The expression “the word of God” usually refers to a divine message or to a collection of those messages. (Luke 11:28) In a few places, “The Word of God” or “the Word” is used as a personal title.​—Revelation 19:13; John 1:​14.

 A divine message. The prophets often stated that the messages they delivered were God’s word. For example, Jeremiah introduced his prophetic messages with the expression “the word of Jehovah came to me.” (Jeremiah 1:​4, 11, 13; 2:1) Before telling Saul that God had chosen him as king, the prophet Samuel said: “Stand still now, so that I may let you hear the word of God.”​—1 Samuel 9:​27.

 A personal title. “The Word” also appears in the Bible as a title for Jesus Christ, both as a spirit in heaven and as a human on earth. Consider some reasons for this conclusion:

•   The Word lived before all other creation. “In the beginning was the Word . . . This one was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:​1, 2) Jesus is “the firstborn of all creation . . . He is before all other things.”​—Colossians 1:​13-​15, 17.

•   The Word came to earth as a human. “The Word became flesh and resided among us.” (John 1:​14) Christ Jesus “emptied himself and took a slave’s form and became human.”​—Philippians 2:​5-7.

•   The Word is God’s Son. After stating that “the Word became flesh,” as quoted above, the apostle John continued: “We had a view of his glory, a glory such as belongs to an only-begotten son from a father.” (John 1:​14) John also wrote: “Jesus is God’s Son.”​—1 John 4:​15.

•   The Word possesses godlike attributes. “The Word was a god,” or “was divine.” (John 1:1; An American Translation) Jesus is “the reflection of God’s glory and the exact representation of his very being.”​—Hebrews 1:​2, 3.

•   The Word rules as a king. The Bible states that on the head of the Word of God are “many royal headbands.” (Revelation 19:12, 13; footnote) The Word is also named “King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:16) Jesus is called “the King of those who rule as kings and Lord of those who rule as lords.”​—1 Timothy 6:​14, 15.

•   The Word serves as God’s spokesman. The title “the Word” apparently identifies its bearer as one whom God uses to convey information and instructions. Jesus said that he performed this role: “The Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. . . . So whatever I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.”​—John 12:49, 50.