One of the most outstanding proofs of our Lord’s being Jehovah is in the matter of His repeatedly accepting worship. Let us note a few such instances, and as we do so, let us remember the well-known solemn warning to Israel in Exodus 34:1414For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: (Exodus 34:14).
“Thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD [Jehovah], whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”
“When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.”
Now read verse 11:
“When they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”
Also note the following further similar instances:
“They that were in the ship came and worshipped Him, saying, Of a truth Thou art the Son of God” (Matt. 14:3333Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. (Matthew 14:33)). See also Matthew 8:2; 9:18; 15:252And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. (Matthew 8:2)
18While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. (Matthew 9:18)
25Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. (Matthew 15:25).
“As they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him” (Matt. 28:99And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. (Matthew 28:9)). See also verse 17.
“Every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped” (Rev. 5:13-1413And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 14And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. (Revelation 5:13‑14)).
Let us take careful notice that in no case did our Lord ever refuse worship, yet He knew full well that none but God (Jehovah) was entitled to this honor. In contrast to this, let us note how decisively and peremptorily others, who were taught of God, refused worship. In Acts 10, when Peter was commissioned to go to Cornelius and his household with the gospel,
“as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man” (vss. 25-26).
When Paul and Barnabas visited Lystra, Paul healed the cripple who was impotent in his feet. Immediately the heathen concluded that the gods Jupiter (Barnabas) and Mercurius (Paul) were come down to visit them. Accordingly,
“The priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein” (Acts 14:13-1513Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. 14Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, 15And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: (Acts 14:13‑15)).
Even the Apostle John in his apocalyptic vision of Revelation 19 is similarly rebuked by the angelic messenger for seeking to accord worship to the latter.
Again in Revelation 22 The Apostle John repeats his error and is again rebuked.
“I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not:...worship God” (vss. 8-9).
“Let all the angels of God worship Him.”
“Thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD [Jehovah] . . . is a jealous God,”
with God’s command that all angels should worship Him? The only logical reconciliation of the two passages is in the simple, yet blessed fact that Jesus is Jehovah.