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Chapter 7 -

The divinity of the Messiah

 

 

 

 

In this chapter, we are going to study the divinity of the Messiah. We are going to study especially what His origins must be, and consider whether or not He is eternal. These issues must be studied in order to get a clear picture of His background.

 

      Contemporary Judaism denies the divinity of the Messiah. Jews do not believe it. Interestingly, the Messiah’s divinity is mentioned in prophecies and in ancient Jewish sources. Let’s study some examples:

 

THE Mighty God, who is born AS man

 

One of the most obvious references to the divinity of the Messiah is found in Chapter 9 of the Book of Isaiah. It is mentioned there that a son will be born and the government would be on his shoulder. He would be called, “the mighty God.” In some mysterious way, this boy child would also be God:

 

Prophecy:

 

- (Isa 9:6) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 

Fulfillment:

 

 - (Luke 2:11) For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

 

- (John 1:1,14) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

 

- (Phil 2:5-8) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7  But made himself of no reputation, and took on him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross.

 

A child who is born AS man, AND is GOD with us

 

Isaiah 7:14 mentions the birth of a child who shall be called "Immanuel", which is "God with us".

   The same verse mentions one of the requirements of the Messiah – that he would be born of a virgin. This prophecy was fulfilled in Yeshua:

 

Prophecy:

 

- (Isa 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.

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (Matt 1:18,22,23) 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.

22  Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

23  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 1:34-35) Then said Mary to the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35  And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Ghost shall come on you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.

 

- (John 14:18,23) I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

23  Jesus answered and said to him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our stay with him.

 

- (Matt 28:19-20) Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20  Teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you: and, see, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen.

 

- (Matt 18:19-20) Again I say to you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the middle of them.

 

A RULER whose origins are FROM EVERLASTING

 

Micah 5:2 describes the existence of the Messiah before His physical birth. The prophet Micah tells his people that the Messiah’s origin is “from of old, from everlasting”, but that He would be born in Bethlehem from among the tribe of Judah. The Messiah, then, had to be someone human by birth, born in Bethlehem, who had existed eternally:

 

Prophecy:

 

- (Micah 5:2) But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

 

- (Isa 9:6) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (Matt 2:1-2) 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,

2  Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

 

- (John 1:15) John bore witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spoke, He that comes after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

 

- (1 John 1:1-2) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked on, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

2  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show to you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested to us;)

 

- (Hebr 13:8) Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

 

- (John 8:56-59) Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

57  Then said the Jews to him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?

58  Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Before Abraham was, I am.

59  Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the middle of them, and so passed by.

 

- (John 17:5) And now, O Father, glorify you me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world was.

 

- (Col 1:17)  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

 

We see from both Old and New Testaments that one of the characteristics of the Messiah was that He was born of man but existed eternally. Many rabbis have arrived at the same conclusion. They, too, understand that the Messiah has existed since ancient times and that He must be eternal. Quite many rabbinical sources say the same thing. Consider these:

 

Targum Jonathan. When we look at Targum Jonathan, we see that it mentions the ruler of Micah 5, whose origins are from of old, from everlasting, to be the Messiah. This ruler would have to come from Bethlehem and from the tribe of Judah:

 

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the thousands rooms of Judah, out of you will come for me the Messiah, who will be ruler over Israel, he, whose name was mentioned from the beginning of times, days of the creation."

 

Midrash Bereshit Rabbaa says about Genesis 1:2 (”… And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters”) that already by that point in the creation, God’s Spirit -- the Spirit of the Messiah – was moving. Compare this to Romans 8:9: “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” This clearly points to the divinity of the Messiah and to His eternal existence. 

 

This was "The Spirit of the Messiah," such as has been written in Isa 11:2, "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest on him".

 

Rashi, as Rabbi Shalomo Yarchi was known, associated Micah 5:2 with the Messiah and wrote that his origin is from ancient times. Rashi also associated the Messiah with the rejected capstone mentioned in Psalm 118. The prophecy came true in the life of Yeshua. He had to have existed before the creation of the Sun:

 

... He is "the Messiah, the son of David, such as Psalm 118 says, he is the stone, which the builders rejected; and his origin is from ancient times, because before the sun was, his name was Yinnon".

 

Rabbi David Kimhi. One of the oldest Jewish statements illustrating the eternal nature of the Messiah was made by Rabbi David Kimhi: about the Messiah it will be said that he originates from of old, from everlasting. He is El, or God:

 

"During the time of the Messiah, is said, that his origin is from of old, from everlasting; Bethlehem means, that he is David, for between David and the king Messiah there is a long time and he is El (God), therefore he is from of old, from everlasting."

