References about the Messiah and Kingdom in the Old Testament – Part V

The Prophets (Continued)

Jeremiah 23:5-6

It has been a long time since my last post; in part due to work and life, but also due to spending time reading Isaiah’s book.  We now move from Isaiah’s prophecies to Jeremiah and his prophetic role in proclaiming messages concerning the Messiah.    Anyone who reads Jeremiah must have knowledge of the times in which he lived to appreciate the message of the prophet. This is more important for understanding the writings of Jeremiah than it is for understanding any other prophetic book in the scriptures.  Jeremiah lived in days of darkness and disaster. He ministered about a century after Isaiah had finished prophesying. The Northern Kingdom was no more; it had ceased to exist with the Assyrian invasion of 722 B.C. Only the Southern Kingdom of Judah remained and this remaining part of Israel was going to be punished for its idolatry and sin.

In verse 5 begins with “Behold, the days are coming…” signifying a message of hope in the midst of oracles of judgment.  This is one of the direct Messianic references in the book (See also 31:31–34; 33:15–16).  The next section of verse 5 could be translated “an oracle [or declaration] of Yahweh.”  Another way to look at this Hebrew phrase is the way the NET translates it, “I, the LORD promise…” and could be rendered “Look! I, the LORD promise that the days are coming…”.  What is the promise?  The next part of the sentence tells us,

“…I will raise up for them a righteous branch, a descendant of David.”

These two verses deal predominantly with the Second Coming of Messiah, but there is an aspect of them which relates to the first coming as well. Verse 5 tells of a man who will be a son of David, who will rule and reign as king. The kingship of Messiah is yet to come, but this verse clearly speaks of Messiah as a descendent of David and thus stresses His humanity.

Verse 6, however, this man is given a name which is applicable to God alone: “The LORD our righteousness.” Modern translations generally render this as LORD as in the NASB. This is intended to convey the four letters YHVH which are read as Jehovah or Yahweh. Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures the divine name Jehovah is given to God alone, yet here the man of verse 5 is clearly given the name of God in verse 6. This again presents us with the clear concept of Messiah as the God-Man.

One of the arguments presented by Rabbinic Judaism to refute this teaching is to point out that throughout the Scriptures there are examples of names which contain the name of God. For example, the name Jeremiah means “Jehovah will establish” or “Jehovah is salvation,” and there are many other names which contain “Jehovah” in them. It needs to be realized, however, that in none of these cases are all four of the letters YHVH found. Usually only two letters are used, sometimes three, but nowhere is all four letters of the name of God ever used in relation to a human being. Despite this, Jeremiah 23:5 clearly speaks of a man—a human descendent of King David—and in 23:6 he is given a name which is the name of God alone.

This is a subject which was not disputed by ancient rabbis, who always interpreted this as a messianic passage. It is only recently that rabbis have tried to argue otherwise. Four quotations from rabbinic writings can be given to show this.

In the Midrash for Proverbs 19:21 (c. 200–500 A.D.) it says:

Rabbi Hunah said “Eight names are given to the Messiah which are: Yinnon, Shiloh, David, Menachem, Jehovah, Justi de Nostra, Tzemmach, Elias.”

The fifth name listed is Jehovah, the name of God, and this is based on the words of Jeremiah 23:6. The seventh name is Tzemmach, or “Branch,” and this is based on Jeremiah 23:5.

In the Midrash for Lamentations 1:16, it says:

 What is the name of the Messiah? Rav Ava ben Kahanna said, “Jehovah is his name and this is proved by, ‘this is his name … [quoting Jeremiah 23:6].’ ”

In the Talmud (Babba Bathra Tractate 75b) it says:

Shmuel ben Nachman said in the name of Rabbi Yohanan, “the following three will be named with the name of the Holy One blessed be he—the upright, as it is said, ‘… [quotes Isaiah 43:7]’, the Messiah, as it is written ‘and this is his name whereby he shall be called The LORD our righteousness [quoting Jeremiah 23:6]’… ”

In the Midrash on Psalm 21:1 it says:

God calls King Messiah by his own name, but what is his name? The answer is ‘Jehovah is a man of war’ and concerning Messiah we read “Jehovah our righteousness this is his name.”

It can be noted that ancient rabbinic writings and even in the Talmud itself, Jeremiah 23:6 is applied to Messiah and Messiah is given the name of Jehovah.

