For most of my life, I have heard sermons about the explanations of two titles that are used for Jesus in the New Testament. One is the Son of God and the other is the Son of Man. What I heard about these titles is that the title Son of Man illustrates Jesus’ humanity and the title Son of God illustrates His divinity. But as you view these two titles through the lens of the Jewish reader, I am not sure that these two definitions are as cut and dry as we have made them out to be.
For sure, when the title, Son of God, is placed upon Jesus, it is given a literal meaning since He was the only begotten Son of God. But when the Jewish audience heard this term, they were used to this term also being used for a man. Adam was called the Son of God (Luke 3:38) as was Solomon (1 Chronicles 28:6). Even Israel itself is called the firstborn son of God (Exodus 4:22).
But what really seemed to upset the Jewish leaders is when Jesus called Himself the Son of Man. This is when they would tear their clothes and hurl the accusation of blasphemy at Him, saying He was worthy of death. Why was this such an anathema to them? Well, as you look at the term Son of Man through their lens, it quickly becomes apparent why this term troubled them so much and may shed light on how we have maybe overlooked the significance of this term when we make our quick definition that this simply represents His humanity.
In the Old Testament, the term Son of Man is used in two ways. First is the way we traditionally think of it. Ezekiel is called the Son of Man throughout the book to emphasize his humanity and his distance from the divinity and perfection of God. Son of Man is, indeed, a focus of man’s humanity. But in Daniel, we see a different application of the term Son of Man. I believe that it’s through this lens that the term applied to Jesus caused the Jews to feel Jesus was blaspheming when He called Himself the Son of Man:
“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14 ESV).
Notice what Daniel saw about the one like the Son of Man. First, he was with the clouds of heaven. This was an image reserved for God alone according to Deuteronomy 33:27. Yet this was ascribed to the one like the Son of Man. Then, whoever this Son of Man was, He was presented to God, the Ancient of Days in heaven. When this son of man was presented to who I believe is God the Father, He was given an eternal kingdom and He would receive power to rule alongside the Ancient of Days. He would receive service in heaven that only belonged to God.
When Jesus came to earth and used the title Son of Man, which Son of Man is He ascribing to Himself? The Son of Man in Ezekiel or the Son of Man who Daniel saw? Which Son of Man do you think the Jewish people thought Jesus was ascribing to Himself when they tore their clothes and accused Him of blasphemy? To answer this, let’s look at the earliest Gospel written: Mark. This was written perhaps 3 or so decades after Jesus died, which gives us insight into how the earliest Christians viewed Jesus. Some scholars say that the divinity of Jesus was attributed to Jesus centuries after He died, but is this what we see in this early Gospel?
In the first instance where Jesus calls Himself the Son of Man, He does so by ascribing attributes that belong to God Himself:
“And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28 ESV).
The Sabbath observance was given in the Ten Commandments. In this passage, Jesus is making Himself not just Lord of the Sabbath, but Lord over the Law given to Moses. This was a definite attribution to Himself, the Son of Man, that only belongs to God.
Let’s look at places where Jesus is given prerogatives belonging to God, Yahweh Himself, in the Gospels. Look at what John the Baptist says about his ministry as it relates to Jesus. When pressed by the Jewish leaders to explain who he is, John replies with:
“He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (John 1:23 ESV).
This is a quote from Isaiah 40:3:
“A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” (Isaiah 40:3 ESV).
If you notice in my translation (ESV), you will see the word LORD in all caps in the Isaiah reference. This happens when the name of God, Yahweh, is used. You can see that in John’s Gospel, Jesus is inserted where the Old Testament uses Yahweh. Jesus is Yahweh, the name of God.
We don’t have to go far in the Gospel of Mark to see the same thing happening. Jesus is inserted in the Gospel where Yahweh was used in the Old Testament. In Mark 4, we see Jesus calming the storm and Mark ascribes to Him that which the Old Testament ascribes to Yahweh:
“But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4:38-39 ESV).
