A Muslim Dawagandist Asks: How Many Gods do Christians Have?
The Christians Answer: Fewer than the Muslims do!
Exposing Islam’s Pentagonity
Jalal Abualrub is quite angry at the fact that we published a series of replies to his distortions of truth. In order to give the impression that he is capable of providing a rational and coherent rebuttal to our points Jalal has written a "reply" to some of my claims concerning the Trinity and the Deity of the Lord Jesus (*).
Not being able to mask his venom and hatred of God’s true religion Jalal begins his parody by mocking Christians and their faith:
Christianity is very confusing. Christians admit that Christianity is a mystery. Christians are even more confusing than Christianity.
Jalal has a habit of referring to our articles without bothering to provide links to them, and the reason is obvious (to us anyway). He is afraid that Muslims will read these papers for themselves and discover who their true God and Savior is, e.g. the Lord Jesus Christ. It seems that deep down inside Jalal is scared to have Muslims compare the teachings of God’s true Word, the Holy Bible, with the Quran since the light of Christ that shines forth from the inspired pages of the Holy Scriptures exposes the darkness of Islam and Muhammad. Jalal seems to be aware that the truth of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus utterly vanquishes and exposes the falsehood of his Islamic beliefs. Otherwise, why doesn’t he bother linking to our articles which he is supposedly responding to?
Moreover, Christians and Christianity are not as confusing as Salafi Muslims who are more confused than the Quran itself. These Muslims believe that their deity actually has eyes, hands, a waist, shins, legs, and ascends and descends during the third part of the night even though these "attributes" and actions are supposed to be unlike anything in creation:
And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honour will abide forever. S. 55:27
So wait patiently (O Muhammad SAW) for the Decision of your Lord, for verily, you are under Our Eyes, and glorify the Praises of your Lord when you get up from sleep. S. 52:48
They made not a just estimate of Allah such as is due to Him. And on the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be grasped by His Hand and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified is He, and High is He above all that they associate as partners with Him! S. 39:67
Narrated ‘Abdullah:
A Jew came to the Prophet and said, "O Muhammad! Allah will hold the heavens on a Finger, and the mountains on a Finger, and the trees on a Finger, and all the creation on a Finger, and then He will say, ‘I am the King.’" On that Allah’s Apostle smiled till his premolar teeth became visible, and then recited:–
‘No just estimate have they made of Allah such as due to him… (39.67) ‘Abdullah added: Allah’s Apostle smiled (at the Jew’s statement) expressing his wonder and believe in what was said. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 510)Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "Paradise and the Fire (Hell) argued, and the Fire (Hell) said, "I have been given the privilege of receiving the arrogant and the tyrants.’ Paradise said, ‘What is the matter with me? Why do only the weak and the humble among the people enter me?’ On that, Allah said to Paradise. ‘You are My Mercy which I bestow on whoever I wish of my servants.’ Then Allah said to the (Hell) Fire, ‘You are my (means of) punishment by which I punish whoever I wish of my slaves. And each of you will have its fill.’ As for the Fire (Hell), it will not be filled till Allah puts His Foot over it whereupon it will say, ‘Qati! Qati!’ At that time it will be filled, and its different parts will come closer to each other; and Allah will not wrong any of His created beings. As regards Paradise, Allah will create a new creation to fill it with." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 373)Narrated Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri…
Then the Almighty will come to them in a shape other than the one which they saw the first time, and He will say, ‘I am your Lord,’ and they will say, ‘You are not our Lord.’ And none will speak: to Him then but the Prophets, and then it will be said to them, ‘Do you know any sign by which you can recognize Him?’ They will say. ‘The Shin,’ and so Allah will then uncover His Shin whereupon every believer will prostrate before Him and there will remain those who used to prostrate before Him just for showing off and for gaining good reputation. These people will try to prostrate but their backs will be rigid like one piece of a wood (and they will not be able to prostrate). (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 532s)Hadith 34:
Abu Hurayra narrated that the Prophet said: Allah created mankind and when He had finished, the womb stood up and took hold of Allah's waist. Allah: Stop! The womb said: I seek Thy refuge from being severed. Allah said: Would you not be happy if I do good to one who does good to you and sever links with one who severs links with you. The womb said: Yes my Lord. Allah said: And so shall it be.
