Christ’s Next Incarnation

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. – John 1:1-3

During the month of December, we often see beautiful, glowing pictures of the nativity bathed in soft light and slightly blurred lenses. There is depicted a warmth and beauty that decries the harsh realities of being forced to sleep in a barn.

Do not forget that this was not the only time that Jesus walked on earth. It’s interesting that John chronicled Jesus’ statement in regards to God being a Spirit in almost the same breath as he described Jesus’ preexistence.

In John 1:18, Jesus flatly stated (and in Matthew 11:27 reiterated) that no human besides Himself had ever seen God. The Lord warned Moses in Exodus 33:20 saying, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!" (NASB) Both of these passages (and others like them) refer to God the Father. We know that the Spirit also cannot be seen for, as Jesus taught, a spirit does not have flesh and bone (Luke 24:39).

Therefore, when God came walking in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8), that was Jesus. When Abram talked to the Lord (Genesis 17:1-4, 9-10, 15-16, 22; 18:1-3, 10), he was talking to our Master. Jacob wrestled with Him (Genesis 32:24-30) and Moses got his calling to leadership from Him. Jesus declared Himself to be the captain of the angelic hosts to Joshua (Joshua 5:13-15) and He did a little fire-walking with the Hebrew children (Daniel 3:22-25).

John described Christ as He will be when He returns in Revelation 1:13-17a “I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man.” (NASB)

Each of these encounters sheds some light into Jesus’ role in the Trinity. Each helps us understand a little more how He deals with humans. It’s easy to accept the Babe in the manger during this season. He’s small, cute, vulnerable and easy to control. It’s a little less easy to deal with the Captain of the angelic hosts who walks in fire, threatens whole cities with carpet bombing and maims in wrestling! Be warned – boxing the power that created the universe could be dangerous.