Jesus Through The Ages

Jesus through the age…

June 13, 2004

John 8:58

Read John 8:58

A lady ask me one time, “How can Jesus have existed before the earth was created when He was only born about 2000 years ago?” I suppose the same question might be asked about this statement Jesus made in John 8:58, How can Jesus say, “I Am before Abraham was”?

The first thing we have to realize is that Jesus was not nor is just a man! Jesus is not some man made god such as Zeus or Hermes but is the very begotten Son of the living God. In His strength and power, granted Him by the Almighty, Jesus has created the universe and all its inhabitants which include this small planet called earth.

1Jo 4:12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. (NKJV)

No doubt the God that no one has seen is the God of all or God the Father. No one has seen the Almighty God of all. Jesus has declared Him being in His image, but Jesus is not God the Father. Jesus is in the Godhead and has all power granted Him by God the Father but Jesus is not God the Father. He is God the Son and has presented Him in the way Jesus lived His life while on this earth. Jesus could clearly say, “Before Abraham was, I AM.”

Col. 2:8-10 … For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; (NKJV)

Jesus was in the beginning. We read in the second chapter of Genesis that God walked and talked with Adam and Eve. Who was this God who walked and talked with Adam and Eve? He was seen by Adam and Eve when He gave them the instructions on what to eat and not to eat in the garden. Jesus was the only God who ever was seen by man, save Moses who seen the back side of God and almost died from it. It seem clear to me that since Jesus was the one who created the earth (Col. 1:16) it was He who walked and talked with Adam and Eve. Jesus could make the statement, “Before Abraham was, I AM.”

Gen. 18:1-4 and 16-23 …and Abram came near….

Since no man has seen God this also must have been Jesus! Concerning Abraham, Jesus could correctly say, “Before Abraham was, I AM.”

Joshua 5:13-15 ...I am the commander of the Lord’s army…

This also must have been Jesus for He allowed the worship from Joshua as Joshua fell on his face and worshiped. We read in:

Re 22:8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.

9 Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God."

(NKJV)

In Joshua 5 we read the commander of the Lord’s army allowed the worship of Joshua but in Rev. 22 the worship of an angle was not allowed. Therefore the One who stood with Joshua and received worship from Joshua must have been Jesus. Jesus has the right to proclaim, “Before Abraham was, I AM.”

Luke 2:8-14… (Luke 2:11) "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (NKJV)

Jesus was incarnated in the womb of Mary and had the right to proclaim, “Before Abraham was, I AM.”

Matt. 27:50-54 …(Mt 27:54) So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!" (NKJV)

When Jesus died on the cross the very earth tremble. The earth became as dark as midnight in the middle of the day. Old Testament saints arose from the dead and were seen by many. These spectacular happenings caused even the Roman soldiers to proclaim, “Truly this was the Son of God!" Jesus had the right to declare, “Before Abraham was, I AM.”

To be save…

Romans 10:9-10 …you must believe and you must confess with your mouth…

Acts 17:30 …you must repent…

Acts 22:16 …you must wash you sins away in baptism…

Rev. 2:10 …you must live faithfully until you die or Jesus returns

For Jesus has the right to proclaim, “Before Abraham was, I AM!”