God intentionally created the four gospels to show the four faces of God portrayed in the Old Testament. In Zechariah Jesus is called both king and man. In Isaiah Jesus is called both God and servant. In Matthew Jesus is a king. In Mark Jesus is a servant. In Luke Jesus is a man. In John Jesus is God. Notice in the following Old Testament Scriptures when God say “behold” he is letting us know something important is being said:
Zechariah 9:9 – Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Jesus fulfills this prophecy in His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matt. 21:7-11, Mark 11:7-10. Luke 19:35-40, John 12:12-19).
Isaiah 42:1 – Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my souls delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
Zechariah 6:12 – Thus says the Lord of hosts, behold, the man whose name is the branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord.
This Scripture is telling us Jesus will establish the church and it will spread out to the entire world. Each indwelt member of the church will become a temple of the Lord.
Isaiah 40:9 – Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God”.
The four-faced cherubim described in Ezekiel 1:5-10 also portrays the four faces of God which correspond to the four natures of Jesus. One face of the cherubim is man. One face is a lion representing the king. One face is an ox representing a servant. Several places in Scripture the ox is clearly used to portray a servant so we assume the same here. The last face of the cherubim is an eagle representing God. Again, the symbol of an eagle is used in other Scriptures clearly identified with God. Each face of God is clearly presented to man as a separate gospel. God is prophetically showing us the four faces of Jesus to be revealed in two stages. Jesus came to the earth the first time in the incarnation as servant and man. When Jesus comes the second time it will be in all his glory as God and king. Jesus fulfilled the first half of the prophecy concerning his coming which confirms he will also appear at the second coming in all his glory. Praise the Lord!
Witnessing for Christ