Christians accept that Jesus Christ, or
in more Hebraic terms Yeshua ha Moshiach is the Messiah that the Jews
have long been expecting. After all, that is upon what the entire
belief system of Christianity is based. Jews on the other hand do
not accept that Yeshua was the Messiah (with a small exception of a
remnant of Messianic Jews), as He did not fulfill the expectations
that they had regarding the Messiah. They expect the Messiah to be
Moshiach ben David. According to what I have read from their
expectations, he will be from the House of David, be learned in and
observant of the Torah, will restore Israel back to God and to being
Torah observant, and he will rebuild the temple and gather the
dispersed. He will also fight wars and restore the land to its
people. He will be a gifted human man (as opposed to being divine),
but not a worker of many miracles, and most certainly not die and be
resurrected. There is also a tradition that says that there is a
second Messianic figure who is called Moshiach ben Yosef. (Joseph).
Some traditions say that this Messiah will only come if the Jews are
not ready or worthy of Moshiach ben David. Moshiach ben Yosef will
carry out many of the expected functions of the Messiah, but he will
be killed in battle at which point Moshiach ben David will raise him
from the dead (apparently this is the one miracle that he may be able
to perform) and finish fulfilling the Messianic expectations. He is
a hero for Israel who may suffer in that capacity, but is not
expected to be a redeemer of mankind for their sins. That is the
reason for which they expect the temple to be restored. It will be
the sacrifices, especially that of Yom Kippur which they will expect
to cover their sins.
One of the first problems that the Jews
have not acknowledged that is a major obstacle to a Messiah
fulfilling their expectations (with the exception of Yeshua), is that
there is not a person who can trace his ancestry back to King David.
The genealogies were lost when the temple was destroyed. The only
genealogy that exists that traces back to King David is Yeshua's,
which can be found in the books of Matthew and Luke in the New
Testament. Anyone who comes, other than Yeshua, will have to make
people accept him without this requirement being met, unless they
have come up with some DNA test that not only shows he is a Jew, but
is of the line of David. I don't know that they have any DNA of
David that would allow them to do this. One can only believe that
whoever (antichrist) gets the temple rebuilt will be believed to be a
descendant of King David by virtue of fulfilling that expectation
rather than presenting any credentials. It will be this error in
judgment and lack of understanding of the prophecies of the Tanakh
(Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:
because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that
thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of
thy God, I will also forget thy children.”) that will lead many
to make a covenant with death. Isaiah 28:14-19 “Wherefore hear
the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is
in Jerusalem. Because ye have said, We have made a
covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement;
when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come
unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have
we hid ourselves: Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold,
I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious
corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall
not make haste. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and
righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the
refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And
your covenant with death shall be disannulled,
and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the
overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down
by it. From the time that it goeth forth it shall take
you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night:
and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.”
This corner stone is mentioned again in the prophecies concerning the
Messiah.
The Tanakh (the Old Testament) has
given many prophecies concerning the Messiah or Moshiach. We need to
look at some of them to see what the true expectations are that God
gave, so that people would not be misled to follow a false Moshiach,
as there have been and continue to be many who claim this title for
themselves. There are too many prophecies about the Moshiach to
cover all of them in this article, but some of the most important
ones will be addressed.
Part of the reason that two Moshiach's
are considered to be expected is due to the prophecies one finds
about the Moshiach. The first prophecies that will be dealt with are
the ones dealing with Moshiach ben David. He will be the king, the
ruler who will unite Israel and punish their enemies. This is the
Moshiach that Israel has long expected and awaited. This will be
followed by prophecies about Moshiach ben Yosef, a Messiah that
Israel does not really care about, as he is a suffering servant. One
of the first, although not the
first prophecy about the Moshiach is found in Genesis. Within the
passages, I will put in bold print those things of which one needs to
take special notice. After each prophecy, I will give a brief
synopsis of the passage. Later in the article I will show the
fulfillments of these prophetic passages. Comments by the author of
this article will be kept to a minimum, as Scripture will be allowed
to speak for itself. I would encourage any person of Jewish heritage
who is curious as to why Christians accepted Yeshua as the Moshiach
of Israel and follow after Him in fulfillment of Scripture, to
carefully consider all the information presented, even though I know
it is extremely lengthy. You might be very surprised by what you
read. (Isaiah 11:10, 42:6 “And in that day there shall
be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an
ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek:
and his rest shall be glorious.......I the LORD have called
thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and
will keep
thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people,
for a light of the Gentiles;”)
First
the prophecies concerning the coming Moshiach ben David.
Genesis 49:10 “The
sceptre shall not depart from Judah,
nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh
come; and unto him shall
the gathering of the people be.”
This verse tells us that the sceptre or
rulership would not depart from the tribe of Judah, nor a lawgiver
from his progeny until Shiloh (another name for the Moshiach) would
come. He would gather people to Himself.
Ezekiel 34:6-31 “My sheep wandered
through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock
was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or
seek after them. Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a
prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because
there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock,
but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats. Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet? And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it. And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them. And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD. And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.”
Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats. Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet? And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it. And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them. And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD. And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.”
In this passage, God states that He
will gather Israel from all the places in the world that she has been
scattered and bring her back to the land where she will live off the
fat of the land. He will heal and strengthen her. Then He will judge
those who scattered her and set a shepherd over her. He will be of
the seed of David, a prince. God will make a covenant of peace with
them and cause the evil to cease for them to dwell in safety. And
God will bless them with showers of blessing. And they will know
that God has delivered them. They will dwell safely forevermore with
abundance.
Ezekiel 37:21-28 “And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.”
This passage says that God will bring
Israel back out of the lands of the heathen and reunite all of Israel
(Judah and Israel into one nation) and shall give them one king to be
over all of them. They will no longer be two nations, but one, nor
will they ever again defile themselves with idolatry or sin. God
will cleanse them of all their sins and they will be God's people.
David (the son of David – his descendant) will be their king and
shepherd. They will observe God's statutes and laws and do them.
They will again own all of Israel only this time forever and “David”
will be their prince forever. God will initiate an everlasting
covenant of peace with them and restore the sanctuary (temple) in
their midst. God will also again dwell in their midst and the
heathen will know that it is God who sanctifies Israel and that they
are His people.
Psalm 110:1-6 “The LORD said
unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make
thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD shall send the rod
of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of
thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power,
in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast
the dew of thy youth. The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou
art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. The
Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his
wrath. He shall judge among the heathen,
he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the
heads over many countries.”
In Psalm 110 God is speaking to His
anointed saying that He will sit at God's right hand until His (the
Moshiach's) enemies are put underneath Him as a footstool. He will
be a ruler out of Zion in the mist of His enemies. The people will
follow Him in that day. God's anointed is a priest of the order of
Melchizedek. In the day of God's wrath the Moshiach will destroy the
kings of the world and will judge the heathen.
Isaiah 9:6-7 “For unto us a
child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government
shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and
peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and
upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and
with justice from henceforth even for ever. The
zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
This passage tells us that a Moshiach
will be born to Israel. He will be
the government. He will be a prince of peace and of His government
and peace there will be no end. He will establish the throne of
David again with judgment and justice forever. It is important to
note here that there is something else said that cannot be ignored.
Some names of this Moshiach are the mighty God and the everlasting
Father. In Judaism, the Lord your God is one God, yet here we see
the Moshiach being called by God Himself through the Scriptures the
mighty God and the everlasting Father. Likewise we saw in Psalm 110
that the Lord “said to my Lord”. Yet there is only one Lord over
us all. So who is this Moshiach whom God would call My Lord, the
mighty God, and the everlasting Father?
Isaiah 11:1-12 “And there shall
come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a
Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the
LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and
understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of
knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick
understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not
judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing
of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and
reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the
earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips
shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the
girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The
wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down
with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling
together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the
bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the
lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play
on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on
the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy
mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD,
as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall
be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to
it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be
glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the
Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant
of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from
Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from
Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And
he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the
outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from
the four corners of the earth.”
The Moshiach will come forth from the
line of Jesse, who was King David's father. The spirit of the Lord
will rest upon Him. He will understand the things of the Lord from a
very young age. He will not judge based upon what He hears or sees,
but will judge in righteousness and fairness. He will slay the wicked
and smite the world for its wickedness. He will exemplify
righteousness and faithfulness. The time of His reign will be one
where even the animal world is at peace with each other. Little
children will be safe with wild animals. Animals will no longer be
carnivorous. Snakes will not be poisonous. The world will be full of
the knowledge of the Lord. The root of Jesse, the son of David, the
Moshiach will be a sign for the people. The Gentiles will seek after
the Moshiach. The time of His reign will be glorious. It will be a
time when God will have brought the remnant of Israel back from all
the lands where they have been dispersed.
Micah 5:2 “But thou,
Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the
thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth
unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose
goings forth have been from of old,
from everlasting.”
This verse tells us that the Moshich
would be born in a town of Judah called Bethlehem. This was the
hometown of King David's family and where the family line lived. This
ruler of Israel will have existed from everlasting. This implies
someone beyond just a mere man, as everlasting means from eternity.
Psalm 2:1-12 “Why do the heathen
rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth
set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the
LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands
asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the
heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then
shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore
displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of
Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto
me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen
for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth
for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with
a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a
potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed,
ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with
trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish
from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a
little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”
The kings of the earth will take
counsel together to be against the Lord and the Moshiach. The Lord
will laugh at their plans. He will take His wrath out upon them, for
He will set His king (the Moshiach) on the Holy Mount of Zion. God
says of this Moshiach “Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten
thee.” God is saying this Messiah is His begotten Son. He tells
this Son that anything He asks He will give to Him as a possession.
That the Moshiach will break the nations and kings of the earth and
dash them to pieces. God then tells the kings and judges of the
world to kiss the Son and give Him homage lest He kill them in His
wrath. Those who put their trust in the Moshiach will be blessed.
Malachi 3:1-9 “Behold, I
will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way
before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come
to this temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom
ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. But
who may abide the day of his coming? and who
shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's
fire, and like fullers' soap: And he shall sit
as a refiner and purifer of silver: and he shall purify
the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may
offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then
shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD,
as in the days of old, and as in former years. And
I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift
witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and
against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling
in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the
stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.
For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not
consumed. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away
from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I
will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein
shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed
me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and
offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed
me, even this whole nation. ”
God will send His messenger (His
Moshiach) before He returns to dwell in the midst of His people.
This messenger will come unexpectedly to the temple with the message
of the covenant. But the day of His coming will be a day that men
will not be able to stand, for he will cleanse and purify the people.
He will purify the sons of Levi so that they may work in the temple
again as in days of old. God will judge the people for their sins.
