Yahweh Passages Applied to Jesus
5 Old Testament Passages About Yahweh That the New Testament Applies to Jesus
The New Testament authors repeatedly take passages that clearly refer to Yahweh and apply them directly to Jesus.
Isaiah 40:3 → Matthew 3:3
Old Testament (Isaiah 40:3):
"A voice is calling, 'Clear the way for Yahweh in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.'"
New Testament (Matthew 3:3):
"For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, 'THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!'"
Why It Matters: John prepared the way for Jesus. The one whose way John prepared is called "Yahweh" in Isaiah. Jesus is Yahweh.
Isaiah 45:23 → Philippians 2:10-11
Old Testament (Isaiah 45:23):
"I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back, that to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance."
New Testament (Philippians 2:10-11):
"so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Why It Matters: What Yahweh declared would be done to Him — every knee bowing, every tongue confessing — is applied to Jesus. Jesus receives what belongs to Yahweh alone.
Joel 2:32 → Romans 10:13
Old Testament (Joel 2:32):
"And it will come about that everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved."
New Testament (Romans 10:13):
"for 'WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.'"
Why It Matters: Paul quotes Joel 2:32 in the context of calling on the name of Jesus for salvation (Romans 10:9-14). Calling on Jesus' name is calling on Yahweh's name.
Psalm 102:25-27 → Hebrews 1:10-12
Old Testament (Psalm 102:25-27):
Addressed to Yahweh (see v. 1, 12), describing Him as the eternal Creator whose years will not end.
New Testament (Hebrews 1:10-12):
Applied directly to the Son.
Why It Matters: The writer of Hebrews identifies Jesus with the eternal, unchanging Yahweh who created the heavens and earth.
Isaiah 6:1-10 → John 12:41
Old Testament (Isaiah 6:1, 5):
"In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple... Then I said, 'Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh of hosts.'"
New Testament (John 12:41):
"These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke about Him."
Why It Matters: In context, John has just quoted Isaiah 6:10 and then states that Isaiah spoke these things because "he saw His glory" — referring to Jesus (v. 37-40 are about people not believing in Jesus). John explicitly identifies the Yahweh of Isaiah's throne room vision with Jesus. When Isaiah saw Yahweh of hosts high and lifted up, he was seeing the pre-incarnate Christ.
What These Passages Prove
The New Testament authors didn't see Jesus as a lesser deity or a created being. They identified Him with the Yahweh of the Old Testament. Isaiah's vision of Yahweh? That was Jesus. The one who deserves every knee to bow? Jesus. The one whose name brings salvation? Jesus. The eternal Creator of Psalm 102? Jesus. This wasn't confusion — it was intentional theological identification. Jesus is Yahweh.