 

Targum. The fact that the Messiah is eternal also appears in Targum’s explanation of Isa 9:6. Targum wrote that the Messiah has existed since ancient times:

 

"His name has existed already since the ancient times..."

 

Targum also explained the expression, "the Everlasting Father" in this verse: it refers to the eternity of the Messiah:

 

"The Messiah has existed eternally."

 

Targum also included another reference to the eternity of the Messiah. In Zec 4:7, referring to the capstone, it is said that the Messiah has existed already from ancient times:

 

"Like this is exposed the Messiah, because his name has existed from everlasting and he will rule over all kingdoms.”

 

In the book of Zohar can be found a statement about the existence of the Messiah in the Garden of Eden. He must have already existed in those first moments of mankind and even before:

 

"Then the Messiah raised his voice and cried, so that the garden of Eden shivered and also all those righteous, who were there, complained and cried with him.”

 

In Midrash (Midrash Rabbaa De-eicha 1:16) is found a reference to the existence of the Messiah already before the Sun. Here, Psalm 72:17 is explained – which in the original language, in Hebrew, proves his eternal existence. Rashi (Rabbi Shalomo Yarchi), spoke about the same idea of "Yinnon" in connection with the Messiah, and mentioned how He existed already before the Sun:

 

"...What is the name of the king Messiah (...) Yinnon is his name, such as Psalm 72:17 says; before the sun was, was his name Yinnon.”

 

THE Angel of THE Lord, Metatron and THE prince of THE face

 

In ancient Jewish sources, the “Angel of the Lord", also called Metatron and the Prince of the Face, was associated with God. 

  Rashi (Rabbi Shalomo Yarchi) referred to Exodus 23:20-21 which describes the angel of the Lord and explains that God’s own name is in him (“Behold, I send an Angel before you, to keep you in the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.”). Rashi calls this angel Metatron and associates it with the Almighty: 

 

"My name is in him, means that I have the same name as him. And our rabbis have said that this is Metatron, whose name is the same as the name of the Lord and numerical value of Metatron is in gematria the same as the name of the Almighty.”

 

Gottlieb Klein – the main rabbi of Stockholm – referred to Metatron in his book Bidrag till Israels Religionshistoria (p. 89), as one who is with God, and whose numerical value is the same as that of the Almighty. He teaches about this mysterious representative, who is connected with the angel of the Lord, quite in the same way as Rashi:

 

"Metatron is the nearest serving spirit to God; on one hand, his trusted and his representative, on the other, the representative of Israel at the place of God. (...) Metatron is also by his name Sar ha-paniim, in other words the prince of the face or only prince, and he sits in the innermost room of God (penim). The numerical value of Metatron is the same as that of the Almighty.”

 

The name Metatron also appears in the Talmud. There he is called “the angel of the Lord", “the prince of the universe", "the prince of the face" and even "Shechina" or “the presence of God" (Tos. Le-Hulin 60,a and Jebamot 16, b). In the Talmud, there are also interesting references to how His name corresponds to his Lord, how He sits in the most holy place and how He acts as the representative of God (Sanhedrin 38, b, Hagiga 15, a and Avoda zara 3, b). What is interesting with these references is that the New Testament teaches almost the same message about Yeshua.

   The New Testament statements about Yeshua are that He is, among other things, the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person (compare the reference in the Talmud to the Prince of the Face and the Presence of God), and that he has gone into the most holy place and sits now at the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven. Let’s study some of these verses that very much resemble the above-mentioned teaching about the angel of the Lord and about Metatron:

 

 - (John 12:44-45) Jesus cried and said, He that believes on me, believes not on me, but on him that sent me.

45  And he that sees me sees him that sent me.

 

- (John 14:9) Jesus said to him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet have you not known me, Philip? he that has seen me has seen the Father; and how say you then, Show us the Father?

 

- (Hebr 1:1-3) God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,

2  Has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3  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

 

- (Hebr 8:1-2) 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;

2  A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

 

We can also find an interesting description of Metatron and the Prince of the Face in the prayer book of Sidur, in connection with the New Year's Prayer. What is interesting about this prayer is that the name of Yeshua is identified with the Prince of the Face and Metatron. It is also told there, how this mysterious person mediates prayers to God (compare John 16:23: And in that day you shall ask me nothing. Truly, truly, I say to you, Whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.):

 

"May your will be with you, that this sounding of the horn would reach into the tabernacle of God by our representative Tartiel the name which Elias, blessed be his memory, has given to him, and by Yeshua, the prince of the face, and by Metatron, and let grace fall to our lot. Be blessed you, the Lord of grace.”

