The Scriptures are clear that Yahuah alone is worthy of worship, as declared in Isaiah 42:8:
"I am Yahuah, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images."
Yet, in Philippians 2:9-11, we are told that at the name of Yahusha, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess Him as Lord. This presents a vital question: if Yahusha is not Yahuah, then worshiping Him would be idolatry, directly violating Yahuah’s commandments. However, if Yahusha is Yahuah manifested in the flesh, then worshiping Him is not only justified but also brings glory to the Father.
Philippians 2:6, which says that Yahusha "did not consider it robbery to be equal with God," affirms Yahusha’s inherent equality with Yahuah. His humility in taking on human form and His subsequent exaltation further validate that worship of Yahusha is worship of Yahuah, reflecting their perfect unity.
Yahusha Reveals the Father
Yahusha Himself addressed questions about His relationship with Yahuah during His ministry. In John 14:8-9, Philip asked Yahusha to show them the Father: "Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.’ Yahusha said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?"
This statement makes it clear that Yahusha is not separate from Yahuah but is the visible manifestation of the invisible Yahuah. When Yahusha says, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father," He affirms that His words, actions, and very being perfectly reveal Yahuah. This aligns with Colossians 1:15, which describes Yahusha as "the image of the invisible God."
Yahusha’s Divine Nature: Proof of His Equality
Philippians 2:6 declares: "Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God."
The phrase “did not consider it robbery” means Yahusha’s equality with Yahuah was not something He unjustly claimed or seized, it was inherently His. Yahusha’s divine nature was His rightful state, as shown in Isaiah 9:6: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
The titles “Mighty God” and “Everlasting Father” explicitly ascribe divinity to the Messiah. If Yahusha were not Yahuah, accepting worship would violate Yahuah’s command in Isaiah 42:8: "I will not give My glory to another." However, because Yahusha is Yahuah in the flesh, His worship is entirely justified and glorifies the Father.
Yahusha’s Humility in the Flesh
Despite being equal with Yahuah, Yahusha chose to humble Himself: "But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:7-8).
Yahusha’s humility involved setting aside His divine privileges to live as a man, experiencing suffering and death to fulfill Yahuah’s redemptive plan. This is echoed in John 1:14: "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."
Yahusha’s incarnation does not diminish His divinity; rather, it demonstrates His willingness to align fully with Yahuah’s purpose for humanity.
Every Knee Shall Bow: Yahusha’s Exaltation
Because of Yahusha’s humility and obedience, Yahuah exalted Him above all: "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Yahusha every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Yahusha Messiah is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11).
This universal act of worship ties directly to Isaiah 45:23, where Yahuah declares: "To Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath."
The worship of Yahusha fulfills this prophecy, not as a competing deity but as Yahuah Himself manifested in the flesh. This is further emphasized in John 10:30, where Yahusha says, "I and My Father are one." Their unity ensures that worship directed to Yahusha glorifies Yahuah, fulfilling His divine will.
Worshiping Yahusha Is Worshiping Yahuah
If Yahusha were not Yahuah, then worshiping Him would make His followers idolaters, violating Exodus 20:3: "You shall have no other gods before Me." However, because Yahusha is Yahuah in the flesh, worshiping Him does not violate the command to worship Yahuah alone. Instead, it aligns with Yahuah’s purpose that Yahusha, as the visible manifestation of the Father, be exalted and acknowledged.
This worship is affirmed by Yahusha’s words in John 14:9: "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." Yahusha is not a separate being but the physical revelation of Yahuah’s essence and glory.
Conclusion
The phrase "did not consider it robbery to be equal with God" in Philippians 2:6 is an affirmation of Yahusha’s equality with Yahuah. His decision to take on human form and suffer was not a denial of His divinity but a demonstration of His willingness to fulfill Yahuah’s redemptive plan for humanity. Yahusha’s humility led to His exaltation, where every knee will bow and every tongue will confess His lordship, bringing glory to Yahuah.
If Yahusha were not Yahuah, worshiping Him would indeed be idolatry. But as Yahusha Himself said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." This confirms that Yahusha is Yahuah in the flesh, and worship of Him is both justified and essential for glorifying Yahuah. His life, death, and exaltation perfectly reveal Yahuah’s nature and purpose, calling all creation to acknowledge His unity and glory.
