Often we hear said of someone that he wears several hats. Now it may be true literally that a person wears several different hats, but usually when the statement is made it is in a figurative sense and is in reference to an individual doing more than one work. For instance a mother might be said to wear chef’s hat, a healer’s hat, a teacher’s hat and several more in the sense that she does the job of all these and more. In the same figurative way, we ought to realize that our Lord has worn more than one hat. We are, of course, speaking of the second member of the Godhead. We wish to give consideration to some of the hats worn by the Lord as well as one He will wear but has yet to put on. We will present this list of hats in two installments.

Though many fail to recognize Him as such, it was the Lord who wore the hat of “Creator” of the heavens and the earth. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). However the word “God” in this verse is plural. Note the text denotes the plurality of the Godhead when it states, “And God said, Let us make man in our image…” (Gen. 1:26). John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3). Lest there be any doubt, John identifies who the Word is when he states, “And the Word was made 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 1:14). The apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians, speaking of Christ said, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him” (Col. 1:16).

The hat that the Lord wore during the period of the nation of Israel following the Egyptian captivity is not as clearly defined as that of creator, yet He did wear a hat during these days as well. The Lord wore the hat of “Rock”. Writing to the Corinthians, Paul wrote, “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ” (I Cor. 10:1-4). Consider another possible sighting of this hat as seen in the book of Joshua, just as the nation of Israel has entered into the promise land, before reaching the city of Jericho, the first city they took. The scripture says, “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so” (Josh. 5:13-15).

The next, and one easily recognizable and probably the most renown of all His hats, the one that millions embrace even to the exclusion of all other hats, is the hat of “Saviour”. After Joseph became aware that his espoused wife was with child, he determined to put her away privily. An angle appeared to him and told him, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name “JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night were visited by an angel who told them, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). The apostle John tells of John the Baptist saying, “…Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Paul spoke of salvation through Christ saying, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Rom. 5:8-9). Peter wrote, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (I Pet. 1:18-19). Needless to say, space will not allow all the presentations of the Lord wearing the hat of Saviour found in the pages of the New Testament.

The Lord has worn many hats. We have but looked briefly at three. In our next installment we shall note the hats He wears now and the next to be worn. (Send any questions or comments to: [email protected])

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By Robert C. Oliver

Contributing columnist

Robert Oliver is a long time columnist for The Sampson Independent.