These two verses in Jeremiah teach us that:

1. The Messiah would be a God-Man.
2. The Messiah would be God Himself; Jehovah would become a man.
3. The Messiah would be a descendent of David and therefore a king. Jeremiah here reaffirms the Davidic Covenant (See 1 Chronicles 17:10b–14).

Micah 5:2

This passage is complementary to Isaiah 7:14. We have already seen that many Scriptures point to the divine as well as human nature of Messiah. This has been clear from as early as Genesis and continues through to this prophecy of Micah. Micah was a contemporary of Isaiah, prophesying at the same time, but in a different part of Judea. In Isaiah 7:14, we read that Messiah was to be born of a virgin; here in Micah 5:2, we read where that birth is to take place. Messiah is to be born, not in Jerusalem as might have been expected, but in Bethlehem. This was perhaps hinted at in Isaiah 11:1, but now is stated clearly. This is Bethlehem Ephrathah, as distinguished from another Bethlehem in Galilee. This Bethlehem is the Bethlehem of David and of Judah, located south of Jerusalem.

The One to be born is to “shall go out for Me” literally in the Hebrew.  This One is being born in order to fulfill a particular mission, a specific purpose of God. In reference to His human origin, He is to be born in Bethlehem, but in reference to His divine origin, He is said to have origins “from the days of old, from eternity.” The Hebrew words for “from the days of old, from eternity” are the strongest Hebrew words ever used for eternity past. They are used of God the Father in Psalm 90:2.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

What is true of God the Father is also said to be true of this One who is to be born in Bethlehem. These words are also used in Proverbs 8:22–23 (the voice of Wisdom speaking),

The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I have been established from everlasting, from the beginning, before there was ever an earth.

In this passage, as with others, it has been seen that Messiah is to be human—being born at some specific point in time and at some specific place – yet having existed in eternity past, and therefore is not only Human but also God.

Micah 5:2 teaches us that,

1. Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, the city of David.
2. Messiah would be divine as well as human, having existed from eternity past.

Zechariah 9:9–10

We move from Mica to Zechariah, where another kind of prophecy category is discovered in the Old Testament text.  This type of prophecy is where the first and second coming (we saw this briefly with Isaiah 61 earlier).  The text reads as follows:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.’…”

This prophetic record of Zechariah blends together in a single utterance events in our past and our future.  Verse 9 pointed to the Messiah’s first coming; verse 10 His second. In the time before the first coming of Messiah these were seen as one prophetic event, fulfilled by two messiahs, now with hindsight we understand that it is one Messiah, coming twice.

Verse 9 – The First Coming

The background to these verses is an invasion of Israel by a foreign king prophesied in verses 9:1–8. These verses were fulfilled by Alexander the Great. But in verse 9, in contrast to this invading Gentile king, we find reference to a future Jewish king. Israel is told to rejoice because “your king” [Israel’s king] is coming [not “against you,” but] “to you.” The first part of this verse contains three figures of speech. Zechariah personified Zion and Jerusalem as rejoicing and shouting, he named the city in place of its inhabitants (metonymy – a figure of speech used in rhetoric in which a thing or concept is not called by its own name, but by the name of something intimately associated with that thing or concept.), and he used the city to represent the whole nation (synecdoche – from Greek synekdoche (συνεκδοχή), meaning “simultaneous understanding”) is a figure of speech in which a term is used to represent a part of something is used to refer to the whole thing (pars pro toto)).  This King would be,

1. Just – He is characterized by righteousness, a point also made by Jeremiah 23:5–6. In contrast, Alexander the Great died in a drunken stupor.
2. Offering salvation – In contrast to Alexander who came with conquest, destruction, and death.
3. Lowly and humble – Lowly here has the sense of being brought low through oppression. Messiah was indeed oppressed. Alexander came with pomp and power.

Furthermore, in contrast to Alexander the Great on his white steed, this king was to appear riding on a donkey. Specifically, He is to ride on the foal of a donkey—a animal which has not yet been broken; which has never been ridden.  The fulfillment of this prophecy is found in the Gospels of the New Testament in the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem at the beginning of the last week of His life (Matthew 21:1–11). This marked His official presentation as the Messianic King. Jesus instructs His disciples to go to Bethphage and find a colt which had never been ridden before. The miraculous aspect of this should not be missed. By nature, the animal should have bucked Jesus off the moment He got on, but instead of throwing Him, it submitted to Him.  I would like to think because the donkey knew its creator.

