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Objective

In this lesson, we’ll discover that Christ has always existed and was actively working throughout the Old Testament, confirming His eternal deity.

Key Verse

Hebrews 13:8: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Introduction

As we have studied together, Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man. When we think about Jesus, we often focus on His birth in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago. But here’s a truth that will transform how you understand Scripture: Christ has always existed. He didn’t begin when Mary gave birth to Him—He is eternal.

The prophets of the Old Testament knew this truth. When Micah spoke about the coming Messiah, he declared something remarkable about His origins:

Micah 5:2: But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.

Notice those final words: “from of old, from ancient times.” Micah understood that the Messiah would be eternally existing, not a created being with a beginning.

Some people have misunderstood Paul’s words in Colossians when he describes Christ as the “firstborn of every creature.” They think this means Christ had a beginning, but Paul is speaking about Christ’s priority and supremacy over all creation, just as a firstborn son has priority in a family. The eternal existence of Christ cannot be separated from the doctrine of His deity.

Throughout the New Testament, this truth is simply assumed. Paul’s teaching about Christ only makes sense if Christ existed before His birth in Bethlehem. When Paul writes that Christ “became poor” for our sake (2 Corinthians 8:9), he’s telling us about One who existed in riches before taking on human poverty. When he speaks of Christ “emptying Himself” (Philippians 2:6-7), he’s describing One who had divine glory to set aside.

Here are the main truths we will explore together:

• Christ has always been the beloved Son of the Father
• Christ is the One who created all things
• Christ sustains all things as the Wisdom of God
• Christ appeared as the Angel of the Lord

Christ, the Beloved Son

Christ did not become the Son of God when He was born in Bethlehem. This relationship with the Father is eternal. David received a prophecy about this eternal Son:

Psalm 2:6-7: I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain. I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.”

The writer of Hebrews helps us understand that this psalm speaks about Christ’s eternal relationship with the Father, not about Him becoming God’s Son at a specific moment in time (Hebrews 1:5, 5:5).

Jesus Himself spoke clearly about His pre-existence with the Father. In His great prayer before the crucifixion, He revealed the glory He shared with the Father before the world existed:

John 17:5: And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

(Notebook Moment: How does it change your understanding of Jesus to know that He existed in glory with the Father before creation? What does this tell us about what He gave up to come to earth for us?)

Jesus also taught this truth through His parables. In the story of the wicked gardeners, Jesus described Himself as the beloved son who lived with the father before being sent to work in the vineyard (Mark 12:1-12). This parable only makes sense if Christ existed with the Father before His earthly ministry.

When Jesus spoke with Nicodemus about spiritual birth, He made a statement that reveals His pre-existence:

John 3:13: No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.

These words can only be true if Christ existed in heaven before His birth in Bethlehem.

Christ, the Creator

One of the most powerful proofs of Christ’s deity is the New Testament’s clear teaching that He created all things. This is not something a created being could do—only God can create from nothing.

John 1:3: Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

Paul expands this truth even further, showing us that Christ is not only the agent of creation but also its purpose:

Colossians 1:16: For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

The book of Revelation confirms this, showing us that all things exist for Christ’s pleasure and purpose:

Revelation 4:11: You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.

Think about what this means. Every star in the vast universe, every mountain and ocean on earth, every intricate detail of your own body—all of this came into existence through the Word of God, who is Christ. The hands that were nailed to the cross are the same hands that shaped the galaxies.

Christ, the Sustainer

Creating the universe was not Christ’s only work before His incarnation. The New Testament tells us that He continues to sustain everything He made:

Hebrews 1:3: The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

(Notebook Moment: If Christ withdrew His sustaining power for even a moment, what would happen to creation? How does this truth affect your confidence in God’s care for your daily needs?)

What does this sustaining work look like? The Old Testament gives us beautiful descriptions of how God maintains His creation, and we need to understand that these passages speak about Christ’s ongoing work. Psalm 104 provides one of the fullest pictures of God’s sustaining care:

Psalm 104:10-11, 14-15: He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst… He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.

The psalm tells us that God accomplishes all this through His wisdom. Paul reveals who this Wisdom is:

1 Corinthians 1:24: But to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

According to Psalm 104, Christ sustains creation by providing water to nourish the earth, causing food to grow from the soil, controlling the days and seasons, and giving life and nourishment to all living things. He is intimately involved in every detail of the natural world.

This doctrine matters deeply for our faith. Some people believe that God created the world and then stepped back, leaving it to run on its own. But Scripture teaches us that God—specifically Christ—remains actively involved in His creation. He is not distant or disconnected. He cares for and provides for everything He has made.

Jesus taught us to trust in this ongoing care:

Matthew 6:26: Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Christ, the Angel of the Lord

Here we encounter one of the most fascinating aspects of Christ’s pre-incarnate work. The Bible clearly teaches us that God is a Spirit and that no one can see Him directly:

John 4:24: God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.

Exodus 33:20: But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.

So how do we understand the many appearances of God in the Old Testament? How did Moses speak with God face to face? Most Bible teachers believe that these were appearances of Christ—the visible expression of the invisible God.

When Moses met with God, he was seeing Christ:

Exodus 33:11: The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.

When Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on His throne in the temple, he was seeing Christ in His glory:

Isaiah 6:1: In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.

John confirms this understanding:

John 12:41: Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.

Many times in the Old Testament, God appears as “the Angel of the Lord.” This is not a created angel like Gabriel or Michael, but rather a name for Christ before His human birth. We can identify these appearances by looking at the context: the Angel of the Lord receives worship (Judges 13:15-22), forgives sins (Zechariah 3:1-4), and is identified as God Himself (Exodus 3:2-6, Genesis 16:7-13).

(Notebook Moment: Think about Abraham’s three visitors in Genesis 18, or the Angel who appeared to Moses in the burning bush. How does it change your reading of these stories to know that Christ was likely the divine visitor?)

For example, when the Commander of the Lord’s army appeared to Joshua, He acted exactly like God in the burning bush:

Joshua 5:14-15: “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my lord have for his servant?” The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.”

Just as God commanded Moses to remove his sandals at the burning bush, this divine Commander required the same reverence. This was Christ appearing to Joshua before His incarnation.

Conclusion

The Bible teaches us remarkable truths about Christ’s work before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. This doctrine confirms that Jesus Christ is truly God. Jesus was born as a human being, but Christ has no beginning. He is the same “yesterday, today, and forever.”

When we understand Christ’s pre-existence, the entire Old Testament comes alive with new meaning. Every act of creation, every provision for His people, every appearance of God to the patriarchs and prophets—these all show us Christ’s active work in human history long before His birth in Bethlehem.

This truth should fill us with worship and confidence. Jesus, who was born as a baby in a manger, is the same Christ who spoke the universe into existence. Jesus, who died on the cross, is the same One who sustained Moses in the wilderness and appeared to Isaiah in the temple.

Christ’s pre-existence also assures us of His power to save completely. He who created all things certainly has the power to recreate our hearts (2 Corinthians 5:17). He who sustains the entire universe will never lack the strength to sustain us through every trial (2 Corinthians 12:9). Because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, we can trust Him completely with our lives.

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