Challenge!

Here is a challenge!  Can anyone show one Scripture where God is described as Three-in-one, Triune or Trinity?

If we cannot find one Scripture that describes God as Three-in-one, Triune or Trinity, then we must ask ourselves, which God do we worship – the Biblical God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob or is it a god or theological concept of our own making?

Without going into the history of where this Three-in-one concept originated, namely in ancient Babylon – as the worship of Nimrod, Semiramis and Tammuz, which later became a snare to ancient Israel under various names such as Baal, Ashtoreth and Tammuz, my challenge to us today is the same as that which Elijah gave to Israel: “If Yahweh be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him.” – 1 Kings 18:21.

Picture of God in Heaven

How much clearer can the Bible get than to give a physical description of heaven in which it shows God seated on the throne, with angels numbering “ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands” gathered before Him, and Jesus, one like the Son of man, in one case, being brought before Him to receive a kingdom, and in the other case, as the Lamb, to receive a book?  These physical descriptions are given in Daniel 7 and Revelation 4 and 5 respectively.

According to the account in Revelation 4, “one sat on the throne” and the angels worshipped Him saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, LORD God Almighty, which was and is, and is to come” – Rev. 4:8.

It goes on to say:

“The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” – Rev. 4:10, 11.

Quite distinct from Him that sat on the throne, who is worshipped as the Creator – the One who “liveth for ever and ever”, is the Lamb that was slain.  When Christ, the Lamb, came and took the book out of the hand of Him that sat on the throne, the angels sang: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” Rev. 5:12.

Then everyone sang:

“Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” Rev. 5:13.

It continues:

“And the four beasts said Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.” Rev. 5:14.

Who Else is Worshipped in Scripture?

Apart from the Almighty, who is the Creator – the Most High, and His only begotten Son Jesus Christ – the Lamb, who shed His blood for us, who else is worshipped in all the Scriptures? Can anyone find even one text of Scripture?

Will anyone take up the challenge?

If no one can find a text, then we must ask ourselves, who else in the entire universe wanted to be worshipped, who coveted the position of Christ and wanted to be like the Most High?  Are we worshipping him unwittingly?

We are told that “the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” – Zech. 6:13.

“God is the Father of Christ; Christ is the Son of God. To Christ has been given an exalted position. He has been made equal with the Father. All the counsels of God are opened to his Son.” – Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 8, p. 268.

“Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God , was one with the eternal Father – one in nature , in character, in purpose – the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God.”  (Ellen. G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34).

Someone wanted to be a third member of the heavenly council, and to be likewise worshipped.  Lucifer said: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” – Isa. 14:13, 14.

One Supreme Being

But there is one Supreme Being and He admits only one other, his only begotten Son, to all His counsels and purposes.  When Isaiah saw Him, Isaiah’s whole perspective changed.  The account says:

“¹ In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

² Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

³ And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

⁴ And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

⁵ Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” Isa. 6:1-5.

We need to get a glimpse of the Most High, like Isaiah.  Then we would see our uncleanness – our unworthiness, and bow down in awe before Him so that we can obtain mercy and be cleansed like Isaiah was.  Then, like Isaiah, when the LORD says: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” we will be able to say: “Here am I; send me.” – Isa. 6:8.  Then, we will be bold like Elijah in carrying God’s message and calling the world to “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” – Rev.14:7.

Elijah’s Challenge on Mount Carmel

So, back to where we started: Can anyone show one Scripture where God is described as Three-in-one, Triune or Trinity?  Which God do we worship – the Biblical God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob or is it a god or theological concept of our own making?

Remember Elijah’s challenge on Mount Carmel:

“How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.” – 1 Kings 18:21.

Will anyone answer?

 “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 11:15).

 – Zerubbabel (Zech. 4:6)