Jew #1

Chapter 1

You are His Chosen and Holy People

As we approach the end times, we approach that moment in history wherein God has promised his chosen people, the Jews, that the Messiah will come and restore the Kingdom. Focus first on God’s word. He repeatedly teaches how important the Jew is in His eyes and how He has chosen to intervene in the affairs of the nation of Israel.

Deut 7:6-9

6 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.

7 "The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples;

8 "but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

9 "Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;…

Exod 19:5-6

5 ‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.

6 ‘And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." (NKJ)

Ps 33:12

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance. (NKJ)

Ps 50:5

5 Gather My saints together to Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice. (NKJ)

Ps 105:6-10

6 O seed of Abraham His servant, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

7 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

8 He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,

9 The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac,

10 And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, (NKJ)

Ps 105:43-45

43 He brought out His people with joy, his chosen ones with gladness.

44 He gave them the lands of the Gentiles, and they inherited the labor of the nations,

45 That they might observe His statutes and keep His laws. Praise the LORD! (NKJ)

Ps 132:13-16

13 For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for His dwelling place:

14 "This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.

15 I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread.

16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. (NKJ)

Ps 135:4

For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special treasure. (NKJ)

Isa 41:8-10

8 "But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the descendants of Abraham My friend.

9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away:

10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (NKJ)

Isa 43:1-13

1 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.

3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

4 Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you; therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life.

5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west;

6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth--

7 Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him."

8 Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears.

9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear and say, It is truth.

10 You are My witnesses, says the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me.

11 I, even I, am the LORD, and besides Me there is no savior.

12 I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; therefore you are My witnesses, says the LORD, that I am God.

13 Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?" (NKJ)

Jer 2:3

3 Israel was holiness to the LORD, the firstfruits of His increase. All that devour him will offend; disaster will come upon them, says the LORD.’ (NKJ)

Mal 3:17

17 They shall be Mine, says the LORD of hosts, On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. (NKJ)

There are many more references in the Scriptures that make the same point over and over again. God has chosen Israel as His special people, the firstfruits of His increase. Every non-Jew is a Gentile. I am a Gentile. One of the leaders of the Jews who persecuted Jesus Christ and all of His followers was Saul of Tarsus, a student of Gamaliel, the great Jewish teacher of the time. Saul’s heart was changed as God taught Him the truth regarding His Son. Saul became known as Paul. The Holy Spirit witnessed to his spirit and he, a Jew of renown, became God’s messenger to the Gentiles, after his Jewish counterparts rejected him. As a Jew, he knew that the Jews were God’s chosen people but he also knew, because the Holy Spirit revealed it to him, that the Gentiles too, were called to love, honor and obey God.

Listen carefully to Paul’s instruction to the Gentiles concerning their relationship to the Jews. Remember, you, a Jew, are the root and Paul was a Jew. We Gentiles are the branches, grafted in, by the Grace of God.

Rom 11:16-36

16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,

18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

19 You will say then, Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.

20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.

21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.

22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. (see chapter 6, Has Israel been on hold 2000 years?)

26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

27 For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins."

28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.

29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience,

31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy.

32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

34 For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?

35 Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?

36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. (NKJ)

To fully appreciate Paul’s teachings, go to chapter 46, A Jew speaking to Jews as only a Jew could. Your personal position with the Lord is in process. Until the moment that we die, we make choices. God’s forgiveness for our bad choices exceeds our understanding. We deserve retribution yet we are offered mercy instead. God truly has chosen you. Have you sought Him with all of your heart, mind, strength and soul? The Word is a treasure, full of instruction, love and wisdom and a gift directly from God.

Matt 7:7-8

7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (NKJ)

Chapter 2

The Messiah in the Old Testament

I realize that when writing to Jews, we must deal with the question, Who was Jesus Christ? while standing in the Light of the New Testament and while maintaining the integrity of the Old Testament. The answer to the question is the fulcrum upon which the history of the Gentile and the world turns. If so, and as the world looks to each new Millennium and beyond, those who honor the Jewish calendar would seem to be well served by doing some research on this Messianic topic. Seeking answers, and God’s direction as you do so, is a reasonable endeavor. Surely those of Abraham’s seed and who love God are not the enemy, myself included. Perhaps misled or unenlightened, but not the enemy.