He accuses them of robbing Him and curses them.
Isaiah 42:1-9 “Behold my servant,
whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my
spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the
Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor
cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he
not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring
forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be
discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles
shall wait for his law. Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the
heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and
that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people
upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: I the LORD have called
thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee,
and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of
the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring
out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out
of the prison house. I am the LORD: that is my name: and
my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven
images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and
new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell
you of them.”
The chosen servant or Moshiach is one
who will bring judgment not only to Israel, but to the entire Gentile
world. He will be a man who is not contentious or seeking to make
himself known abroad. He will be quiet, and gentle and humble, yet
one of justice and truth. He will not be one to oppress those who
are weak and in need, but will deal with all in righteousness. He
will not fail nor be discouraged to set all right and bring justice
to all. People will await that justice. God will give this Moshiach
as a covenant to Israel and a light to the Gentile world. He will
open the eyes of the blind, release people from prisons, and bring
people out of the darkness. This is taken as a spiritual application
more than a literal one, but it does not say that it cannot be
fulfilled literally as well. The former things of the Lord will pass
and the Lord will start all things anew.
Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O
daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy
King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having
salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt
the foal of an ass.”
This verse tells us that when the
Moshiach the King appears, he will ride into Jerusalem in a lowly
manner, on the colt, the foal of an ass, not with pomp and
circumstance of armies and wealth. Moshiach will bring salvation to
the people. The king isn't coming with armies to conquer, but with
lowliness offering salvation to the people.
Daniel 7:13-14 “I saw in the night
visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the
clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and
they brought him near before him. And there was given him
dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and
languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting
dominion.”
These verses tell us that one like the
Son of man comes in the clouds of heaven. And God gives to Him
dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all people of the world will
serve Him, for His kingdom is an everlasting one.
One prophecy that is not specifically
designated for either Moshiach ben David or Moshiach ben Yosef is the
following:
Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord
himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his
name Immanuel.”
This verse says that the Lord God would
give His people a sign to know the Moshiach. He would be born of a
virgin and His name would be Immanuel, which translated means “God
with us.” This name implies God would be in and of this Moshiach.
He would be God on earth with the people.
The next prophecy seems to apply to
both Moshiach ben David and ben Yosef.
Isaiah 49:1-7 “Listen, O isles,
unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath
called me from the womb; from
the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my
name. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the
shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in
his quiver hath he hid me; And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O
Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Then I said, I have laboured in
vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my
judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. And now, saith
the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to
bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not
gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD,
and my God shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thing
that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of
Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee
for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be
my salvation unto the end of the earth. Thus saith the
LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One,
to him whom man despiseth, to him whom
the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall
see and arise, princes also shall worship,
because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and
he shall choose thee.”
This passage tells us that God named
and made known from the womb the Moshiach. He made the Moshiach's
mouth like a sharp sword, cutting people with the truth. Through
Him, God would be glorified. His work in life is to work for God.
It will be His job to bring Israel back to God, even before Israel is
gathered. He will be glorious in the eyes of God, even though Israel
be not yet gathered. Yet He will eventually raise up and restore all
the tribes of Israel, and He will be a light to the Gentiles and
salvation to the entire world. Notice that it mentions the Redeemer
of Israel and His Holy One, as being two separate people speaking to
the one whom man despiseth. The Moshiach will be despised by man and
abhorred by the nation of Israel. Yet kings and princes will worship
Him, because the Lord is faithful. The Lord and the Holy One will
choose the Moshiach. This last part will be addressed a little later.
Now we will look at the prophecies
concerning Moshiach ben Yosef,
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 “Behold, my
servant shall deal prudently, he shall be
exalted and extolled, and be very high.
As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred
more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths
at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and
that which they had not heard shall they consider. Who hath believed
our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he
shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a
dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see
him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is
despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with
grief: and we hid as it were our
faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our
sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God,
and afflicted. But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement
of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath
laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was
oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth:
he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as
a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his
mouth. He was taken from prison and from
judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he
was cut off out of the land of the living: for
the transgression of my people was he stricken. And
he made his grave with the wicked, and with the
rich in his death; because he had done no
violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet
it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:
when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin,
he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of
the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of
his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my
righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall
divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured
out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors;
and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the
transgressors.”
This passage of
Scripture tells us about the man who would be the Moshiach ben Yosef.
God has a servant who will be exalted and extolled and be very high,
after the fact of his appearance. This person will be a person whom
history will exalt as an extraordinary man. He will be held in high
esteem by God and man alike after his death. It must be after his
death, as it says he will be rejected, despised and not esteemed for
who he is during his life. He will be brutally assaulted. It says
that his visage and form will be marred more than any other man from
this torture. And he will suffer this torture on behalf of mankind's
transgressions or sins and iniquities. We have all gone astray from
God's law, but God will lay upon him the iniquity of mankind. By what
he suffers, (his stripes or whippings) we will be healed. And yet
while suffering this, he is reviled as a man being judged by God.
Even as he is brought as a lamb to slaughter for this torture and
death, he does not open his mouth to defend himself or complain. He
remains silent throughout this treatment. He is taken forth as a
prisoner from the judge's court and is killed. He dies for the
transgressions or sins of his people. He dies with the wicked, yet
his grave is with the rich. And all this is done in spite of the
fact that he has not been known to have done anything violent or
deceitful. In other words, he is killed as an innocent man. Yet God
is pleased to allow this to happen to him. God deliberately allows
it, as his soul is being given and poured out to death as a sin
offering. God's righteous servant's death will justify many people,
for their sins and iniquities will be borne by him. Again we are
told that while in death he is among sinners, he will bare the sins
of many, and make intercession for sinners.
Isaiah 50:4-10 “The
Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know
how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth
morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The
Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not
rebellious, neither
turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters,
and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair:
I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded:
therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall
not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with
me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near
to me. Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall
condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall
eat them up. Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth
the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no
light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.”
In these verses we learn that the
Moshiach is obedient to God's every will, that he is not rebellious.
He even gives His back to those who would smite or whip Him and the
beard on His face is plucked out by His persecutors. They spit upon
him and He is shamed. But in spite of this, He sets His face like
flint to endure knowing that He will not be shamed for obeying God.
He will be justified. Those who fear the Lord should obey His
servant the Moshiach.
Psalm 118:22-23 “The stone
which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
This is the LORD's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”
These verses tell us that the head
stone of God's heavenly temple will be rejected by the builders of
his earthly temple.
Psalm 22:1-31 “My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from
helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the
daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not
silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of
Israel. Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst
deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted
in thee, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man;
a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All
they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they
shake the head saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver
him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. But
thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope
when I was upon my mother's breasts. I was cast upon thee from the
womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me
round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as
a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted
in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd;
and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the
dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the
wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They
part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. But
be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help
me. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the
dog. Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the
horns of the unicorns. I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in
the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. Ye that fear the
LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear
him, all ye the seed of Israel. For he hath not despised nor
abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his
face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. My praise shall
be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them
that fear him. The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall
praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. All
the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all
the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the
kingdom is the LORD's: and he is the governor among the nations. All
they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go
down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his
own soul. A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord
for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare his
righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done
this.”
This psalm is prophetic of the
Moshiach's cries. He cries out to God asking why God has forsaken
Him. He is despised and rejected and scorned by men. People scoff at
Him and ask why God does not deliver Him as He says that He is
special to God. His life is being poured out, His bones are being
pulled out of joint, His heart melts or burst within His body, His
tongue cleaves to His mouth (from thirst). They pierce His hands and
feet and cast lots for His garments. More pleas are made to God and
then praises.
Psalm 34:20 “He keepeth all his
bones: not one of them is broken.”
This verse says that no bones of His
body would be broken. This is in spite of the fact that the previous
passages tell us he will be brutally tortured.
Psalm 16:7-11 “I will bless the
LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the
night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is
at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad,
and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou
wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy
One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of
life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are
pleasures for evermore.”
These verses tell us that the Moshiach
will not be left in death to decay, nor would He remain in Hades,
which is where souls went upon death. This means that He would not
remain dead.
Zechariah 12:10-13:1 “And I will
pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall
look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn
for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness
for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day
shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of
Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. And the land shall mourn,
every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their
wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives
apart; The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart;
the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; All the families
that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. In
that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and
to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.”
When the Moshiach comes He will pour
out upon the house of David and the people of Israel in Jerusalem the
spirit of grace, and they will look upon the Moshiach, whom they have
pierced and mourn in great bitterness. There will be great mourning
in the land in every family. In that day, the fountains of
forgiveness and possibly a mikvah fountain for the house of David and
every inhabitant of the city for their sins and uncleanness.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 “Behold, the
days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their
fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of
the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although
I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days,
saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts,
and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and
they shall be my people.
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
This passage tells us that there will
come a day when the Lord God will make a new covenant with Israel and
Judah. Not like the covenant made with Israel in the wilderness,
which they broke, but a new covenant. This new covenant will write
the Law upon their hearts and come from within them rather than being
forced upon them from outside. It will emanate from their hearts.
They will no longer have to teach people the Law, for all people will
know the Lord from the least to the greatest. God will forgive
people's sins and remember them no more, not requiring continual
sacrifices.
There is one more prophecy that is
crucial to look at, for it tells us the exact time that the Moshiach
would appear in Israel. From this prophecy one needs to look to see
if anyone appeared at the time who claimed to be the Moshiach, and if
He did, did He fulfill all the prophecies given about the Moshiach.
Did He fulfill the prophecies for Moshiach ben David or ben Yosef, or
both?
In the book written by him, Daniel
records a prayer he is praying to God about the fact that the seventy
years captivity that was prophesied for Judah in Jeremiah is about to
end. Daniel is confessing that they have done evil against the Lord,
that they did not pray for forgiveness and that they deserved the
punishment God has dealt out. Then he asks God to forgive them and
to see that the city and sanctuary are desolate and that they are a
reproach to the world. He asks God to lift this reproach for the sake
of His own name. While praying, Gabriel shows up and tells Daniel
that he has been sent to tell Daniel what is going to happen to his
people in the future.
Daniel 9:2-4a,17,19-27 “In the
first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of
the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet,
that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of
Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer
and supplication, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I
prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, ….........Now
therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his
supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is
desolate, for the Lord's sake............. O Lord, hear; O Lord,
forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my
God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name. And whiles
I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my
people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God
for the holy mountain of my God; Yea, whiles I was speaking in
prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the
beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of
the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and
said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and
understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment
came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved:
therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city,
to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make
reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting
righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint
the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from
the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem
unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and
two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall,
even in troublous times. And after threescore and two
weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and
the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and
the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood,
and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall
confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the
week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for
the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even
until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the
desolate.”
