Thus Saith the Lord

Isaiah 44:6-8

6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Isaiah is making the point that there is truly only one real God. Therefore, this is a perfect scripture to corroborate the point intended. However, we need to take a closer look at some of the terms he uses in this verse.

THUS SAITH THE LORD..... The scripture begins with the terminology ‘thus saith the Lord.’ It is important to note that it was the prophet Isaiah who was receiving this word from the Lord. However, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, he spoke. This inspiration or unction that the Holy Ghost gave him allowed God to use his (Isaiah’s) mouth or pen even as He spoke through the mouth of the donkey in the account of Balaam. The significance of the terminology ‘thus saith’ is the fact that the Holy Ghost is clarifying it is no longer Isaiah who speaks but it is the Lord.

Therefore, the words that are written or said are the testimony of the Holy Ghost. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come (John 16:13).

In this case, the Holy Ghost is testifying of that which He has seen and heard from the Lord the King of Israel and His redeemer the Lord of hosts. The verse goes on to convey that it is the Lord, the King of Israel who speaks. This identifies the reality that this is not a natural king, like king David and Solomon were, but this King of Israel is God Almighty; (hence the capital ‘K’ in the scriptures). He is the Lord.

Revelation 5:9

9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Revelation 13:8

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

This verse describes Jesus as the Lamb that was slain from the foundations of the world. Thus, He was the Redeemer of the world even from the beginning of time Now it is also helpful to look at some other facts laid out in Isaiah’s verse: - Despite the fact that Jesus was not yet born in the flesh at the time Isaiah received this prophecy, he was still his present Redeemer. -

Job 19:25

25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

also confirms the fact that Christ as the Redeemer of mankind was alive and well many years before He was manifested on the earth.

- It was the Word that was made flesh.

Therefore, Jesus existed as the Word of God long before He came forth from Mary’s womb. Take note of the fact that Isaiah refers to Jesus as the Lord of hosts: Hosts

- There are three hosts that the scriptures speak of

- The Host of the stars and constellations: the heavenlies -

Genesis 2:11

- The Angelic Host - - The Host of the Armies of Men I am sure Isaiah’s reference was to Jesus being the Lord of the Angelic Host as well as all that dwell among the stars. Nevertheless, He is also Lord of all powers that exist on the earth. Now we come to an interesting declaration of the Father. I amDespite the introduction stating two, i.e both the King of Israel (God Almighty) and the Redeemer the Lord of Hosts (Jesus Christ), the scripture follows with I am, rather than we are. ‘I am’ is singular. It speaks to the trinity; the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost, are one. God is the King of Israel, Jesus (the Word) is the redeemer and it is by the unction of the Holy Ghost that caused Isaiah to prophesy. I am the FirstRefers to God, the Father, being the first manifestation of God mentioned previ- ously in the verse, God the King of the Jews. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

God the Father is before all things that exist. However, He is also the first manifestation of the Godhead to the human race. I am the LastIn the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God1. But the Word was with or rather in God. That Word was made flesh and became the second manifestation of God. But then came the sons, the church; which is a holy habitation for the Father. The church has been engrafted into the last form of God. We have put on the New Man, Christ Jesus. Therefore, we are in Christ Jesus, whose body we are; we have become the last manifestation of God. At the time appointed we will be changed into our glorious bodies, which will be the final form of God. He will live in and walk among us. God will be all in all.

Gen 2:1

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

Therefore, the sons of God are the last manifestation of God in the earth and throughout eternity. There will never be another manifestation of God. He is the First and the Last. God is both the first and the last manifestations of Himself.

The verse above (Isaiah 44:6-8) is compacted with many mysteries that could send the reader anywhere in study. It is clear that on the face of it the scripture refers to the fact that God Almighty is the only true and living God, however, there are deeper gems waiting to be revealed. When we examine the terminology used in the scripture we will notice that the mystery of Christ can also be unveiled through the Old Testament. It was the testimony of Jesus Christ that He is the volume of the book. This therefore means every scripture that has ever been testifies of Him. Consider the verse once more:

Isaiah 44:6

6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

It is clear now that the first line of this verse reveals the mystery of the Holy Trinity/ Godhead. Even though the three could be found speaking in the verse, their word was; I am, rather than ‘we are’. This verse then serves as a confirmatory scripture to the Doctrine of the Trinity, that they are indeed three in one. It is the testimony of God that He is the first and the last. It is common for us only to see this scripture from the perspective of time. We think it to mean that God was before all and will be after all. However, the Word of God lets us know that we will be with the Lord forever and ever. This therefore means He will not be after us.