The chapter we are dealing with here is best studied, in my opinion, by first considering the words of the One to which the Old Testament points. If that seems too difficult a starting point, please just try to bear with me as we transition to the Old Testament. This quotation is one of many that place the Old Testament and its prophecies in perspective.

John 5:2-47

2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.

3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.

4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.

5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, Do you want to be made well?

7 The sick man answered Him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.

8 Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your bed and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.

10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.

11 He answered them, He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’

12 Then they asked him, Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?

13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.

14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.

15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.

17 But Jesus answered them, My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.

18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

20 "For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

21 "For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.

22 "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,

23 "that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

25 "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.

26 "For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,

27 "and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.

28 "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice

29 "and come forth-- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

30 "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

31 "If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.

32 "There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true.

33 "You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.

34 "Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved.

35 "He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.

36 "But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish-- the very works that I do-- bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.

37 "And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.

38 "But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.

39 "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

40 "But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

41 "I do not receive honor from men.

42 "But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.

43 "I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.

44 "How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?

45 "Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you-- Moses, in whom you trust.

46 "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.

47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words? (NKJ)

This quotation raises and answers so many questions. Most of them are dealt with in other chapters of this book. Here we will focus on the last 3 verses. In those verses, what writings was Jesus referring to? The Old Testament is full of quotations that point to Jesus and the promised Messiah, the Christ. Let’s look at only a few.

Moses in Numbers, Chapters 22-24 recorded one of the strangest stories in the Bible, where a donkey spoke to his master, Balaam and Baalam subsequently prophesied as follows:

Num 24:16-19

16 The utterance of him who hears the words of God, and has the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down, with eyes wide open:

17 "I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and batter the brow of Moab, and destroy all the sons of tumult.

18 "And Edom shall be a possession; Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession, while Israel does valiantly.

19 Out of Jacob One shall have dominion, and destroy the remains of the city." (NKJ)

The Bible properly capitalizes references to the Deity. Note verse 17. The Star out of Jacob refers to the Messiah, the one coming out of Jacob and the tribe of Judah as prophesied in other Old Testament references we will consider. The Scepter shall rise out of Israel refers to the Messiah as Judge (see John 5:26-27, above). To put this assertion in perspective, listen to what Jacob said as he called his sons together.

Gen 49:8-11

8 "Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s children shall bow down before you.

9 Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; and as a lion, who shall rouse him?

10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

11 Binding his donkey to the vine, and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes. (NKJ)

Shiloh, though a city, also means sent and thus would be capitalized either way, but here I believe it means the One who is sent, who will come and to Him shall be the obedience of the people. The scepter is not capitalized here because it is an implement in the hand of Shiloh, the Judge.

Now, let’s look at some of the most clearly stated promises in the Old Testament regarding who the Messiah is to be and what evidence will be present that we should know it is Him.

Isa 7:10-15

10 Moreover the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying,

11 Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.

12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!

13 Then he said, "Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?

14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. (My emphasis)

15 "Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. (NKJ)

Biblical references call this The Immanuel Prophecy. Immanuel means God with us. Read verse 14 very carefully and know this prophecy was fulfilled. No Jew needs to wonder about the dispersion and gathering of Israel. It is a historical fact, well documented and experienced by generations. Listen.

Isa 8:8-10

8 He will pass through Judah, he will overflow and pass over, he will reach up to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings will fill the breadth of Your land, O Immanuel.

9 "Be shattered, O you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Give ear, all you from far countries. Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces.

10 Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak the word, but it will not stand, for God is with us." (NKJ)

Then we read that a Child is born, the Prince of Peace.

Isa 9:6-7

6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (My emphasis)

7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (NKJ)

Then we see that the Child becomes a Rod, from the stem of Jesse.

Isa 11:1-5

1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.(My emphasis)

2 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.

3 His delight is in the fear of the LORD, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears;

4 But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.

5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist. (NKJ)

Perhaps a Jewish reader is thinking, Yes, this is all about the Messiah, but it is about a Messiah yet to come. That is true. It is about the Messiah yet to come but it is also completely in sync with the birth, life and mission of Jesus Christ, right down to the smallest detail. The Messiah came, born of a virgin. This Messiah, in order to be the Messiah yet to come, would again have to come as a child, born of a virgin, in the town of Bethlehem, from the tribe of Judah, be crucified as the Lamb of God, and atone for the sins of all men, as well as fulfill numerous other prophetic details. Does Israel really look for another One, who will fulfill prophecy as Jesus Christ did, to yet come? It has already happened! Prophecy has been fulfilled. Read on.