Now Gabriel tells Daniel that seventy
“weeks” have been decided upon as a time length for the
following to occur to Israel. It is the time until there will be an
end of their transgressions and sins against God, and to make
reconciliation for their iniquity. At the end of this time,
everlasting righteousness will be established. It will seal up the
end of all visions and prophecies, there will be no more of them, and
all the prophecies about Israel will be fulfilled. And the most Holy
will be anointed. Daniel would have understood this last to mean the
temple being restored to its former glory with God's presence there
(God had already left the temple). Now we are told how these “weeks”
will be divided. From the giving of the command to restore and build
Jerusalem the city (not the temple) until the Messiah [in Hebrew
“mashiyach” (sometimes spelled in English as Moshiach, or
Mashiach) ] there will be a period of seven “weeks” and sixty-two
“weeks” which is sixty-nine “weeks” altogether. At the
conclusion of this time, the streets and walls of the city of
Jerusalem will have been rebuilt, but not without a lot of troubled
times, and then at the end of these sixty-nine “weeks,” the
Messiah will appear and be cut off or in other words killed (the
Hebrew means “to cut down or destroy”). But this Messiah will
not be killed on his own behalf, it will be on the behalf of others.
And after this, people will come and destroy the city and the temple
and the end when it comes will be with a flood (this can mean an
overflowing deluge either literally or figuratively) and desolations
(Israel has certainly seen its share of being desolated). The rest
of the passage will not be gone into at this time, as it is not
relevant to the subject at hand at the moment. (If interested, my
end times blog http://endtimesstudies.blogspot.com can provide an
explanation for the rest of the passage. Search the archives for
Daniel)
Fulfillment of Daniel 9:2-4a, 17,
19-27
So we are given a time frame in which
we are told the Messiah will appear, and then will be killed. And we
are told how to measure this time period and from when to measure it.
First we need to decided what a week is. The Hebrew “Shabuwa (or
shabua, or shebuah)” means “sevened” or a “week,” but a
week in terms of a week of years. We can see that this relates to
the punishment that was given to Judah that they have been suffering
and about which Daniel is praying. They had not observed the Sabbath
year for 490 years. They were supposed to observe it every seven
years, so they owed God seventy Sabbath years for the ones they did
not keep. As a consequence, God sent them to Babylon for seventy
years as prophesied by the prophet Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 25:11-12 “And this whole
land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations
shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
And it shall come to pass, when seventy years
are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that
nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the
Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.”
Jeremiah 29:10 “For thus saith the
LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished
at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in
causing you to return to this place.”
This is the reference for the word
“weeks” that we find in this passage in Daniel 9. So first we
are told that from the giving of the command to rebuild the city
there will be seven “weeks.” We know from the book of Nehemiah
that Artaxerxes gave the command to restore the city and walls (the
previous two commands given to Ezra were more about the temple than
the city, so the command given to Nehemiah to rebuild the city is
considered the command spoken of by Daniel). As there is difficulty
pinpointing exact dates for something this far back in history, the
best people can determine was that it seems to have been the year 445
B.C., so we will use that date. According to John 2:20 it took
forty-six years to rebuild the temple. “Then said the Jews,
Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear
it up in three days?” This would account for the seven “weeks”
period and we know from the Bible that the walls were indeed built in
troubled times, with the people holding a sword in one hand and a
trowel in the other. So now we have verification that the term
“weeks” is meant to mean a seven year period of time, or the
Biblical week of years. Then we need to count forward sixty-two
more weeks. That would be a period of 434 years. There are several
ways of considering that length of time. The first way is a common
method used by scholars that I understand, but am not so sure I agree
is absolutely accurate. It says that one thing that must be
considered in this count is the fact that Jewish prophetic years are
twelve months of thirty days, which makes a year 360 days, which was
how long a year originally seemed to be at creation, before the Flood
altered the size and position of the earth. By converting the 483
years to 360 day years we end up with a little over 476 - 365 day
years. As there was no year zero, that brings us to A.D. 32. In this
method of calculation it then means that God sent Gabriel to tell
Daniel that the Moshiach would be appearing roughly on the year A.D.
32 and then would be killed. While that sounds really good, the
problem is that nobody knows what year Yeshua was born so this theory
is only a theory. It is estimated He was born anywhere from 4 B.C.
to 1 B.C. The second method would be to assume that the seven year
weeks (of 365 days) do not have to be fulfilled to the exact day. In
other words, it took seven sevens for the city walls & temple to
be rebuilt, but according to the Scriptures it was really forty-six
years, not forty-nine. However in terms of seven year weeks, it did
take seven of them, as six would have only been forty-two years,
thereby falling four years short. If we simply consider the 62
sevens to be anywhere from 428 to 434 years, with the event falling
within that seven year period, just as finishing the temple fell
within the 42-49 year period, we end up around the same time frame
A.D. 32 and on. This would have just put it into the beginning of the
69th week. Unless of course the reason the division was
made between the two was that when the fulfillment of the first group
(seven sevens) was fulfilled in 46 years, the countdown of the second
one began, which would move it back to A.D. 29. As all of these
dates are not truly verifiable to the exact date, we can only look at
the rough estimate, and either way the rough estimate puts it
anywhere within A.D. 29 to A.D. 39.
So we need to look historically to see
who appeared in Israel around that time and proclaimed that He was
the Moshiach sent by God. It does not take us long to discover that
there was only one person who did this. One year, a few days before
Passover of that year, a person rode into Jerusalem on an ass with
the crowds shouting “Hosanna
to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the
Lord; Hosanna in
the highest.” (Matthew 22:9) A few days later He was killed by
being crucified. He had made the claims that He was the Son of God,
come to offer His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. He
was resurrected after three days. That person was Yeshua of
Nazareth. So if He is the Moshiach prophesied by Gabriel to Daniel,
and He was the only person to come at the time prophesied by Daniel,
then He should fulfill the other prophecies about the Moshiach in the
Scriptures that were listed above.
In the order the prophecies were given
above, (within the sections they occur) I will give the fulfillments,
however I will start with the fulfillments of Moshiach ben Yosef
first and show from the New Testament how Yeshua has fulfilled them,
and then will backtrack and show how He will fulfill the prophecies
of Moshiach ben David upon His return.
Fulfillment of Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Fulfillment of not opening his mouth
and being taken from the judgment court to be killed: Matthew
27:12-14 “And when he was accused of the chief priests and
elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate
unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?
And he answered him to never a word; insomuch
that the governor marvelled greatly.” Mark 15:3-5 “And
the chief priests accused him of many things: but he
answered nothing. And Pilate asked him again, saying,
Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against
thee. But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that
Pilate marvelled.” Luke 23:9 “Then he questioned with him
in many words; but he answered him nothing.” John
19:9 “And went again into the judgment hall,
and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him
no answer.” John 19:13,16 “When Pilate therefore
heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in
the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement,
but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha........Then delivered he him
therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus,
and led him away. ” John 18:28 “Then led they Jesus from
Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was
early.”
Fulfillment of innocence: Luke
23:4,13-15, 22-24 “Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to
the people, I find no fault in this man..... And
Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers
and the people, Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as
one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having
examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching
those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod:
for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is
done unto him..... And he said unto them the
third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of
death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him
go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that
he might be crucified. And the voices of them
and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate
gave sentence that it should be as they required.” John
18:38, 19:4,6 “ he [Pilate] went out again unto the Jews,
and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at
all......Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto
them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I
find no fault in him.....When the chief priests therefore
and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify
him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I
find no fault in him. ”
Fulfillment of visage and form being
marred by torture: Matthew 27:30 “And they spit upon him, and
took the reed, and smote him on the head.”
Mark 15:15,19 “And so Pilate, willing to content the
people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered
Jesus, when he had scourged him, to
be crucified..... And they smote him on the head
with a reed, and did spit upon him.” Luke 22:64
“And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on
the face” John 19:1 “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus,
and scourged him.”
Fulfillment of death with the wicked:
Matthew 27:38 “Then were there two thieves crucified
with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.”
Mark 15:27-28 “And
with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right
hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was
fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.”
Luke 23:32 “And
there were also two other, malefactors, led
with him to be put to death.”
Fulfillment of being rejected,
despised, esteemed as smitten of God and afflicted: Matthew
27:39,41-44 “And they that passed by reviled him,
wagging their heads....Likewise also the chief
priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel,
let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He
trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he
said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also,
which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.”
Mark 15:29,31-32 “And they that passed by railed on
him, wagging their heads.... Likewise also the
chief priests mocking said among themselves with the
scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the
King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and
believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled
him.” Luke 23:35-36,39 “And the people stood
beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him,
saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the
chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him,
coming to him, and offering him vinegar.....And one of the
malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If
thou be Christ, save thyself and us.”
Fulfillment of grave with the rich:
Matthew 27:57-60 “When the even was come, there came a
rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was
Jesus' disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when
Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And
laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the
rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and
departed.” Mark 15:43,45-46 “Joseph of Arimathaea,
and honourable counseller, which also waited for the kingdom of God,
came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of
Jesus....he gave the body to Joseph. And he bought fine
linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the
linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a
rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.” Luke
23:50, 52-53“And, behold, there was a man named
Joseph, a counseller; and he was a good man, and a
just....This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of
Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in
linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein
never man before was laid.”
Fulfillment of innocence, silence,
wounded for our transgressions, whose stripes saved us when we go
astray: 1 Peter 2:22-25 “Who did no sin, neither
was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was
reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he
threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth
righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own
body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live
unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now
returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”
Fulfillment of being cut off from the
living, dying for our transgressions: Romans 5:6-8 “For when we
were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the
ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die:
yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.”
Fulfillment of being exalted and
extolled by God, became a servant like other men, made his soul an
offering for sin, letting God lay the iniquity of us all on him:
Philippians 2:6-11 “Who, being in the form of God, thought it
not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no
reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in
the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man,
he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even
the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath
highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in
heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that
every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father.”
It can easily be seen how Yeshua
fulfilled these horrible prophecies of being tortured and killed for
our transgressions. His entire message was that He had come to save
the lost, and that He had been sent to the House of Israel for that
purpose. He indeed was Moshiach ben Yosef.
Fulfillment of Isaiah 50:4-10
Fulfillment of being spit upon and face
beaten (beard plucked): Matthew 26:67; 27:27-31 “Then did they
spit in his face, and buffeted him;
and others smote him with the palms of their
hands.........Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus
into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of
soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And
when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head,
and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and
mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit
upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on
the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took
the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him
away to crucify him.” Mark 15:19 “And they smote
him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon
him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.” Luke
22:64 “And when they had blindfolded him, they struck
him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is
it that smote thee?” John 19:3 “And said, Hail, King of
the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.”
