"Jehovah Ye are my witnesses, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he" - and do you not also believe that Jesus was a 2nd God not actually God himself?
So how come in the 2nd half of that same verse it states "before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me" This statement implies that your belief is wrong!
2007-01-22 05:14:16 · 16 answers · asked by gfia_uk 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Isaiah 43:10 is addressed to Israelites. Jehovah calls THEM to be his witnesses to the nations. He calls them apart to be holy, and circumcision, temple worship, and the Ten Commandments make them stand out amongst the pagans. This is part of their witness. The most important distinction, however, is monotheism. They worship only one God. The pagans worship more than one.
When Christ the Savior came (think about that in connection with the statement in verse 11!) he told his followers that they would be witnesses of HIM, to all the nations (Acts 1:8) and witness to his death, resurrection and repentance and forgiveness of sins in HIS name (Luke 24:47-48). So, why are Jehovah's Witnesses not JESUS' Witnesses? Why are they so reluctant to bear the name of their Savior? Is it because they have relegated him to a place lower than the one he should occupy? Is it because he is merely a mighty god (Isaiah 9:6) and not the Almighty God? Yet Isaiah (ch 10 vs 21) calls the Almighty God the Mighty God!
Because JWs mistranslate John 1:1 as "the Word was a god..." they have Jehovah as their God, and Jesus (a created being) as a demi-god. However, as they do not worship Jesus in any sense of the word, they are in a complete muddle. They cannot even call Jesus 'a god', he is so unworthy in their estimation. This is because they know polytheism is wrong. It is only when the Bible is "allowed" to speak about the person of Christ that his divinity shines through, and he is seen to be the SAME God as Jehovah - not a different one! So polytheism is NOT committed when Christ is worshipped as God.
2007-01-22 07:22:28 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 4⤋
There are no other gods besides Jehovah in the sense that none (not even Jesus) can rival the Almighty nature of Jehovah.
However, the Scriptures clearly teach that the term "god" can be applied to any powerful person, and the term was/is used that way in the Hebrew, Greek, and English languages.
(1 Corinthians 8:4-6) There is no God but one. For even though there are those who are called "gods," whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many "gods" and many "lords," there is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him
(Psalm 82:2-8) How long will you [human judges] keep on judging with injustice And showing partiality to the wicked themselves? 3 Be judges for the lowly one and the fatherless boy... You are gods, And all of you are sons of the Most High. 7 Surely you will die just as men do; And like any one of the princes you will fall!’” 8 Do rise up, O God, do judge the earth [better than any human judge]
But the Scriptures also teach that there is a single Almighty God: Jehovah. The worship of Jehovah is the only form of pure worship. Honor and obeisance which is directed toward Jehovah's subject gods, such as Jesus, faithful angels, and even righteous human judges (see Psalm 82:2-8, above), is part of the pure worship of Jehovah.
On the other hand, opposing pure worship, is Satanic false worship. All forms of worship which do not comply with biblical true worship of Jehovah are really just different ways of worshipping the Devil. The Scriptures specifically call Satan a "god", and show that he controls much of human society.
(2 Corinthians 4:3-4) If, now, the good news we declare is in fact veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, 4 among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers
Satan even has the ability to make his disgusting false worship seem acceptable. Thus, rather than appearances, God's Word the Bible must be the only proper standard of pure worship.
(2 Corinthians 11:14-15) Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light. It is therefore nothing great if his ministers also keep transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness. But their end shall be according to their works.
(Matthew 7:21) Not everyone saying to [Jesus], ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will.
So, the two gods who are commonly served today are:
Jehovah
Satan
2007-01-24 13:38:02 · answer #2 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
At Isaiah 43:10 Jehovah says: “Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.” This does NOT mean that, however, because Jesus Christ is prophetically called “Mighty God” at Isaiah 9:6, Jesus must be Jehovah. Again, the context answers, No. None of the idolatrous Gentile nations formed a god before Jehovah, because no one existed before Jehovah. Nor would they at a future time form any real, live god that was able to prophesy. (Isaiah 46:9, 10.) But that does not mean that Jehovah never caused to exist anyone who is properly referred to as a god. (Psalms 82:1, 6.) At Isaiah 10:21 Jehovah is referred to as “mighty God,” just as Jesus is in Isaiah 9:6; but only Jehovah is ever called “God Almighty.”—Gen. 17:1.
If a certain title or descriptive phrase is found in more than one location in the Scriptures, it should never hastily be concluded that it must always refer to the same person. Such reasoning would lead to the conclusion that Nebuchadnezzar was Jesus Christ, because both were called “king of kings” (Daniel 2:37; Revelation 17:14); and that Jesus’ disciples were actually Jesus Christ, because both were called “the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14; John 8:12) We should always consider the context and any other instances in the Bible where the same expression occurs.