Isa 28:16-23

16 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily.

17 Also I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plummet; the hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place.

18 Your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it.

19 As often as it goes out it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass over, and by day and by night; it will be a terror just to understand the report."

20 For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it.

21 For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim, he will be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon-- that He may do His work, His awesome work, and bring to pass His act, His unusual act.

22 Now therefore, do not be mockers, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts, a destruction determined even upon the whole earth.

23 Give ear and hear my voice, listen and hear my speech. (NKJ)

Isa 33:10

10 Now I will rise, says the LORD; "Now I will be exalted, now I will lift Myself up. (NKJ)

Isa 42:1-9

1 "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, my Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.

3 A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; he will bring forth justice for truth.

4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands shall wait for His law."

5 Thus says God the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it:

6 "I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles,

7 To open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house.

8 I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images.

9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them." (NKJ)

Isa 48:16

16 Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord GOD and His Spirit have sent Me. (NKJ)

Isa 49:1-7

1 "Listen, O coastlands, to Me, and take heed, you peoples from afar! The LORD has called Me from the womb; from the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.

2 And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, and made Me a polished shaft; in His quiver He has hidden Me."

3 "And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’

4 Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, and my work with my God.’ "

5 "And now the LORD says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel is gathered to Him (for I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and My God shall be My strength),

6 Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ "

7 Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, to Him whom man despises, to Him whom the nation abhors, to the Servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel; and He has chosen You. (NKJ)

Isa 50:6-9

6 I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.

7 "For the Lord GOD will help Me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.

8 He is near who justifies Me; who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me.

9 Surely the Lord GOD will help Me; who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; the moth will eat them up. (NKJ)

Isa 52:13-15

13 Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.

14 Just as many were astonished at you, so His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men;

15 So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; for what had not been told them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall consider.

Isa 53:1-12

1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.

3 He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; he was despised, and we did not esteem Him .

4 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; he was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

9 And they made His grave with the wicked-- but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; he has put Him to grief. When You 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.

11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (NKJ)

The prophecy of Isaiah 53:1-12 could not be more clear. What possible fulfillment of this prophecy exists than that which is before you?

Isa 59:14-20

14 Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

15 So truth fails, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice.

16 He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him.

17 For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.

18 According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, fury to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; the coastlands He will fully repay.

19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.

20 The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob, says the LORD. (NKJ)

Isa 61:1-3

1 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn,

3 To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified." (NKJ)

This One, upon whom the Spirit of the Lord God rests, will yet console those who mourn in Zion and those in Zion will be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord.

Job 19:25-27

25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth;

26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God,

27 Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (NKJ)

Job, whose writings are considered the oldest in the Old Testament, said that he knew that his Redeemer lives and that upon death he would see God. You and I both know that his Redeemer was the Messiah. The only question is Has he come or shall we look for another? (Gospel of Luke 7:19)

Job 33:14-25

14 For God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it.

15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds,

16 Then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction.

17 In order to turn man from his deed, and conceal pride from man,

18 He keeps back his soul from the Pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

19 "Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, and with strong pain in many of his bones,

20 So that his life abhors bread, and his soul succulent food.

21 His flesh wastes away from sight, and his bones stick out which once were not seen.

22 Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, and his life to the executioners.

23 "If there is a messenger for him, a mediator, one among a thousand, to show man His uprightness,

24 Then He is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom’;

25 His flesh shall be young like a child’s, he shall return to the days of his youth. (NKJ)

Please read verses 22-24 again carefully. Life is finite. Job misestimated the situation here, in terms of how much time he had left. Here we have in these last few verses the answer to his question about a messenger, mediator, one who would deliver him from the pit. He says, I have found a ransom. When you consider the Prince of Peace as Messiah, know that He broke the power of death, He provided the ransom for each of our souls.

The Old Testament is full of references to the Messiah. Again, this letter is intended to point you towards God’s Word. There is no authority outside of God’s Word upon which you should rely. Listen again, and consider memorizing, one of the most powerful verses in the Bible concerning the Word of God.

