Do You Agree the First and the Last is God?
Do you agree the first and the last is referring to God?
Surah 57:3 says "He is the first and the last." First and the Last are two of Allah's 99 names.
"Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God" (Is. 44.6).
"Fear not; I am the first and the last: I [am] he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death" (Rev. 1.17,18).
A title only applied to God Jesus gave to Himself. Jesus is claiming to be God and to worship Him. Where did Jesus in the Bible ever say He was only a prophet, not to worship Him? LORD = Jehovah the "existing one," creator of the universe.
"Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight" (Ps. 51.4). Ultimate forgiveness belongs to God alone. Surah 3:135 says "who can forgive sins except Allah."
"5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. 6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 7 Why doth this [man] thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? 8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, [Thy] sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion." (Mark 2.5-12)
Who alone has the authority to judge? Would a mere prophet ever claim to be the final judge of all people?
"For there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about" (Joel 3.12).
"7 But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. 8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness" (Ps. 9.7,8).
"56 [All] sovereignty that Day is for Allah ; He will judge between them. So they who believed and did righteous deeds will be in the Gardens of Pleasure. 57 And they who disbelieved and denied Our signs - for those there will be a humiliating punishment" (Surah 52:56,57).
Jesus claims to be more than just a prophet but God. "31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats" (Matt. 25.31,32). He goes on to say who He saves and who goes to Hell. "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal" (Matt. 25.46).
"O LORD God of truth" (Ps. 31.5). Surah 22:6 says "Allah is the Truth." Would a mere prophet ever call himself the Truth? "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14.16).
Who raise the dead? "The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up" (1 Sam. 2.6). "And that the Hour is coming, no doubt about it, and that GOD resurrects those who are in the graves" (Surah 22:7). Would a mere prophet claim to resurrect the dead?
"25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5.25-29).
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live" (John 11.25). A mere prophet would not dare say such a thing. If Jesus is only a prophet would not these words by Jesus be absolute blasphemy?
Does God share in His glory?
"All that is in the heavens and the earth extols the glory of Allah. He is the Most Mighty, the Most Wise" (Surah 57:1). In the OT God will not share His glory with anyone. "I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images" (Is. 42.8). "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was" (John 17.5).
Mark 2.28 Jesus said "the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath". "44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?" (Matt. 22.44,45). John 8.39-58 Jesus proves He has seen the prophet Abraham. "But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple" (Matt. 12.6). Jesus has a unique relationship with the Father. "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him" (Matt. 11.27).
"13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do [it]" (John 14.13,14). Jesus answers prayers.
Matt. 18.20 Jesus is present where His followers are gathered.
Matt. 28.18 Jesus has all authority on heaven and earth.
Matt. 28.20 Jesus is with His followers forever.
John 16.15 Jesus says all things that are the Fathers are His.
Jesus said we must all honor Him as we honor the Father.
"21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth [them]; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. 22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23 That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him" (John 5.21-23).
Jesus was worshiped. Never does it say in the Bible not to worship Jesus. Matt 2.11 reads "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh" (Matt. 2.11). Matt. 14.33 reads, "Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God." John 9.38 reads, "And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him." Matt. 28.17 reads, "And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted." Luke 24.52 reads, "And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy." Jesus was worshiped before and after His resurrection and ascension. Thomas addressed Jesus. "And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God" (John 20.28).
Where did Jesus say He is God? Worship Him? When the Pharisees tried to kill Jesus for forgiving sins, saying only God can forgive sins, Jesus did not correct them. Jesus said He is the Alpha & Omega..."they also which pierced him" (Rev. 1.7). "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty" (v.8). God the Father is the Alpha & Omega and Jesus says He Himself is the Alpha & Omega. Jesus "IS", "WAS" and "IS TO COME". This is doubly confirmed in Rev. 21.5-7; 22.12,13; 1.17,18.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS-lLTfCI7c
