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Joy Penrose-Davis

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CHAPTER 1

THE PRE-EXISTENT JESUS

Did Jesus Christ (Yeshua, the Messiah), have a past life before he became human? Did he exist before being born on the earth? Throughout the scriptures, we see a plethora of evidence which seem to indicate that Jesus had past experiences before his sojourn in the world. In the Old Testament book of the prophet Micah, we read the following: But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting (Micah 5:2). This prophecy of Micah not only foretold that Jesus Christ would be born in Bethlehem of Judah (Matt. 2:1-8), but it also informs us that he pre-existed. The phrase, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting, is a clear indication that the Messiah, who has been identified in the scriptures as Jesus Christ (Yeshua), had a prior existence long before he came to live as a human on planet earth. In the opening chapter of the book of John, we learn that God

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and the Word (the Logos), existed in the beginning. This Word, according to John, later took on human form and nature and dwelt among us here on the earth. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:1-3, 14 NKJV). In reading the above passage of scripture, and indeed, the entire first chapter of the Gospel of John, it becomes evident that the Word that existed with God in the beginning and who later became flesh and dwelt among us, is a reference to Jesus Christ. From Johns account, therefore, we understand that Jesus existed as the Word in his pre-human life. John the Baptist, who was sent by YHWH God the Father to be the forerunner and witness of Jesus Christ, corroborates the truth of Jesus pre-existence (Mark 1:2). In speaking of Christ, John the Baptist declared of him: This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me (John 1:30). In this text, John the Baptist calls attention to the fact that Jesus Christ existed before him. How is that possible, when from the Biblical narrative we are informed that John the Baptist is older than Jesus Christ? In studying the life of John the Baptist, we learn that he was six months older than Jesus. The account recorded, states that when Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit with Jesus, her older cousin Elizabeth, was already six months pregnant with John the Baptist (Luke 1:24-33). Since we know, therefore, that John the Baptist was born six months before Jesus, in stating that Jesus existed before him, it is obvious that John the Baptist could not have been referring to Jesus life on earth, but must have been referring to a prior existence. There were also several occasions in which Jesus spoke of his past life. Once, in a discussion with the Jews, Jesus told them that he knew Abraham. This was incredulous news to his hearers

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and they became extremely enraged when he told them that not only did he know Abraham, but that he also existed before him (John 8:53-59). Here was Jesus, less than fifty years old, yet claiming to have existed before Abraham who had lived forty-two generations prior to Jesus coming to earth (Matt. 1:17). How is that even remotely possible? Evidently, Jesus was not referring to his human experience. In making such a pronouncement, Jesus could only have been admitting to having had a previous existence long before coming to take up residence in the earths realm. We see, also, where Jesus in speaking to his disciples, informed them that he was present when Satan was cast out of heaven. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven (Luke 10:18). From the scriptures, we know that Satan was thrown out of heaven long before Jesus came into the world. From the earliest history of mankind and millennia before Christ was born as a human, the scriptures record the account of Satans nefarious activities in the earth (Gen. 3). Since Jesus, therefore, only came to live on this planet approximately two thousand years ago, he must have witnessed the ousting of Satan out of heaven during a pre-existent life. The night before Jesus was crucified he prayed to the Father, asking for a restoration of his past glory. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was for You loved Me before the foundation of the world (John 17:5, 24 NKJV). Evidently, it was necessary for Jesus to have given up his glory in order to become human. Now that the mission assigned to him by the Father was approaching its completion, he was requesting that his prehuman glory be restored to him. From this, it is obvious that Jesus had a past existence. If he did not, certainly, there would have been no glory to be restored. We notice also, in the above text, that Jesus in praying to the Father, makes mention of the immense love which they mutually shared long before the creation of the earth. This is yet another crucial piece of evidence pointing to the truth of Jesus prior existence.

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The following passages of scriptures provide additional proof of Jesus pre-human life. And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven (John 3:13). For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world (John 6:33). What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? (John 6:62). And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world (John 8:23). In this chapter, we have been provided with ample evidence showing that when Jesus came into the world, he was not coming into being for the first time. It is unequivocal from all accounts, that Jesus Christ pre-existed in a glorified form and in a glorious place, long before the foundation of the earth was laid and long before mankind was created.