Fulfillment of being whipped: Matthew
27:26 “Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had
scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be
crucified.” Mark 15:15 “And so Pilate, willing to content
the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he
had scourged him, to be crucified.” John
19:1 “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged
him.”
Again we see how these prophecies of
being tortured, mocked, spat upon, and killed were fulfilled by
Yeshua.
Fulfillment of Psalm 118:22-23
Matthew 21:33-44 “Hear another
parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard,
and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a
tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the
husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the
husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and
stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first:
and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them
his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen
saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let
us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught
him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord
therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those
husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those
wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen,
which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto
them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which
the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner:
this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken
from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits
thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be
broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will
grind him to powder.”
Yeshua claimed to be the cornerstone
spoken of in the Psalms. He indeed became a head of God's people in
that the entire world knows about Him and He has a multitude of
followers. He threatened that the kingdom of God would be taken from
Israel and given to a nation who would bring forth fruits instead of
rejecting Him and this did happen. Yeshua became a light to the
Gentile nations who then brought the message of salvation to the
world. Israel then became the rejected of God and was scattered to
the winds, after He destroyed the temple.
Psalm 22:1-31 Fulfillment
Fulfillment
of prophecy of casting lots for garments, being despised and rejected
by men, mocked and challenged to have God save Him, asking God why He
was forsaken: Matthew 27:35-46 “And they crucified him,
and parted his garments, casting lots: that
it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet,
They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast
lots. And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his
head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right
hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by
reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest
the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be
the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief
priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved
others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of
Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe
him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have
him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were
crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. Now from the sixth
hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And
about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,
Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast
thou forsaken me?”
Fufillment of being a reproach of men
and despised by the people. Asking God why has He been forsaken.
People challenging Him to have God deliver Him, casting lots for his
garment, bones out of joint and hands and feet pierced (that's what
crucifixion did) : Mark 15:16-37 “And the soldiers led him away
into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole
band. And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of
thorns, and put it about his head, And began to salute
him, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote him on the head with a
reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.
And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and
put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. And they
compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the
country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. And
they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted,
The place of a skull. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with
myrrh: but he received it not. And when they had crucified
him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon
them, what every man should take. And it was the third
hour, and they crucified him. And the superscription of
his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and
the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith,
And he was numbered with the transgressors. And they that passed by
railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou
that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, Save
thyself, and come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief
priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved
others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel
descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And
they that were crucified with him reviled him. And when the sixth
hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth
hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice,
saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them
that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a
reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether
Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice,
and gave up the ghost.”
Fulfillment of casting lots for
garments, tongue cleaving to mouth with thirst, heart melting like
wax: John 19: 23-24, 28,34 “Then the soldiers, when they had
crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts,
to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now
the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it,
but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the
scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment
among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things
therefore the soldiers did...........After this, Jesus knowing that
all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might
be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. ….But one of the soldiers
with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out
blood and water (this
happens when a heart bursts).”
These verses show that the prophecies
of the Tanakh were fulfilled. Yeshua had no control over their
casting lots for his garments, they did this in fulfillment of
Scripture without knowing it. They pierced his hands and feet, just
as the prophecies said. It was prophesied the Moshiach would die by
crucifixion. His mouth was parched and he thirsted. God turned His
back upon Him as God could not look upon Him when our sins were laid
upon Him. He was cut off from God and cried asking why God had
forsaken Him. People mocked and challenged Him that if He were the
Son of God, then why wasn't God delivering Him. His heart burst in
his chest and when pierced it pumped all the blood out of His body.
Fulfillment of Psalm 34:20
Fulfillment
of no bones being broken: John 19:32-33 “Then came the
soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was
crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was
dead already, they brake not his legs.”
None of Yeshua's bones were broken
although that was the procedure used in crucifixion.
Fulfillment of Psalm 16:7-11
Fulfillment of His soul not being
left in Hades (the paradise portion) or body not being left to
corruption. Matthew 28:5-6 “And the angel answered and said unto
the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was
crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as
he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” John 20:1-17
“The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it
was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from
the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to
the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have
taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they
have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple,
and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other
disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he
stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went
he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the
sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was
about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped
together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other
disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and
believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise
again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their
own home. But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as
she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth
two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at
the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her,
Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken
away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she
had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus
standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith
unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing
him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him
hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him,
Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch
me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to
my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your
Father; and to my God, and your God.” Acts 2:22-33 “Ye men
of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God
among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in
the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered
by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken,
and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God
hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not
possible that he should be holden of it. For David
speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face,
for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore
did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh
shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in
hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou
hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of
joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto
you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his
sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and
knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of
his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ
to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake
of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was
not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all
are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and
having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath
shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.”
Fulfillment of Zechariah 12:10-13:1
Fulfillment
of those who pierced Him looking upon Him.: John 19:33-37 “But
when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake
not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side,
and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it
bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith
true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the
scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him
whom they pierced.”
Revelation 1:7 “Behold,
he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him,
and they also which pierced him:
and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so,
Amen.”
Fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:31-34
Fulfillment
of a new covenant or testament: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 “For
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you,
That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took
bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take,
eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance
of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had
supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood:
this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as
often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's
death till he come.” Hebrews 8:7-13 “For if
that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have
been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith,
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not
according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day
when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt;
because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not,
saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the
house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws
into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to
them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they
shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother,
saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the
greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their
sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that
he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now
that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”
Fulfillment of Genesis 49:10
Fulfillment of the scepter not
departing Judah until the Moshiach comes: The tribe of Judah had the
scepter or throne from David on through the kings of Judah to
Zedekiah. God had put a curse on Coniah (also known as Jehoiachin or
Jeconiah) that no heir of his would ever sit on the throne. Jeremiah
22:30 “Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man
that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall
prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in
Judah.” The last king after Jehoiachin was Zedekiah, his uncle.
From that point on there was no king, only governorships until the
Roman empire took it as a province around the time of the beginning
of the Common Era. (a little over 2000 years ago). The scepter in
the sense of kingship ceased with Zedekiah and Jewish leadership
ceased under Roman rule. There has not been a king until the Moshiach
came. He is now the King of the Jews, as Pontius Pilate so aptly had
put over his cross. John 19:19-22 “And Pilate wrote a title,
and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF
NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read many
of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the
city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said
the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the
Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.
Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.”
To see how Yeshua fulfills this
prophecy, it is first necessary to prove His lineage. Matthew and
Luke both provide a lineage, although the two lineages trace a
different line. In Matthew Yeshua's lineage is traced through
Solomon down to Jeconiah and then down to Joseph. This genealogy
provides the legal lineage of the heir to the throne, but as God put
a curse on Jeconiah that none of his descendants would sit on the
throne, had Yeshua been the blood descendant of Joseph, He would have
been disqualifed to be king because of the curse. However because He
was the legal son of Joseph, he was in line for the throne. In Luke
we read another genealogy. This one goes back to David through a
different son, Nathan. This lineage gives Yeshua the necessary
bloodline back to David, but bypasses the curse by going back through
a different son. This genealogy is assumed to be Mary's, even though
Joseph's name is found in the line, but as a son-in-law, he would
also have been considered a son under a number of conditions, and
Mary's lineage might very well have used Joseph's name, as the
genealogies were listed as through the men. Some people feel that
both genealogies are Joseph's, possibly one through his maternal
grandfather and one through his paternal grandfather, but that does
not work. Yeshua needed to be of the physical bloodline of David, as
well as heir to the throne. The right to the throne could come
legally through his adoption as Joseph's son, but had He been
Joseph's biological son, the throne could not have come to Him
because of the curse. But as He was not Joseph's physical son, He
would not be of the blood of David unless He was a blood descendant
through His mother. Thus the lineage in Luke must perforce be that of
Mary, as she is the only human parent Yeshua had.
Yeshua's genealogy through Joseph as
heir to the throne is given in Matthew 6-16 “And Jesse begat
David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been
the wife of Urias; And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia;
and Abia begat Asa; And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat
Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham
begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; And Ezekias begat Manasses;
and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; And Josias begat
Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to
Babylon: And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat
Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; And Zorobabel begat Abiud;
and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; And Azor begat
Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; And Eliud begat
Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; And
Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who
is called Christ.”
In Luke we find Mary's genealogy.
According to Jewish tradition the wife's ancestry could be given in
her husband's name. It lists another father for Joseph who is
probably his father-in-law. Her genealogy is provided in Luke 3:23-31
“And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being
(as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was
the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of
Joseph, Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos,
which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the
son of Nagge, Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of
Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph,
which was the son of Juda, Which was the son of Joanna, which was
the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son
of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri, Which was the son of
Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which
was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, Which was the son
of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim,
which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, Which was
the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of
Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,
Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the
son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of
David.” So it can be seen that Yeshua fulfilled that part of
being from the tribe of Judah and a son of David. He can hold the
scepter as He is exempt from the curse. Now as the scepter departed
from Judah when it passed into Roman hands, and God promised that the
scepter would not depart from Judah, it is clear that Yeshua now
holds that scepter and has since He came and will continue to after
He returns. There is no other person on earth that can trace their
lineage back to David and prove they are heir to the throne. Yeshua
is the only possible king. Revelation 5:5 confirms this. “And
one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion
of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to
open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”
Revelation 11:15 “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were
great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world
are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall
reign for ever and ever.” Yeshua is the Lion of the tribe
of Judah, the root of David, and the kingdoms of the world will be
His upon His return, and He will reign forever.
Fulfillment of Ezekiel 34:6-31 and
Ezekiel 37:21-28
Fulfillment of delivering Israel and
binding up their brokenness, establishing a covenant of peace, and
having one shepherd over them, the Son of David. Romans 11:7-27
“What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for;
but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of
slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not
hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a
snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompence unto them:
Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their
back alway. I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall?
God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the
Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them
be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of
the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? For I speak to you
Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify
mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which
are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away
of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of
them be, but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit be holy, the
lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And
if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive
tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root
and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But
if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou
wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed
in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou
standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared
not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which
fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his
goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they
also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for
God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut
out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed
contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more
shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own
olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that ye should be
ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own
conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel,
until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel
shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the
Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is
my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”
Fulfillment
of Israel having one shepherd over them, the Son of David. Revelation
1:7-8 “Behold, he cometh with clouds;
and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced
him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of
him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was,
and which is to come, the Almighty.”
Fulfillment of the shepherd being of
the root of David. Revelation 5:5-6 “And one of the elders saith
unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda,
the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to
loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst
of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders,
stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven
horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth
into all the earth.”
