Jesus' return to rule and reign on earth, Revelation 19:11-15 says:

"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses."

Clearly, the One on the white horse was Jesus Himself. (In John 1, we found that "the Word" is a title for Jesus.) In this chapter, we see the day that He leads the armies of saints out of Heaven and down to the earth. This is the day that the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of God...He comes to take over and reign over men.

Joel chapter 2 calls this the "Day of the LORD." Only in this chapter, look Who is leading the armies of Heaven!

Joel 2:11 "The LORD gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for strong is the One who executes His Word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; who can endure it?"

We see that Jesus is leading the heavenly armies in Revelation 19.

But Joel 2:11 calls Him Yahweh.

Who Will Be Giving Out Rewards?

After Jesus sets up His kingdom on earth, He will distribute His rewards to His people - to each according to their works. In Revelation 22:12-13, we read Jesus' own words: "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work."

When John heard Jesus say this, he must've remembered hearing these words before. We can see them written centuries earlier, in Isaiah 40:10 - "Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him."

So which is is it? Will we be rewarded by Jesus, or by Yahweh? The answer is simple - for those who are willing to accept it. Jesus is Yahweh!