The MESSIAH THAT WAS, THE MESSIAH THAT WILL BE

 

Despised and rejected by men, a man of pains who knows suffering well, like one in front of whom one covers one's face, he was despised and we had no esteem for him - Isaiah 53: 3

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven - Matthew 16:16, 17

 

Since we started this blog, as biblical knowledge has increased, we have increasingly detached ourselves from interpretations or ideas in any way related to Christianity.

Of course, we didn't realize at first that we were being heavily influenced.

In our mentality, at least at the beginning, it was necessary to adjust certain biblical interpretations, certain more or less important beliefs or practices.

The different so-called Christian religious organizations, in fact, clash on different doctrines thinking that the important thing is only that, or that determining the correctness of a doctrine automatically makes them "Christian" or more Christian than others.

Through God's undeserved kindness and not through our own merit we have completely separated ourselves from all of these because, while recognizing the paramount importance of correct doctrinal interpretation, we also realized that there was something more important that we should be aware of – Philippians 1:9-11

This "thing", to which very few seem to give importance, concerns the Hebrew root and that is those whom God has chosen to restart true worship and beyond - Romans 11:28, 29

This gets all religions out of the way regardless of the right things they may have practiced and taught.

Obviously learning about God and appreciating His Word is not the prerogative of a select group of people: each of us can and should do it - Ecclesiastes 12:13

From here to investing oneself with the authority to baptize, discipline, expel, carry out certain practices and consider oneself God's chosen people there is a notable difference – compare Leviticus 10:1-3; Acts 7.15pm

As we have seen in the articles titled “The Restoration of True Worship” it will be very specific persons who will have the authority and the right to restore pure worship which, despite what some people say, did not “always exist” – Malachi 3 :2-4; 1 John 2:18

In these articles we have put Israel back in the spotlight and we have also seen that the Jews will do it, together with several of their brothers of Jewish origin - Revelation 7:4-8

This simple truth, very uncomfortable for many, has helped us understand the importance of waiting for God rather than founding a religion or trying to reform one that already exists .

This means that any religion, even in the unlikely event of finding one that "teaches everything right," would be missing the most important aspect: God's mandate - Jeremiah 23:21

Far from waiting for God, over the centuries many have founded thousands of different religions and sects, with the results we all know.

All of these will be accountable to the very God they claim to worship and represent - Matthew 7:22, 23

Since we have learned the importance of the Hebrew root, it is right to ask ourselves if we are somehow still conditioned and obstinate in believing in Jesus of Nazareth.

In fact, most Jews did not and still do not recognize the Messiah in the figure of Jesus - Matthew 26:63-68

Even if this does not surprise us at all, it is right to carefully evaluate their arguments to understand if the Messiah we believe in is really the Messiah of whom the Jewish scriptures have spoken so much - Luke 4:16-21

What follows will be a discussion of the most common objections raised by orthodox Jews which, according to them, make it impossible to accept the Christian Jesus as the Messiah.

Since this blog holds Scripture and only Scripture as the supreme authority, it will consider objections that would appear to have support in the Tanakh (the Jewish scriptures) but will not consider the Talmud or other writings and traditions that have anything to do with it. deal with the Bible.

Obviously it will also be seen whether the Greek scriptures will support the Jewish scriptures or, as some assert, in contrast.

Orthodox Jews do not accept Jesus as the Messiah because…

 

1) When the Messiah comes he will reign over all the tribes, who will return - Deuteronomy 30:3; Isaiah 11 -12; Jeremiah 30:3; Ezekiel 11:17; 36:24

Jesus never reigned and the Jews and the other tribes have not yet all returned to live in Israel

In the articles entitled “When Ephraim Goes Home” and “Prepare to Go Home” we actually saw that all the tribes of Israel will have to be gathered.

Regrettably, Christendom has caused sincere Jews to create a dividing wall and not to distinguish the falsehoods of “Christian” teachings from what Scripture teaches, including the Greek portion.

Christianity's interpretations of the great crowd, for example but not limited to, are utterly bogus.

We have understood, comparing the scriptural authority alone, that they will not be the "Christian martyrs" who died over the centuries nor a crowd of random people or chosen because of this or that religion.

They will be mostly Ephraimites themselves as well as parts of all the other tribes currently dispersed among the nations - compare Genesis 48:13-16 with Revelation 7:9, 10

Already here we can see how all of Scripture, including the Greek part, if read without prejudice shows remarkable harmony and depth.

Why Jesus did not reign in the first century, according to the classic objection of the Jews, we will see at the end.

2) The temple will be rebuilt while Jesus was standing - Isaiah 2:2-4; 56:6, 7; 60:7; 66:20; Ezekiel 37:26, 27; Malachi 3:1; Zechariah 14:20, 21

In the article "The Anointed One and the High Priest from Babylon"* but also in the one entitled "Reflections on Ezekiel's temple" we have seen that the temple will actually be rebuilt and twice.

This is in harmony with both Paul's words and John's vision – compare 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 11:1

Also in the article titled “Will the Temple Rebuild?” we have seen this.

All interpretations of Christianity that this temple is symbolic ignore Scripture in the slightest.

Obviously we must be very careful not to fall into error in this respect because the next construction of the temple, which will get off to a good start and will be proof of the actual presence of Christ as well as the imminent restoration of pure worship, will then be occupied by the false prophet in the period in question. which Satan will have "carte blanche" for three and a half years, during the last period of the great tribulation - Revelation 13:3-18

Obviously the objection according to which "the temple was standing" at the time of Jesus suffers from the same previous prejudice.

Was he to reign over Israel during the first century or not?

If the Jews had been consistent with the observation they make today, why did they follow those "prophets" who led the people to the rescue in the years immediately preceding the destruction of the temple? - compare Matthew 24:4, 5

3) Peace will be worldwide and war will disappear but with Christianity wars have increased and many in the name of Jesus.

It is absolutely true that Christianity has increased wars both in number and in ferocity but this is an absolutely irrelevant observation.

Christianity has nothing to do with Christ.

They are a hoax, a counterfeit of God's people - Galatians 1:6-9

This observation cannot be taken to prove anything because the only thing it proves is that Christianity is not and never was what it claims to be - 2 Timothy 3:13

On the other hand, among the Jews themselves there are atheists, evolutionists and greedy and wicked people.

Is this proof that God does not exist?

When the Messiah returns there will of course be world peace…but not before eliminating this evil system which will certainly not disappear of its own accord – Psalm 37:10, 11; Isaiah 9:6, 7

4) The Messiah reigns when all the people of Israel keep and obey the Torah - Deuteronomy 30:8, 10; Ezekiel 11:19, 20; 36:26, 27; 37:24; Jeremiah 31:23

Today, Jews largely do not follow it.

In the articles entitled "The immanence of the Law and the superiority of the New Covenant" and "Revelations from the song of Moses and the Lamb" we understood how to reconcile the words of the apostle Paul, who speaks of a covenant "close to disappearance" and of a new covenant making the old obsolete , with the Hebrew Scriptures speaking of a covenant to time indefinite – Genesis 17:7, 13, 19; Hebrews 8:13

We can assert that this objection always arises from the behavior and interpretations of Christianity.

Christianity in general not only speaks of "abandonment of Israel" but goes so far as to teach that the Law is "something outdated", useless .

This is obviously false and even though, as Peter said, there are things in Paul's writings that are "difficult to understand", once you understand the difference between those who would go to heaven as a new creation and those who would live on earth under the millennial, we see that here too there is solid harmony – Ezekiel 20:37; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15

There is no contradiction between the Jewish scriptures and the Greek scriptures if we do not take Christianity's teachings for granted and indeed… .

Precisely in these scriptures the answer of why the Messiah would not have reigned over Israel in the first century is "hidden" .

5) He will reign when all peoples recognize the only true God - Zechariah 3:9, 8:23, 14:9, 16; Isaiah 43:23; 66:23; Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 38:23; Psalm 86:9; Zephaniah 3:9

After the war of Armageddon all surviving peoples will recognize who the true God is - Isaiah 2:2-4; Zechariah 8:23

In the article entitled “Which Nations Disappear at Armageddon,” we saw just that.

Far from destroying all nations and all people, the war of Armageddon will show who is the True God and during the millennial reign many may decide to hasten to the mountain of Yahweh.

Even people distant from Israel "will make their spears pruning shears" and regularly go up to Jerusalem - Zechariah 14:16-19

It is absolutely normal for Jews to make this objection since a large part of Christianity teaches that Christ "reigns in the hearts of Christians"... but if this were the case there would have been no wars, at least among them, and it would not explain various other things.

Obviously that "Christ reigns in hearts" is a weak excuse to justify their existence.

The kingdom of the Messiah is a royal government with rulers and will take over at God's due time - Daniel 2:44

While Christendom's ministers will answer for their responsibilities for helping to make Jews suspicious and distrustful, a pious Jew would do well to personally ascertain what Scripture really teaches without any conditioning – scripture Proverbs 2:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:21

 

How can the Messiah be a humble lamb and at the same time a regal and powerful lion?

6) Must be a descendant of Judah and David through Solomon - Genesis 49.10; 2 Samuel 7:12-14; 1 Chronicles 22:9, 10

The genealogy of Jesus is doubtful. Christians assert that Joseph was not the real father and his maternal one is not valid for the Jews.

Christ's disciples knew the genealogy of Jesus and this was enough for them.

Obviously it was essential that the Messiah be a descendant of David but this would not have been the only yardstick for assessing his identity.

So much so that if many first-century Jews followed several "messiahs" to their own downfall, it is evident that they should have paid attention to several factors in order not to fall into error.

Even if Jesus' genealogy were not "doubtful," as they say, would that alone prove that he was truly the Messiah?

Of course not: we can imagine that Jews critical of his identity would say that there were many other people with the same lineage, of course, or people who could have boasted "David" in their family tree - Matthew 22:41- 46

This diatribe is similar to what happened among the first Christians when certain "superfine apostles" tried to diminish Paul's authority by setting themselves up as teachers.

They claimed to be “Jews” and they probably were – read 2 Corinthians 11:21-27

They knew that even when Gentiles of the nations were added, the authority within the congregation would remain with the Jews – Romans 3:1, 2

Obviously, however, it was not enough to be Jewish to be invested with such authority because it would have been the Holy Spirit who would have given it - Ephesians 4:11-13

That alone would prove beyond a shadow of a doubt whether they were commissioned by God or not.

Jesus' genealogy fits perfectly into the requirements that the Messiah should have fulfilled but it was the Holy Spirit who proved beyond a reasonable doubt who he was.

Among other things, not even in front of the clear demonstration of the Spirit did some people decide to accept it.

Obviously the reasons why they didn't accept it were certainly not "scriptural" - read John 11:45-48

7) Deathbed Jesus would realize he had failed when he cried out "My God, my God, Why have you forsaken me?" - Matthew 27:46

His alleged second coming proves that he is not the Messiah because he does not meet the biblical requirements. The Bible never says that the Messiah had to "fail" and then return.

Miracles are not documented and even if they were according to Deuteronomy 13:2-6 they can also be performed by false prophets.

Jesus on his deathbed said "Why have you forsaken me?" thus fulfilling Isaiah 53:10 – see also Psalm 22:1

That Jesus failed certainly does not harmonize with what we read in John 16:33 where he said "I have conquered the world."

Later he also said "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18) and this happened after his resurrection, that is, after having spoken the words recorded in Matthew 27:46.

Not only that, in the book of Revelation there is someone who says “ I was dead , but, behold, I live forever and ever” – Revelation 1:18

Obviously those who do not want to believe that the Greek scriptures are also part of God's inspired Book will say that they are "not reliable" or that they tell lies or that the disciples invented their Master's resurrection - compare Matthew 28:11-15

However if they were intellectually honest they would not even quote Matthew 27:46 as a "demonstration" of his failure.

If the Greek scriptures are false, they are all false (therefore also where he says "why have you forsaken me" ) ; if they are true, they are all true.

In fact, however, the Tanakh reports that the Messiah would be broken and tried to the extreme - Isaiah 53:10

Why was this necessary and why did this Messiah not immediately reign over Israel, as the Jews of the time would have expected and as the Jews of today would have expected?

Before answering this question let's see what the Tanakh says about the miracles that would have been produced by the false prophets.

The scripture of Deuteronomy 13 speaks of those who "walk after other gods" and severely warns against following them, even if their words come true.

Instead, note what the Tanakh says about those who would speak in the name of the Only True God: “'However, the prophet who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded him to speak or who speaks in the name of others gods, that prophet must die. And in case you say in your heart: “How shall we know the word that Jehovah has not spoken?” when the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or does not come true, that is the word that Jehovah has not spoken. The prophet spoke it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him' – Deuteronomy 18:20-22

Once these scriptures are compared, the concept is absolutely clear.

A false prophet may speak in the name of other gods and whether or not one should go after them - Exodus 20:2-6

We know this can happen because Satan is the ruler of the world and he or his "associates" can actually create the conditions for a prophecy to come true or more easily give the impression that it has come true - 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10

Quite different is for the person who claims to speak in the name of the True God, that is, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel.

In that case the only way to understand that he is a false prophet, according to the words of Deuteronomy 18, is not to make those words come true – Amos 3:7

What about Jesus?

Did he bring the worship of any other God to Israel?

Did he talk about something else or did he refer to the Only True God, the God of Abraham ? - Matthew 22:29-33

The answer is absolutely clear and his words and miracles were extraordinarily fulfilled and in full sight of many witnesses – John 11:43, 44; Mark 4:39-41 (see also Psalm 89:9).

Furthermore, what false god could ever resurrect the dead?

Had this ever happened in other countries?

In John 9:1-34 the episode of the man blind from birth is narrated and apparently no one had ever performed such a miracle before.

This episode clearly shows the blindness of the scribes and Pharisees because even on that occasion they refused to believe him.

Not only that, their hypocrisy was equally evident when, unable to deny that He, Jesus of Nazareth , really did all those miracles , they went so far as to say He did those things through Beelzebub - Matthew 12:22-24

They loved the glory of men more than that of God and feared the judgment of Rome more than that of God - Matthew 6:5

However, the initial question remains.

Why didn't Jesus begin reigning when he arrived in the first century?

Why didn't he fulfill all those scriptures we saw at the beginning in the first century?

In the meantime, let's see what other scriptures of the Tanakh should have applied to the Messiah which would seem to be absolutely in contrast with the idea of ​​a mighty liberating warrior.

In Zechariah chapter 11 there is talk of someone who should have "shepherded the flock reserved for killing" but who at a certain point would have finished his work.

He further says that this flock would feel “disgust with him” and would give him the value of “thirty pieces of silver” – Zechariah 11:6-14

Regardless of what some may say about who this person is, who was the shepherd who was despised after the days of Zechariah? - Matthew 13:53-58

Who was sold for thirty pieces of silver? - Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:15; 27:9

Who were the people “reserved for the slaying” and when was it, again after the days of Zechariah? - Luke 21:20-22

Zechariah also speaks of the king of Israel who would be humble and ride a donkey – Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:7

Isaiah chapter 50 speaks of someone who would have “the tongue of the taught” and would not be rebellious even once he was beaten and spit upon – Isaiah 50:4-6

Who was the beaten and spat upon master? - Matthew 26:67; 27:26, 30

In Psalm 22;7, 8 it speaks of someone who would be mocked at the point of death.

Scoffers would shake their heads and say ““ He relied on Yahweh . He provides him escape! Release him, since he took delight in him!”

Who was laughed at on their deathbed and to whom did they say exactly the same words? - Matthew 27:39-43

Psalm 34 speaks of the righteous one whose bones God “keeps in custody” – Psalm 34:20

Who was called "righteous" even by a non-Jew who did not yet know the Law? - Matthew 27:19

Who didn't even break a bone despite it being a recurring practice in the executions of the time? - John 19:31-37

Obviously there are several other scriptures of the Tanakh that were fulfilled precisely in Jesus of Nazareth but the question that a sincere Jew should ask himself is…

How is it possible to reconcile the image of a powerful and liberating king who would eliminate all of Israel's enemies and whose rule would last a thousand years, with someone who would be beaten , humiliated, spit on, pierced, betrayed and sold at the same time ? for thirty pieces of silver, a person whose clothes they would even take?”

How can he be a lamb and a lion at the same time? - Isaiah 53:7 ; Revelation 5:5, 6

Well the answer is simple: He would come back in very different clothes – Psalm 45:3-7; Revelation 1:7

Why didn't he come just once - and once and for all - as the invincible leader?

First of all it was necessary for Him to die to pay for what Adam had legally lost, which is eternal life – John 3:16; Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:45

That human beings were born in sin is confirmed by Psalm 51:5 which states " Behold, in error I was born in labor pains, And my mother conceived me in sin".

That a corresponding ransom was needed we understand from Job 33:24 and Psalm 49:7.

Not only that, in addition to paying this enormous price in favor of humanity, the foundations should have been laid to train future rulers - Luke 22:28-30

Yes because the Tanakh clearly says that the Kingdom would not only be given to the Messiah but also "to the saints of the Supreme" - Daniel 7:18

It would be enough to reflect on the path taken by these saints to understand that the Messiah would have followed a similar path.

Daniel says that a certain beast would make war on these saints and they would be “given into his hand,” i.e. killed – Daniel 7:25; 8:10-12

Yet he says of the same ones that they would receive the Kingdom " to time indefinite, yes, to time indefinite of times indefinite" ...

How could they have fallen at the hands of the beast and at the same time received the Kingdom?

Of course, they would be resurrected and would no longer be mere helpless human beings when they returned.

Is it really that difficult to understand that their leader, the Messiah, should have gone down a similar path?

By their faithfulness unto death they earned their position as kings and priests – Hebrews 5:7-10; Romans 8:16, 17

The Lord would prepare a place for them and then set out on that long journey which would secure him the kingly power – John 14:2, 3; Luke 19:11, 12, 15

So the time would come when He and His close friends would return as executioners and deliverers and more... thus fulfilling all those scriptures that the Jews know very well.

In the Jewish idea of ​​the Messiah, the fact escapes the fact that he should have had superhuman powers and be something more than a simple human being to destroy all the enemies of Israel and to bring about a kingdom of absolute peace, throughout the world and for a thousand years.

Yet this too is exactly what is understood in the Tanakh. 

In Daniel 7:13, 14 we read... “I kept looking in the visions of the night, and behold, with the clouds of the heavens someone like a son of man came; and he gained access unto the Ancient of Days, and they brought him up right before Him. And he was given rulership and dignity and kingdom, that all peoples and national groups and tongues should serve even him. His dominion is an indefinite dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom a [kingdom] which shall not be brought to ruin."

How could a human being have a domain of indefinite duration? - read Psalm 146:3, 4

Above all, how could a human being have access to the Ancient of Days and even approach before Him? 

"No human being can see God and live" God said to Moses and therefore... what kind of "son of man" could ever approach God? - Exodus 33:20

Obviously someone who was, for a certain period, a son of man... but who in the resurrection would have been extremely powerful and dignified to the point of having the possibility and the right to do so and to the point of making sure that "all peoples , national groups and languages ​​served him".
 

Hebrew scriptures and Greek scriptures are not contradictory, as some believe, on the contrary they show an extraordinary linearity if you really study them without prejudice.

Christendom has twisted several scriptural passages into comfortable interpretations of their religion, and they certainly have not put into practice the teachings of the One they claim to represent.

On the other hand, many Jews use them as a model, not the Greek scriptures, to support their preconceived ideas.

Digging carefully into the Scriptures alone, it is clear why the Messiah had to come first as a humble human being and why he would have been despised by the majority.

It is understandable why it was necessary to choose and train future rulers and also why it was not possible to reign immediately over Israel.

We understand how it is possible to reconcile a jerked and humiliated Messiah with a powerful Messiah, executioner and liberator.

May sincere Jews, regardless of what Christianity has done and regardless of what has been said about them, question themselves and study all of Scripture without prejudice - 2 Timothy 3:16, 17

If it is true that the Jews in general "have not recognized the Messiah", it is also true that Christianity has created a tailor-made one, emptied of its true nature, comfortable for their hypocritical and contradictory interpretations.

Those who in the first century recognized Jesus of Nazareth as the true Messiah were Jews and remained so!

They knew the Torah and Jewish culture very well and yet they had the honesty and above all the courage to go against the tide - Acts 5:27-32

They knew well the God of their ancestors and, despite appearances, they were completely successful - Daniel 11:32

May each of us, Jew or otherwise, "make sure of the perfect will of God" over and above human prejudices - Romans 12:2

Soon the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, through the one Messiah, the one who has already come once to earth, will act as a mighty warrior and deliverer but will also have consideration and pity for all who have wholeheartedly sought him and without prejudice.

Which side do we want to be on by then? - Romans 11:25-32

 

Footnotes

* Some items are private 

You may find the following videos interesting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIWoqWE2-A8&t=6s 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1fJqZd4Ko8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnRvBs7YRWA

 You can find the video dedicated to this topic in this link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5USAoUTOJG8