Verse 10 – The Second Coming

This verse gives a second reason for rejoicing: the establishment of the King’s kingdom.  The verse also deals with one of the events of the Second Coming, in which all weapons of war are to be removed from the Land. This verse describes the whole arsenal used in ancient warfare, and so this passage teaches that the entire arsenal of war will be destroyed.  The Gospel writers believed Jesus was the coming King, but they said He fulfilled only verse 9, not verse 10, during His past earthly ministry (Matthew 21:5; John 12:15; cf. Revelation 19:11–16).   The Lord would end war in Israel and would establish peace in the world with His sovereign proclamation (cf. Isaiah 2:4; 9:5–7; 11:1–10; Micah 5:10–15). Note the worldwide extent of Messiah’s kingdom predicted here.  Yahweh would rule through this King over Israel, and His dominion would be worldwide, from the Euphrates River in the East to the ends of the earth (a merism – which is a figure of speech by which a single thing is referred to by a conventional phrase that enumerates several of its parts, or which lists several synonyms for the same thing); See also Psalm 72:8–11; Isaiah 66:18). This lies outside the scope of this post and will be covered later in detail in another series of post on the Second Coming of Messiah.

The View of the Rabbis

When the ancient rabbis looked at these two contradictory prophecies, they reconciled them by saying that there would be two different Messiahs. First, Messiah is described as being lowly and oppressed but then, in the very next sentence, He is seen as a king whose dominion extends to the ends of the whole earth. First would come Messiah Servant whom they called the son of Joseph, to fulfill the suffering passages. He would then be followed by Messiah the son of David, the conquering Messiah King.

That the rabbis took this passage as messianic can be seen from the Talmud in Sanhedrin 98b–99a:

Rabbi Hillel said: “Israel can expect no Messiah because they consumed him in the days of Hezekiah.” The retort: “When did Hezekiah live? Was it not in the days of the First Temple? Yet Zechariah during the time of the Second Temple prophesied and said … [quoting 9:9].”

Also, Pesikta (Piska 53) states:

This refers to Messiah. He is called anee [lowly] because He was oppressed all these years in prison, and the sinners of Israel denied Him.… For the merits of the Messiah, the Holy One, blessed be He, will protect and redeem you.

Again in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 98a) it says:

Rabbi Joseph the son of Levi objects that it is written in one place “Behold one like the son of man comes with the clouds of heaven,” but in another place it is written “lowly and riding upon an ass.” The solution is, if they be righteous he shall come with the clouds of heaven, but if they not be righteous he shall come lowly riding upon an ass.

This is an alternative rabbinic interpretation to explain the two lines of messianic prophecy. This says that either one line of prophecy or the other will be fulfilled, but not both. If Israel is righteous, Messiah will come riding on the clouds; but if she is sinful, then He will come riding on a donkey. The Scriptures, however, clearly require the fulfillment of both types of prophecy.

The New Testament view is much simpler than either of the rabbinic views given above. It teaches that there would be one Messiah, but He would come twice, first to die and then a second time to rule, thereby fulfilling all of the prophetic statements concerning Him.

What we learn from Zechariah 9:9–10:

1. Messiah’s First Coming would be characterized by humility.
2. Messiah’s official presentation as the Messianic king would come when He rides into Jerusalem, riding on the foal of a donkey.

Zechariah 11:1–17

This passage is extended; you can read it online here (also in various translations): Zechariah 11:1–17.  Chapter 11 has to do with the First Coming and the events surrounding it. The chapter divides into three sections. Verses 1–3 describe a great devastation upon the entire land of Israel from north to south. This was fulfilled by the first and second revolts against Rome in 70 A.D. and 135 A.D. Verses 4–14 describe the events of the First Coming and the rejection of the true shepherd, Messiah, leading to the destruction of 70 A.D. Verses 15–17 describe the choosing of a false shepherd, leading to the destruction of 135 A.D.

Verses 11:1-3: Devastation of the land of Israel.

The devastation described in verses 1–3 happened in 70 A.D., as a result of the first Jewish uprising. The prophecy of these first verses are fully completed by the year 135 A.D., with the continued destruction due to the second uprising. The Temple was often referred to as a place of cedar, or as a house of cedar (1 Kings 5:5–6), so the destruction described in verses 1 and 2 is probably an allusion to the future destruction of the Temple, which was still being rebuilt at the time of Zechariah’s prophecy. In verse 3a the “shepherds,” i.e., the Jewish leaders, are to wail because of the devastation of their temple and beloved city. Finally, verse 3b concentrates on the devastation of the Jordan valley. This is also mentioned in Jeremiah 12:5, 49:19 and 50:44.  The rest of this passage deals with the two causes of the destruction: the rejection of the true shepherd and the acceptance of the false shepherd.

