God Speaks Through Christ

MEMORY VERSE: “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” —John 1:18

HEBREWS 1:1-4

IN THE Revised Standard Version, verse 1 of this passage reads, “In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets.” God’s Holy Spirit directed the message of his holy prophets, so that while they spoke in various ways it was one harmonious declaration of the truth of the divine plan as it is centered in Christ Jesus.

Much of the writing of the prophets is concerned with local events and circumstances which prevailed at the time, but through their writings these prophets also were directed by God to proclaim one or more of the great facts concerning his divine plan of salvation. Prominent among these was the fact of a coming Deliverer and Savior, which in due time was revealed to be Christ Jesus our Lord.

And then, when Jesus began his ministry, God spoke through him. His message did not contradict what had previously been proclaimed by the prophets, but confirmed it, and furnished an inspired explanation of the ancient prophecies. Jesus’ message, then, was not so much a new one as it was a confirmation, enlargement, and explanation of that which God had given through his prophets. And truly he was an honored messenger of the Lord. The Heavenly Father directed him in every word he spoke; and his life also was an example of what the Word of God meant to him, and what it should mean to his followers.

JOHN 1:1-8, 14-18

“In the beginning was the Word.” “Word” as used here is a translation of Logos, meaning messenger, or mouthpiece. Jesus spoke as the mouthpiece of his Heavenly Father. The remainder of this text reads, “The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And then in verse 2 we read, “The same was in the beginning with God.” This translation is confusing. According to a literal rendering of the original Greek text the thought is clearly given that while the Logos, God’s Son, was indeed “a” god, his Heavenly Father was “the” God; that is, the Almighty Jehovah.

Keeping this thought in mind, the passage takes on a clear and beautiful meaning. The Son was in the beginning with the Father, and participated with him in all the creative work. Bearing this out we read in Genesis 1:26, “Let us make man in our image.” This is undoubtedly the Heavenly Father talking to his beloved Son and using the pronouns “us” and “our.” What an honor it was thus to be invited to co-operate with the exalted Creator of the universe!

Paul gives us another confirming comment. Speaking of Christ Jesus, Paul says that he is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”—Col. 1:15-17

John declares that Jesus was that true “Light, that all men through him might believe.” And in John 3:16 we are informed that “whosoever believeth on him” will not perish, “but have everlasting life.” This true Light, the Scriptures declare, will enlighten every man that cometh into he world. This is not accomplished completely in the Gospel Age. Indeed, throughout this age the world continues on in darkness. But during the Millennial Age all will be enlightened, and given a full opportunity to believe and to receive health and life.

“The Word was made flesh.” This is just another way of saying that the Logos left the heavenly glory and was born into this world as a human—“made flesh.” The purpose of this in the divine plan was that he might lay down his perfect human life in sacrifice as a ransom for the redemption of mankind from the penalty of death.

QUESTIONS

By contrast with ages past, how does God now speak to his people?

Who is the Logos, and what relationship does he bear to the Heavenly Father?

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