 

We can also find a reference to this curious prayer in the prayer book of Sidur, written by Risto Santala. He wrote:

 

In the Jewish prayer book, there is also a third reference to Christ connected with faces, "Sar ha-paniim", "the Prince of the Faces". The Jews pray in their New Year liturgy, after the blares of Shofar horn, for "Yeshua, the Prince of Faces, Metatron, to mediate prayers into the tent pegs of God.” If you ask the rabbis in private who is the Prince of the Face, they will say that he is the Messiah. But if you ask in the synagogues who really is this “Yeshua, the Prince of the Face” who mediates prayers, you may be driven out of the prayer room just for asking. I know of two cases when this has happened. (6)

 

MEMRA OR THE word of God

 

When we examine old Targums, translations of the Old Testament in the Aramaic language, we find almost a similar reference to Metatron, also called Memra which means "word" (logos), and which in the Targums is used expressly as a name of God.

   What is interesting about these expressions of Targum is that they teach about Memra -- about the Word of God -- in quite the same way as the New Testament. They treat "Memra", "Word", not as an impersonal object, but rather as a person through whom the world was created, who is God, and by whom we can become righteous and be saved – in the same way that the New Testament refers to Yeshua and describes Him as the Word of God (Rev 19:11-13: And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat on him was called Faithful and Trueand his name is called The Word of God.). Let’s study some of these expressions in the Targum containing Memra or the Word, along with a few verses from the New Testament:

 

Deut 33:27: The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before you; and shall say, Destroy them.

 

Targum onkelos: These arms are Memra (the Word), by which the world has been created.

 

- (John 1:1, 3, 14) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

 

Isa 45:22:  Look to me, and be you saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

 

Jonathan Targum: Turn to Memra (the Word), so you will be saved.

 

- (John 5:40) And you will not come to me, that you might have life.

 

- (Acts 4:12) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

 

Gen 15:6: And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

 

Targum onkelos: And Abram believed Memra of the Lord (Word) and it was credited to him as righteousness.

 

- (Acts 13:38-39) Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:

39  And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

 

- (Gal 2:16) Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

 

THE Light THAT came into the world

 

One name of the Messiah is the Light, which appears in the Book of Isaiah several times (among other places). It is told that the Messiah came to establish a covenant with the people and provide a light for the Gentiles.

   When we turn to rabbinical commentaries, we learn that they have also interpreted the word "Light" to mean the Messiah. The Midrash (Midrash Bereshit Rabbaa, parasha 1) explains Daniel 2:22 (“He reveals the deep and secret things: he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.”) that the word “light” means the Messiah who lives with the Father, God: 

 

"The light lives with him; this is the king Messiah, because it is written, Arise, shine, for your light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen on you." (Isa 60:1).

 

We also find other references to the Messiah being the light. When Pesikta Rabbati and Jalkut Shimoni explain the Creation, they write that the light of the Messiah was present already at that time. This is a clear reference to His eternity and divinity:

 

"Whose is that light that falls over the congregation of the Lord. (...) It is the light of the Messiah.” (Pesikta Rabbati 62,1. )

 

"This is light of the Messiah, such as in psalm 36:10 is said, in your light we see light.” (Jalkut Shimoni 56)

 

Prophecy:

 

- (Isa 59:20,60:1, 2) And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and to them that turn from transgression in Jacob, said the LORD.

1  Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen on you.

2  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise on you, and his glory shall be seen on you.

"The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins," declares the LORD .

1. "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

2. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.

 

- (Isa 9:2,6) The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, on them has the light shined.

6  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 

- (Isa 42:6-7) I the LORD have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and give you for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

7  To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

 

- (Isa 49:6) And he said, It is a light thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.

 

Fulfillment:

 

 - (John 1:4-10) In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5  And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

6  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9  That was the true Light, which lights every man that comes into the world.

10  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

 

- (John 8:12-14) Then spoke Jesus again to them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

13  The Pharisees therefore said to him, You bore record of yourself; your record is not true.

14  Jesus answered and said to them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know from where I came, and where I go; but you cannot tell from where I come, and where I go.

 

- (John 12:44-46) Jesus cried and said, He that believes on me, believes not on me, but on him that sent me.

