40 Days in the Book of JOHN

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days in the Book of JOHN
Day 18 | JESUS DECLARES HIMSELF GOD | John 8:51, 58-59
JESUS DECLARES HIMSELF GOD

John 8:51, 58-59
“‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.’
“Jesus said unto them, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.’ Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”
(KJV)

Throughout the book of John, we find Jesus trying to tell those who would listen WHO He was. And He was the Son of God… God in the flesh.

Some today claim that Jesus never called himself God. That is not true, and these verses today clearly show that He did.

First, a critical Bible note: Whenever you read Jesus saying, “Verily verily,” it means PAY ATTENTION; this is important!

So, here Jesus says: “Verily Verily”  and then teaches that listening to His words and following Him will result in eternal life (“never see (spiritual) death”).

Then another “Verily Verily,” and here Jesus declares himself to be Yahweh, the name God pronounced of Himself when speaking to Moses. Yahweh – YHWH (there are no vowels in Hebrew) could be translated as “I am who I am” or “I will be what I will be” or even “I am the One who is.”  This tells us about God’s self-sufficiency and self-existence.

Thus, when Jesus tells the Jews: “Before Abraham was, I am,” they knew exactly what He was saying: that He was God.

To the Jews, this was blasphemy and subject to immediate death; thus, they “picked up stones to stone Him,” but Jesus (being God) simply walked out and left the area.

I find it healthy not to get too “casual” in my attitude towards Jesus. Let us never forget that HE IS GOD – along with the Father and the Spirit.

 Thankfully, God loves us!

Prayer: LORD, thank You for your love, care, and plan of salvation, which included me! You are Yahweh, the great I am. Amen.