Jeremiah 17,5

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16 This is what the Lord says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord."

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The immediate context shows that a person is cursed if he trusts other people while at the same time turning his heart away from GOD. GOD expressly demands that we believe in Jesus because GOD has appointed him and no one else but him as the Savior for all people. At the same time, the Messiah is the guide to GOD, the Father, whom he serves. Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ and follows him is fulfilling GOD's will.

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Jeremiah 23,5 f.

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5 "The days are coming", declares the Lord, "when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior."

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These two verses are considered a prophecy about the Messiah, the coming Savior. In addition to the Messiah, the city of Jerusalem is also called the LORD is our righteousness. (Jeremiah 33,16). This does not mean that the Messiah or Jerusalem are GOD. Rather, it expresses that a person or thing has something to do with GOD. Abraham named the mountain where he wanted to sacrifice Isaac, The LORD will provide (Genesis 22,14). No one would believe that the mountain was Yahweh. Moses built an altar and called it the LORD is my altar (Exodus 17,15). Again, no one would assume that the altar was Yahweh. Gideon built an altar and called it the LORD is peace (Judges 6,24). A name that contains the word Yahweh/LORD or GOD does not make a person GOD. The reason the Messiah the LORD is called our righteousness is because GOD Almighty works His righteousness through His Anointed One. The same applies to the city of Jerusalem. There are different names and titles for Jesus in the Bible. A name or title that is associated with GOD says something about a person's purpose or mission. Jesus' mission was to reveal the will of GOD to the people of Israel. In Jesus' teachings we see the true righteousness of GOD, which comes from faith and following Jesus.

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Ezekiel 1,26 f.

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26 Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.

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In Ezekiel 1 the glory of GOD is shown to the prophet. Although there are slight similarities to the description of the resurrected Jesus in Revelation 1,12-16, there is no reason to equate Jesus and GOD. The four heavenly beings are also described with similar characteristics (verses 4-25). In addition, GOD shows himself in visible form in various places; also in the form of people (Genesis 18,1-3 / Daniel 7,8 + 13 + 21 f.). The vision in Ezekiel 1 best fits the description of GOD in Revelation 4. In the book of Revelation, GOD and Jesus are consistently distinguished from one another.

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Daniel 3,24 f.

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24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” 25 They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

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In the prophetic vision in Daniel 7, the Messiah is referred to as the Son of Man (Hebrew: bar 'ĕnâsh); not as a "Son of the gods" (Hebrew: bar 'ĕlâhh). For this reason, angels are called sons of gods in several places (Genesis 6,1-4 / Job 1,6 + 2,1). In this respect, the fourth person in the fiery furnace is an angel and not a pre-existent Jesus. GOD sent one of His angels to save Daniel's three brave friends because they refused to worship the idol set up by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar and instead gave glory to Yahweh, the one true GOD.

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Daniel 10,4-9

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4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude. (...) 8  So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. 9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.

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In the book of Daniel, the author is shown various visions. In one of these visions appears a person identified by some theologians as the pre-existent Christ. As evidence of this, reference is made to Revelation 1,12-17, where the glorified Son of GOD is described in a form similar to that in the vision. There are some similarities, but at the same time clear differences, between the description of Jesus in the book of Revelation and the person in Daniel's vision:

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Daniel 10

 

a man

 

dressed in linen

 

Hips girded with gold from Ufas

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no information about the appearance of the hair

 

Face like the appearance of lightning

 

Eyes like torches of fire

 

Arms and feet like the sight of shining copper

 

His words sounded like the sound of a crowd

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Revelation 1

 

a son of man

 

dressed in a robe that reaches down to the feet

 

girded at the breast with a golden belt

 

(not specified)

 

Head and hair white like white wool / snow

 

Face how the sun shines with its power

 

Eyes like a flame of fire

 

Feet like shiny copper, as if they were glowing in an oven

 

Voice like the sound of many waters

 

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Furthermore, it should be noted that nowhere in the New Testament is there a connection between Jesus and the vision in Daniel 10. In Daniel 7,12-14 Daniel sees in a vision the Son of Man coming on a cloud from heaven and being brought before GOD (the Ancient One). This is a future event that was to be fulfilled later and is described in more detail in Revelation 4 + 5. Both books say that the Son of Man (Daniel 7) and the Lamb (Revelation 5) receive honor and power from GOD. This shows that GOD and Jesus are not identical. On the other hand, it makes it clear that Jesus is lower than GOD and that all of the Messiah's power comes from GOD. The description in Daniel's vision best fits an angel. These are often referred to as men in the Old Testament. Furthermore, Daniel's reaction is similar to that in Daniel 8,15-18 when the angel Gabriel appears to him for the first time and speaks to him. In many places we read how fearful and awe-inspiring the figure of angels is, so that people fell to the ground in fear as if they were dead.

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Revelation 15,5 mentions seven angels who are also clothed in pure, light linen and have golden belts around their chests. The angel in Revelation 10,1 also has a face like the sun and feet like pillars of fire. The angel of the LORD mentioned in Matthew 28,3 also has an appearance like lightning and a garment as white as snow. Given these facts, there is no reason to identify the person in Daniel's vision as Jesus. It is much more likely that it is an angel. Whether it is the angel Gabriel, Michael or another angel not mentioned by name cannot be clearly determined. Perhaps it is the archangel Michael, who is called the guardian angel of Israel and whom the angel Gabriel mentions in his interpretation of Daniel's vision (Daniel 12,1). However, even if it were indeed Jesus that Daniel saw in this vision, it would be a foreshadowing of the future glory of the Messiah, since Jesus did not yet exist at that time.