45  And he that sees me sees him that sent me.

46  I am come a light into the world, that whoever believes on me should not abide in darkness.

 

THE Lord our righteousness

 

Another name associated with the Messiah is "the Lord our righteousness". This appears in Jeremiah 23:5, 6, for example. These verses refer to a descendant of David who is not only an ordinary person, but also is the Lord YHVH – the personal name of God.  This descendant was to possess the personal name of God, and by the power of that name could we be made righteous.

   New Testament text indicates that these verses were realized in Yeshua. He was and is the Lord, by whom we can be righteous. He was a descendant of David and a righteous servant because He was born to this family and because His life was pure. We can say with certainty that there is no other person to whom these verses would so accurately apply:

 

Prophecy:

 

- (Jer 23:5-6) Behold, the days come, said the LORD, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

6  In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

 

- (Isa 53:11) 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.

 

- (Isa 45:24-25) Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

25  In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

 

- (Dan 9:24,26) …to bring in everlasting righteousnessAnd after three score and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (1 Cor 1:30-31) But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made to us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

31  That, according as it is written, He that glories, let him glory in the Lord.

 

- (Rom 4:25) Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.

 

- (Rom 5:19) For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

 

- (Acts 13:38-39) Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:

39  And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

 

Several rabbis also associated "the Lord our righteousness" – the name including God’s own name – with the Messiah. They associated these verses with Him, and understood His divinity and His suffering for the sake of our sins. These rabbinical references are quite similar to the teachings of the New Testament. Let’s study these comments:

 

"Water flows from my eyes, for far from me is the comforter, who would refresh my soul (…) like this Israel is called the eyes of the holy God. (..) Far from me is the comforter, my soul’s refresher; what is the name of the King Messiah? (…) The Lord is his name, because Jer 23:6 says; this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS...." (Lamentation' , Midrash Rabbaa De-eicha 1:16)

 

"Who is this king of honor ?( ...) God does not crown a king of flesh and blood, but the Holy, may he be praised, gives His crown to the king Messiah, because about him is said, You put on his head a golden crown. God does not dress an earthly king with his own purple robe, but he has given it to the king Messiah, because it has been said, You cover him with glory and brightness (...) and he calls the king Messiah by his own name, because it has been written, this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Midrash of the psalms when explaining chapter 21)

 

"Our rabbis have taught; once the patriarchs will arrive to him in the month of Nisan (about the time of the Passover) and say, Ephraim, the Messiah our righteousness, although we are your fathers, You are greater than we, because You have suffered for the sake of the sins of our children and You have experienced difficult and large trials... You have become an object of laughter and derision among the nations of the world for the sake of Israel, and You have sat in the dark and depth... Your skin has been torn off and your body has dried up like a tree... and Your power is like a pot shard. All this You have suffered for the sake of the sins of our children.” (Pesikta Rabbati 35-37)

 

"He is the Messiah our Righteousness; and has it not been written about the Messiah that he is gentle and rides on an ass; but he arrives as humble and not as proud with horses; and as far as the coming with the clouds of heaven is concerned, there is a question of the heavenly host of the angels, and in this is that greatness which the Creator gives the Messiah.” (Rabbi Saadia Gaon, 882-942, Mikraoot Gedolot – explanation to Dan 7)

 

"The Messiah, our righteousness, has turned away from us. We have been beaten broken and because of that, we have no spokesperson. Our crimes and the yoke of our bad deeds are a heavy burden. But He has been wounded for our sins. He carries our sins on His shoulders, so that we would get forgiveness. And by His wounds we are healed; it has come the time to create an eternal new creation.” (Annual prayer of Yom Kippur; Musaf)

 

"Rab Huna counted in the seven names of the Messiah also 'Jehovah Zidkenun’, which is 'the Lord, our righteousness." (Midrash Mishle)

 

"In the Scriptures, to the Messiah is given the name 'Jehovah Zidkenu, because he is the mediator by whom the Lord makes us righteousness.” (Rabbi Albo, in the 1400s)

 

"What is the name of the King Messiah? To this answered rabbi Abba bar Kahana, 'Jehovah is his name, for it has been written: this is the name by which he will be called – Jehovah Zidkenu." (Midrash Echa Jer 23:6; Midrash Rabbah, part 4, p. 134)

 

The way for the Lord or God

 

A couple of extremely direct references to the divinity of the Messiah appear in Isaiah 40:3-5 and Malachi 3:1,2. They state that a messenger had to come before the Messiah (John the Baptist was the forerunner of Yeshua) and that the Messiah would be God. The Messiah's divinity appears in both passages of the Bible.

