The Meaning Of The Word '' Son ''
In the Hebrew language, the word “son” is used to describe a
person who is very close to you or to God. Also, the word “father”
is used when a young person calls on someone older than him- or
herself as a matter of respect. St. Paul used the word son when
writing letters from his prison in Rome to many churches and to
St. Tim in 64 AD, while he was waiting for his execution by the
Romans. The Arab people, regardless, believe in using the word
son when they wish to describe someone honorably or dearly,
whether this person is a true son or not. Additionally, the word son
is often used to refer to a stranger whose name is not known. This
type of reference is still in use in the Midwest in the United States.
In Exodus 4:22-23, God states the following in verse 22: “I
say unto thee, let my son go, that he may serve me, and if thou
refuse to let him go, behold I will slay thy son, even the first born.”
He continues in verse 23: “And thou shall say unto Pharaoh, ‘Thus
say the Lord, Israel is my son, even my first born.’” In this verse,
God is describing to the people of Israel that His “son” is not
meant as God’s genetic son, as some people consider Jesus to be.
In Revelation 1:13, Jesus is described as the “Son of Man”.
In Revelation 5:5, Jesus is described as the grandson of the tribe of
Judah and the offspring of David with the phrase, “the lion of the
trip of Judah, and the roots of David” (see the family tree of Jesus
on page 28). The issue is not so much what people call Jesus but
what Jesus wanted the people to call him. His favorite title was
“Son of Man”. There are about 88 instances in the Bible where
Jesus calls himself the Son of Man.
In Psalms 2:6-7, verse 6, God says: “David, you are my first
son. Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion.” It
continues in verse 7: “I will declare the decree the Lord hath said
unto me: ‘Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee.’” If this
were true about Jesus — that he is the only begotten son — what
happened to King David when he was given the title that he is the
first son? On the other hand, why then did God call the people of
Israel “His son, even the first born”? Obviously, God never forgot
who the first born son was or the only son. God never gave birth
to a human. He was the cause of the creation of all human beings,
and God never reproduced and had a biological son. God is First
and Last and Everlasting and the Creator of all. He was never born
nor gave birth. He is not begotten nor does he beget, as the Old,
New, and Last Testaments stated and agreed upon. As God said to
Moses: “You shall have no other gods before Me”. Therefore,
only worship Me. In reality, in all different cultures and languages,
people use the words “son” and “daughter” as expressions. It does
not mean the one being referred to is that person’s actual
biological son or daughter. We can see it clearly in the Old
Testament, when God said to David, “You are my first son,” and
when the prophet Lot was described by God as “His favorite son”.