Verses 11:4–14: The Rejection of the Messiah, The True Shepherd

In verses 4–6, the prophet Zechariah is given a commission; he is to act out as a message to the people. The part he is to play is that of Messiah at His First Coming. Messiah is symbolized as the character of a shepherd, feeding a flock. The flock (verse 4) is symbolic of Israel. The sheep are being destroyed by their owners, symbolic of Rome, and even “their owners,” symbolic of the Jewish leaders, “do not pity them.” In verse 5, the flock, the people of Israel, have been abandoned by man; but further, in verse 6, they have also been abandoned by God. God states that He will cause each and every man to fall “into the hand of his king.” This is a bit confusing since, at the time of the Roman occupation, Israel had no king. However, we read in the Gospels that when Jesus, the True Shepherd, stood at His trial, Pontius Pilate declared to the people, “Behold your king.” But the Pharisees rejected Jesus and cried out, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:14-15). Since Messiah was rejected as king, and only Caesar was recognized as king, it was to that king that God handed them over for judgment. In the war with the Romans in 70 A.D., a total of 1,100,000 Jews were killed and 97,000 taken into slavery.

In verses 7–11, Zechariah carries out his commission. In verse 7, he feeds the flock doomed to slaughter, but especially “the poor” of the flock or “the afflicted,” according to some translations. “The poor and the needy” is a common phrase in the Prophets and is always a reference to the righteous Remnant of Israel. While at many times in their history Israel as a whole is rebellious and unrighteous, there has always remained within Israel a small group of righteous, believing people, termed “the Remnant of Israel.”

While Messiah will come to the whole of Israel, there will be a special emphasis in His ministry towards the believing Remnant within Israel. This is critically important.  The fulfillment of this is seen in Matthew 9:35–36. Zechariah employs two staffs in this work. One is given the name “Beauty” (or alternatively Grace) and the other is given the name “Unity” (or alternatively Bonds). The staff called Beauty was for the protection of the flock; the staff called Unity was to keep the flock together and preserve its unity.

In verse 8, Zechariah faces the opposition of three other shepherds. In the context of the ministry of Jesus, these three shepherds are symbolic of the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Scribes, the key sections of Jewish leadership during the period of the First Coming. One of the results of Jesus’ ministry was the ruin of these three groups. The reason for their annihilation is the mutual antagonism described in verse 8.

The fulfillment of this is seen first of all in Jesus’ denunciation of the religious leaders of Israel, described in Matthew 23:1–37.  Second, the hostility of the leaders toward Jesus is seen in their plotting His execution and bribing Judas Iscariot to betray Him.

Although verse 7 described the faithful shepherding of the flock, in verse 9 there is an abrupt cessation in the feeding of the flock. In the ministry of Jesus, this part of the prophecy was fulfilled in the events of Matthew chapter 12:22–45. This chapter describes the crucial, pivotal point in Jesus’ ministry: the rejection of His Messiahship on the grounds of demon possession. Prior to His rejection, Jesus openly declared His claim to be Messiah. After His rejection, Jesus made no further claims and forbade anyone—His disciples and those individuals whom He healed—to disclose His Messiahship. Prior to His rejection, Jesus openly performed many signs and miracles. After His rejection, He performed no signs—except the “sign of Jonah.” Prior to the rejection, Jesus healed all who came to Him, these healings being evidence of His claim to be Messiah. After the rejection, healing was refused if requested on the basis of His Messiahship and granted only in cases of personal need, on the basis of personal faith. Prior to the rejection, Jesus taught the people—fed the flock—openly and clearly as in the Sermon on the Mount. After the rejection, Jesus suddenly and immediately changed to the exclusive use of parables in order to hide the truth from the masses. The accusation of demon possession constituted the “unpardonable sin” and from that moment on the judgment of 70 A.D. was inevitable. Note that the unpardonable sin and the judgment of it relate exclusively to “this generation”—the Jewish people of that time only (Matthew 12:39, 41, 42, 45; 23:36). With the committing of the unpardonable sin, Jesus stops feeding the flock as a whole and deals only with individuals within the nation.