Look at what the Old Testament says about this very thing:
“For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.” (Psalm 107:25-28 ESV).
Verse 28 says that the LORD, Yahweh, delivered them when they cried out in their distress. Mark says Jesus delivered them from the stormy sea. Even the earliest Gospel plugged Jesus into the things specifically written about Yahweh.
And then we get to the climax of Mark’s Gospel in Mark 14:62 where all of this comes to a focal point. Jesus Himself takes on the attributes of Yahweh and it pushes the Jewish leaders over the edge, and He does it by taking the title, Son of Man. In doing so, He confirms the attributes of deity that the disciples ascribed to Him. When the High Priest asks Him point blank if He is the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, here is how Jesus answers:
“And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62 ESV). Within this one answer, Jesus claims three times that He is Yahweh:
I AM. This is who God said Moses should tell Israel was sending him to free them from Egyptian bondage.
You will see the Son of Man Seated at the right hand of Power. Only God is seated on His throne. For man to claim this position of authority is paramount to blasphemy.
You will see The Son of Man coming in the clouds. Again, this is a reference back to how Daniel saw the Son of Man. Only God comes in the clouds. Jesus was attesting that He was not only the Son of Man in humanity but that He was the one like the Son of Man in Daniel who would share a throne with God and reign in heaven at the side of the Ancient of Days.
There was no doubt that the earliest Christians understood Jesus to be Yahweh, God, having all attributes of God. And thus, He was worthy to be worshiped as God. Is this what the Jews thought when Jesus called Himself the Son of Man? I believe the text leaves no doubt that they understood fully what this meant:
“And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.” (Mark 14:63-64 ESV).
Jesus was the Son of God, But He was also the Son of Man. When we read this title, let’s not be too quick to say that the title Son of Man only represents His humanity. Through the lens of the Jews, they knew that this title meant He was claiming much more, as were His disciples.
And so they nailed Him to the cross for claiming to be the Son of Man.
I love rainbows. Few things cause us to grab a camera faster than seeing a full rainbow so we can share it with our friends. As Christians, we know the deep theology behind the rainbow, don’t we?
After the Flood, God set His bow in the sky as a sign of the covenant to man He made to never again destroy the world by water.
Scientists will tell us that the bow is a natural phenomenon caused by the refraction of light as it hits drops of water. They’re right, but we believe that this is how God set the bow in the sky.
So when we see the bow and marvel at its beauty, let’s not forget why God set it in the sky. The bow is an ongoing, visible gift from God that we can witness even today, representing His promise to us. The bow reminds us that God is not forgetful.
4000 plus years later, God continues to send His bow to us. 4000 years later, we still get to witness a visible sign of His covenant to us.
The next time you see a bow, enjoy its beauty, but don’t forget to say “Thank You” to our God who still keeps His covenant with us.
“I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.” (Genesis 9:13-15 ESV).
Here’s a peek at the contents of my upcoming book, The Sovereignty of God:
Introduction
Chapter 1: What Is Sovereignty?
Chapter 2: Sovereignty: The Potter and the Clay
Chapter 3: Fundamental Attributes of Sovereignty
Chapter 4: God’s Sovereignty and Man’s Free Will
Chapter 5: God’s Sovereignty Seen In Job
Chapter 6: God’s Sovereignty Seen In Daniel 4
Chapter 7: Ways God Accomplishes His Purposes
Chapter 8: Foreknowledge And God’s Sovereignty
Chapter 9: Prayers, Providence, Miracles, and the Sovereignty of God
Chapter 10: What Will I Do With The Sovereignty Of God?
Awesome quote from Ken Weliever during his lesson at our Legacy Weekend tonight:
“Next time the devil reminds you of your past, you remind him of his future!”
Amen!
In 2 Kings 6, we read a few short verses that contain an amazing miracle from God. The chapter starts with the prophets of the Lord building a larger dwelling for themselves. As one of them was cutting a log, the axe head came off the handle and fell into the water.
