God in the Flesh

[visionary]

Malachi 3:1 says: "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his TEMPLE, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall COME, saith the LORD of hosts" [KJV].


In Malachi 3:1, there are two separate "messengers" that are mentioned in this verse.

The “first” messenger mentioned is being “sent” by God, and who is responsible for “preparing the way” before a “coming” of the Lord. We know this is John the Baptist.

The “second” messenger is the Lord Himself – as He refers to Himself as the “messenger of the covenant”, and of whom He says of Himself that He will “come to his temple”. In other words – figuratively and Hebraically speaking – the Lord is “coming” to His people in the form of a “temple”, i.e. in the form of an actual physical human body.

Notice that both John and Isaiah preach a message that IMPLIES the Lord Himself is "coming" to physically visit his people. But how can the God actually "come" to his people, with Him being already OMNI-PRESENT throughout His created universe -- unless the word "coming" itself would imply that the Lord is going to present Himself to the Jewish people in the form of an actual physical human body, for his own people to visually witness??

In John 1:14, we are told that "...[Jesus was] the WORD [of God, and] 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" [KJV].

[ozell]

Malachi 3:1 says: "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his TEMPLE, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall COME, saith the LORD of hosts" [KJV].


In Malachi 3:1, there are two separate "messengers" that are mentioned in this verse.

The “first” messenger mentioned is being “sent” by God, and who is responsible for “preparing the way” before a “coming” of the Lord. We know this is John the Baptist.

The “second” messenger is the Lord Himself – as He refers to Himself as the “messenger of the covenant”, and of whom He says of Himself that He will “come to his temple”. In other words – figuratively and Hebraically speaking – the Lord is “coming” to His people in the form of a “temple”, i.e. in the form of an actual physical human body.

Notice that both John and Isaiah preach a message that IMPLIES the Lord Himself is "coming" to physically visit his people. But how can the God actually "come" to his people, with Him being already OMNI-PRESENT throughout His created universe -- unless the word "coming" itself would imply that the Lord is going to present Himself to the Jewish people in the form of an actual physical human body, for his own people to visually witness??

In John 1:14, we are told that "...[Jesus was] the WORD [of God, and] 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" [KJV].

How about these two?

They prepare the way of the Lord for 3-1/2 years

Rv 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4: These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5: And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6: These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7: And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

Zech4v1: And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
2: And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
3: And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
4: So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?

11: Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
12: And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?
13: And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
14: Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.

The 2 witnesses will be in Jerusalem giving the testimony of Jesus which is preparing the way of the Lord return.

all the news media will be there, the BBC, CNN, Jerusalem Post etc the world will witness this

[ozell]

also

ISRAEL

2Chron36v
14: Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.
15: And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
16: But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

Mal2v

1: And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.
2: If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.
3: Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.
4: And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
5: My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
6: The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
7: For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
8: But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

It is the job of the Israelite to prepare the way of the Lord.

why?

Rom3v
1: What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
2: Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

and

Rom9v
4: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
5: Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

who are the messengers now?

Israel

[A_Pioneer]

How many times does Yeshua have to say that he was sent by the father?

I came of my own accord! Never! God decided he would have to change and come as a man so he could lie. Never!
The Father, who sent me.Sent his only begotten son, so man might be saved!!!! Yes.

Shalom

[johnd]

Malachi 3:1 says: "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his TEMPLE, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall COME, saith the LORD of hosts" [KJV].


In Malachi 3:1, there are two separate "messengers" that are mentioned in this verse.

The “first” messenger mentioned is being “sent” by God, and who is responsible for “preparing the way” before a “coming” of the Lord. We know this is John the Baptist.

The “second” messenger is the Lord Himself – as He refers to Himself as the “messenger of the covenant”, and of whom He says of Himself that He will “come to his temple”. In other words – figuratively and Hebraically speaking – the Lord is “coming” to His people in the form of a “temple”, i.e. in the form of an actual physical human body.

Notice that both John and Isaiah preach a message that IMPLIES the Lord Himself is "coming" to physically visit his people. But how can the God actually "come" to his people, with Him being already OMNI-PRESENT throughout His created universe -- unless the word "coming" itself would imply that the Lord is going to present Himself to the Jewish people in the form of an actual physical human body, for his own people to visually witness??

In John 1:14, we are told that "...[Jesus was] the WORD [of God, and] 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" [KJV].
:amen:

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (God with us)

Isaiah 9:6 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.

Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

[Steve Petersen]

Jesus said this also:

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

If God is material His existence would depend on material things (His existence would be contingent.) But since He created matter, He must be immaterial.

[visionary]

He must be immaterialLol... I don't think so... but I understand the jist of what you are saying.

God has chosen human flesh, one body in particular, Yeshua, to manifest Himself to us. People were getting caught up in the idea that he likes sacrifices of animals and not seeing the concept that He was using it as an illustration of how He was going to separate us from sin.