In verse 10, with the cessation of feeding, Zechariah takes the staff named Beauty and breaks it. This symbolizes God’s removal of Israel’s protection and the inevitability of the 70 A.D. judgment; the fulfillment of this is seen in Luke 19:41–44 and 21:24. Note that “peoples” is in the plural, meaning “Gentile nations”; Israel is now vulnerable to Gentile attacks, and in 70 A.D. the attack of the Romans was devastating without a doubt.

In verse 11, the “poor of the flock,” that is, the believing Remnant, see the breaking of the staff Favor as the word of God and understand the significance of it. During the ministry of Jesus, the Jewish believers did indeed understand that judgment was coming, that it was from the hand of the Lord and it was inevitable. In Luke 21, Jesus had instructed them to flee from Jerusalem when the time of her destruction came.

But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

In 66 A.D., the Romans besieged Jerusalem, the believers within the city realized that the time of judgment had arrived and that they were to leave for the mountains. Later in that year, the siege was temporarily lifted and the entire believing Jewish community (some 100,000 people) left Jerusalem and the whole Land of Israel and found refuge in Pella, east of the Jordan river. In 68 A.D. the siege was reemployed and in 70 A.D. the final destruction of Jerusalem came. The critical thing to note is that the “poor of the flock,” the remnant who had been given special emphasis during the ministry of Messiah, understood that God’s protection had been lifted, that the Israel was under judgment.  Based on this they acted in accordance with Jesus’ words in Luke 21. Because of their obedience to the words of their Messiah, not one Jewish believer lost his life or was taken into slavery.

Verses 11:12–14: The Price of the Good Shepherd

Verses 12–14 describe the value placed upon the work of the good shepherd. In verse 12, the good shepherd approaches the leadership of Israel and asks for his wages, to be paid according to what they think he is worth. He is paid thirty pieces of silver. In our time and culture that may sound like a sensible amount. However, in the ancient world it was a display of scorn. Under the Mosaic Law thirty pieces of silver was the compensation value for a dead slave (Exodus 21:32). The work of the good shepherd was judged to be the equivalent of a dead slave.

The words of verse 13 are critical to note; Zechariah is the one who has been paid the thirty pieces of silver, but who is it that is really being insulted? “And the LORD said to me, ‘throw it to the potter, that princely price [divine sarcasm] set on me.’” It is the Lord who is the Good Shepherd. It is the Lord whose work is so despised as to be valued at only the thirty pieces of silver. So it becomes crystal clear that Zechariah is only an actor playing out a prophetic role This was a common means of giving prophecies in the days of the Old Testament, and that this role was to be fulfilled by Jehovah Himself, when He becomes a man, as spelled out in previous prophecies we have looked into.

Zechariah is then told to take the thirty pieces of silver and throw them into the potter’s area of the Temple Compound. These words found their fulfillment when Judas Iscariot was paid thirty pieces of silver by the Jewish leaders to betray Jesus. Later, Judas did what Zechariah did and threw the coins into the potter’s section of the Temple Compound. All of this is described in Matthew 26:14–16 and 27:3–10 (What Matthew is depicting in these passages is the Jewish leaders had purchased for themselves and for the people of Jerusalem the curse which Jeremiah had pronounced upon the Valley of Hinnom and the area of Topheth. Zechariah is quoted as the prophecy of the actual purchase price: thirty pieces of silver.). It should be noted that the thirty pieces of silver were paid to Judas by the chief priests, who would have taken the money from the Temple treasury. This money was intended for the specific purpose of purchasing sacrifices. Although they did not realize it, this is exactly what the priests did. They purchased a sacrifice; Jesus was to be the final sacrifice for sin of the redeemed.

The response to the contempt of verse 13 is in verse 14. Zechariah takes the second staff, called Unity, and breaks it. As with the other staff, this is a prophetic act.  This time signifying that the flock is to be scattered and the unity of the people of Israel destroyed. During the war against the Romans from 66–70 A.D., various factions developed amongst the Zealots and they began fighting amongst themselves, destroying each other’s food stocks and killing each other. Ironically, it was the civil strife within Jerusalem which caused it to fall easily to Rome. The destruction of unity therefore led to the scattering of the flock; the great dispersion of the Jews did undeniably begin in 70 A.D.

Verses 11:15–17: The Foolish Shepherd

While the leadership rejects the Good Shepherd of verses 4–14, in the next passage, verses 15–17, they accept a foolish, or unrighteous, shepherd instead.

