You Believe in YHWH, Believe Also in Me
Let us continue the “Should We Worship the Messiah?” series. The following verse is yet another one commonly used by persons who say the Messiah is Elohim or YHWH (or “God” as they say). For this reason according to them, he should be worshiped.
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in YHWH, believe also in me.
By the way, this is probably going to be the shortest teaching here on Just a Word as it is easily disproved by just one verse.
However, looking at it brings a few things in perspective and brings the word together wonderfully! So it is worth your while to read it all.
Why We Must Believe in Our Leader/Messiah
Now if we have a leader, we must believe in that leader for the leader to be effective. We must have faith in that leader.
Otherwise we will choose to follow only that which we think is rational. When the leader tells us to do the impossible, if we don’t believe in that leader, we will choose to disobey.
We must note that if our leader has a superior, then our leader is carrying out the commands of their superior in giving us a command.
In this case, our leader (Master) is the Messiah but his superior is YHWH. YHWH his superior?!
The Messiah said it best: “my Father is greater than I.”
John 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
What’s more, the Messiah speaks what his Father tells him:
John 8:26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him (my Father).
Now we know that YHWH does not always tell us to do rational things. Therefore, when he gives his subordinate (the Messiah) instructions, if we do not have faith in the subordinate, we will not carry out his commands.
Mosheh in the Wilderness
This was the same case of the children of Israel in the wilderness. Their leader was Mosheh but Moshe’s leader was YHWH.
The children of Israel had to believe in Mosheh in order to effectively follow him. If not, when YHWH gave Mosheh the commands to lead the congregation, the congregation would rebel. This is what happened so often in the Tanakh (old testament).
Therefore, it was not enough for them to only believe in YHWH, but they must also believe in Mosheh as YHWH’S chosen servant.
Why Mosheh?
Why the example of Mosheh? Because Yahushua is a prophet “like unto” Mosheh. Mosheh led the children of Israel out of bondage to the promised land. Yahushua the son of Nun led Israel into the promised land. Yahushua the son of Yoseph will lead us out of the bondage of sin into the promised land (the kingdom of YHWH).
That is why Mosheh prophesied of him as being a prophet like Mosheh…
Deu 18:15 YHWH thy Elohim will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
“Unto him shall ye hearken” tells us that we should believe in the prophet that was to come! That prophet was to be Yahushua of Nazareth.
Believe in YHWH, Believe also in Me
Now that we have set the scriptural foundation, let us look at the verse that destroys the notion that believing in the Messiah means believing in him as YHWH the Almighty. We will place it together with our featured verse for you to compare:
Exo14:31 And Israel saw that great work which YHWH did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared YHWH, and believed YHWH, and his servant Mosheh.
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in YHWH, believe also in me (Messiah).
Conclusion
Game, set and match. One verse shows us that believing in Messiah does not mean the verse is equating him to YHWH to be worshiped as YHWH. Israel surely did not worship Mosheh and Yahushua is the promised Prophet ‘like unto Moses.’
Just to give you a bonus…here is another:
Exo 19:9 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “See, I am coming to you in the thick cloud, so that the people hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” And Mosheh reported the words of the people to יהוה.
It simply means that if we believe in YHWH, then we must also believe in his messenger (who is Yahushua the Messiah in our new covenant and Mosheh in the old covenant).
It is the messenger who will bring us the commands of the Father. If we disobey the messenger, then we also disobey the Father:
Deu 1:43 So I (Mosheh) spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of YHWH (disobeying the servant is disobeying YHWH), and went presumptuously up into the hill.
If we don’t believe in him (the Messiah) as YHWH’s messenger, then we will not obey what he says. Disobey what he says, we disobey YHWH. It is as simple as that.
Please note! It does not mean however that we literally worship him as the Father! That is an error and is plain and simple idolatry.
Understand the principle; it is the same thinking that led Sha’ul to say this:
1 Cor 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Mashiach.
Note that if we don’t follow the biblical messiah, but follow false doctrines, It means we don’t believe in the true Messiah. It further means we have set up a false messiah.
Believe in the true biblical Messiah and not the popular messiah of false religion.
See Related Post: Why Almost All of Us Are Following a False Messiah.
Previously in the “Should we worship the Messiah?” series…
- My Lord and my God – What was Thomas Declaring? Should We Worship the Messiah Part 7
- Did Old Testament Prophecy Speak Of a Coming Messiah Who Would Be YHWH? – Should We Worship the Messiah Part 6
- I And My Father Are One: Does This Mean The Messiah Is The Father? – Should We Worship the Messiah Part 5
- Is Isaiah 9:6 Saying The Messiah Is The Mighty Elohiym (God)?: Should We Worship the Messiah Part 4
- Did the Messiah Worship Himself? Should We Worship The Messiah (Part 3):
- Worship In the Mind of the Hebrew: Should We Worship the Messiah Part 2
- Who did the Messiah and Apostles Worship? Should We Worship The Messiah Part 1
This is very informative bro. Brian. Thank you so much
Thanks Alfred. Praise YHWH.