"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." John 1: 12.
"The effulgence of His glory and the expression of His substance." Heb. 1: 2. (N.T.)
While the Godhead glory of Jesus is expressly guarded, His personal glory is fully declared as the Word, the Creator and Upholder of all things, and the One in Whom God is revealed to His creatures. His eternal power and Godhead (Divinity) gloriously displayed in creation, has ever remained a testimony to man of the invisible God. When He laid the foundations of the earth, the joy of the heavenly hosts found expression, as the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. (Job. 38: 6, 7.)
In dispensations past, He Who is the Word, at seasonable times and divers manners, appeared to men in visions, and in angelic form. In relation to Israel, He was the Angel of God's presence (Isa. 63: 9), also the Messenger of the Covenant (Mal. 3: 1). The Angel to be their Guide through the wilderness, was He of Whom Jehovah declared " My name is in Him " (Ex. 23: 31.)
Isaiah in his vision " saw the Lord, sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple." The veiled seraphim celebrated the glory of the thrice holy Lord of hosts. The Holy Spirit in John 12: 41 testifies of the lowly Son of man, that Isaiah " saw His glory," thus identifying Jesus as none other in person than the Lord of hosts.
He appeared to Daniel, in the similitude of the sons of men-a glorious Object, and in wondrous grace.
In the Old Testament the Spirit presents Him before His incarnation under various names and titles, and by many types and figures. Divine Names are always in themselves some revelation of God, and so present Him, in Whom all the fullness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell (Col. 1. 16, 19). To Abraham He made Himself known as God Almighty (El Shaddai). To Israel He was known as Jehovah, the ever existing One. In His ways He was Jehovah Jireh (the Lord will provide); Jehovah Nissi (the Lord my banner); Jehovah Rophi (the Lord that healeth thee); Jehovah Tsidkenu (the Lord our Righteousness). Again, He is the mighty Kinsman Redeemer (Goel); the Shepherd of tender care; the Bridegroom of love.
To faith He was Priest, Altar and Sacrifice. Creation, animate and inanimate, served to set Him forth in aspects of His character, graces, sufferings, glories, service. So He is the Tree of Life, the Living Waters, the Vine, the Branch, the Stone. He is the Lion (power), the Lamb (Sufferer), the laboring Ox (service).
All these, and much more, were revelations, bearing testimony to the coming One, and yet, when He came, in Whom all the parables, types and shadows found their fulfillment, Israel refused Him and " the world knew Him not."
In the Babe of virgin birth, divinely forenamed Jesus (Jehovah the Savior), the mystery of godliness began—God manifest in flesh. In every step of His perfect manhood, in all His words and works, the Spirit-taught soul may trace blessed unfoldings of the heart and mind of God. In blind unbelief and enmity, the Jews demanded " Who art Thou? " and He replied " Altogether that which I also say unto you " ( John 8: 25. N.T.). His presence, in perfect love and obedience to His Father's will, revealed the state of man, in alienation by sin, far from God as it is written, " They have rewarded Me evil for good, and hatred for My love " (Psa. 109: 5). To their denial of His Person, while they sought to kill Him, He declared Himself to be the " I AM." In this Name, " I AM," Jehovah Elohim, the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob, made Himself known to Moses.
" Being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." At the cross the love of God and man's evil met. There God was glorified, and fully declared as Light and Love. The resurrection and ascension tell of the mighty victory of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is now here, sent down to testify of Him, the exalted Lord of life and glory.
The mystery of godliness is now unfolded to the wonder and joy of adoring hearts. The Holy Spirit delights to keep the hearts of those who own Him as their Savior and Lord, in blessed occupation with Himself. To know Him, Who is infinitely beyond the utmost capacity of the highest creature to comprehend, ever leads the heart in desire to know Him more. In Him, the unknown God is known, the invisible God is seen, the distant God is brought nigh. In the glory of His Person He is known to faith, not only as Lord and Christ, but also as the Great Priest in the heavenly Sanctuary, ever living to make intercession for His feeble, wayworn people in the wilderness path, and as the righteous Advocate with the Father, for any of the Father's children who should sin. In love too, He watches over His church for which He gave Himself, sanctifying and cleansing it by the washing of water by the Word. In His due time He will come and as the heavenly Bridegroom claim His bride, presenting her to Himself, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, holy and without blemish.
The prophetic Word points on to further glories, to which assuredly He is Heir, when He rises from His Father's throne and is manifested King of kings and Lord of lords. In His almighty power He will lay low all in heaven and earth that is not subject to God. " And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all."