Listen To This!

Isaiah 48:16 – 1611 Queen James Version

“Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.”

This verse is utilized by Christians in connection with Genesis 1:26 to say that “Jesus” was one of the “us” who created the world and man. This, of course, is not true.

“Come you all near to me. Listen to this! It is not from the beginning. In a shelter do I speak; it is to be for a time. There I am. But now, Lord YA’OH has sent me and His force.”

The man in this verse was NOT around in the beginning of the world. The infinitive construct “hayothah” in the basic stem means “it is to be”, not “it was”. This verse is not talking about the messiah who came and died in the 1st century to save his abayonaym (ebionite) movement from being crushed out by the Romans.

It also is not saying the messiah is the co-Creator of the world. There is no such thing as a co-Creator. There is but one, and only one Creator, and His name is YA’OH.

It is also not “the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me”. This is incorrect. The subject of the verb “sent me” is 3rd person masculine singular not 3rd person plural. YA’OH sent the man and YA’OH sent His power/force with that man. It does not say God and His Spirit sent the man, as if there is a trinity where God and His Spirit are two people who send a third person. There is no such thing as a trinity. YA’OH is one person, one man, a singularity not a triune deity. He is one, not multiple persons.

So who is this verse talking about?

It is talking about the man who is sent to initiate and lead the Exodus from modern Babylon according to verses 20-22. This is his message and this is his preaching that he will be preaching when he appears. It was written down in advance, long before he was born, and he will stick to the script that has been given to him:

Get out you all from Babal!

Flee you all from Chashdaym with a voice of singing!

Declare it you all!

Cause this to be heard you all!

Go out you all unto the end of the earth.

Say you all: YA’OH has redeemed His servant Ya’oh-ghakab!
They are not thirsty when He leads them through the wilderness!
He causes water from the rock to flow for them!
He cleaves a rock and water gushes out!
There is no shalom, says YA’OH, for them who are wicked.

The 70-year Babylonian exile of our people in the 6th century BCE did not witness a migration to a wilderness when it was over in 519 BCE. The people went straight back to the land with no detours or stops along the way. So these verses are not talking about the end of the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century BCE. These verses are talking about an Exodus from modern-day Babylon and a migration from there to a wilderness located at the end of the earth, a wilderness where YA’OH will sustain and provide for His people. All of their needs will be met and they will have peace, but those who are wicked and who are not part of this movement will have no peace.

Are you listening?

His name is YA’OH
Always has been. Always will be.

#EXODUS2023