Jesus was mentioned beyond the Bible, such as in the writings of Jewish historian Josephus. What we all have to decide: is Jesus who he said he was and did He really rise from the dead?
After Jesus’ death, a disciple confirmed Isaiah’s prophecy was about Jesus: “Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the [Ethiopian eunuch) reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked. ‘How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone explains it to me?’ So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: ‘He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth’ [Isaiah 53:7-8]. The eunuch asked Philip, ‘Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?’ Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:26-35).
(An Isaiah scroll dated 100 BC was among the Dead Sea Scrolls found in 1947.)
JESUS AND PROPHACIES FORTELLING HIM:
Jesus proclaimed Isaiah’s prophecy was about him: “And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to [Jesus]. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor’ [Isaiah 61:1]. And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing’” (Luke 4:17-30).
JESUS AND PROPHACIES FORTELLING HIM:
Jesus proclaimed Isaiah’s prophecy was about him: “And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to [Jesus]. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor’ [Isaiah 61:1]. And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing’” (Luke 4:17-30).
Other prophecies foretelling of Jesus
"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…Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom…” (Isaiah 9:6)
“will make you …a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind“ (Isaiah 42:6-7)
“...yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed…the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53).
After Jesus rose from the dead (if he hadn't then he wasn’t the messiah), he told two disciples who didn’t recognize Him and were upset that his body was missing: “‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself…When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’” (Luke 24:25-32)
When Jesus came the first time (he will return later, but with power) he was the fulfillment (at least partially) and many Old Testament prophecies, such as:
After Jesus rose from the dead (if he hadn't then he wasn’t the messiah), he told two disciples who didn’t recognize Him and were upset that his body was missing: “‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself…When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’” (Luke 24:25-32)
When Jesus came the first time (he will return later, but with power) he was the fulfillment (at least partially) and many Old Testament prophecies, such as:
Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.[b]
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes[c] his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life[d] and be satisfied[e];
by his knowledge[f] my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
...
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.
In the New Testament, the Book of Hebrews does a good job summarizing Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith.
Why are today's Jews reluctant to believe Jesus was the Messiah who came to provide forgiveness for sins through his blood, and will come again in power?
Many Jews don't believe Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophets, such as Isaiah. I listen to Jewish Youtubers to find out why. These religious Jews are trying to show the world that Jews and Israel are recipients of God's everlasting covenant--that they are a part of God's plan and should not be persecuted and/or annihilated.
This young Jewish man, Ollie Anisfeld, Director, Founder, of J -TV, ,shares why he doesn't believe Jesus is the Messiah on his Youtube channel, "J-TV: The Global Jewish Channel," in the segment, "Jerusalem Church DENOUNCES Christian Zionism, Mike Huckabee Gives BRILLIANT Response!" A transcript of his broadcast shows how Ollie believes "Deuteronomy 13 verse 1:5" gives Jews an example of why they are not to follow the Christian faith. Deuteronomy 13: 1-5 states, "If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. That prophet or dreamer must be put to death for inciting rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.""
What Ollie and other Jews may not know is that Christians don't believe that Jesus is another God, but rather believe Jesus' statements about himself. Although He never explicitly stated, "I am God", He stated: "I and the Father are one" ( John 10:30). Jesus also said, "Very truly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:58)
Although Deuteronomy 13: 1-5 does say, "It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him," Jesus does not say a Jew should not keep is commands, but rather, in Matthew 5: 17, Jesus said:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."
Jesus kept the Law and so did Paul (and other Jews), but Gentiles are not required to keep all of the Old Testament laws, but should try to at least follow the 10 commandments, especially the first two. In Matthew 22:36-40: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Christian believer Nate Buzz, an Australian actor, has done a lot to bridge the gap between Jews and Christians. I enjoyed this interview: "Christian Zionist Exposes Tucker Carlson - He Lied About Israel Every Single Day! | Nate Buzz" (Youtube channel: Yishai Fleisher)
About the Jews:
The Lord said to Abraham about his nation: “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3). Jesus told a Samaritan woman, “salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22). Later, apostle Paul wrote, “What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew… Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.” (Romans 3:1–2).
Gentiles should help Jews when needed: “For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings” (Romans 15:27).
When Jews rejected Jesus’ first coming, did God reject them? Apostle Paul said “By no means!…at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace” (Romans 11:1-5).
With Biblical prophecies coming true, perhaps the Rapture is imminent: “then we that are alive…shall..be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air…Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (I Thess 4:17-18); Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left” (Matthew 24:40).
Some believe a “Great Tribulation” is prophesied to occur after the Rapture – when a clever leader will solve the world’s problems. But he will later reveal himself as the “antichrist” – people won't be able to buy or sell without his mark. Then destruction will come and the Second Coming of Christ (some Jews believe this is the first coming of the Messiah). Jesus will come with His saints to reign on the earth: “In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east” (Zechariah 14:4).
NEED PROOF THAT GOD EXISTS?
1) We have a conscience: “Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law...They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts” (Romans 2:14-15); and 2) Nature testifies of God: “For his invisible attributes… have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made” (Romans 1:20).
Bible prophecies have come true: “King Louis XIV of France asked [for] proof of God…‘Your Majesty, the Jews!’ That the tiny Jewish nation survived 2,000 years of exile and persecution was nothing short of a supernatural phenomenon...It has been prophesied in the Torah that Jews would be an eternal nation” (“Jews Beat the Odds,” Sun-Sentinal.com, 2001).
