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16 Hope of Israel Ministries BIBLE Correspondence Course Lesson 40

is NOT the firstborn by birth but by APPOINT- gels!
MENT; otherwise YEHOVAH God should have That is obviously NEITHER logical or
said, “He IS My firstborn.” scriptural. What, then, does the verse mean?
8. The RESURRECTION of the Messiah 2. The Bible speaks of heavens OTHER
was the seal of the Father’s approval on the Son. than those which are above. Isaiah 65:17-18.
Romans 1:1-4. COMMENT: The prophet Isaiah speaks
COMMENT: This constituted him as of “new heavens and a new earth” to be mani-
the FIRSTBORN. fested in the future -- which he describes as
9. What did Paul write? Colossians 1:18 “Jerusalem a rejoicing and her people a joy.”
and Romans 8:29. The coming appearance of the Messiah
10: What are the FOLLOWERS of the will result in the formation of these political
Messiah described as? James 1:18, Revelation “heavens.” The rulers who will reign therein will
14:4 and Hebrews 12:23. be followers of the Messiah -- then made immor-
COMMENT: If the title “firstborn” tal and reigning “ON the earth” (Revelation 5:
teaches the pre-existence of the Messiah, it must 9-10).
do also IN RELATION TO HIS FOLLOWERS. 3. Even now, a follower of the Messiah is
All the privileges of the firstborn that rest on the ELEVATED into a position of PRIVILEGE in
Messiah, APPLY TO A LESSER DEGREE TO relation to YEHOVAH God and the Messiah,
HIS FOLLOWERS. They will receive a DOU- described as “the heavens in Christ.” Ephesians
BLE PORTION of inheritance in the Age to 1:3.

Come, even immortality (I Corinthians 15: 4. What did Paul teach? Ephesians 2:6.
52-54), and they will act as a ROYAL PRIEST- COMMENT: These “heavens” have
HOOD (Revelation 5:9-10) in relation to the been brought into existence through the Mes-
mortal population that will remain on earth (see siah, and they are the precursors of the political
Zechariah 14:16) during the period of the Mes- “heavens” to be manifested in the Age to Come
siah’s Millennial reign -- and that of YEHOVAH when he rules on earth. In them are found GRA-
God -- on this earth (Revelation 20:6). DATIONS OF AUTHORITY, described as
These expressions show conclusively thrones, dominions and so forth; some of which
that the apostle DID NOT mean, by his use of the were visible then, and some of which are yet to
term, that the Messiah pre-existed! be manifested and, therefore, are as yet invisible.
All will be revealed in the Age to Come.
Who Created the Heavens? 5. Notice what Luke 19:17-19 says.
COMMENT: The term “heaven,”
Some will remind us, however, that we therefore, often relates to a POSITION OF
have not disposed of all the difficulties contain- PRIVILEGE OR ELEVATION. It is used to
ed in Colossians 1. describe the present relationship of Yeshua’s
1. Does not Colossians 1:16 reveal that followers to the Father and to the Messiah, as
the Messiah created ALL things? well as the authority that they will wield in
COMMENT: This seems like con- Kingdom of YEHOVAH God that will be set up
clusive evidence, for it APPEARS to teach that ON EARTH -- in which they will exercise
the Messiah created even heaven. But a close gradations of power.
examination of the passage will reveal that it In Isaiah 65:17-18, the “heavens”
teaches TOO MUCH if this interpretation is constitute the RULERS or GOVERNMENT of
pressed, for it CLAIMS that he created ALL the age to come, and the “earth” the RULED, or
THINGS “in heaven.” That would include YE- COMMON PEOPLE, as the prophet is careful to
HOVAH God Himself, to say nothing of the an- show (see verse 18). The SAME interpretation is

The Messiah’s Pre-Existence -- Fact Or Fable?