  Rabbi David Kimhi associated Malachi 3:1 with the Messiah. He wrote that, "The Lord is the king Messiah and he is the angel of the covenant.” (Mikraoot Gedolot, Mal 3:1). However, a source called Metsudat David separated the Lord and the angel of the covenant from each other: "The Lord is the king Messiah, to whom the eyes of everyone are expecting and yearning and whom they hope to be coming, but the angel of the covenant refers to the prophet Elijah.”

 

Prophecy:

 

 - (Isa 40:3-5) The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

4  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

5  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.

 

- (Mal 3:1,2) Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, he shall come, said the LORD of hosts.

2  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap

 

Fulfillment:

 

 - (Luke 1:13,16,17) But the angel said to him, Fear not, Zacharias: for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elisabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

16  And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17  And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

 

- (Luke 1:76) And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways

 

- (Matt 3:1-3, 11-13) In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

2  And saying, Repent you: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3  For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

11  I indeed baptize you with water to repentance. but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

12  Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
13  Then comes Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to John, to be baptized of him.

 

- (John 1:22-24) Then said they to him, Who are you? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What say you of yourself?

23  He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

24  And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

 

THE Son of God

 

The Messiah has various names. One of them is the Son of God. It is the name mentioned in Psalm 2, in the Proverbs (30:4) and in the promise, which was given to David. Let’s study all of these Bible passages and see how they were fulfilled in Yeshua:

 

Prophecy:

 

- (Ps 2:1-2,5-12) Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

2  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,

5  Then shall he speak to them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

6  Yet have I 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; this day have I begotten you.

8  Ask of me, and I shall give you the heathen for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.

9  You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

10  Be wise now therefore, O you kings: be instructed, you judges of the earth.

11  Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (Acts 4:25-27) Who by the mouth of your servant David have said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

26  The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

27  For of a truth against your holy child Jesus, whom you have anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

 

- (Rev 2:26-29) And he that overcomes, and keeps my works to the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

28  And I will give him the morning star.

29  He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit said to the churches.

 

- (John 3:16-18) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18  He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

 

Prophesy:

 

- (Pro 30:4) Who has ascended up into heaven, or descended? who has gathered the wind in his fists? who has bound the waters in a garment? who has established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you can tell?

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (John 3:12-13) If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13  And no man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

 

- (John 6:62) What and if you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

 

- (Eph 4:7-10) But to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8  Why he said, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.

9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

 

Prophecy:

 

- (1 Chron 17:11-14) And it shall come to pass, when your days be expired that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will raise up your seed after you, which shall be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.

12  He shall build me an house, and I will establish his throne for ever.

13  I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before you:

14  But I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for ever more.

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (Luke 1:32-33) He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give to him the throne of his father David:

33  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

 

- (John 9:35-37) Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said to him, Do you believe on the Son of God?

36  He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

37  And Jesus said to him, You have both seen him, and it is he that talks with you.

 

Jewish rabbis were no strangers to the terms “Son of God” and “Trinity.” Old rabbinical commentaries reveal that they understood that references to the Son of the Most High meant the Messiah (See Psalm 2). They understood that this Psalm refers to the Messiah, who is the Son of the Most High. Read the passages below. Find Zohar’s clear references to the mysterious essence of God described as "the Highest and the Holy", His Son and the Holy Spirit:

 

"Our rabbis have taught that this refers to the king Messiah, and according to this interpretation, it can also be applied to David himself..."..." (Rashi rabbi Shalomo Yarchi, who has explained Psalm 2)

 

"The rabbis have told that this means the Messiah, son of David, who will arrive quickly in our days. The Holy God will say to him, 'Ask of me, and I will give it to you, such as has been written, ‘I will declare the decree: the LORD has said to me, You are my Son; this day have I begotten you. Ask of me, and I shall give you the heathen for your inheritance." ([Sukka 52. of Talmud], explanation to Psalm 2)

 

"You are that good shepherd; about you it has been said, kiss the son. You are great down low, Israel's teacher, the Lord of the serving angels, the Son of the Most High, the son of the Holy, may be praised his name and his Holy Spirit.” (Zohar, lll part, p. 307. Amsterdam edition)

 

"Why has it been necessary here (Deut 6:4) to repeat three times the name of God? Firstly, Yahweh is the Father above of all. The second is the Messiah who is born from the tribe of Jesse. The third is that who has been let down (meaning the Holy Spirit, who leads us to the right direction). These three are one.” (Zohar, explaining the creed of Israel)

