Post #1 A Flyover Of The Incarnation: The Son's Pre-Existence

Introduction:

    I thought that since we are looking at the section of the Nicene Creed that handles confession of the incarnation of the Son of God, it would behoove us to do a side series on the doctrine of the incarnation itself. In my last post I had us begin our journey into the Nicene Creed's confession of the incarnation, which readers may review here: Growing Christian Resources: Post #17 1700 Years of the Nicene Creed - "Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven"

    On Sunday nights at our church I am preaching a series of messages on this very subject. Today's post and the next two are based off of a sermon I preached entitled "A flyover of the incarnation". I figured this short blog post series would complement our focus on the incarnation in our major blog series: "1700 years of the Nicene Creed". 

What do we mean by incarnation?

  The Son of God’s entry into time and space to add unto His Person a human nature, endowed with mind, emotions, will, and body is what we mean by incarnation. The Son’s incarnation made possible His provision of perfect righteousness, substitutionary death on the cross, resurrection, ascension, present ministry as the believer’s Mediator in Heaven, and soon return. 

    In 1739 Charles Wesley wrote the familiar Christmas Carol “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”. Its second stanza is my favorite lines of all the Christmas carols we sing in a given season:

“Christ, by highest heaven adored,

Christ, the everlasting Lord,

late in time behold him come,

offspring of the Virgin's womb:

veiled in flesh the Godhead see;

hail th'incarnate Deity,

pleased with us in flesh to dwell,

Jesus, our Immanuel.”

     The Young Baptist’s Catechism asks: “How did Jesus Christ, being the Son of God, become man?” Answer: “Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.”  

    For today's post, we are going to begin a three-part series of a fly-over of this important doctrine. This is important, as Peter writes in 2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”  

    To give the reader a bird's eye view of what we will cover in today's post and the next two, below is a summary outline:

1. The Son’s pre-existence before His incarnation.                

2. The Son’s participation in His incarnation.                        

3. The Son’s personal works from His incarnation.                

The Son’s pre-existence before His incarnation.      

     Hebrews 10:5-7 “Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, ‘Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, but a body You have prepared for Me; 6 In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure. 7 ‘Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (In the scroll of the book it is written of Me) to do Your will, O God.’”  

    How was Christ pre-existent before His incarnation? We can answer this question in stages: Evidence in the O.T., Expectations of prophecy, Eternal in the Trinity.

A. Evidence in the Old Testament.

      We find in the Old Testament certain cameo appearances of the pre-incarnate Son. Theologians refer to these as manifestations of the Son, also known as “Christophanies”. For example, He is mentioned in over thirty Old Testament references, appearing to more than fifteen individuals as “Messenger of the Lord” or “Angel of the Lord”. In Genesis alone we find the “Angel of the Lord” eight times (Genesis 16:7-14; 21:17; 22:11-18; 24:7,40; 31:11-13; 32:22-32; 48:15-16). 

    The prophet Isaiah gives what is perhaps the best summary statement of this mysterious figure in Isaiah 63:8-9 “For He said, ‘Surely, they are My people, Sons who will not deal falsely. So He became their Savior. 9 In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them; in His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, and He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.”  We see in this passage that the Angel of the Lord performs the same work of redemption as God, and yet is distinguished from Him as a Person in the Godhead. Read in light of the New Testament, we can say this is an Old Testament appearance of the pre-incarnate Son.

     Not only did He appear as the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament, but other evidence exists as well. One other way to note evidence of the Son in the Old Testament, specifically in the mention of Him. One example is Psalm 2:7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.”  The pre-existence of the Son is seen by evidence of Him in the Old Testament.

B. Expected by prophecy.

      Prophetic Scriptures in the Old Testament are filled with visions and predictions of the Son before His days in the flesh and when He would come to be man. The late H.L Wilmington in his “The Complete Book of Bible Lists” references some 45 Old Testament prophecies that pointed to or that were fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Such prophecies predicted for example:

(B1). He would descend from Abraham (Genesis 12:3,7; 17:7; Romans 9:5; Gal 3:16) and more specifically from Abraham’s great- grandson Judah, the patriarch of the Israelite tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Hebrews 7:14; Revelation 5:5).

(B2). He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22-23) yet clearly still be “Emmanuel” or truly God with us (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).

(B3). That He would be called a Nazarene (Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 2:23) and be crucified or pierced in His hands and feet (Psalm 22:16; Zechariah 12:10; Mark 15:25; John 19:34,37; 20:25-27).

(B4). That He would rise from the dead (Psalm 16:10; Matthew 28:2-7), ascend into heaven (Psalm 24:7-10; Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51).

(B5). His current occupancy at the Father’s right hand was also predicted (Psalm 110:1; Matthew 22:44; Hebrews 10:12-13).

(B6). His second coming to rule on the earth is also predicted (Psalm 2:8; Revelation 2:27).

    When you extend the scope of prophecies pertaining to further details about His atoning work on the cross, resurrection, and second coming, a total of over 330 prophecies forecasted the coming of the incarnate Son of God. Micah 5:2 is the most striking, requiring the Person that fulfills it be truly God and truly man: “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” 

    The preincarnate Son is evident in the Old Testament and was expected by prophecy. We can however push His pre-existence back all the way to eternity…

C. Eternal in the Trinity.

      Let me give for sake of time one prime example of the eternal pre-existence of the Son, Psalm 102:25-27 “Of old You founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. 26 “Even they will perish, but You endure; and all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing You will change them and they will be changed. 27 “But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end.” 

    This particular psalm, written quite possibly by the prophet Daniel, is speaking of none other than God the Son according to Hebrews 1:8-11, which quotes these verses. The Son of God is described in the Bible as “begotten” of the Father. That term “beget” speaks of Him being one with the Father in the same essence (John 10:30 “I and the Father are one”) while distinguishing Him from the Father with regards to His personal identity in the Trinity (see John 1:18 ”the only begotten God”). 

    Based upon the evidence of His appearances in the Old Testament, prediction by prophecy, and Personal eternal activity in the Trinity, we have a basic profile of the preincarnate Son in the Bible. But now what of His participation in what would be His incarnation? That will be the subject of the next post in this short series....stay tuned!