In verse 15, Zechariah is told to play a second role, not of a good shepherd as before, but this time that of a foolish shepherd who will bring only destruction to the flock. Verse 16 characterizes the false messiah.  Verse 17 is basically a curse on the false messiah.

We see this false messiah in the history of Israel.  In the year 132 A.D., Simon bar Cochba led the second Jewish revolt against Rome. He was supported in this by many of the rabbis but most significantly, midway through the revolt, the chief rabbi, Rabbi Akiba, declared Bar Cochba to be the Messiah. At the start of the revolt, the Messianic Jews had taken up swords and joined in what was, initially, the defense of the Land. With Rabbi Akiba’s declaration, however, the revolt became a messianic movement, and the believing Jews were forced to withdraw from the battle, unable to support Bar Cochba as Messiah. As a result of this, Rabbi Akiba together with the various Jewish councils, passed a long list of laws prohibiting any kind of association with the Jewish believers in the Land. Eventually, the Romans returned after their defeat by Bar Cochba, and began a scorched earth policy throughout the Land of Israel. By the time Bar Cochba made his last stand in 135 A.D., virtually the entire Land had been burned; hardly anything was left growing and the people were starving en masse. The destruction of Zechariah 11:1–3 was therefore fulfilled to a further degree than in the year 70 A.D.

We learn from Zechariah 11:1–17 that:

1. Messiah’s First Coming would be rejected, especially by the Jewish leaders.
2. While the nation as a whole would reject Messiah, there would be a small Remnant of believing people who would accept Him.
3. The leadership of Israel would sell Him out for thirty pieces of silver.
4. The results of this rejection were to be twofold. First, protection would be removed, leaving Israel vulnerable to Gentile attack—in 70 A.D. Second, unity would be removed and Israel would be scattered.
5. Because they turned away from the true Messiah, they would foolishly accept a false messiah. This led to the second devastation of the land in A.D. 135.
6. If the destruction described in Zechariah 11:1–3 was fulfilled in 70 A.D., then Messiah must have come before 70 A.D.
7. Messiah is the Good Shepherd—John 10:11–18.

Zechariah 12:10

Zechariah 12 deals with events in the Second Coming of Messiah and specifically with the Campaign of Armageddon. (I’m planning on covering the second coming of the Messiah when this study is completed.) Verse 10 speaks briefly on the first coming. The Messiah was rejected by the Jewish leadership at His first coming and it is an absolute prerequisite of His Second Coming that Jewish leaders should repent of their original rejection and ask God for His return. Zechariah 12:10 describes the grief which will one day be experienced by Jewish leaders over the death of Messiah at His First Coming.

In the context of our present research, there are three points to be made:

1.      Another confirmation that Messiah will be rejected by the Jewish leaders.

2.      We have already been told by Isaiah that Messiah will die, but now we are told that His will be a violent death by means of piercing.

3.      It is the Lord who is speaking and He says that “they will look on me whom they pierced”—it is Jehovah who was pierced. Again here as in other prophecies we are told that Messiah will be God Himself. The Hebrew word for “pierced” literally means “to be thrust through.” This was fulfilled during Jesus’ crucifixion when a Roman soldier thrust a spear into His side, as recorded in John 19:31–37.

That some rabbis took this passage as messianic is clear from the Talmud in Succah 52a:

Why is this mourning in Messianic times? There is a difference in interpretation between Rabbi Dosa and the Rabanan [sages]. One opinion is that they mourn for Messiah Ben Joseph who is killed, and another explanation is that they mourn for the slaying of the evil inclination. It is well according to him who explains that the cause is the slaying of the Messiah since that well agrees with this verse. If it refers to the slaying of the evil inclination, it must be asked, is this an occasion for mourning? Is it not rather an occasion for rejoicing? Why then should they weep?

Zechariah 12:10 shows us that:

1. Messiah’s First Coming would be rejected by the leaders of Israel.
2. Messiah would die a violent death by means of piercing.
3. Messiah would be both God and Man.