 

"How are those three names one? Are they one just because we say that those three are one? We know that they are one only by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and even with closed eyes.” (Zohar, ll part, p. 43. Amsterdam edition)

 

THE Descendant of David who is also THE Lord, God

 

When Yeshua lived physically among us, he chose a psalm of David, Psalm 110, to teach from. David had written the psalm about his Lord, the Messiah, and tells listeners that his Lord sits at the right hand of God. Yeshua took out this Psalm and asked the people how Christ, the Messiah, who should be the descendant of David, could be his Lord, as well. That should have been impossible; no unborn descendant of David’s could be that – unless the descendant really was God and existed eternally. The Pharisees to whom Jesus was speaking were unable to answer, and remained silent:

 

 - (Matt 22:41-46) While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

42  Saying, What think you of Christ? whose son is he? They say to him, The son of David.

43  He said to them, How then does David in spirit call him Lord, saying,

44  The LORD said to my Lord, Sit you on my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool?

45  If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

46  And no man was able to answer him a word, neither dared any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

 

There is reason to believe that the verses of Psalm 110 were fulfilled in Yeshua. He was and is the descendant of David – because He was born into David’s family – and He also was David’s Lord. He sits at the right hand of God and only waits for His enemies to be made His footstool, which we have good reason to believe will happen when Jesus returns.

 

Prophesy:

 

- (Ps 110:1,2,4) The LORD said to my Lord, Sit you at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.

2  The LORD shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion: rule you in the middle of your enemies.

4  The LORD has sworn, and will not repent, You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (Acts 2:33-36) Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he has shed forth this, which you now see and hear.

34  For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he said himself, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit you on my right hand,

35  Until I make your foes your footstool.

36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made the same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

 

- (Eph 1:20) Which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 

 

- (Hebr 8:1) 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;

 

- (Hebr 10:12-13) But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

13  From now on expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

 

- (Hebr1:7-8,13-14) And of the angels he said, Who makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

8  But to the Son he said, Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom.

13  But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool?

14  Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

 

Just as we associate Psalm 110 with Yeshua, Jewish authorities associate them with the Messiah. This has been the traditional interpretation of these verses in Jewish literature. Consider these passages:

 

- Midrash of the psalms says about the passage "Sit at my right hand" that "he says this to the Messiah; and his throne has been prepared in grace and he will sit on it".

 

- The Talmud's (Avoot, rabbi Nata, chapter 34) explanation to the Book of Zechariah (4:14) is also worth noticing. (Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.), because in the explanation to this verse there is also a reference to Psalm 110, which it connects with the Messiah. It is written: "This refers to Aaron and the Messiah, and I do not know which of them is more pleasant. When it has been written, ‘The LORD has sworn, and will not repent, You are a priest for ever’, we know that the king Messiah is more pleasant than the priest of the righteousness.”

 

- The third reference is connected to Jalkut Shimon, and refers to the traditional view about the position of the Messiah: "Rabbi Jodan says in the name of rabbi Aba Bar Hanina that the holy God will set in the future the coming king Messiah at his right hand and Abraham at his left hand; and so the face of Abraham will turn pale with envy, and he will say:  The son of my son sits at your right hand and I should sit at your left? Then the holy God will conciliate him and say, Your son is at your right hand and I am at your right hand.”

 

LIKE THE SON OF MAN WHO COMES WITH THE clouds of heaven

 

The verses referring to the son of man, who comes with the clouds of Heaven and approaches the Ancient of Days, or God (Dan 7:13-14), have generally been associated with the Messiah in Jewish references. Rashi plainly states, "He is the king Messiah". Metsudat David states that, "it refers to the king Messiah". Rabbi Saadia Gaon (882-942 A.D.) wrote (Mikraoot Gedolot) about two different comings of the Messiah. We can believe that both of these comings are fulfilled in Yeshua. He first came in humility riding on an ass:

 

"He is the Messiah our Righteousness; and has it not been written about the Messiah that he is gentle and rides on an ass; but he arrives humble and not proud with horses; and as far as the coming with the clouds of heaven is concerned, it is a question of the heavenly host of angels, and in this is that greatness the Creator gives the Messiah.”