“But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, “Alas, my master! It was borrowed.” Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. And he said, “Take it up.” So he reached out his hand and took it.” (2 Kings 6:5-7 ESV).
Elisha, the man of God, performed a miracle and did the impossible, causing the iron axe head to float. That should teach us a valuable lesson.
Nothing is impossible for God.
When we have a need, let’s not spend time trying to determine if the need is too big for God. If God can make an iron axe head float in water, isn’t there nothing that He can’t do for us if it is His will to accomplish it for us?
When we find ourselves praised by those in the world, let’s remember Him from Whom all blessings flow.
It’s much too easy to confuse God’s blessings with our own greatness.
The same God who raises us up for His glory can also bring us down for His glory.
When we find favor in the eyes of others, let us thank God and use that favor to His glory.
“And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him.” (1 Chronicles 11:9 ESV).
“The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.” (Genesis 39:2 ESV).
“And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,” (Daniel 1:9 ESV).
I’m in 1 Chronicles 22 in my daily Bible reading. In this chapter, King David prepares material for the building of the Temple that Solomon, his son, will build.
He then charges Solomon with the task of building the Temple, showing His son all that he has prepared for the Temple. David ends with instructions to Solomon to be faithful to the Lord.
When we distill 1 Chronicles 22 (also chapter 28) down to its simplest message, isn’t it that fathers should spend their life preparing their children to serve the Lord and work to prepare all we can for their success in serving God?
Fathers, what have we done to prepare for our children’s successful service to the Lord?
Have we had our one-on-one conversations with them, encouraging them to serve God all of their lives showing them how to be a successful servant to God when we are gone?
I started 2 Chronicles in my daily Bible reading. In chapter 6, Solomon is dedicating the Temple.
In one part of the dedication, Solomon pleads with God to listen to the hearts of the people when they cry out to Him in prayer.
When we pray to God, what is really in our hearts? Do we pray one thing with our lips and another with our hearts?
Let’s not be deceived. God will not be swayed by our lips when our hearts speak to Him something different.
In humble honesty, let us come before the Lord with pure hearts and pure lips. This is what our great God longs from us.
“whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing his own affliction and his own sorrow and stretching out his hands toward this house, then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways, for you, you only, know the hearts of the children of mankind, that they may fear you and walk in your ways all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.” (2 Chronicles 6:29
God is not looking for a way to extend His judgment upon you,
He is eagerly looking for a way to extend His grace upon you.
Submit to God in your walk with His Son so He will extend His goodness and not His judgment.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37 ESV).
Jordan Shouse is speaking on living an authentic life instead of a fake life.
Integrity demands we don’t put on a show and portray ourselves differently from who we are.
If we are not the person who we want people to think we are, don’t pretend to be. Rather become the person we want to be.
If we want people to see us as righteous, then be righteous. Don’t pretend to be righteous.
Presidents deliver gaffes.
Queens die.
Governors have one set of rules for themselves and another for everyone else.
But..
King Jesus’ words transforms and saves.
King Jesus conquered death for us.
King Jesus never changes and treats everyone equally.
When you have to grab the Tums when men spin the world out of control, remember that King Jesus is trustworthy, dependable, and predictable.
In the end, King Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings.
When the world seems to burn around us, we sleep well because we find comfort in the Lord.
If you want peace, then submit to the only One who can give you true peace in the midst of a world plagued with distress, frustration, stress, and agitation.
Do we double down in sin? This is what king Ahaz did. Even some of the most evil kings, like Manassas, humbled themselves when God brought them low, but not Ahaz.
If we cannot humble ourselves before the Lord, but double down in our sins, it’s a dangerous sign that we may be much closer to the point of no return in our relationship with God.
May we never reach the point that instead of humble repentance, we double down in our sins before Him.
“In the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the LORD—this same King Ahaz.
For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.” (2 Chronicles 28:22-23 ESV).