If you would like further information, please contact Jehovah's Witnesses at the local Kingdom Hall. Or visit http://www.watchtower.org
2007-01-22 15:33:59 · answer #3 · answered by Jeremy Callahan 4 · 7⤊ 1⤋
That is correct. At Isaiah 43:10 Jehovah says: “Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.” Does this mean that, because Jesus Christ is prophetically called “Mighty God” at Isaiah 9:6, Jesus must be Jehovah? Again, the context answers, No! None of the idolatrous Gentile nations formed a god before Jehovah, because no one existed before Jehovah. Nor would they at a future time form any real, live god that was able to prophesy. (Isa. 46:9, 10) But that does not mean that Jehovah never caused to exist anyone who is properly referred to as a god. (Ps. 82:1, 6; John 1:1, NW) At Isaiah 10:21 Jehovah is referred to as “mighty God,” just as Jesus is in Isaiah 9:6; but only Jehovah is ever called “God Almighty.”—Gen. 17:1.
2007-01-22 19:14:45 · answer #4 · answered by LineDancer 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Good day,
I would actually advise you open the door and ask that question the next time one of Jehovah's Witnesses is visiting the area!
Because there is more than a simple Yes or No answer, that would be the way to go.
Kind Regards,
Your neighbour
2007-01-26 05:51:32 · answer #5 · answered by Next Door 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
What are you talking about?
Jehovah is NOT even mentioned in the verse.
God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit are ONE
God comforts his church, promising to protect her for ever: he expostulates with the Jews for their ingratitude.
Prophecy Of Isaias
Chapter 43
9 All the nations are assembled together, and the tribes are gathered: who among you can declare this, and shall make us hear the former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, let them be justified, and hear, and say: It is truth. 10 You are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that you may know, and believe me, and understand that I myself am. Before me there was no God formed, and after me there shall be none.
What Bible are you reading? A bad translation of The Word.
2007-01-24 12:32:53 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
What was being talked about is in the sense that no being was formed before Jehovah as the Almighty God. And no other being will be formed to become Almighty God. It doesn't mean that God does not create other "gods", because in Deut 10:17 it called Jehovah the God of "gods". Jehovah won't be called "God of gods" if the "gods" do not exist or created. Just like "Lord of lords" or King of kings, the "lords" and kings exist.
JWs also are witnesses for Jesus, below is an excerpt from the JV book.
Christian Witnesses of Jehovah in the First Century
“YOU will be witnesses of me . . . to the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) With those parting words, Jesus commissioned his disciples to be witnesses. But witnesses of whom? “Witnesses of me,” said Jesus. Do these words mean that they were not to be witnesses of Jehovah? Far from it!
Actually, Jesus’ disciples were given an unprecedented privilege—that of being witnesses of both Jehovah and Jesus. As faithful Jews, Jesus’ early disciples were already witnesses of Jehovah. (Isa. 43:10-12) But now they were to witness also concerning Jesus’ vital role in sanctifying Jehovah’s name by means of His Messianic Kingdom. Their thus bearing witness to Jesus was with Jehovah’s glory in view. (Rom. 16:25-27; Phil. 2:9-11) They testified that Jehovah had not lied, that after more than 4,000 years he had at last raised up the long-promised Messiah, or Christ!
2007-01-22 17:05:44 · answer #7 · answered by trustdell1 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
We do get our name from there. And no, it does not imply that our belief is wrong. It implies that there is no other God but Jehovah, none before him were created, and none (true God) were created after him.
And we believe that Jesus is God's son, not a second God. You can use the term 'god' (lowercase 'g') to speak of him, but he is not the one and only true God.
Jesus and Jehovah are not the same person. Jesus was sent to earth as a ransom sacrifice so that our sins could be blotted out and we can have the hope of living on a paradise earth as it was meant for us in the beginning.
Go to: www.watchtower.org and research it some more.
Or contact your local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses and ask for a free Bible Study so someone near you can help you to understand the beliefs of Jehovah's witnesses.
I wish you the best in finding your answers!
2007-01-22 13:22:34 · answer #8 · answered by ♥LadyC♥ 6 · 4⤊ 2⤋
1 Cor 8:4 Now concerning the eating of foods offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5 For even though there are those who are called “gods,” whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many “gods” and many “lords,” 6 there is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him; and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are, and we through him.
Who are some of the many 'gods'?
Moses is called God.
Ex 7:1 Consequently Jehovah said to Moses: “See, I have made you God to Phar´aoh, and Aaron your own brother will become your prophet.
An angel of Jehovah is called God.
Judges 13:21 And Jehovah’s angel did not repeat appearing to Ma·no´ah and his wife anymore. Then it was that Ma·no´ah knew that he had been Jehovah’s angel. 22 Consequently Ma·no´ah said to his wife: “We shall positively die, because it is God that we have seen.”
The human judges of Israel are called gods.
Ps 82:6 “I myself have said, ‘YOU are gods,
And all of YOU are sons of the Most High.
The footnote in my NAB at John 1:1 says.
The God(2) is a quality or an attribute and not an identity.
Therefore what John said is that Jesus (Word) is like God, not that he was God.
The one true God is Jehovah,
Jesus is the Son of God, a Might One, which is a definition of the word god.
He is not along side God as an equal, but as a Son.
vs 14 Jesus has the glory of an only begotten Son.
vs 18, Jesus as the only begotten god has explained Jehovah.
2007-01-22 14:11:37 · answer #9 · answered by TeeM 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
if you are pointing out that this verse invalidates the JW religion, why don't you also acknowledge that it also invalidates yours? because if G-d is saying that no other G-d will ever be formed, yet jesus was formed on earth, that kind of hints toward a certain obvious conclusion.
2007-01-22 13:26:47 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