This scripture must therefore refer to something else. A major rule in bible study is the principle. If there is a symbol described in the text then the scriptures will interpret the symbol either within its context or elsewhere in scripture. In this case, the words ‘first’ and ‘last’ are used, but the Lord makes no reference as to what He is the first or last of. The context of scripture causes us to realize He is referring to that which He had already said; the First, being the first and only God and King of Israel, and the latter being the Redeemer, and Lord of hosts. This scripture further speaks to the mystery of God manifesting Himself in different forms. Consider the following:

John 1:1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

This is the first form/manifestation of God. He was God Almighty, the Word. This is who Israel identified as their God and King. However, let us consider the last John 1:1

4...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The same God who was from the beginning changed form and dwelt within flesh. To dwell in flesh is the last and final form that God will be manifested in, and that is the form of the Redeemer and His Church.

Philippians 2:5-7

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

The scripture above describes the last or final form in which God would manifest Himself - flesh. God testified that He would walk and talk amongst us, and He is doing it in His final form, Jesus Christ. One might ask what I mean when I say final form. I simply am referring to the fact that there will not be another form after Christ. However, it is noteworthy to mention that those who have received His Spirit are the members of Christ, or the body parts of this final form. Therefore, all the saints comprise this last form, which is Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3:10-11

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

HE IS THE FIRST AND THE LAST. Therefore, He is God and beside him, (meaning outside of Christ) there is no other God. This is a very profound statement of the Lord. There is no God beside Him. ‘Beside’ means, without, or apart from. There is only one God. Consider the scripture below:

John 5:17-18

17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

God in this verse established that He is the only God, however even though He is God, He is yet triune. The triune being that God is, has a form which is that of Jesus Christ in the flesh. However, the scripture above further cements the concept being taught by the Father in Isaiah 44:6, that beside Him there is no other God.

Those who have received the Holy Ghost are the children of God. This is not symbolic or figurative, but it is literal. They have been transformed by the Spirit of adoption, by the soul of the believer being placed in the Holy Ghost. This adoption is not likened unto the natural adoption, because in the world even though one may sign a document gaining legal ownership of a child, they will never be that child’s true parent. The child will always have the features of their former parents, his/her DNA does not change by the signing of a legal form.

However in the adoption of the Spirit, there is a transformation that must be undergone. The transformation, is not an upgrading of that person who already existed, but it is a doing away of that person all-together and starting from scratch. That person must die, and be reborn. This is very literal. The person who was once a child of Adam/the Devil, dies, by the removal of their soul from their flesh. Their soul is then placed inside of the Holy Ghost, reviving the individual and causing such a one to experience a rebirth. Therefore, in this rebirth this individual is truly a literal child of God, because he has been begotten by God. The scripture in John reveals to us that it is a great mystery to be called a child of God. To say that one is a child of God is to also say that one is a god. God totally agrees with this deduction.

John 10:32-38

32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

The scripture cannot be broken. To be a child of God is to be of God’s kind. It means that God is in you and you in God. Therefore, the body that God’s Spirit is within becomes a vehicle of expression for Him, to do works. The body becomes His image, or a visual representation of the invisible God2. The children who have been baptized into the Holy Spirit are one with God. He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit (1 Cor 6:17).

The soul is hidden in God. Therefore, the Lord’s testimony remains true. Beside Him there is no other God. The children are included in that statement, because they have become one spirit with the last, the redeemer Jesus Christ. Though there are many sons of God today, there is still only one God, who lives in all and is all. Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

St. John 36-38

36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

Isaiah 44:7-8

7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.

8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; Here the Father calls for other gods if there be any other gods.

Colossians 1:15

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature