Friday, December 22, 2006
Micah 5:2
“But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me One who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
The signs of Jesus’ identity were literal. In place and time, Jesus was born of a virgin in Bethlehem. Sure, Joseph and Mary could have lied about their premarital activities, and you could say, “Uh huh! Mary wasn’t a virgin REALLY!” Doubters and believers alike are helpless in proving Mary’s virginity, but one thing is certain, she told QUITE a story. So many events of Jesus’ life which were predicted in ancient writing could NOT be connived and manipulated to provide the appearance of legitimacy. The census really happened (according to archeological discoveries, 9-8 B.C.—McDowell; Evidence for Christianity), Mary and Joseph were obliged to return to the City of David (another law record found by archeologists), and the Lamb was born, not amongst men, but in a stable! Are men’s puny brains even capable of connecting EVERY dot to form such a perfect conspiracy? Surely they would slip up on at least one point! But Dr. D James Kennedy claims 333 Messianic prophecies, fulfilled (Why I Believe). He doesn’t list them and I have never seen all of them in concise form. I only know that I am learning about them from the many writers out there, with great anticipation. Where are the most thrilling teachings coming from? Messianic Jews!
A story of His living testimony comes to mind. It was a road trip with a young man of Hebrew descent. Raised with synagogue exposure, the youth had little knowledge of Old Testament, (as worship is traditionally performed in Hebrew) and had not received New Testament anything from his Christian-born mother. As he traveled with my friend who has acquired Messianic teaching from Jews of the faith, he was taught how the Passover lamb (which he understood since the celebration is performed in English), its blood on the doorposts, was a foretelling of Christ’s blood, covering a believer’s heart, the doorpost of our souls, protecting him from death. Then, this young man learned of how Isaac’s salvation from his father’s knife was the type for Jesus’ death, the Lamb God provided as He also provided the ram for Abraham’s sacrifice that fateful day. Jehovah-jireh—“The Lord will provide!” Thirdly, my friend revealed the Temple as the picture of Christ, including the rending of the curtain between men and God (the separation of the rest of the Tabernacle from the Holy of Holies, where God dwelt) when Christ gave up His Spirit on the cross.
These are not typical teachings in the Christian church. I sit here now wondering and marveling at how these arrows pointing to the Lamb, Jesus Christ, were all but lost in mainstream Christianity. Perhaps if they had been kept alive, this whole conspiracy theory of how the story has been spun from generation to generation WOULD seem valid, somehow. But because prophecy has NOT been the prime tool of the gospel message, how can the writers and teachers through the ages be convicted of spinning a yarn? If “they” made it all up, then “they” would use their fabrications to further their agenda. “They” would not forget their talking points! The Divine Planner and Executer of Salvation, Jehovah God, caused Judaism and Christianity to split. The Gospel stood on the life, death, and resurrection of God’s Son alone and the accusation that the two religions orchestrated and synchronized their stories is verging on absurdity. Although founded on Jewish roots, the divergence of Christianity away from prophetic teachings brings home the point. It is the Messianic Christians such as Jews for Jesus and Zion’s Hope who are retelling the Story of Salvation as it was meant to be heard. The Truth of Jesus and His claims have stood the test of time and the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church, despite the grossly numerous New-Testament-only “bibles” used for evangelizing! It is just that the reuniting of Old and New Testaments for the spreading of the Word brings a revitalizing perspective on Who Jesus Christ truly was. All in God’s perfect time and amazing way.
The signs of Jesus’ identity were literal. In place and time, Jesus was born of a virgin in Bethlehem. Sure, Joseph and Mary could have lied about their premarital activities, and you could say, “Uh huh! Mary wasn’t a virgin REALLY!” Doubters and believers alike are helpless in proving Mary’s virginity, but one thing is certain, she told QUITE a story. So many events of Jesus’ life which were predicted in ancient writing could NOT be connived and manipulated to provide the appearance of legitimacy. The census really happened (according to archeological discoveries, 9-8 B.C.—McDowell; Evidence for Christianity), Mary and Joseph were obliged to return to the City of David (another law record found by archeologists), and the Lamb was born, not amongst men, but in a stable! Are men’s puny brains even capable of connecting EVERY dot to form such a perfect conspiracy? Surely they would slip up on at least one point! But Dr. D James Kennedy claims 333 Messianic prophecies, fulfilled (Why I Believe). He doesn’t list them and I have never seen all of them in concise form. I only know that I am learning about them from the many writers out there, with great anticipation. Where are the most thrilling teachings coming from? Messianic Jews!
A story of His living testimony comes to mind. It was a road trip with a young man of Hebrew descent. Raised with synagogue exposure, the youth had little knowledge of Old Testament, (as worship is traditionally performed in Hebrew) and had not received New Testament anything from his Christian-born mother. As he traveled with my friend who has acquired Messianic teaching from Jews of the faith, he was taught how the Passover lamb (which he understood since the celebration is performed in English), its blood on the doorposts, was a foretelling of Christ’s blood, covering a believer’s heart, the doorpost of our souls, protecting him from death. Then, this young man learned of how Isaac’s salvation from his father’s knife was the type for Jesus’ death, the Lamb God provided as He also provided the ram for Abraham’s sacrifice that fateful day. Jehovah-jireh—“The Lord will provide!” Thirdly, my friend revealed the Temple as the picture of Christ, including the rending of the curtain between men and God (the separation of the rest of the Tabernacle from the Holy of Holies, where God dwelt) when Christ gave up His Spirit on the cross.
These are not typical teachings in the Christian church. I sit here now wondering and marveling at how these arrows pointing to the Lamb, Jesus Christ, were all but lost in mainstream Christianity. Perhaps if they had been kept alive, this whole conspiracy theory of how the story has been spun from generation to generation WOULD seem valid, somehow. But because prophecy has NOT been the prime tool of the gospel message, how can the writers and teachers through the ages be convicted of spinning a yarn? If “they” made it all up, then “they” would use their fabrications to further their agenda. “They” would not forget their talking points! The Divine Planner and Executer of Salvation, Jehovah God, caused Judaism and Christianity to split. The Gospel stood on the life, death, and resurrection of God’s Son alone and the accusation that the two religions orchestrated and synchronized their stories is verging on absurdity. Although founded on Jewish roots, the divergence of Christianity away from prophetic teachings brings home the point. It is the Messianic Christians such as Jews for Jesus and Zion’s Hope who are retelling the Story of Salvation as it was meant to be heard. The Truth of Jesus and His claims have stood the test of time and the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church, despite the grossly numerous New-Testament-only “bibles” used for evangelizing! It is just that the reuniting of Old and New Testaments for the spreading of the Word brings a revitalizing perspective on Who Jesus Christ truly was. All in God’s perfect time and amazing way.