Fulfillment of the tribes of Israel
being united again. Revelation 7:4 “And I heard the number of
them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred
and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of
Israel.”
Fulfillment of being the King of
Israel. Revelation 19:11-16 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold
a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True,
and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a
flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name
written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a
vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And
the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses,
clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a
sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall
rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the
fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his
vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF
LORDS”
Fulfillment of a kingdom for Israel.
Revelation 20:4b “they lived and reigned with Christ a
thousand years.”
Fulfillment of a new covenant. Hebrews
chapters 8-10:22 “Now of the things which we have spoken this is
the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of
the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the
sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and
not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and
sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat
also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest,
seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses
was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for,
See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern
shewed to thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more
excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of
a better covenant, which was established upon better
promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless,
then should no place have been sought for the second. For
finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come,
saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of
Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant
that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the
hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued
not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For
this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and
write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they
shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his
neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all
shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be
merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their
iniquities will I remember no more.(Jeremiah 31:31-34) In
that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old.
Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. Then
verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine
service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a
tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the
table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after
the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid
round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and
Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; And over it
the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot
now speak particularly. Now when these things were thus ordained,
the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the
service of God. But into the second went the high priest
alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for
himself, and for the errors of the people: The Holy Ghost
this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet
made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which
was a figure for the time then present, in which were
offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did
the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal
ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to
come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands,
that is to say, not of this building;
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. (Psalm 40) He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.(Psalm 110) For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. (Psalm 40) He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.(Psalm 110) For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”
Fulfillment of Psalm 110:1-6
The fulfillment of David's saying the
LORD would say, “My Lord” to anyone. is found in the following
passages: Matthew 22:41-46 “While the Pharisees were gathered
together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of
Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.
He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him
Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my
right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If
David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man
was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day
forth ask him any more questions.” Acts 2:34-36 “For
David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The
LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy
foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel
know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have
crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Hebrews 7:11-22 “If
therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it
the people received the law,) what further need was there that
another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be
called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed,
there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For he of whom
these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man
gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord sprang
out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning
priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that after
the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is
made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power
of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever
after the order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a
disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and
unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the
bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: (For those
priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that
said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest
for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) By so much was Jesus made
a surety of a better testament.”
Fulfillment of Isaiah 9:6-7
Fulfillment of a child being born whose
name if God and who will have an everlasting kingdom: Isaiah 9's
fulfillment is found in the following verses: Luke 1:30-33 “And
the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour
with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb,
and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be
great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God
shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall
reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there
shall be no end.”
Fulfillment of the child being the
Mighty God. Revelation 1:7-8 “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and
every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all
kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. I
am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith
the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come,
the Almighty.”
Fulfillment of
Isaiah 11:1-12
Fulfillment
of the Gentiles seeking after the root of Jesse (Son of David).
Romans 15:12 “And again, Esaias saith, There
shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the
Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.” Revelation
21:9 “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had
the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me,
saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's
wife.”
Fulfillment of Micah 5:2
Fulfillment
of being born in Bethlehem. Luke 2:1-15 “And it came to
pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar
Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was
first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be
taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto 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 Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto 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 Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”
Matthew 2:1-6 “Now when
Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod
the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews?
for we have seen his star (Numbers
24:17 “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not
nigh: there shall come a
Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel,
and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of
Sheth.) in the east, and are come to
worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was
troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all
the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of
them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him,
In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And
thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the
princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall
rule my people Israel.”
Fulfillment of Psalm 2:1-12
Fulfillment
of God begetting a Son. Matthew 3:17 “And
lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well
pleased.” John 3:16, 18 “For God so
loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life....He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he
that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed
in the name of the only begotten
Son of God.” Acts 13:33 “God hath
fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up
Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou
art my Son, this day have I begotten
thee.” Hebrews 1:5-6 “For unto which of the angels
said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I
begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a
Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when
he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith,
And let all the angels of God worship him.”
Hebrews 5:5 “So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an
high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to
day have I begotten thee.” 1 John 4:9 “In
this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent
his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through
him.” 1 John 5:1 “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is
the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that
begat loveth him also that is begotten of
him.”
Fulfillment of the Father begetting a
Son and His name is the Word, setting Him up as King and as King He
will dash the nations in pieces and break them with a rod of iron.
John 1:14 “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.” Revelation 19:11-16 “And I saw
heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat
upon him was called Faithful and True, and in
righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame
of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written,
that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture
dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses,
clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his
mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations:
and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth
the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he
hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING
OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Fulfillment of Malachi 3:1-6
Fulfillment of coming suddenly to the
temple. Matthew 21:10-13 “And when he was come into Jerusalem,
all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said,
This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And
Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them
that sold and bought in the temple, and
overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats
of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house
shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a
den of thieves.”
Fulfillment of Is. 42:1-9
Fulfillment of the Jewish Moshiach
being a light unto the Gentiles. Matthew 12:9-21 “And when he
was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: And, behold,
there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him,
saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might
accuse him. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among
you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the
sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much
then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well
on the sabbath days. Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine
hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as
the other. Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against
him, how they might destroy him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew
himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed
them all; And charged them that they should not make him known:
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the
prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved,
in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and
he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor
cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised
reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till
he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the
Gentiles trust.” Romans 15:8-12 “Now I say that Jesus
Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God,
to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: And that
the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as
it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the
Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith,
Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And
again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and
laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There
shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the
Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.”
Fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9
Fulfillment
of the King of Israel coming into Jerusalem in a lowly manner, riding
upon an ass and the colt of an ass. Matthew 21:1-11 “And
when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto
the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto
them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye
shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them,
and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall
say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy
King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the
foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus
commanded them, And brought the ass, and the colt, and put
on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a
very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut
down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And
the multitudes that went before, and that followed,
cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David:
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna
in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city
was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said,
This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.”
Fulfillment of Daniel 7:13-14
Fulfillment
of Son of Man coming in the clouds. Matthew 24:26-30 “Wherefore
if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not
forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as
the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west;
so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the
carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately
after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and
the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from
heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then
shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all
the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son
of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
Mark 13:24-26 “But in those
days, after that tribulation,
(time
of Jacob's trouble – Daniel 12:1) the
sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And
the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven
shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of
man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.”
Mark 14:60-62 “And the high priest stood up in the midst, and
asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these
witness against thee? But he held his peace, and answered nothing.
Again the high priest asked him,
and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the
Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man
sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of
heaven.” Luke 21:20-27 “And when ye shall see
Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation
thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the
mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and
let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For
these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may
be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and
to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be
great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
(time of Jacob's trouble –
Jeremiah 30:7) And they shall fall by the edge of the
sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem
shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the
Gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in
the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations,
with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing
them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on
the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then
shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great
glory.” Revelation 14:14-16 “And I looked, and behold
a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man,
having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp
sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud
voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap:
for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth
is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the
earth; and the earth was reaped.”
Fulfillment of the kingdoms of the
world becoming the kingdoms of the Son of man. Revelation 11:15,18
“And the seventh angel sounded (his trumpet);
(the last trumpet blast when the Moshiach is supposed to come and
the dead resurrected.) and there were great voices in
heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the
kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever
and ever.......And the
nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the
time of the dead, that
they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy
servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy
name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the
earth. ”
Fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14
Fulfillment
of being born of a virgin and Him being “God with us” or
Emmanuel. Matthew 1:18-23 “Now
the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary
was espoused to Joseph, before they came together,
she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make
her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while
he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared
unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to
take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is
conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt
call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a
virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they
shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with
us” Luke 2:26-35 “And
in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from
God unto a city of
Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused
to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of
David; and the virgin's
name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou
that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou
among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying,
and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And
the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour
with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy
womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall
be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord
God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall
reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there
shall be no end. Then
said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing
I know not a man? And
the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost
shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow
thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee
shall be called the Son of God.”
Fulfillment of Isaiah 49:1-7
Fulfillment of coming to set prisoners
free and be a light to the Gentiles. Luke 4:16-20; And he came to
Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he
went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And
when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath
anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal
the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and
recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are
bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed
the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the
eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled
in your ears.”
Fulfillment of Daniel 7:13-14
Fulfillment
of Son of Man coming in the clouds. Matthew 24:26-30 “Wherefore
if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not
forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as
the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west;
so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the
carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately
after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and
the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from
heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then
shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all
the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son
of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
Mark 13:24-26 “But in those
days, after that tribulation,
(time
of Jacob's trouble – Daniel 12:1) the
sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And
the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven
shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of
man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.”
Mark 14:60-62 “And the high priest stood up in the midst, and
asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these
witness against thee? But he held his peace, and answered nothing.
Again the high priest asked him,
and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the
Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man
sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of
heaven.” Luke 21:20-27 “And when ye shall see
Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation
thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the
mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and
let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For
these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may
be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and
to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be
great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
(time of Jacob's trouble –
Jeremiah 30:7) And they shall fall by the edge of the
sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem
shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the
Gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in
the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations,
with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing
them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on
the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then
shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great
glory.” Revelation 14:14-16 “And I looked, and behold
a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man,
having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp
sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud
voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap:
for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth
is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the
earth; and the earth was reaped.”
Fulfillment of the kingdoms of the
world becoming the kingdoms of the Son of man. Revelation 11:15,18
“And the seventh angel sounded (his trumpet);
(the last trumpet blast when the Moshiach is supposed to come and
the dead resurrected.) and there were great voices in
heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the
kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever
and ever.......And the
nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the
time of the dead, that
they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy
servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy
name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the
earth. ”
If you are Jewish and you have managed
to get this far, God bless you. This has been a lot to go through and
quite difficult for a Jewish person. By now you may be thinking that
to say that Yeshua was God incarnate is blasphemy, but let's take a
minute to consider some things. First, has God ever manifested
Himself in a body before? If you say no, then you do not know your
Torah or Tanakh. The first time we hear about God taking a form was
right at the beginning with Adam and Eve. He was walking in the
Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:8 “And they heard the voice of the
LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of
the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of
the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.” Adam and Eve
tried to hide from God. How does one hide from an omnipotent
spiritual being. One doesn't. They were trying to hide from the
bodily manifestation of God.
Next we see the bodily manifestation of
God known in the Old Testament or Tanakh as the “angel of the
Lord”. When Sarah throws Hagar out, the angel of the Lord, which
Hagar calls God, appears to her in the desert. Genesis 16:7-13 “And
the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the
wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar,
Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she
said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the
LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under
her hands. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply
thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for
multitude.
And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?”