Hebrews 4:12

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (NKJ)

Before I leave the issue of the circumstances and mission of the Messiah, as prophesied in the Old Testament, let’s look at some of the Messianic Psalms.

Ps 2:6-7

6 Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.

7 "I will declare the decree: the LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You. (NKJ)

Ps 16:8-10

8 I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope.

10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. (NKJ)

Ps 22:1-18

1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?

2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent.

3 But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.

4 Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them.

5 They cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed.

6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

7 All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

8 He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!

9 But You are He who took Me out of the womb; you made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.

10 I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb you have been My God.

11 Be not far from Me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help.

12 Many bulls have surrounded Me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.

13 They gape at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it has melted within Me.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws; you have brought Me to the dust of death.

16 For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet;

17 I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me.

18 They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots. (NKJ)

Ps 96:13

13 For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth. (NKJ)

Ps 110:1

1 The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool. (NKJ)

Ps 118:19-22

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the LORD.

20 This is the gate of the LORD, through which the righteous shall enter.

21 I will praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation.

22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. (NKJ)

If you would like to compare Messianic prophecy with New Testament fulfillment, go to www.solascriptura.com/Messiah and review the three topics which do so, Messiah I, II and III. The Sola Scriptura Project is an assembly of 85 topics such as The Story of Abraham, The End Times, Faith, Marriage, Godly Habits, God’s Children and so on. Each topic consists of direct quotations from the Old and New Testament, without commentary. Please read this quotation.

Matt 15:22-28

22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.

23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, Send her away, for she cries out after us.

24 But He answered and said, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, Lord, help me!

26 But He answered and said, It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.

27 And she said, Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire. And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (NKJ)

These verses make a point that I wish to amplify and it is not a point most Gentiles will love to hear. Jesus said, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Now, one could argue that this was a sentence lifted out of the context of a situation wherein the disciples were annoyed with the persistence of a Gentile woman. They were annoyed, true, but Jesus taught them a lesson that reinforces something not often taught by Gentiles. The ministry of Jesus was focused on the Jews.

We Gentiles, as a result of the grace of God and our faith in Jesus Christ have chosen (actually responded to God’s invitation to accept His Grace) to be attached to the God of the Jews, not the gods of the Gentiles, to the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Jesus Christ. We Gentiles are not the root, but the branch, and a grafted branch, at that! The history of man pivots upon the Jewish nation, as does the immediate future of man. Again, the entire history of man pivots on the relationship of God to His chosen people.

This earth and all of the flesh upon it shall perish. God will first return it to a Garden of Eden situation for 1000 years, and the Messiah will reign and the nation of Israel shall enter into His rest. What a perfect ending for Judaism and a perfect beginning, thereafter, for eternity. This glory, this grace, is not of yourselves but of God, who sent His Lamb to redeem you and cleanse you, forever. Me too, thank God. Thank you Israel for preserving the Word and for being the Oracle of God.

Chapter 3

The Rapture of the Body of Believers

What will be one of the most visible signs of the Messiahs coming? Most Biblical students agree that the Book of Daniel teaches that there will be a period known as the tribulation period in which the Antichrist, the prince of the earth, will reign for 7 years. Then the Messiah, the Prince, shall come. Listen to Daniel’s prophecy.

Dan 9:24-27

24 "Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.

25 "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.

26 "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate." (NKJ)

The final seven weeks in verse 25 (read as 7 years) are referred to as the Great Tribulation. Most also agree that this 7-year period will probably be preceded by the rapture of the Church, the body of believers. (I capitalize Church, not because it ranks with the Deity, but because there is only one Church although there are many churches). Listen to the words of Jesus as He taught his disciples what was going to happen.

Luke 17:34-37

34 "I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left.

35 "Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left.

36 Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.

37 And they answered and said to Him, Where, Lord? So He said to them, Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together. (NKJ)

The question is not whether the Church will be raptured, but exactly when it will occur. Listen to God’s word regarding when it will occur.

Matt 24:42

42 "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

The answer to when the Church will be raptured is you do not know. Now the apostle Paul explains both the rapture and the resurrection of the dead in more detail.

1 Corinthians 15:35-57

35 But someone will say, How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?

36 Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies.

37 And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain-- perhaps wheat or some other grain.

38 But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.

39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fish, and another of birds.

40 There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the