Abu Hurayra said: Read if you like the following verse: Would ye then, if ye were given the command, work corruption in the land sever your ties of kinship? Qur'an: 47.22 [Bukhari] (Al-Ahadith Al-Qudsiyyah - Divine Narratives translated by Dr. Abdul Khaliq Kazi & Dr. Alan B. Day [Dar Al Kitab Arabi - USA, 1995], Chapter 12. Allah Addresses The Womb, p. 65; bold emphasis ours)
What perplexes the thinking, rational mind is how can Allah literally have all of these "qualities" when he is supposed to have created time, space, matter, which includes all the various shapes and forms that exist? After all, if Allah is the maker of the entire creation then he must have existed before there was time, space, place, matter, shapes etc., which means that he must be a shapeless, formless, immaterial, spaceless entity.
How, then, can he have such "characteristics" without having a shape of some kind? And how can he have any kind of form or shape if he existed before the creation of space and matter? But, then again, Allah is a mystery!
In light of Allah being a rather confused and disoriented being who can’t figure out whether he did create every thing or whether some aspects which we all thought were part of creation are really eternal, i.e. Allah’s body with its distinct parts is uncreated which presupposes that some aspect of space and matter have always existed, we suggest that Jalal write an article titled,
‘The Incomprehensible Nature of Salafyism
And its Irrational doctrine of Allah’s Bodyparts!
For more on Jalal’s confused conception of deity we suggest the following papers:
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/allah_as_man.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/allah_location.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/zawadi_allahs_face.htm
http://khalas.wordpress.com/2007/03/02/allah-evidence-of-an-anthropomorphic-deity/
http://www.islam-watch.org/AbulKasem/BismiAllah/1a.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/allahs_selfannihilation.htm
Jalal appeals to the Holy Bible to prove his case concerning God being one, as if orthodox Christians somehow deny this fact!
The Old Testament and the New Testament both state that God is one, "I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God … Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any" (Isaiah 44:6 & 8); "There is but one God, the Father" (1 Corinthians 8:6). But, when Christians read ‘One’ they see ‘Three.’ Most of mankind sees ‘One’ when they read ‘One.’ But Christians see ‘Three’ when they read ‘One’.
The problem with Muslims like Jalal is that they never bother explaining what exactly they mean when they says that his god is one. Do they mean that he is one community, one person, one essence having one attribute? Jalal also doesn’t ever quote the Holy Bible to show what God’s true messengers said concerning the unity of God, i.e. did these inspired spokespersons teach that Yahweh is a single Being with a single essence that encompasses a plurality of attributes and/or Persons? Or did they believe that Yahweh’s essence preclude him from having multiple attributes and/or Persons?
To put it simply, Jalal needs to tell us what exactly does he mean when he says that God is one. To keep repeating that God is one, as Jalal does, really doesn’t mean much unless he starts explaining what he means by it.
Secondly, Isaiah is a witness against Jalal since this blessed prophet confirmed that God is a multi-Personal Being, e.g. there is one God who exists as more than one Person. In fact, Isaiah believed that the Messiah is the Mighty God who rules on David’s throne forever:
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this." Isaiah 9:6-7
Lest Jalal claim that this is not a Messianic text and appeal to orthodox Jews to prove that it isn’t here are a couple of rabbinic quotes for good measure:
The prophet saith to the house of David, A child has been born to us, a son has been given to us; and he has taken the law upon himself to keep it, and his name has been called from of old, Wonderful counselor, Mighty God, He who lives forever, the Anointed One (or Messiah), in whose days peace shall increase upon us. (The Targum of Isaiah, J.F. Stenning, Editor and Translator [Oxford: Clarendon], p. 32; bold emphasis ours)
Another explanation: He said to him: ‘I have yet to raise up the Messiah’ of whom it is written, For a child is born to us (Isa. IX, 5). (Midrash Rabbah Deuteronomy, Rabbi H. Freedman and Maurice Simon, Editors; Rev. Dr. J. Rabbinowitz, Translator [London: Soncino Press], I.20, p. 20)
What makes this so amazing is that Isaiah applies every one of these titles to the one true God Yahweh!
"In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of the house of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God." Isaiah 10:20-21
"O LORD, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth." Isaiah 25:1 NKJV
"All this also comes from the LORD Almighty, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom." Isaiah 28:29
"For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’" Isaiah 57:15 NKJV
"But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name." Isaiah 63:16
Isaiah further believed that the Messianic King would bear the sins of the people by dying as a sacrifice to God:
"See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him— his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness— so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand. Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Isaiah 52:13-15, 53:1-12
There are two indications that this Servant is the Messiah. First, the Servant will be highly exalted and lifted up, implying that God will enthrone him next to himself since this is the same language that Isaiah uses for Yahweh’s exaltation:
"The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled) … The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day, and the idols will totally disappear." Isaiah 2:11-12, 17-18
Interestingly, the Quran itself teaches that Allah exalted Jesus to himself:
And (remember) when Allah said: "O 'Iesa (Jesus)! I will take you and raise you to Myself and clear you [of the forged statement that 'Iesa (Jesus) is Allah's son] of those who disbelieve, and I will make those who follow you (Monotheists, who worship none but Allah) superior to those who disbelieve … till the Day of Resurrection. Then you will return to Me and I will judge between you in the matters in which you used to dispute." S. 3:55 Hilal-Khan
But Allah raised him ['Iesa (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise. S. 4:158 Hilali-Khan
Seeing that Isaiah has already mentioned that the Messiah rules forever as the Mighty God this seems to strongly support that he is this very Servant who is exalted with Yahweh.