 

In the Book of Daniel 7:13-14, we read that all people and nations will serve this being like the son of man who will arrive with the clouds of heaven, and that his kingdom is eternal. This can only refer to God Himself, because He does not give His glory to others (Isa 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.”), and because only His kingdom is eternal. Therefore, the person like the son of man must be more than a mortal man, even though he has taken on the form of a man:

 

Prophecy:

 

- (Dan 7:13) 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.

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (Matt 8:19-20) And a certain scribe came, and said to him, Master, I will follow you wherever you go.

20  And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has not where to lay his head.

 

- (Matt 25:31) When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory

 

- (Matt 26:62-66) And the high priest arose, and said to him, Answer you nothing? what is it which these witness against you?

63  But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said to him, I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you be the Christ, the Son of God.

64  Jesus said to him, You have said: nevertheless I say to you, Hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

65  Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now you have heard his blasphemy.

66  What think you? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

 

- (Rev 1:7-8) Behold, he comes 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.

8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, said the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

 

Prophecy:

 

- (Dan 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.

14  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, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (Luke 1:32-33) He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give to him the throne of his father David:

33  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

 

- (2 Peter 1:11) For so an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

- (1 Peter 5:1,10) The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

10  But the God of all grace, who has called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.

 

THE Name Yeshua, who has come for salvation

 

One unique feature about Yeshua was His name, which in Hebrew means “Savior.” In the Gospel of Matthew we read:

 

- (Matt 1:21) And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

 

This Hebrew name, Yeshua, was mentioned in earlier Scriptures. For example, in the Book of Isaiah we read that “salvation” means a person - "he" - who will come and appear. The same person, whose "reward is with him", is also the Lord (God) who appeared to Judeans and He is like a shepherd (compare John 10:11: "I am the good shepherd…”)

   We can well understand that these prophecies were fulfilled in Yeshua: His name was Yeshua, and He came to provide salvation to His people. Only through Him can we be saved; He is God, as the prophets wrote:

 

Prophecy:

 

- (Isa 62:11) Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the world, Say you to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your salvation (Yeshua) comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

 

- (Isa 40:9-11) O Zion, that bring good tidings, get you up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bring good tidings, lift up your voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say to the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

10  Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

11  He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (Luke 2:11) For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

 

- (John 4:41-42) And many more believed because of his own word;

42  And said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of your saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.

 

- (Acts 4:11-12) This is the stone which was set at nothing of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

 

- (Luke 19:9-10) And Jesus said to him, This day is salvation come to this house, as much as he also is a son of Abraham.

10  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

 

- (1 Tim 1:15) This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

 

- (Rev 22:12) And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

 

The next passage may shed some light on the name Yeshua. The text refers to the Book of Isaiah’s mention of “salvation” as not only an event of some kind, but as a person whose reward is with Him. His name and His task were mentioned in the Book of Isaiah, which was written long before Yeshuah’s time on the Earth:

 

Once, in the spring in St. Louis, a certain interesting point came to my mind. I was visiting the family of Charles Siegelman. Another Jew also happened to be there. He claimed to be an orthodox Jew to the heart and soul. And naturally, our conversation drifted to Him, who is the centre point of all entity, to Yeshua. My good Jewish brother energetically attacked against Christ, as intensely as one can in a friendly conversation. His best weapon was a claim already familiar to me: "The name Yeshua does not appear at all in the Old Testament.”

   I did not answer him right away, but asked him to translate Isaiah 62:11 from my Hebrew Bible. Fluent in Hebrew, he got the task done quickly and skillfully. He translated this verse: "Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the world, Say you to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your Yeshua comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.”

   At this stage, he blushed when he understood what he had just let slip out of his mouth. He had given me the trumps. Now he shouted, "No! You try to fool me with the word Yeshua, mister Glass! It wasn’t what I meant to read!” But I just said that I had asked him to read the word of God. I asked whether he had already realized for himself that salvation is a person, not an event. He comes, His reward is with Him, and his work before Him. My Jewish friend rushed to get his own Old Testament. He muttered intensely that in his Bible, this was certainly expressed quite differently. But when he found the verse, his eagerness flowed as water flows from the back of goose. In his Old Testament, the issue was, naturally, just the same as in my Bible. The only way for him to avoid admitting that he was wrong was to claim that the Book of Isaiah was something else than an inspiration of God. (7)

 

THE Lord, God, over whom many will stumble 

 

The divinity of the Messiah is established in many Scriptures, among which is Isaiah 8:13-15, which refers to the Lord Almighty. The writer uses this name for the Messiah, and also mentions that many people will stumble over him – the same point made by the writer of Psalm 118.

