What Jesus did when He left The Father’s side to become flesh and dwell among us, was a little like a Zillionaire choosing to leave his mansion to live in a homeless shelter. Please don’t be offended. I am trying to grasp the humility of His leaving Glory. There is nothing on earth that can compare. Anything a human might do, that would remotely resemble what Jesus did, would be tainted by imperfect motivation and defective virtue. Jesus is God the Son. He and The Father and The Spirit are one.
It is this Godhead of whom the Psalmist speaks. “The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved. Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.” (Psalm 93:1-2) “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.” (Psalm 103:19)
God the Son, in an event impossible for us to fully comprehend, arose from his throne, stepped away from His regal robes, laid down His royal scepter, and bowed Himself to the earth.
In a prayer, placed by John in his gospel just before the betrayal, Jesus has an intimate moment with the Father. As we read His prayer, we feel a little as though we are eavesdropping on a private conversation. The prayer is almost too extremely personal for us to hear. The Son reports to The Father the completion of His mission and requests special favor for His followers. In this prayer, we hear His claim of pre-existence with the Father and equality with the Father. “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” (John 17:4-5)
Please understand this. Jesus knew exactly what leaving glory would involve. His choice of obedience to the Father was made with the full knowledge of the events that would occur. He was not forced into an humbling or humiliating existence. “He emptied Himself.” (Philippians 2:7) “He humbled Himself.” (Philippians 2:8) He doffed His royal regalia and donned finite flesh. His entry into our world of pain and impairment was premeditated. His human life from birth to bloody cross He chose. . . because of me, only me. He came and died for me.