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Some theologians claim that the pre-existent Jesus is hidden behind the name Michael. On the one hand, the fact that Jesus' prophetic name is Immanuel and not Michael speaks against this. Furthermore, nowhere do we read that Michael is another name for Jesus. The name Michael means Who is like GOD? That doesn't mean Michael is GOD. This is a theophoric name that - like most Hebrew names - is only intended to refer to GOD, similar to the name Jesus (= GOD saves) or Immanuel (= GOD with us). In addition, Jesus is mentioned by name in the book of Revelation. In contrast, the name Michael only appears once in Revelation 12,7; independent of Jesus. In addition, Michael is referred to as the Prince of Angels. The letter to the Hebrews makes it clear that Jesus is not an angel or archangel, but was initially lower than the angels (Hebrews 2,6-9) and only stands above the angels since his exaltation by GOD (Hebrews 1,4). It also says that GOD did not give the world to come as an inheritance to the angels, but to the Son (Hebrews 2,5). In Luke 20,36, Jesus explains that in the resurrection people will be like angels. This explains the similarity between the appearance of the glorified Son and some angels mentioned in the Bible.

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Micah 5,2 f.

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2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from the beginning and from eternity. 3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return
   to join the Israelites.

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Verse 1 is about the origin of the Messiah. This formulation connects the coming of the Savior with the Old Testament promises and prophecies that GOD gave to His people. The word exit (Hebrew: mōtsa / mōtsa'ah) can refer to the origin (from the tribe of Judah) or the activities of the Messiah. The Hebrew word qedem qêdmâh is often used for east and actually means rising; derived from the rising of the sun in the east, which means the beginning of the day. One of the most common translations is days of yore. These always describe a point in time within the existing creation; not before creation (2nd Kings 19,25 / Psalm 44,2 / Jeremiah 46,26). GOD is the one who created the ages. Before the creation of the first day, there were no things called "days". The Hebrew word yōm ōlam, rendered eternity in some translations, describes either a very long period of time or an indefinite period of time. This can be seen by the use of the word in Scripture. In the context of GOD, who alone has immortality and has always existed, ōlam can be understood in the sense of a literal eternity. Another translation of the word is from ancient times and refers to the past. It depends on the context of what is being referred to in the past.

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In some places ōlam is used for times and events before Israel's exile (Amos 9,11 / Micah 7,14 / Malachi 3,4). In other places it is connected to the times and events surrounding Israel's exodus from Egypt (Isaiah 51,9 / Isaiah 63,9 + 11). It can also refer generally to days gone by (Deuteronomy 32,7). In addition, ōlam is also used as an adjective in connection with other nouns, for example for the old foundations or old ruins of Israel before its conquest (Isaiah 58,12 / Isaiah 61,4), for prophets from ancient times (Jeremiah 28,8) , for Babylon as an old nation (Jeremiah 5,15) as well as for old ways or old paths (Job 22,15 / Jeremiah 6,16 / Jeremiah 18,15). The first promise of the Messiah goes back to the prehistoric times of the earth, namely to Adam and Eve, who were the first humans (Genesis 3,15). Before the Messiah appeared in the form of Jesus, he already existed in GOD's plan before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13,8). In the past, GOD revealed the future appearance of the Messiah to various people in dreams and visions; including Abraham as well as Daniel and the prophet Isaiah.

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One of the main themes in Micah 4 + 5 is the rescue and restoration of the people of Israel and the rise of a victorious king who will bring GOD's people together and ensure security and peace. Micah 5,2 explains that GOD will appoint a descendant of Judah to rule His people. The context shows that this ruler of Israel will come from Bethlehem-Ephrathah, the birthplace of King David, and will rule with the strength of Yahweh his GOD, and that his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth (verse 4). Micah clearly distinguishes between this messianic ruler and GOD, in whose name the Messiah will rule. Bethlehem was the ancestral home of Jesus' ancient ancestors, as well as the place of death of Jacob's wife Rachel and the birthplace of his father David. Bethlehem is therefore the origin of the Messiah from ancient times. Consider that David was born about 1,000 years before Jesus and Judah about 1,800 years before Jesus. From Jesus' temporal perspective, this is ancient. A more understandable translation could be:

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1 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old (the past) and from ancient times (the time of the ancestors or prophets).

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Zechariah 12,10

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10 "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son."

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There are various translations of this verse. Some refer the statement whom they pierced to GOD, while others refer to a person other than GOD. The Jewish understanding of this verse has always been that the person being pierced is a person who is in a very close relationship with GOD; as is the case with the Messiah. However, there is no record of an early Jewish commentator understanding this verse to mean that GOD would become man and die on the cross. What's more, John quotes this word after the Roman soldier plunged his spear into Jesus' side. The literal quote in John 19,36 f. is: They will look at him whom they have pierced. In all translations of the New Testament the word him (Old Greek: ho) is used instead of "me". This verse is also referenced in Revelation 1,7. Here too he refers to the Messiah.

The second part of Zechariah 12,10 says: And they will mourn for him. The fact that GOD is the one speaking here suggests that the first part of the sentence was also originally phrased in the third person. On the other hand, one could say that GOD'S heart was pierced at the crucifixion of Jesus. GOD suffers inside when His beloved son is tortured and innocently executed by people. This expresses that GOD is full of compassion for His children when they endure suffering.

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