Johan SlabbertPhoto: Nick Fewings
We often read the phrase the Word of the LORD in the Old Testament. Depending on the context, it has several different meanings.
- It may convey what God has revealed in his Word such as commandments, statutes, instructions, judgements, or precepts.
- It may be an audible message spoken to the prophet.
- It may be a message from the LORD being conveyed via the prophet to the nation.
- However, the one meaning that is the focus of this writing, is when the Word of the LORD is a Person.
What do we mean by the Word of the LORD being a Person?
In John’s Gospel we read:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. John 1:1-2
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling (pitched his tent among us) among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
Many scholars are convinced that John had the Hellenistic worldview in mind when he wrote about the Word. The Word being the logos is the all-pervasive divine principle in the world around us. However, the problem with this interpretation is that there is nothing Hellenistic in John’s gospel. The whole nature of his writing is Jewish in kind and full of Old Testament references and allusions.
If John was not moved by Greek thought, but by the Hebrew scriptures, is there anything in these Scriptures that bears witness to John’s teaching on the Word being God?
Let us have a look at several references:
- In the Books of Moses,
- In the Former Prophets,
- In the Latter Prophets,
- and finally in the Aramaic Targums.
Abraham
Abraham had an extraordinary encounter during the days of Genesis. The Word of the LORD came to him in a vision, speaking to him in the first person.
After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." Genesis 15:1
Abraham responded to the Word of the LORD and called him 'Sovereign LORD'.
But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." Genesis 15:2-3
Then the Word of the LORD took Abram outside and showed him the stars. In other words, the Word of the LORD was with Abram in the tent! He proceeded to point out the number of Abram’s offspring.
He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars -- if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Genesis 15:4-5
Abram believed the LORD. Note that the Word of the LORD is once again called the LORD. Abram believed the one speaking with him and this is credited to him as righteousness.
Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:6
In the Former Prophets, we read of Samuel’s experience.
Samuel
In 1 Samuel we find the account of regular encounters between the Word of the LORD and Samuel. At first, the reader is told that the Word of the LORD was rare in those days, which could mean that very few heard a message from the LORD or received any visions. This was also true for Samuel.
In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.
Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 1 Samuel 3:1, 7
However one night it all changed for Samuel. He heard a voice call out his name several times. And then we read the remarkable account:
The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" 1 Samuel 3:10
The Word of the LORD, who is called the LORD came and he stood there.
The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. 1 Samuel 3:21
He did not only do so once, but he continued to appear at Shiloh where he revealed himself through his Word. The Word of the LORD in this instance is a Person, appearing and standing there, speaking to Samuel, and continuing to appear to him at Shiloh.
In the Latter Prophets, we hear of the same kind of encounter. Let us look at the experience of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah
We read that the Word of the LORD came to Jeremiah during the reign of Josiah. At first glance, it sounds as if Jeremiah received a message from the LORD, either audibly or in a vision. However, it was not an isolated experience but continued throughout the reign of Josiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah (Jeremiah 1:1-3).
The interesting thing is that the Word of the LORD spoke to Jeremiah using the pronoun ‘I’. Clearly, this sounds as if the Word of the LORD is a person.
The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
"Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, `I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD. Jeremiah 1:4-8
Jeremiah responded by calling the one speaking to him, Sovereign LORD. Then for those who question this interpretation, there is the next remarkable thing. The Word of the LORD, also called the LORD reached out his hand and touched Jeremiah’s mouth.
Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth. Jeremiah 1:9
Once again this is very clear that the Word of the LORD, who is also called the LORD is a Person who is capable of touching Jeremiah.
The final Old Testament book to look at is the prophet Zechariah.
Zechariah
In his prophecy, there are several appearances of the Word of the LORD.
The Temple
When Zechariah received a message regarding the rebuilding of the Temple, it was the Word of the LORD who came to him claiming that the LORD of Hosts had sent him to Zechariah.
Then the word of the LORD came to me: "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you. Zechariah 4:8-9
The Word of the LORD had been sent, and refers to himself as ‘me’.
The Branch (Messiah)
The same happened when Zechariah was ordered to make a crown and symbolically place it on the head of Joshua the high priest, to show that the priesthood and the kingship would one day become one.
The word of the LORD came to me: "Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. Tell him this is what the LORD of Hosts says: `Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD. Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the LORD, and you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you. Zechariah 6:9-15
Once again it was the Word of the LORD sent to the prophet by the LORD of Hosts.
The Last Battle
The final occurrence is found in the prophecy of the Last Batlle.
This is the word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, declares:
On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem. "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. Zechariah 12:1, 9-10
Is what has been concluded above in agreement with the Jewish understanding and interpretation of the Old Testament? Let us look at the Aramaic Targums. These are translations of the Old Testament books from Hebrew into Aramaic.
The Aramaic Targums
The interesting observation from the Targums is that often when the translator(s) encountered a problem such as YAHWEH touching, standing, eating, resting, or appearing they ‘solve’ the problem of YAHWEH acting in a humanlike manner by using the phrase, the memrah of the LORD, which simply means the Word of the LORD.
Summary
The Word of the LORD at times appears in the Old Testament in visible form and speaks of himself in the first person. The one who touches, stands, appears, and is called the LORD (YAHWEH).
- The Word of the LORD stands.
- The Word of the LORD reveals himself.
- The Word of the LORD touches.
- The Word of the LORD is seen.
- The Word of the LORD is pierced.
- The Word of the LORD is called the LORD.
The question that has to be asked is: “Who is the Word of the LORD?” The Word of the LORD is the Son, the second person of the Godhead. The Word of the LORD in the Old Testament is an appearance on earth of the pre-incarnate Christ, who in time came as a man and has pitched his tent among us (John 1:14)