Second, the Servant is said come out of dry root in 53:2, a term used by Isaiah elsewhere in reference to the Branch from Jesse, the father of David:
"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD - and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked… In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the sea." Isaiah 11:1-4, 10
The Branch and Root of Jesse is the One who rules on David’s throne, i.e. the Messiah, indicating that the Root of Isaiah 53:2 is none other than the Messianic Ruler.
Once again, here is how some of the ancient Jewish sources interpreted Isaiah 53:
Behold my servant. Messiah shall prosper; he shall be high, and increase, and be exceeding strong: as the house of Israel looked to him through many days, because their countenance was darkened among the peopled, and their complexion beyond the sons of men. (Targum Jonathan, 2nd Century A.D.)
The Messiah--what is his name? … The rabbis say, the leprous one; those of the house of Rabbi say, the sick one, as it is said, "Surely he hath borne our sickness."
(The Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 98b, 500 A.D.)He is speaking of King Messiah: "Come hither" draw near to the throne "and dip thy morsel in the vinegar," this refers to the chastisements, as it is said, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities." (Ruth 2:14 commentary from The Midrash Rabbah, 6th Century A.D.)
With the foregoing in perspective how can Muhammad be a messenger of the one true God who spoke through Isaiah when the former denied that the Messiah is the Mighty God who rules on David’s throne forever and contradicted what the prophets said concerning the Messiah dying on behalf of sinners?
Third, one of the names that Isaiah ascribes to Yahweh in Isaiah 44:6 is the First and the Last:
"This is what the LORD says — Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God." cf. 41:4; 48:12
A title which the Lord Jesus applies to his own Person:
"When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I WAS DEAD, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.’" Revelation 1:17-18
"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End…. He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.’" Revelation 22:12-13, 20
In light of Jalal’s theology which states that no true prophet of God can ever ascribe to himself the exclusive names and attributes of Deity how can Jalal continue to spread the lie that Jesus was a Muslim who never claimed to be God?
Fourth, let us see what Jalal conveniently left out from Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 8:
"So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but ONE Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live." 1 Corinthians 8:4-6
The blessed and holy Apostle identifies Jesus as the One Lord through whom all created things came into being and are kept together, a point he repeats in another epistle:
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 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 were created THROUGH him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Colossians 1:15-17
In fact, many Biblical scholars believe that, by saying that Christ is the One through whom all things exist, Paul has actually taken the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4:
"Hear O Israel! The LORD our God, the LORD is One!"
And expanded it to include Jesus as the one Lord whom God’s people are commanded to worship and confess. In other words, Paul wasn’t denying that Jesus is God but was actually identifying him as the very Yahweh of the Shema which monotheist Jews recited! Noted Evangelical scholar Gordon D. Fee states it best:
"What Paul has done seems plain enough. He has kept the 'one' intact, but he has divided the Shema into two parts, with theos (God) now referring to the Father, and kurios (Lord) referring to Jesus Christ the Son… He insists that the identity of the one God also includes the one Lord," (Fee, Pauline Christology: An Exegetical-Theological Commentary [Hendrickson Publishers, March 2007], pp. 90-91)
And:
"In the striking passage where Paul reshapes the Jewish Shema to embrace both the Father and the Son while as the same time emphasizing his inherited monotheism, Paul asserts that the 'one Lord' (=Yahweh) of the Shema is to be identified as the Lord Jesus Christ … In a still more profoundly theological way, by his inclusion of the preexistent Son as the agent of creation, Paul has thus included him in the divine identity at its most fundamental point, since the one God of the Jews was regularly identified vis-à-vis all other 'gods' as the Creator and Ruler of all things. Thus, it is one thing for Christ to be the means of redemption, but for him likewise to be the divine agent of creation is what clearly includes him within Paul's now adjusted understanding of 'the one God,' … One of the reasons for naming Christ as 'the Lord' = Yahweh of the Shema [is] to place Christ as already present with the Israel to whom the Shema was originally given," (Ibid., 502-504; underline emphasis ours)
Paul isn’t the only inspired writer who taught that all things were created through Jesus:
"Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made… He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him." John 1:1, 10
"but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe." Hebrews 1:2
It is apparent from the foregoing that all of these writers believed that Jesus is God since the Scriptures emphatically teach that creation came into being and is kept for and through God:
"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." Romans 11:36
"one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:6
"In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering." Hebrews 2:10
Muhammad, on the other hand, denied the Divinity of Christ (even though he badly misunderstood what it meant for Christ to be God). Yet Jalal quoted Paul who affirmed it, which only goes to further show that Jalal’s prophet is not a true messenger of the one true God.
Paul also wrote that the one God is the Father, and in saying this he agrees completely with the prophets such as Isaiah concerning God being a spiritual Father:
"Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." Isaiah 64:8
"Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?" Malachi 2:10
But Muhammad’s god isn’t the father of anyone:
And (both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are the children of Allah and His loved ones." Say: "Why then does He punish you for your sins?" Nay, you are but human beings, of those He has created, He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and to Him is the return (of all). S. 5:18 Hilali-Khan
And they say: "The Most Beneficent (Allah) has begotten a son (or offspring or children) [as the Jews say: 'Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allah, and the Christians say that He has begotten a son ['Iesa (Christ)], and the pagan Arabs say that He has begotten daughters (angels, etc.)]." Indeed you have brought forth (said) a terrible evil thing. Whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the earth is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins, that they ascribe a son (or offspring or children) to the Most Beneficent (Allah). But it is not suitable for (the Majesty of) the Most Beneficent (Allah) that He should beget a son (or offspring or children). S. 19:88-93 Hilali-Khan
Seeing that Muhammad again contradicted the teachings of the true Prophets such as Isaiah and the holy Apostles like Paul concerning God’s spiritual Fatherhood how can he be God’s representative?
Jalal continues:
They also invoke the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, but only see ‘One’ in this ‘Trinity’!
They do so because their Lord and Master commanded them to invoke them:
"Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the NAME of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’" Matthew 28:18-20
The reason why true believers still see one God here, even though Jesus mentioned three distinct Persons, is because Christ used NAME (singular), as opposed to names (plural), which is shared by all three. Since name in the Holy Bible often denotes the nature, characteristics, and/or authority of a person (much like in Islamic theology, e.g. the ninety-nine "names" of Allah) this implies that these three distinct Persons share the same essence and nature and therefore are all fully God. Jesus substantiates this interpretation since he goes on to say that he will personally be present (spiritually, not physically) with all his followers till the end of the age, which is a rather explicit claim to being God since this presupposes that Jesus is omnipresent.
Nor is Jesus the first to refer to the Trinity together:
"I will recount the steadfast love of the LORD, the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love. For he said, ‘Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely.’ And he became their Savior. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the Angel of his Presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them. Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses and his people. Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put in the midst of them his Holy Spirit, who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to make for himself an everlasting name, who led them through the depths? Like a horse in the desert, they did not stumble. Like livestock that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. So you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name. Look down from heaven and see, from your holy and beautiful habitation. Where are your zeal and your might? The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion are held back from me. For you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us; you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name." Isaiah 63:7-16
Here, Israel is said to have been delivered by God the Father, the Angel or Messenger (malak) of his Presence (panim – lit., "faces"), and his Holy Spirit. And yet Isaiah says that there is only one Savior:
"‘You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.’" Isaiah 43:10-11
"Declare what is to be, present it— let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other." Isaiah 45:21-22
Thus, Israel’s one Savior is revealed as three distinct Persons consisting of the Father, his Divine Angel, and his Holy Spirit!
There is further evidence to support that Isaiah was identifying the Angel as Deity since the genitive here ("of") implies that the Angel is God’s Face, or the One in and through whom God is revealed because he happens to be God in nature and stands before him in intimate communion. This is similar to what Moses wrote concerning the Angel:
"See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name IS IN HIM. If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out." Exodus 23:20-23
The Angel can forgive sins because he embodies God’s very name or nature.
The Biblical commentators agree that this is the meaning of the genitive, with many of them believing that the Angel is actually the prehuman Jesus who would often appear to God’s people throughout the OT period:
and the Angel of his presence saved them; not Michael, as Jarchi; but the Messiah is here meant; the Angel of the covenant, the Angel which went before the Israelites in the wilderness, (Exodus 23:20-23) not a created angel, or an angel by nature, but by office; being sent of God, as the word signifies, on the errand and business of salvation; called "the Angel of God's presence", or "face", because his face was seen in him; his name, and nature, and perfections were in him; he is the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person besides, the presence of God was always with him; he is the "Ithiel", the Word that was with God, and with whom God always was; who lay in the bosom of his Father, and was ever with him; and who also, as Mediator, introduces his people into the presence of God, and always appears in it for them as their advocate and intercessor: now to him salvation is ascribed; he saved Israel out of Egypt, and out of the hands of all their enemies in the wilderness; and which salvation was typical of the spiritual, eternal, and complete salvation, which is only by Christ, and issues in eternal glory: (The New John Gill Exposition on the Entire Bible; source; underline emphasis ours)
And:
(2.) The person employed in their salvation--the angel of his face, or presence. Some understand it of a created angel. The highest angel in heaven, even the angel of his presence, that attends next the throne of his glory, is not thought too great, too good, to be sent on this errand. Thus the little ones' angels are said to be those that always behold the face of our Father, Matthew 18:10. But this is rather to be understood of Jesus Christ, the eternal Word, that angel of whom God spoke to Moses (Exodus 23:20,21), whose voice Israel was to obey. He is called Jehovah, Exodus 13:21, 14:21,24. He is the angel of the covenant, God's messenger to the world, Malachi 3:1. He is the angel of God's face, for he is the express image of his person; and the glory of God shines in the face of Christ. He that was to work out the eternal salvation, as an earnest of that, wrought out the temporal salvations that were typical of it. (Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible; source)
Again:
angel of his presence--literally, "of His face," that is, who stands before Him continually; Messiah (Ex 14:19; 23:20, 21; Pr 8:30), language applicable to no creature (Ex 32:34; 33:2, 14; Nu 20:16; Mal 3:1). (Jamieson, Fausset, Brown - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; source; underline emphasis ours)
Finally:
d. And the Angel of His Presence saved them: This refers to the presence and work of Jesus among ancient Israel, especially among those delivered from Egypt.
i. "The angel of His presence is the Messiah … Calvin sees in this angel merely a serving angel. But of this Angel it is said that He by His love and pity saved Israel; this can hardly be said of a created angel. It is the Christ who is meant here." (Bultema)
ii. "Angel of his presence: literally 'of his face'. We recognize people by face; 'face' is the Lord's very own presence (Psalm 139:7), among them in the person of his angel - that unique 'Angel of the Lord' (as in Genesis 16:7ff; 21:17; 22:11, 15; Exodus 3:2; 14:19; 23:20-23; Malachi 3:1) who speaks as the Lord and is yet distinct from him." (Motyer) (David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible; source)
Jalal takes a shot at addressing my paper concerning Psalm 110:1 without bothering to link to it! Here it is: http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/psalm110_1.htm
He says:
Shamoun wrote, ‘We do agree that the Psalmist had two distinct and different Persons in view.’ We [
mankind] agree [that the psalmist sees two different persons] Jesus and God! Shamoun admits that many say that, ‘The Hebrew text disproves such a notion … The words in Hebrew which the above version translates LORD and Lord are actually Yahweh and Adoni, two different words with two obviously different meanings (or so the argument goes).’ This is a very good argument, isn’t it? … Psalm 110:1 addresses two distinct, different persons, as Shamoun agrees, ‘We do agree that the Psalmist had two distinct and different Persons in view?’ However, Shamoun contradicts what he agrees is the truth, ‘Just because the Psalmist used two different terms it doesn’t necessarily follow that he had two beings in mind who were of completely different essences.’ Shamoun also narrates from others that, ‘The word Adoni is never once used for God in the Hebrew Bible.’ Therefore, how would this make Adoni Jesus and Yahweh and the Christ and the Holy Ghost and the one and only true God?
Jalal is either ignorant of Biblical theology or is deliberately misrepresenting it in order to deceive and confuse his readers concerning what Trinitarians actually believe.
In the first place, the doctrine of the Holy Trinity teaches that there are three distinct Persons of God, not three distinct Beings, since Trinitarian theology distinguishes between Being and Person in reference to the Godhead. We believe that God is one eternal Being, who has one essence and nature, precisely because the Holy Bible teaches that there is only one God. However, the Holy Bible also identifies three distinct entities as God.
This is why I said that Yahweh and Adoni are not distinct BEINGS who have different essences, since I do not believe that there are three Gods. As I clearly stated, what Psalm 110 actually shows is that there are two distinct PERSONS, both of whom happen to be God.
Second, Jalal confuses sense and reference here since he doesn’t understand that the sense or meaning of a word can change depending on the referent (e.g. the person or object in view) or the context in which it is being used.
As a helpful illustration note how the Hebrew word Adam is used in the following verses:
"Then God said, ‘Let us make Adam in our image, in our likeness, and let THEM [Adam] rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created Adam in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created THEM." Genesis 1:26-27
"Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, ‘With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.’" Genesis 4:1
"This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created Adam, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called THEM Adam. When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth." Genesis 5:1-3
In these examples the word Adam is used in two different senses. In one sense it is used in reference to both the male and female collectively to denote their nature, that they are both fully human. Adam is also used as the name of the man in distinction from the woman.
In a similar manner the words Yahweh, God, Adoni etc., can be used in a variety of ways with various nuances of meanings. For example, the terms Yahweh or God can denote the essence of a person or thing or as a name denoting the individual members of the Godhead such as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In fact, here are some verses where the word theos ("God") is used with both of these meanings in the very same context:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God (ton theon), and the Word was God (theos). He was with the God (ton theon) in the beginning… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have beheld his glory, the glory of the One and Only from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:1-2, 14
Jesus, as the prehuman Word, was with the God (meaning the Father) and was himself God. The first use of theos functions as a proper name in reference to the Father whereas the second occurrence denotes the essence or nature of the Word, e.g. the preexistent Christ existed in the very nature of God before creation came into being.
This means that when a Trinitarian says Jesus is God s/he means that Jesus is fully God in nature, having all the essential attributes of Deity. When the same Trinitarian says Jesus was with God, here s/he doesn’t mean that Jesus was with himself but is using the term God as the name of the Father who is personally distinct from Christ his beloved Son.
Hence, much like Eve was called Adam and yet lived with Adam in a similar way Jesus can be God and also be with God at the same time. Yet this analogy cannot be pressed too literally since whereas there are many males and females who are distinct physical and temporal beings there is only one eternal, infinite Spirit Being called God who is neither a man nor a woman (cf. John 4:24).
Third, Jalal alludes to the parts of my paper where I refer to what the anti-Trinitarians are saying concerning the meaning of Adoni but doesn’t bother quoting my responses to their assertions. Nor does he give a link to my article which would at least allow his readers to see my reply! As I demonstrated, Adoni is applied to the true God which therefore refutes the assertion of the anti-Trinitarians that this specific term is only used for angels and men.
He goes on to say:
Shamoun says, ‘Just because Adoni is used elsewhere for human beings or angels doesn’t mean that David didn’t use it in reference to God.’ As an example, Shamoun says, ‘The word Adoni is used for the Angel of Yahweh in Judges 6:13.’ Here is Judges 6:13, ‘And Gideon said … Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.’ Shamoun also says that Adoni, used for the Angel of Yahweh in Judges 6:13, clearly isn’t a mere creature but a manifestation of God himself. If this is true, then the text would go like this, ‘Oh my Lord, if you be with us, why then is all this befallen us … and where be all your miracles which our fathers told us of … but now you have forsaken us.’ And what about all these complains of promises undelivered? Why would anyone use this as proof that Adoni is God or that the angel in Judges 6:13 is actually God?’" Why? Because they know they believe in multiple gods, Polytheism Incarnate.
It seems that Jalal didn’t understand what he was reading which explains his confusion. I used Judges 6:13 to show how the word Adoni is used for a Divine Being just as the immediate context itself demonstrates. The reason why Gideon didn’t ask the Angel if he would go with him in battle is because he didn’t know at first that the one speaking to him was God. Note, once again, the context:
"The angel of the LORD came AND SAT DOWN under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, HE SAID, ‘The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.’ ‘But sir (Adoni),’ Gideon replied, ‘if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, "Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?" But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.’ The LORD TURNED TO HIM AND SAID, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?’ ‘But Lord,’ Gideon asked, ‘how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’ The LORD ANSWERED, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.’ Gideon replied, ‘If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.’ AND THE LORD SAID, ‘I will wait until you return.’ Gideon went in, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak. THE ANGEL OF GOD SAID TO HIM, ‘Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.’ And Gideon did so. With the tip of the staff that was IN HIS HAND, the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared. When Gideon REALIZED that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, ‘Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!’ But the LORD SAID TO HIM, ‘Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.’ So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites." Judges 6:11-24
The first thing that the reader should notice from this text is how the inspired author identifies the Angel with Yahweh since he says at first that the Angel came and sat down to speak with Gideon but then says that the LORD turned to speak with Gideon. Hence, the Angel speaking is none other than God speaking since the Angel is God.
The second point to notice is that this Divine Angel appears as a man and is holding a staff in his hand. This shows that the OT prophets believed that God could appear in human form.
The final point to be gleaned here is that Gideon initially didn’t know who the man was. Yet notice Gideon’s reaction after he finally realized that it was the Angel who was speaking to him – Gideon thought he was going to die. The reason why he reacted this way is because the prophets believed that if God appeared to a person this would result in death:
"So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.’" Genesis 32:30
Yet the Angel reassures him that he will not die, which further confirms the Divine identity of this Messenger. After all, the only way for Gideon to think that he would die after seeing the Angel is if he believed that the Angel was God, e.g. he believed that seeing the Angel meant that he was looking at God himself.
Jalal asks about Gideon’s complaints of Israel not being delivered as if this is somehow relevant in refuting my point. Our response is, what about these complaints? Had Jalal bothered to read Judges he would see that the reason why God didn’t deliver his people is because of their disobedience which resulted in their judgment:
"The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, ‘I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I swore to give to your forefathers. I said, "I will never break MY covenant with you, and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars." Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.’ When the angel of the LORD had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud, and they called that place Bokim. There they offered sacrifices to the LORD." Judges 2:1-5
As a side note, pay careful attention to the fact that the Angel says he is the One who made the promise to the patriarchs, made a covenant with Israel, and who led Israel out of Egypt and brought them into land. This Angel sure thinks he is God!
"Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count the men and their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help. When the Israelites cried to the LORD because of Midian, he sent them a prophet, who said, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. I snatched you from the power of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors. I drove them from before you and gave you their land. I said to you, "I am the LORD your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live." But you have not listened to me.’" Judges 6:1-10
Every time Israel would suffer judgment they would turn to God who would then deliver them, only to have the Israelites turn away from him again!
In light of the foregoing it is apparent that Jalal didn’t really know what to say to refute my point and so came up with any desperate explanation he could think of.
Jalal next mocks what Christians believe and slanders the true God in the process:
… How can this text prove two distinct persons, ‘Yahweh’ and ‘Adoni (or Adown)’, and also prove that Jesus (Adoni) is actually God (Yahweh), and consequently, God is actually One God: God, Jesus, Adoni, Christ, the (missing) Holy Ghost, and Yahweh? … Now, instead of one God, we end up with eight different gods that do different things and experience different things: God, Jesus, Adoni, Christ, the (missing) Holy Ghost, Yahweh, the Father, the son. All these gods are still the one and only God. Who knows how many more gods Christians can come up with? I mean the possibilities are staggering! This is very exciting! Jalal Abualrub
Let us correct Jalal’s deliberate stupidity and mockery of Christian truth:
Islam’s many gods and lords
We have written quite extensively on the pagan origins of Islam and its polytheistic teachings in the following articles:
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/monotheism.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/filial_terms.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Abualrub/twoadams_ss1.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/serve_besides_allah1.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/serve_besides_allah2.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/islam_paganism.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/sura3_7.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/gabriel.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/monotheism.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/allah_plurality.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/allah_swearing_by_idols.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Miracle/not_so_eloquent.html
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/jesus_creator.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/allah_high_god.html
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/qi037.html
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Incoherence/many_gods.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/badawi-jesus3.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Saifullah/t5_73.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Saifullah/hubal_abusufian.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Saifullah/rahman_deity.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Abualrub/spirit.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Abualrub/mo_new_concepts.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/spirit1.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/spirit2.htm
http://answer-islam.org/AllahMoObedience.html
http://answer-islam.org/MoDeification1.html
http://answer-islam.org/MoDeification2.html
http://answer-islam.org/MoDeification3.html
http://answer-islam.org/MoDeification4.html
So we will keep this rather brief. Jalal’s god is actually a pentagonity, e.g. five gods rolled up into one (at the very least since it may even be more). Here is a summary of what the Quran and the so-called authentic narrations actually teach regarding the concept of monotheism:
That you may believe in Allah and his messenger, and may honour him, and may revere him, and may glorify him at early dawn and at the close of day. Lo! those who swear allegiance unto you, swear allegiance only unto Allah. The Hand of Allah is above their hands. So whoever breaks his oath, breaks it only to his soul's hurt; while whoever keeps his covenant with Allah, on him will He bestow immense reward. S. 48:9-10
The following Muslim writer acknowledges that many Muslim scholars believed that the pronouns commanding Muslims to honor, revere and glorify all refer to Muhammad, since he is the closest antecedent in the context:
"That ye (mankind) may believe in Allah and His messenger, and may honor h/Him, and may revere h/Him, and may glorify h/Him at early dawn and at the close of day" (48:9). Al-Nawawi said that the scholars of Qur'anic commentary have given this verse two lines of explanation, one group giving the three personal pronouns "HIM" a single referent, namely, either Allah ("Him") OR THE PROPHET ("him"); the other group distinguishing between two referents, namely, the Prophet (SAWS) for the first two ("honor and revere him"), and Allah for the last ("glorify Him"). Those of the first group that said the pronouns ALL REFER TO THE PROPHET (SAWS) explained "glorify him" (tusabbihuhu) here to mean: "declare him devoid of inappropriate attributes and pray for him." (Gibril F. Haddad, The Prophetic Title "Best of Creation"; source; bold and capital emphasis ours)
Thus, Muslims are expected to worship and glorify their prophet! Now if this isn’t what the verse is saying then couldn’t Allah have uttered or written this in a clearer manner in order to avoid confusing all these Muslims who thought that it did refer to their prophet?
Narrated Az-Zubair bin ‘Arabi:
A man asked Ibn 'Umar about the touching of the Black Stone. Ibn ‘Umar said, "I saw Allah’s Apostle touching and kissing it." The questioner said, "But if there were a throng (much rush) round the Ka'ba and the people overpowered me, (what would I do?)" He replied angrily, "Stay in Yemen (as that man was from Yemen). I saw Allah's Apostle touching and kissing it." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 26, Number 680)Narrated 'Abis bin Rabia:
'Umar came near the Black Stone and kissed it and said "No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit anyone nor harm anyone. Had I not seen Allah's Apostle kissing you I would not have kissed you." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 26, Number 667)
God doth blot out or confirm what He pleaseth: with Him is the Mother of the Book (ommu alkitabi). S. 13:39 Y. Ali
verily, we have made it an Arabic Qur'an; haply ye will have some sense. And it is in the Mother of the Book (ommi alkitabi) with Us,- high and wise. S. 43:3-4 Palmer
Now if the Quran is eternal, its mother must be eternal as well. But how can a child be just as old as his/her parent? Maybe Jalal will adopt Trinitarian theology at this point and claim that both mother and child are uncreated since this is a relational term without denoting a point of origin for the Quran. In other words, Jalal may argue that the Quran’s mother didn’t create the Quran, since this isn’t what the term means. Rather, these words connote the fact that there is a heavenly book that was in love with the Quran and had intimate discourse with the Muslim scripture long before creation existed!
In light of the foregoing we repeat Jalal’s concluding statements here in order to return the favor. Now, instead of one Allah, we end up with a multiplicity of different and false gods/idols (at least five) that do and experience different things: Allah, the Spirit (who is supposed to be the missing Gabriel since the Quran never explicitly identifies Gabriel as God’s Holy Spirit), Muhammad, the black stone, and the Quran’s mother. To think that Jalal wants us to really believe that all these gods are only one Allah!
Who knows how many more gods Muslims like Jalal will eventually come up with? I mean the possibilities are staggering! This is very confusing and perplexing to say the least!
Debate Challenge
Jalal mentions the debate we were supposed to have, until his rude and childish behavior led to its cancellation:
’This is part of what I was going to debate Sam Shamoun on. Since the debate will not take place between us, I will post this to expose this man’s utter confusion in his own religion.
We are ready, willing and able by the grace of Jesus (Jalal’s Lord and ours) to debate Jalal provided he can act in accord with his age and refrain from personal insults.
In fact, we openly challenge Jalal to debate the following topics:
Does the Holy Bible Teach that God is a Trinity?
And
Does the Muslim scripture teach absolute Monotheism?
We will inform our readers whether Jalal accepts these challenges and can guarantee that he will not act like a child by attacking people personally and promise to control himself long enough to have a respectful debate.
To conclude our rebuttal, we must reiterate the point that true Christian believers worship fewer gods than Muslims since we only believe in one eternal God who exists as three eternally distinct, yet inseparable Persons. The Islamic deity, however, is a pentagonity since Allah is actually composed five very different and very confused gods at the same time.
Further Reading
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/q_mk_12_29.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/q_paul_on_one_god.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/plurality1.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/plurality2.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/isaiah6_trinity.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/aaronic_blessing_trinity.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/tabernacle_trinity.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/gabriel.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Abualrub/questions1.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Abualrub/questions2.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Abualrub/genealogy1.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Abualrub/genealogy2.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Menj/tam1.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Shabir-Ally/storkey.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/jeremiah23.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/jesus_yahweh1.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/jesus_yahweh2.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/jesus_yahweh3.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/spirit1_r1.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/spirit1.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/spirit2.htm
Responses to Jalal Abualrub
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