As I read through Ezra, it’s a rather exciting book as you read it through in one reading. No matter what man tried to do to alter God’s purpose, in the end, God ensured that His will was done concerning the rebuilding of the Temple.
But that didn’t mean the Jews didn’t have to face opposition, discouragement, or threats that put fear in them. But in light of all this, God was still able to accomplish His will.
What a great God we serve Who doesn’t need man’s consent or cooperation to accomplish His purposes.
“and this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.” (Ezra 6:15 ESV).
So, I recently prayed for patience and God gave me stressful situations that tested my patience.
I spoke without thinking and acted from a disposition of anger.
My cause was just, at least in my mind, but somewhere in the midst of taking someone to the proverbial woodshed, it dawned on me that God was trying to give me what I had asked Him for.
Coming to that realization changed everything for me. I began to ask myself, how would Jesus respond if He were in my situation (yeah, I know, WWJD).
But thinking through that yielded some humbling thoughts. I do not believe He’d have a tongue as sharp as mine.
I don’t believe He’d let anger fester and replay someone else’s actions in His mind over and over, triggering Himself through a corrosive self-talk.
I think He’d be looking for ways to extend grace when grace wasn’t due.
At first, I thought about how much I failed this opportunity to learn patience, but then I realized that part of learning patience is being able to recognize, in the moment, where you are lacking so you can make godly adjustments.
So, I applied what I learned, humbled myself, and not only repaired the damage my anger-filled tongue had caused, but I was able to calm my inner storm and mend a relationship with a fellow man who is also made in God’s image.
My takeaway… My walk with Jesus isn’t about getting it right all the time; rather, it’s about getting back up when I fall and keep walking with Him.
He has proven to be a faithful Friend and Master who has the patience with me that I seek to have with others.
In Nehemiah 9, the people of Israel listened to their past recounted to them where God would save them, and then they would fall back into sin only to repeat the pattern of salvation and falling away over and over.
Too often, when we experience the consequences of our sins, we want to reach out and blame someone else for our consequences. Many times, the person we blame is God.
But listen to how the Levites characterized God and the people:
“Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.” (Nehemiah 9:33 ESV).
When we act wickedly and suffer the consequences, can we humble ourselves and say to God, “You have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.”
Or do we lash out at God and say to Him, “I have dealt faithfully and You have acted wickedly.”
We may not say it with our lips, but is this what our hearts are saying?
The first step in reconciliation with God is to recognize our condition so we can approach our God with a humble heart and He will forgive and create a new heart in us.
Asking for patience is easy...
Developing patience takes dedication and hard work.
So, Boaz was Ruth’s redeemer. Under the law, a man could sell his inheritance in hard times, but he never lost the claim on the land.
In hard times of famine, Ruth’s family sold their land with the hopes of redeeming it when times were better. But Ruth’s husband and male children died before they could redeem their land.
When Ruth returned home, she had no means to redeem their land back to their family. So, Boaz stepped up as a close relative and redeemed her family’s land on her behalf.
Boaz certainly lived one of the greatest love stories ever written because it was far more than romantic love. He showed grace by redeeming this family’s inheritance for them.
When we lost our inheritance to the Garden of Eden, it took a redeemer to step in on our behalf to redeem by grace what we could not redeem for ourselves.
Jesus redeemed us and restored our place with God when we had no other hope.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3
Today, we worship the King together. And perhaps, if it is His time, we may even get to see Him in the clouds this afternoon.
Are you ready?
Rickie Jenkins is preaching about how we view suffering. Joseph is a wonderful example of someone who looked at the evil in his life and saw the good that God could work through it.
This morning, we have all been given the gift of God’s long-suffering. We woke up to a new day, not to live according to our desires, but to glorify Him.
What will you do with this gift of long-suffering today?
“But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” (Psalm 86:15 ESV).
“Salvation is from God. Works are out of gratitude, not in order to earn or deserve a thing.”
Thanks, Kris Emerson.