   Hebrew rabbis have also associated these verses with the Messiah. In the Talmud (Sanhedrin 38. a) we read that Isaiah 8:13-15 refers to the Messiah. Rashi wrote that the rejected capstone mentioned in Psalm 118 refers to the King Messiah who would be born in Bethlehem.

 

Prophecy:

 

- (Isa 8:13-15) Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

14  And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

15  And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

 

- (Ps 118:22-26) The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

23  This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

24  This is the day which the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

25  Save now, I beseech you, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech you, send now prosperity.

26  Blessed be he that comes in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (Matt 21:33-46) Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and dig a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to farmers, and went into a far country:

34  And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the farmers, that they might receive the fruits of it.

35  And the farmers took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

36  Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did to them likewise.

37  But last of all he sent to them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

38  But when the farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

39  And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

40  When the lord therefore of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?

41  They say to him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard to other farmers, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

42  Jesus said to them, Did you 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 marvelous in our eyes?

43  Therefore say I to you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

44  And whoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

45  And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke of them.

46  But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

 

- (Matt 23:37-39) O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets, and stone them which are sent to you, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not!

38  Behold, your house is left to you desolate.

39  For I say to you, You shall not see me from now on, till you shall say, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.

 

- (1 Peter 2:4,6-8) To whom coming, as to a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

6  Why also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be confounded.

7  To you therefore which believe he is precious: but to them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

 

A Prophet like God

 

When a message about the prophet who will be like him was given to Moses, it was also mentioned that this prophet would also be like God and would speak His words. If someone would not listen to Him, he would be held accountable before God.

   These verses have been fulfilled in Yeshua. He could Himself say that Moses wrote about Him. Also, people considered Him to be the prophet in question:

 

Prophecy:

 

- (Deut 18:15,18,19) The LORD your God will raise up to you a Prophet from the middle of you, of your brothers, like to me; to him you shall listen;

18  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brothers, like to you, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.

19  And it shall come to pass, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (John 1:45) Philip finds Nathanael, and said to him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

 

- (John 5:45-47) Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuses you, even Moses, in whom you trust.

46  For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me; for he wrote of me.

47  But if you believe not his writings, how shall you believe my words?

 

- (John 7:45-49) Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said to them, Why have you not brought him?

46  The officers answered, Never man spoke like this man.

47  Then answered them the Pharisees, Are you also deceived?

48  Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?

49  But this people who knows not the law are cursed.

 

- (Matt 7:28-29) And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29  For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

 

- (John 7:40) Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.

 

THE Lord and thirty PIECES OF silver

 

Another specific reference to the divinity of the Messiah is found in the Book of Zechariah, Chapter 11:12,13. In these verses the Lord / God speaks of Himself as “I” and says that His value will be assessed at thirty pieces of silver. This was true of Yeshua: Judas betrayed Him for this price, and said immediately afterwards that he had betrayed innocent blood:

 

Prophecy:

 

- (Zec 11:12-13) And I said to them, If you think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

13  And the LORD said to me, Cast it to the potter: a goodly price that I was priced at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (Matt 26:14-15) Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests,

15  And said to them, What will you give me, and I will deliver him to you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

 

- (Matt 27:3-5) Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

4  Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see you to that.

5  And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

 

THE Lord, looking on him and pouring out THE Holy Spirit

 

There is also a reference to the Messiah in the Book of Zechariah, Chapter 12. God refers to Himself as “I” and tells that people will look on Him whom they have pierced. This pouring out of the Holy Spirit was also mentioned in Zec. 12. This prophecy was fulfilled during the Day of Pentecost 2,000 years ago.

   This is why we can understand that these passages of the Bible were fulfilled in Yeshua:

 

Prophecy:

 

- (Zec 12:1,10) The burden of the word of the LORD ...

10  And I will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look on me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (John 19:33-37) But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they broke not his legs:

34  But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and immediately came there out blood and water.

35  And he that saw it bore record, and his record is true: and he knows that he said true, that you might believe.

36  For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

37  And again another scripture said, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

 

- (1 Cor 2:6-8) However, we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nothing:

7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world to our glory:

8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

 

Prophecy:

 

- (Zec 12:10) And I will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look on me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

 

Fulfillment:

 

- (Mark 1:6-8) And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

7  And preached, saying, There comes one mightier than I after me, the lace of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

8  I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

 

- (Acts 2:32-33) This Jesus has God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

33  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he has shed forth this, which you now see and hear.

 

- (Acts 10:45) And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jari Iivanainen

 

 




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