Saturday, May 18, 2019

Revelation 22:3 - His Servants -- Is This Proof that Jesus is Jehovah?

It is being claimed that in Revelation 22:2,3 that God and the Lamb are both being referred to as "his" and "him." From this the assumption appears to be that the God and Lamb are both the same being. It default reasoning, however, is that the singular pronouns are not being applied to both God and the Lamb, but either to one or the other. Revelation 22:4 indicates that his and him in verse 3 is the one whom Jesus refers to as "my God" in Revelation 3:12.

The Greek word for serve - latreuo -- here is usually only used in the New Testament of the Father [except in idolatrous servitude -- Acts 7:42; Romans 1:25], or in relation to service to the Father. One could see Hebrews 8:5; 13:1 as exceptions, although one could also see that also as being service to the Father. Some claim that in Revelation 22:3, this word is used of the Lamb, but in view of its usage in Revelation 7:15, it should be realized that it is referring to service to "God".

{Revelation 22:1} He [the angel] showed me [John] a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God [who is one person] and of the Lamb [who is not God, but the Lamb provided by God -- John 1:29,36; 3:17; Galatians 4:4; 1 John 4:10],
{Revelation 22:2} in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
{Revelation 22:3} There will be no curse any more. The throne of God [one person] and of the Lamb [who is not God, but the Lamb provided by God] will be in it, and his [God, in harmony with "his" in verse 4, although it could be referring to Lamb] servants serve him [evidently, God, in harmony "his" in verse 4].
{Revelation 22:4} They will see his [God's] face, and his [God's] name will be on their [the servants, the 144,000 -- the joint-heirs with Christ] foreheads. -- Romans 8:17; Revelation 3:12; 14:1.
{Revelation 22:5} There will be no night, and they need no lamp light; for Jehovah God will illuminate them. They [God, the Lamb and possibly the servants -- Daniel 7:18] will reign forever and ever.

Throughout these verses, "God" is presented as being only one person, and is distinguished from the Lamb, who is Jesus.

We certainly do not find anything in the verses that present God as being more than one person (trinity), or that Jesus is the one whom he calls "my God" (oneness/ modalism). -- Revelation 3:12.

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