And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?”
Genesis 18 tells us the story of the
Lord and two angels stopping to see Abraham on their way to Sodom and
Gomorrah. Verses 1-3 “And the LORD appeared unto him
in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of
the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo,
three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to
meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in
thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:” This
clearly says that the Lord God appeared to Abraham as one of three
men, the other two men being angels. Abraham asks them to stay for
something to eat, and while he prepares the meal, the Lord asks where
Sarah is. Verses 10-15 “And he said, I will certainly
return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo,
Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door,
which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well
stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of
women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am
waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And
the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh,
saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is
any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time
appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time
of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I
laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst
laugh.” Clearly this is God, for it is God who gave Isaac to
Abraham and Sarah. The story continues with the Lord telling Abraham
that He is about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Who else but God
could and would do this?
Verses 16-23 “And the men rose up
from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to
bring them on the way. And the LORD
said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which
I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and
mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in
him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his
household after him, and they shall keep the way of the
LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD
may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. And
the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is
great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go
down now, and see whether they have done altogether
according to the cry of it, which is come unto me;
and if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces from thence,
and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the
LORD. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also
destroy the righteous with the wicked?” Abraham continues to
bargain with the Lord and finally God agrees that if there are ten
righteous people He will spare the cities. There are not.
If there is any doubt that the “angel
of the Lord” is indeed God Himself, God clears that up for us by
having the angel of the Lord refer to Himself as God. Genesis
22:11-18 “And the angel of the LORD called
unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here
am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou
any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God,
seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a
ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the
ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is
said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. And the
angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD,
for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son,
thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee,
and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of
the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore;
and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed
shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou
hast obeyed my voice.” The angel of the Lord says that
Abraham has not withheld his son from Him (the angel of the Lord),
but Isaac was being offered to the Lord God. He says that He has
sworn by Himself. God can swear by nobody but Himself. God is the
one who would bless Abraham and multiply his seed like the stars and
sand on the seashore. So clearly the angel of the Lord by His own
admission is the Lord God.
The next time God appeared as a man was
when Jacob wrestled with him. Genesis 32:24-30 “And Jacob was
left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until
the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not
against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of
Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he
said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let
thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy
name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no
more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power
with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob
asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said,
Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name?
And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place
Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is
preserved.”
We definitively find out that the angel
of the Lord is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the I am when He
appears to Moses in the burning bush. Exodus 3:2-22 “And
the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the
midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush
burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I
will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not
burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned
aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the
bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And
he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet,
for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover
he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for
he was afraid to look upon God. And the
LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of
my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by
reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And
I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and
a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of
the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the
Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore,
behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have
also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come
now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest
bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses
said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh,
and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token
unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the
people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon
this mountain. And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the
children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of
your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to
me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God
said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say
unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt
thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your
fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,
hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this
is my memorial unto all generations. Go, and gather the elders of
Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your
fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto
me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which
is done to you in Egypt: And I have said, I will bring you up out of
the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the
Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and
the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. And they
shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders
of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The
LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us
go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that
we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. And I am sure that
the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. And
I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my
wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after
that he will let you go. And I will give this people favour in the
sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go,
ye shall not go empty: But every woman shall borrow of her
neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver,
and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your
sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.”
Here the angel of the Lord finally identifies Himself by name. I am
that I am. This is the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The angel of the Lord is the bodily manifestation of the God of
Israel.
We are not done looking at passages
about the angel of the Lord, but for a moment we need to consider a
conundrum. The angel of the Lord appears to people and they look
upon Him as one looks upon a man. Jacob is wondering at how he could
look upon God and have his life preserved. We will shortly see that
Manoah and his wife wonder the same thing, how can they look upon God
and live? There is good reason for wondering this. Moses wanted to
look upon God's glory, and God told him that he could not look upon
His face and live. Exodus 33:18-23 “And
he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. And he said, I will make
all my goodness pass before thee, and I will
proclaim the name of the LORD before
thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew
mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou
canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt
stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth
by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee
with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and
thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not
be seen.”
Notice something further about the
previous passage. God, the God whose face cannot be looked upon,
says that He will proclaim the name of the Lord. As if the Lord is a
person other than Himself. Yet look what happens in the next
chapter. The Lord (the angel of the Lord) descends in a cloud
(this is certainly prophetic of Yeshua's Second Coming) and does
what? He proclaims the name of the Lord. But how is that the God
who cannot be looked upon was proclaiming the name of the Lord and
now the God who can be looked upon is proclaiming the name of the
Lord, as if they are proclaiming it for each other? One seems to be
the glory of His being, and the other seems to be a physical
manifestation which man can look upon.
Exodus 34:5-7 “And
the LORD descended in the cloud,
and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of
the LORD. And the LORD
passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God,
merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and
truth, Keeping mercy
for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that
will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the
fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the
third and to the fourth generation. ”
The next time we see the angel of the
Lord, He is standing in the path of Balaam and his ass. Numbers
22:22-35 “And God's anger was kindled
because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way
for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his
two servants were with him. And the ass saw the angel of
the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his
hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the
field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. But the
angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall
being on this side, and a wall on that side. And when the ass saw
the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto
the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote
her again. And the angel of the LORD went
further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either
to the right hand or to the left. And when the ass saw the
angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and
Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. And
the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she
said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten
me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou
hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now
would I kill thee. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass,
upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was
I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. Then the
LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the
angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn
in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
And the angel of the LORD said unto him,
Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I
went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:
And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she
had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her
alive. And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD,
I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against
me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will
get me back again. And the angel of the LORD
said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I
shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam
went with the princes of Balak.” So here God is angry with
Balaam and stands in his way, but when finally Balaam sees Him, He
tells Balaam that he is to go, but he will only speak what the Lord
God tells him to speak.
The angel of the Lord makes a lot of
appearances in the book of Judges. The first is when the angel of
the Lord appears to Joshua and the people in Judges 2:1-4 “And
an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and
said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the
land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will
never break my covenant with you. And ye shall make no
league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their
altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why
have ye done this? Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out
from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their
gods shall be a snare unto you. And it came to pass, when
the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of
Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.”
The angel of the Lord talks about the covenant He made with the
people. We know that God made the covenant, so again we see that the
angel of the Lord is God. The angel spoke to all the children of
Israel.
Judges 5:23 “Curse ye Meroz, said
the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants
thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help
of the LORD against the mighty.”
Judges 6:11-12 “And there came
an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in
Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon
threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And
the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and
said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.”
Judges 6:20-23 “And the angel
of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened
cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he
did so. Then the angel of the LORD put forth
the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and
the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and
consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel
of the LORD departed out of his sight. And when
Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas,
O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to
face. And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou
shalt not die.” Gideon was also afraid that he might die,
for he had looked upon God. These people (Jacob, Manoah and his
wife, and Gideon) all knew that they had been visited by God when the
angel of the Lord appeared to them.
Judges 13:3-22 “And the
angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto
her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt
conceive, and bear a son. Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and
drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: For,
lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no rasor shall come on
his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb:
and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the
Philistines. Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man
of God came unto me, and his countenance was
like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible:
but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his
name: But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive,
and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat
any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the
womb to the day of his death. Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and
said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send
come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the
child that shall be born. And God hearkened to the voice of
Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as
she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her. And
the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto
him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the
other day. And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the
man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman?
And he said, I am. And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass.
How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him? And the
angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that
I said unto the woman let her beware. She may not eat of any thing
that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink,
nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.
And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I
pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid
for thee. And the angel of the LORD said unto
Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and
if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the
LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel
of the LORD. And Manoah said unto the angel of
the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to
pass we may do thee honour? And the angel of the LORD said
unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?
So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock
unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife
looked on. For it came to pass, when the flame went up
toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended
in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked
on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. But the angel
of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife.
Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.
And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because
we have seen God.”
This passage talks bout Manoah and his
wife being visited by the angel of the Lord. Yet not an angel as
other angels, but a manifestation of God as they are worried they
might die for having looked upon God. This “angel's” name is
secret or unknown. But God has revealed to Moses His name, “I am”.
So who is this angel whose name is not known to mankind yet?
Now in 2 Samuel 24:16-17 “And
when the angel
stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the
LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel
that destroyed the people,
It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of
the LORD was by the threshingplace
of Araunah the Jebusite. And David spake unto the
LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people,
and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these
sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against
me, and against my father's house.” Here we have a
passage that clearly shows that the angel and the LORD are separately
acting entities. The angel of the Lord is destroying the people.
The LORD repents of doing it and tells the angel of the Lord to stop.
Now some may say that the angel doing the destroying is not the
angel of the Lord, it is just the angel of the Lord standing at the
threshing place when the other angel stops killing people, but we
have this same incident described in 1 Chronicles 21:15-18,27,30 “And
God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as
he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil,
and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine
hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor
of Ornan the Jebusite. And David lifted up his eyes, and saw
the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having
a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem.
Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth,
fell upon their faces. And David said unto God,
Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is
that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what
have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God,
be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they
should be plagued. Then the angel of the LORD commanded
Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar
unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the
Jebusite......And the LORD commanded the angel;
and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof..........But
David could not go before it to inquire of God: for he was
afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD. ”
This passage tells us that it was the angel of the Lord that was
standing over Jerusalem with sword in hand ready to continue
destroying people and that it was God who sent Him and it is God who
tells Him to stop. David then speaks to God, and the angel of the
Lord speaks back to David through Gad. David is afraid to go to the
tabernacle to speak to God because he is afraid of the angel of the
Lord. Multiple times now we have seen that the angel of the Lord who
has said His name is “I am”, but who has also said His name is
secret, is indicating He is God, yet it is seen that He is also a
separate entity who acts independently from God. It always appears
that God is a spiritual entity whose glory cannot be seen by man and
live, but the angel is the bodily manifestation of that same person
that can be seen by man and live.
Here is a list of other verses that
mention the angel of the Lord.
1 Kings 19:7 “And the
angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched
him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for
thee.”
2 Kings 1:3 “But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?”
2 Kings 1:15 “And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.”
2 Kings 19:35 “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.”
1 Chronicles 21:12 “Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.”
Psalms 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”
2 Kings 1:3 “But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?”
2 Kings 1:15 “And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.”
2 Kings 19:35 “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.”
1 Chronicles 21:12 “Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.”
Psalms 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”
Psalm 35:5-6 “Let them be as chaff
before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD
chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let
the angel of the LORD persecute them.”
Isaiah 37:36 “Then the
angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the
Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they
arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.”
Zechariah 1:11-12 “And they
answered the angel of the LORD that stood among
the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the
earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O
LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on
the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these
threescore and ten years?” These verses show the angel of the
Lord speaking to the LORD God, asking Him a question. Again, this
distinguishes the two as independent entities, while yet both speak
of each other as if they are the same person in other passages.
