IF THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE, WHO IS JESUS?

The Divine Identity of Jesus Revealed from the First Dispensation

Answering Skeptics Who Deny the Deity of Christ

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba

Shimba Theological Institute

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Introduction: The Question That Cannot Be Ignored

One of the greatest questions in human history is this:

If the Lord our God is one, how can Jesus be called Lord?

Those who deny the divine nature of Jesus Christ often ask:

• "If God is one, how can Jesus be God?"

• "Where did Jesus ever claim to be the Lord?"

• "Did Jesus only become Lord after His resurrection?"

• "Was Jesus merely a prophet, teacher, or created servant?"

These questions deserve serious biblical examination. The doctrine of the deity of Christ did not begin in the New Testament as a new invention. The divine identity of the Messiah was already revealed in the Hebrew Scriptures. From the first dispensation, God progressively revealed that the coming Redeemer would not be merely a human messenger but God Himself coming to save His people.

The Bible declares:

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD."
— Deuteronomy 6:4

Christian theology fully affirms that there is one God. The question is not whether God is one. The question is:

How does the one God reveal Himself?

The biblical answer is that the one God has revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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1. The LORD Said to My Lord: David Recognized a Divine Messiah

Psalm 110:1 is one of the most powerful Old Testament revelations concerning Christ:

"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."
— Psalm 110:1 (KJV)

David, Israel's greatest king, speaks about two persons:

1. The LORD (YHWH) — the covenant name of God.

2. My Lord (Adoni) — the Messiah whom David himself recognizes as superior.

The question is:

How can David's descendant also be David's Lord?

A son normally comes after his father. A descendant normally has a lower position than his ancestor. Yet David calls the Messiah "my Lord."

Jesus Himself used this passage:

"The LORD said unto my Lord... If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?"
— Matthew 22:44-45

Jesus was revealing that the Messiah is more than a human descendant of David. He is David's son according to the flesh, but David's Lord according to His divine nature.

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2. The Messiah Was Called God Before Bethlehem

Some argue:

"Jesus became divine only after His resurrection."

However, the Old Testament already predicted a divine Messiah.

Isaiah prophesied:

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
— Isaiah 9:6

Notice the titles:

• Mighty God

• Everlasting Father

• Prince of Peace

The promised child would not merely represent God; He would bear divine names.

The question for skeptics is:

If the Messiah is called "Mighty God" centuries before Jesus was born, why deny that Jesus fulfills this prophecy?

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3. The Messiah Would Be Called Immanuel — God With Us

Isaiah 7:14 declares:

"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

Matthew explains the meaning:

"They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."
— Matthew 1:23

The prophecy does not say:

"God will send another servant to be with us."

It says:

God with us.

The incarnation is the eternal God entering human history.

John declares:

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us."
— John 1:14

The One who became flesh already existed before creation:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
— John 1:1

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4. The Messiah Would Receive Worship

Throughout Scripture, worship belongs only to God.

The Ten Commandments declare:

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
— Exodus 20:3

Yet Jesus accepted worship.

The disciples worshiped Him:

"And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy."
— Luke 24:52

Thomas declared:

"My Lord and my God."
— John 20:28

Jesus did not correct Thomas.

If Jesus were merely a prophet, He would have rejected worship. Instead, He accepted a confession of His divine identity.

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5. Jesus Claimed the Divine Name "I AM"

When Jesus spoke to the Jewish leaders, He declared:

"Before Abraham was, I AM."
— John 8:58

The Jewish leaders understood the claim:

"Then took they up stones to cast at him."
— John 8:59

Why did they want to stone Him?

Because Jesus was identifying Himself with the divine name revealed to Moses:

"I AM THAT I AM."
— Exodus 3:14

Jesus was not saying:

"Before Abraham existed, I was created."

He declared eternal existence.

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6. Jesus Is Called Lord of Lords

The Bible repeatedly declares:

"For he is Lord of lords, and King of kings."
— Revelation 17:14

And:

"KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
— Revelation 19:16

In the Old Testament, this title belongs to Yahweh:

"For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords."
— Deuteronomy 10:17

The question is unavoidable:

If Yahweh is Lord of lords, and Jesus is Lord of lords, what does this reveal about Jesus?

The New Testament writers were not confused. They understood that Jesus shares the divine identity of God.

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7. "One God" Does Not Mean "One Person"

A common misunderstanding is:

"God is one, therefore God must be one person."

But Scripture teaches that God's oneness is not like the oneness of a single human individual.

God is one in essence, yet Scripture reveals distinction within God's being.

At creation:

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness."
— Genesis 1:26

God speaks using "us" and "our."

At Jesus' baptism:

• The Son is baptized.

• The Spirit descends.

• The Father speaks.

"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
— Matthew 3:17

The biblical revelation is not three gods. It is one God revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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8. Answering the Skeptic: "Where Did Jesus Say I Am God?"

Some demand Jesus must have spoken the exact sentence:

"I am God; worship Me."

But the Bible does not communicate truth only through one specific sentence. Jesus revealed His identity through His claims, actions, authority, and titles.

Jesus claimed:

• Authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:5-7)

• Authority over the Sabbath (Mark 2:28)

• Equality with the Father (John 5:18)

• Eternal existence before Abraham (John 8:58)

• Oneness with the Father (John 10:30)

The Jewish leaders understood His claim:

"Because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God."
— John 10:33

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Conclusion: The Messiah Was Always Divine

The denial of Jesus' deity fails to account for the complete testimony of Scripture.

Before Bethlehem:

• The Messiah was called Mighty God.

• The Messiah was called Immanuel.

• David called Him Lord.

• Yahweh promised His eternal reign.

During His earthly ministry:

• Jesus forgave sins.

• Jesus accepted worship.

• Jesus claimed eternal existence.

• Jesus revealed unity with the Father.

After His resurrection:

• He was exalted as Lord of all.

• He is declared King of kings and Lord of lords.

The question is not merely:

"Is Jesus a prophet?"

The greater question is:

"Who is the Lord whom David called his Lord?"

The biblical answer is:

Jesus Christ is the eternal Lord, the promised Messiah, God revealed in the flesh.

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh."
— 1 Timothy 3:16

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Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute