Vol. 8, No. 9, 1991

The Earliest Evidences

David Henke

With the light of the New Testament we look back at the Old Testament (OT) and see numerous scriptures that indicate a plurality of Persons in the one God. But during the Old Testament days there was insufficient evidence to arrive at a Trinitarian doctrine as we have today.

In Genesis 1:26 God says, "Let US make man in OUR image." Jehovah's Witnesses often say God is speaking to the Word (Jesus, or Michael the Archangel in their doctrine) when He says "Let us," but Genesis 5:1-3 indicate that image is the image of God ONLY. It must also be noted that the word "image" is singular.

In Isaiah 6 there is a fascinating passage that contains an Old Testament evidence for the Trinity. Verse one says, "In the year that King Uzziah died I SAW the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple."

Who is the Lord whom Isaiah saw? Verse five tells us "mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD (Jehovah) of hosts."

That is interesting because John 1:18 says, "No man hath seen God (implying the Father) at any time; the only begotten God, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."

So what is the meaning of this passage in relation to the Trinity? When it is cross-referenced with John 12:37-41 it is clear that the LORD whom Isaiah saw was Jesus!

But that is not all the passage show. In verse eight Isaiah says he heard "the voice of the Lord, saying, `Whom shall I send, and who will go for US?" Again, the singular "I" with the plural "us."

In verse nine Isaiah is quoting the `voice of the Lord' who asks "Who will go for US?" Who is this `voice of the Lord'? If it is cross-referenced with Acts 28:25-27 it becomes obvious that Isaiah was quoting the Holy Spirit.

Though the Father is not identified as one of the Persons in this vision of Isaiah the Son and Holy Spirit are. Thus you have a clear indication of these two Persons being called God in the Old Testament.

Other Old Testament evidences of plurality of Persons in the one God include:

Isaiah 40:1-14 where Jesus is God manifest (vss. 3-11) and the Holy Spirit is the Sovereign Creator of the Universe (vss. 12-14).

Isaiah 48:12-16. The speaker is Jehovah from verses 12- 16 but in verse 16 Jehovah says, "from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me." Thus, Jehovah (the Father) and His Spirit (the Holy Spirit) send Jehovah (the Son). Another text along this line is Zechariah 2:8-9.

There are many other evidences in the Old Testament. For further insight request our pamphlet The Trinity.