Zechariah 3:1, 5-7 “And he shewed
me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the
LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist
him..... And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head.
So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with
garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.
And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua,
saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my
ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my
house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to
walk among these that stand by.”
Zechariah 12:8 “In that
day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and
the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the
LORD before them. And it shall come to pass in that
day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against
Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications:
and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and
they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son,
and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for
his firstborn.” Here is a passage that makes a comparison and
equates God as the angel of the Lord. Now what is more interesting
is that we have seen this passage before as one of the prophetic
passages of the Moshiach.
We see this “angel”of the Lord yet
again in the book of Daniel. When Daniel was taken into captivity,
there were three other young men taken with him. They were Hananiah,
renamed Shadrach; Mishael, renamed Meshach; and Azariah, renamed
Abed-nego. These three refused to bow down and worship the golden
idol that Nebuchadnezzar had erected in the plains of Dura. As a
result they were thrown in the fiery furnace. The king was astounded
when he looked in and saw not only the three alive in the flames, but
a fourth person. We are told who this fourth person was. Daniel 3:25
“He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the
midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth
is like the Son of God.” We are told another
name for this angel of the Lord. He is called the Son of God. Is it
not interesting that this is the title that Yeshua is given? Clearly
this separate entity the “angel of the Lord” who has called
Himself “I am” and equates Himself with the LORD God, is also
called the Son of God.
So now we see that the Tanakh or Old
Testament teaches that there is an angel of the Lord, who makes
statements about Himself that only apply to God, and who is also
called the Son of God. This angel seems to be the bodily
manifestation of God, whereas the glory of God cannot be endured by
man and have him live. God and this angel speak back and forth to
each other as two individuals, yet on the other hand they seem to
make claim to being the same person.
In the New Testament we see that while
here on earth, Yeshua made these same claims as the angel of the
Lord, or Son of God, which is a term He applies to Himself.
John 8:52-58 “Then said the Jews
unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and
the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall
never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham,
which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing:
it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he
is your God: Yet ye have not known him; but I know him:
and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you:
but I know him, and keep his saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to
see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto
him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
Jesus said unto them, Verily,verily, I say unto you, Before
Abraham was, I am.” In this verse, Yeshua was saying that
His name was “I am” for with this pronouncement the people sought
to stone Him for blasphemy for saying that He was God incarnate.
John 10:36 “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and
sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am
the Son of God?”
Even the demons acknowledged His
identity and knew Him. Mark 3:11 “And unclean spirits, when they
saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art
the Son of God.” Luke 4:41 “And devils also
came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ
the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to
speak: for they knew that he was Christ.” Luke 8:28 “When
he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud
voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of
God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.”
But did not God say that He is one God
and that we are to worship Him only? Isaiah
42:8 “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my
glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to
graven images.” Exodus 20:3 “Thou shalt have no other
gods before me.” Deuteronomy 6:13-14 “Thou shalt fear
the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. Ye
shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people
which are round about you.” Isaiah 44:6 “Thus saith the
LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts;
I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”
Even Yeshua, who claimed to be the Son
of God and one with God said that the Lord was one. Mark 12:29-34
“And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is,
Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is
the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment
greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou
hast said the truth: for
there is one God; and there is none other but he: And
to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and
with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his
neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and
sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said
unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after
that durst ask him any question.
God has declared that He will not
tolerate our giving worship to any other than Himself. Yet in Psalm
2:12 we find that God said, “Kiss the Son, lest he
be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a
little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”
First of all, God is saying that He has a Son. Then He is telling us
to “kiss” that Son. The word “kiss” here is used according
to the custom of its usage. In that part of the world, and in that
day, as well as in some cases today, one paid homage and showed
allegiance to a king or superior by kissing the hand, dress, or feet.
This then is God telling man to submit to the authority of His Son
and pay Him worship. But God said there is no other God beside
Himself. So how do we reconcile this problem?
We have to look to see what Yeshua
said. John 10:30-38 “I and my Father are one.
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered
them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of
those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying,
For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and
because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus
answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the
scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath
sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because
I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my
Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me,
believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the
Father is in me, and I in him.” Yeshua is saying that He
and the Father are one person. They are two manifestations of that
person. One is the glory that cannot be beheld by man and live, and
the other is the bodily incarnation that man can look upon. Yeshua
also has had two manifestions. In the Tanakh He appeared as the angel
of the Lord or what is known as the pre-incarnate Christ, or Moshiach
and the other is the incarnation of the Son of God known as Yeshua or
Jesus. This is the human form that the angel of the Lord took upon
Himself.
We
already read some of Mark 12. From the verses above we continue with
the following: Mark 12:35-37 “And Jesus answered and
said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes
that Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said by the Holy
Ghost, (Ps.110) The
Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine
enemies thy footstool. David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and
whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him
gladly.” Psalm 110:1 “The LORD said unto my Lord,
Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”
In this passage the Lord calls Yeshua “my Lord.” Why would God
call anybody “my Lord”? He wouldn't unless He was referring to
Himself in some capacity. In this case He is referring to the Son.
We find more about this in the book of
Hebrews 1:1-3, 5-8 “God, who at sundry times and in divers
manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in
these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom
he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made
the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the
express image of his person, and upholding all things by
the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our
sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on
high......................For unto which of the angels said he at any
time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I
will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again,
when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he
saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of
the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers
a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O
God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is
the sceptre of thy kingdom.” We see that these verses are
quotes from the Tanahk. Psalm 2:7 “I will declare the decree:
the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have
I begotten thee.” Psalm 45:6 “Thy throne, O
God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a
right sceptre.” In these verses we see that just as Yeshua
said He and the Father are one, God the Father says that He and
Yeshua are one. God calls Yeshua, God, when He says, “Thy throne,
O God.”
Isaiah 48:11-17 “For mine own
sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be
polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.
Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he;
I am the first, I also am the last. Mine hand
also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right
hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up
together. All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them
hath declared these things? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his
pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans. I, even
I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he
shall make his way prosperous. Come ye near unto me, hear ye this;
I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it
was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.
Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel;
I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which
leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.” Here God says
that He will not give His glory to another and as also mentioned in
Isaiah 44:6 above that He is the first and the last. Yet we have
already seen that He does give His glory to another. He gives it to
the Son. The Son also claims to be the Almighty, the first and the
last, the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end.
Revelation 1:8 “I am Alpha
and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord,
which is, and which was, and which is to come, the
Almighty.”
Revelation 1:11 “Saying,
I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last:
and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven
churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto
Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia,
and unto Laodicea.”
Revelation 1:17 “And when I saw
him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me,
saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last.”
Revelation 2:8 “And unto the angel
of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first
and the last, which was dead, and is alive.”
Revelation 22:13 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”
Revelation 22:13 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”
We notice also in Isaiah 48 (and in
Genesis 1) that God laid the foundations of the world. But in
Hebrews 1 that Yeshua created the world. We also find this in other
passages. Ephesians 3:9 “And to make all men see what is the
fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath
been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.”
Another passage that addresses this and
more is Colossians 1:12-20 “Giving thanks unto the Father, which
hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath
translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have
redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who
is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every
creature: 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:
And he is before all things, and by him all
things consist. And he is the head of the body, the
church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead;
that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it
pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by
him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say,
whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”
We are told that Yeshua is the image of
the invisible God. He is the physical manifestation of God. In
Genesis 1:26-27 is says “And God said, Let us
make man in our image, after our likeness: and
let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of
the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in
his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female
created he them.” God said, “Let US” make
man in OUR image.” If the Hebrew is checked people
will see that the word Elohim is both a plural and singular word.
That is because both God the Father and God the Son (or the Son of
God, Yeshua) are one and the same entity, but two manifestations.
Does it not make sense that if man was created in God's image, and
man has a spirit, a mind, and a body, that those three things, which
exist independent of each other would also exist in the person of
God? However being an entity that is far beyond our finite state, His
manifestation would be somewhat different from ours. The spirit is
what connects us to God, so our spirit is either alive, because we
have accepted the Moshiach and have reconnected to God, or we are
spiritually dead in our sins. It is independent of our living soul
and mind, which is our will, thoughts, and personality. Our body is
our physical manifestation and dies, yet our spirit and our intellect
go on. We have three independent parts to our being. But that
brings up another subject. If we are three parts, and we have only
seen the Father and Son, who is the third person in God's triune
being. We find that in the Tanakh also.
Isaiah 49:7 “Thus saith
the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him
whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of
rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also
shall worship, because of the LORD that is
faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he
shall choose thee.” We see a mention of God as the
Redeemer, yet we know Yeshua is the Redeemer. Then we see a
reference to the Holy One. So God, and the Holy One are speaking to
Him whom man despiseth (Yeshua). Here we see three persons – God,
the Holy One, and the man (Yeshua). Who is this Holy One? We see
that right in the first few verses of the Torah, we find out who this
is. Genesis 1:2 “And the earth
was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the
deep. And the Spirit of God
moved upon the face of the waters.” The Spirit of God is
the third person in the Godhood.
In the following verses we see examples
of the Spirit of the Lord or Spirit of God coming upon people to
guide them in wisdom, understanding, and truth.
Exodus 31:3 “And I have filled
him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in
understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.”
Numbers 27:18 “And the LORD said
unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the
spirit, and lay thine hand upon him.” Note
that the Lord speaks of the spirit not as Himself but as another
person.
Judges 6:34 “But the Spirit
of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and
Abiezer was gathered after him.”
Judges
5:14 “And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted
against him: and the Spirit of the
LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon
his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands
loosed from off his hands.”
1 Samuel 11:6 “And the Spirit
of God came upon Saul when he heard those
tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.”
1 Samuel 16:13 “Then Samuel took
the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and
the Spirit of the LORD came
upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to
Ramah.”
2 Kings 2:11,16 “ And it came to
pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared
a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder;
and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven......And they said unto
him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let
them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the
Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast
him upon some mountain, or into some valley.”
In the New Testament we see that Yeshua
tells us more about the Holy Spirit. First the Spirit came upon
Yeshua at His baptism to give Him the powers to do the miracles He
did. Without the Spirit, He would have been a man without powers,
just as we have no miraculous powers. It is the Spirit whose powers
work miracles. It is the Spirit who can allow us to do things beyond
our human abilities. The Spirit also led Yeshua to the desert to let
Satan tempt Him. Mark 1:10 “And straightway coming up out of
the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit
like a dove descending upon him.” Matthew 4:1 “Then was
Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness
to be tempted of the devil.” Yeshua credits His ability to
cast out demons to the Spirit. Matthew 12:28 “But if I cast out
devils by the Spirit of God,
then the kingdom of God is come unto you.”
Luke 11:13 “If ye then, being
evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more
shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit
to them that ask him?” John 3:5 “Jesus
answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
Yeshua tells us that the Father will give us the Holy Spirit to
dwell on us like He dwelt on the prophets and people like Joshua and
King David. Without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, one does not
enter into the kingdom of God.
Yeshua tells His followers that when He
returns to the Father, He will send in His place the Comforter, or
Holy Spirit who will lead them into truth and testify that Yeshua was
indeed the Son of God. John 15:26 “But when the Comforter is
come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit
of truth, which proceedeth from the Father,
he shall testify of me.” Yeshua is clearly telling us that the
Spirit comes from the Father, but is a separate part of God.
In Zechariah 12:10 it tells how in the
Day that Yeshua returns, God will pour out the Spirit on the House of
Israel. “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and
of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they
have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one
mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one
that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”
In that day, when Yeshua returns there
will be much more going on in Israel. Chapter 12-14 in Zechariah
tell much more, but in Zechariah 14 we really see Yeshua's Second
Coming described. Verses 2-9 “For I will gather all
nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be
taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the
city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people
shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go
forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought
in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day
upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and
the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward
the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley;
and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of
it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the
mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal:
yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the
days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall
come, and all the saints with thee. And it shall come to
pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: But
it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor
night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be
light. And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out
from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them
toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the
LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall
there be one LORD, and his name one.”
We can compare these verses to the ones
in Revelation 16:13-19 “And I saw three unclean spirits like
frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of
the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are
the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the
kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them
to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold,
I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and
keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
And he gathered them together into a place called in the
Hebrew tongue Armageddon. And the seventh angel poured
out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the
temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there
were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a
great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so
mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided
into three parts.” Revelation 19:11-16, 21 “And I saw
heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat
upon him was called Faithful and True, and in
righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame
of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a
name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he
was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is
called The Word of God. (* see below) And the
armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses,
clothed in fine linen, white and clean.(**) And
out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he
should smite the nations: and he shall rule them
with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the
winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
And he hath on his vesture
and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND
LORD OF LORDS..........And the remnant were
slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which
sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with
their flesh.” This passage in Revelation and the passage in
Zechariah are describing the same event.
(*) John
1:1 “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.” Yeshua is the
Word.
(**)
Revelation 19:7-8 “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give
honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come,
and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that
she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white:
for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”
From this verse we see that the saints or Bride of Christ (the
church) are the ones following Yeshua on the white horse. And in
Zechariah we are told that the “Lord my God” will come with the
“saints.”
So not only now
have we shown that Yeshua is the Moshiach, but that He is God
incarnate in the form of the Son, and that the Holy Spirit is a third
person in that Trinity. So given that information, where does one go
from here? For a Jewish person, it is a not a new idea that sins be
forgiven by the blood of a lamb, but for 2000 years that has been an
impossibility. However, God provided that the blood of Lamb that
will for all time cover one's sins be provided, especially since He
destroyed the temple making sacrifices impossible. And we know that
God told us that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission
of sins. All of the patriarchs understood this and looked forward to
the Moshiach's blood being shed on Passover. It is by faith in that
shed blood that these people found righteousness and ultimately
salvation.
Romans
4:2-16 “What shall we say then that Abraham our father,
as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified
by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what
saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was
counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him
that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But
to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the
ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as
David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God
imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are
they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Cometh
this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the
uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to
Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when
he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision,
but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign
of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he
had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them
that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness
might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to
them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the
steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet
uncircumcised. For the promise, that he should be the heir of the
world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but
through the righteousness of faith. For if they
which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise
made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath:
for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore
it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the
promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of
the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is
the father of us all.”
But why is that blood sacrifice of
Yeshua necessary? Why the need for an ultimate Passover lamb?
Romans 5:12-21 “Wherefore, as
by one man (Adam)sin entered into the world, and death by sin;
and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when
there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even
over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's
transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as
the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of
one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace,
which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not
as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by
one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences
unto justification. For if by one man's offence death
reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and
of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus
Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all
men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free
gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as
by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience
of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law
entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace
did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so
might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus
Christ our Lord.”
Who accepted this sacrifice and
salvation? The Gentiles did, fulfilling prophecy.
Romans 9:22-33 “What if God,
willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with
much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And
that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of
mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath
called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
As he saith also in Osee, (*) I will call them my people,
which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was
said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the
children of the living God. Esaias also crieth concerning
Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of
the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will
finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short
work will the Lord make upon the earth.(**) And as Esaias said
before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as
Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. (***) What shall we say
then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after
righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even
the righteousness which is of faith. Buts
Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not
attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore?
Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of
the law. (****)For they stumbled at that
stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a
stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth
on him shall not be ashamed.(*****)”
(*) Hosea 2:23 “And I will sow her
unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not
obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my
people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art
my God.”
(**) Isaiah 10:22-23 “For though
thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant
of them
shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with
righteousness. For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption,
even determined, in the midst of all the land.”
(***) Isaiah 1:9 “Except the LORD
of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant,
we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto
Gomorrah.”
(****) Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold, his
soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just
shall live by his faith.”
(*****) Isaiah 8:14 “And
he shall be for a sanctuary;
but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of
offence to both the houses of Israel,
for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”
What is Israel's problem? Why did they
not accept the Moshiach?
Romans 10:1-21 “Brethren, my
heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be
saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God,
but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of
God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own
righteousness, have not submitted themselves
unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the
end of the law for righteousness to every one
that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness
which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live
by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this
wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is,
to bring Christ down from above:)nOr, Who shall descend into the
deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what
saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart:
that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou
shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in
thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved. For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be
ashamed. But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith,
Lord, who hath believed our report? (Isaiah 53 see above) So then
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say,
Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth,
and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, Did not
Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to
jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will
anger you. But Esaias is very bold, and saith,
I was found of them that sought me not; I was made
manifest unto them that asked not after me. But to Israel
he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a
disobedient and gainsaying people.” (Isaiah 65:1-2 “I
am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that
sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was
not called by my name. I have spread out my hands all the day unto a
rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after
their own thoughts.”) Israel rejected Isaiah's report of who
the Moshiach would be. They wanted righteousness on their own terms.
They wanted Moshiach ben David, not Yosef. God was found by a people
who was not his people. A people who were not searching after Him,
to a nation that was not called by His name – the Gentiles. What
did it say at the beginning of this article about the two Messiahs
that Israel is expecting? That they believe that Moshiach ben Yosef
will come if they are not ready or worthy of Moshiach ben David. He
did.
So what is a Jewish person to believe?
Galatians 3:6-26 “Even as Abraham
believed God, and it was accounted to
him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which
are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the
scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen
through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham,
saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be
of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of
the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed
is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in
the book of the law to do them. But that no man is
justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident:
for, The just shall live by faith. And the
law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall
live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of
the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written,
Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of
Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we
might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I
speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet
if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to
Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to
seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God
in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after,
cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For
if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God
gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the
law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should
come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by
angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator
of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God?
God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could
have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by
faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But
before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto
the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was
our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified
by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer
under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in
Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 4:3-5,22-28 “Even so we,
when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the
world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent
forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them
that were under the law, that we might receive the
adoption of sons......... For it is written, that Abraham had two
sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who
was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the
freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these
are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth
to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia,
and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her
children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother
of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not;
break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath
many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren,
as Isaac was, are the children of promise.”
Salvation is a matter of faith and
always has been.
Hebrews 11:1-16 “Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For
by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand
that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which
are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel
offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he
obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts:
and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated
that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had
translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony,
that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to
please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and
that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By
faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with
fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he
condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by
faith. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place
which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went
out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land
of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with
Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he
looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is
God. Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive
seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she
judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of
one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in
multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises,
but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and
embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on
the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly
that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of
that country from whence they came out, they might have had
opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country,
that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their
God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”
John 3:16 “For God so loved the
world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in
Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
How does one go about accepting Yeshua
haMoshiach as their Savior?
First one must acknowledge that they
are a sinner in need of blood redemption.
Romans 3: 10-23 “As it is written,
There is none righteous, no, not one: There is
none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They
are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable;
there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open
sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of
asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and
bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and
misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known:
There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what
things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law:
that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty
before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall
no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge
of sin. But now the righteousness of God
without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the
prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus
Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there
is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of
the glory of God”
And what is the consequence of sin?
Romans 6:23 “For the
wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
What is our hope?
Romans 5:8-9 “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.”
How do we attain that hope?
Romans 10:9-10,13 “That if
thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth
unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.....For whosoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord shall be saved.”
Romans 5:1 “Therefore being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now
no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
How do we maintain that faith and keep
it alive and well so that we might present ourselves worthy when we
meet the Lord (either through death or His return)? We must abide in
Yeshua, show our faith through works, and endure to the end to attain
salvation. Justification is by faith, salvation comes by maintaining
that justification and enduring to the end.
James 5:17-24 “Even so faith,
if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man
may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without
thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou
believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the
devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man,
that faith without works is dead? Was not
Abraham our father justified by works, when he
had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith
wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the
scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God,
and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was
called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a
man is justified, and not by faith only.”
John 14:15 “If ye love me,
keep my commandments.” (this is speaking of the 10
commandments, not the 613 laws of the Torah)
John 15:1-10 “I am the true vine,
and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that
beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that
beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I
am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me,
and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for
without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he
is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and
cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide
in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it
shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear
much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved
me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye
keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I
have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.”
Hebrews 10:23-38 “Let us hold
fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he
is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one
another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some
is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the
day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received
the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for
sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery
indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised
Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of
how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy,
who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the
blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing,
and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we
know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will
recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge
his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands
of the living God. But call to remembrance the former days, in
which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of
afflictions; Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by
reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions
of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds,
and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves
that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Cast
not away therefore your confidence, which hath great
recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that,
after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come,
and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by
faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no
pleasure in him.”
Matthew 10:22 “And ye shall be
hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth
to the end shall be saved.”
Matthew 24:13 “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
Matthew 24:13 “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
John 6:27 “Labour
not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which
endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto
you: for him hath God the Father sealed.”
James 1:12 “Blessed is the man
that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall
receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that
love him.”
Hebrews 12:1 “Wherefore seeing we
also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us,
and let us run with patience the race that is set before
us.”
If you do all this, you like Paul can
say:
2 Timothy 4:708 “I have fought
a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to
me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
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