Zechariah 13:7

This passage deals with the death of the Good Shepherd.  Zechariah 13:7 is a one verse summary of the whole of Zechariah chapter 11. The Shepherd of verse 13:7 is the Good Shepherd of 11:4–14. This verse again states that Messiah will be a God-Man. The humanity of Messiah is obvious: “against the man” The words which follow are never adequately translated into English and so the divinity of Messiah is not made obvious. What is translated as “My Companion” is, in the Hebrew, literally “the man of my fellowship”; in other words God is saying that this person is His equal. The verse should really read, “…and against the man, the man of my fellowship,” and of course in order to be equal with God, Messiah must actually be God. This may not be obvious in our translations, but is very clear in the Hebrew.

This verse also emphasizes the violent nature of Messiah’s death and again states that His death will be the cause of the dispersion of Israel. The shepherd was struck in 30 A.D. when Jesus was crucified, and the sheep were scattered in 70 A.D. when Israel was dispersed. These words are applied to Jesus’ disciples in Matthew 26:31–32 but the primary reference here is to the dispersion of 70 A.D. In verse 7b, even the little ones, the innocent common people, are to suffer because of the rejection of Messiah, the Good Shepherd, by the leaders of Israel.

Zechariah 13:7 shows us that the:

1. Messiah would be a God-Man.
2. Messiah’s death would be violent.
3. Messiah’s death would cause the dispersion of Israel.

Malachi 3:1

“Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the LORD of hosts.

There are only two prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures deal with the forerunner or herald of the Messiah. The first is in Isaiah 40:3–5, and the second is here in Malachi 3:1. The forerunner of Messiah’s Second Coming is clearly identified in Malachi 4:5–6 as the Prophet Elijah. The forerunner of Messiah’s First Coming, however, is never named, neither here or in Isaiah. Only in the New Testament is he revealed as John the Baptist.

As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John… “this is he of whom it is written:

          ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,

          Who will prepare Your way before You.’

“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Matthew 11:7a, 10, 11 (NKJV)

Malachi is the last of the Old Testament prophets. His prophecy is the last revelation of God for 400 years. His name in Hebrew means “my messenger” or “my angel.” The Hebrew word for “my messenger” in verse 3:1 is in fact Malachi. The next prophetic voice to be heard in Israel, 400 years after Malachi, will be the voice of Malachi, “My messenger”—John the Baptist.

The rest of verse 1 talks about the First Coming of Messiah. It says that Messiah will suddenly come to His Temple. This is the Second Temple, rebuilt by Zerubabel and remodeled by Herod the Great. It was to this Temple that Jesus came, on two separate occasions, in order to cleanse it of money-changers (John 2:13–22; Matthew 21:12–13). The text specifically says “his temple.” This Temple belongs to Messiah. He has full rights to the Temple and can do with it as He pleases. When Jesus cleansed it He was exercising His lordship, His authority, His ownership. Verses 2–5 of this passage go on to talk about Messiah’s cleansing of the people at His Second Coming.

Malachi 3:1 instructs that:

Messiah’s First Coming would be preceded by a herald.

This ends this study on the prophetic sections of the Old Testament commonly referred to as “The Prophets.”  Again in this set of posts we are only concerned with the first coming of the Messiah.  We have one more post in this series on the first coming; it will cover the section of the Old Testament called “The Writings.”  Till then, have a very merry Christmas!

References about the Messiah and Kingdom in the Old Testament – Part IV

The Prophets (Continued)

As we continue in the writings of the prophet Isaiah, we have already covered a large part of his prophecies in the last post.  This post will cover the rest of his prophecies.  As I mentioned before there is too much evidence for a larger gospel than currently what is preached and taught today.  There is so much data in the books of scripture that ignoring Kingdom truths and concentrating only on the death, burial, resurrection of the Messiah, gives an incomplete picture of the gospel.  What I hope these posts portray the things that the Jewish roots of our faith considered “good news” before the crucifixion. When we compare this to the New Testament record of the Lord and His apostles, and disciple’s instances of proclaiming the gospel, can we come to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord?   I think at this point looking back over the summaries of the survey of these prophecies my answer would be yes.  Later at the end of this series I will write up a combined summary that could be a possible gospel before the cross and then one post cross for comparison.  But enough on that, on to the third of the prophet’s “Servant” prophecies.

Isaiah 50:4-9

This passage is about the training of God’s servant.  Verses four thru nine contain the third of the servant prophecies; which depict the work of the Lord’s special servant, but also express his determination to persevere with the Lord’s help. The text reads,

4 The sovereign Lord has given me the capacity to be his spokesman, so that I know how to help the weary. He wakes me up every morning; he makes me alert so I can listen attentively as disciples do. 5 The sovereign Lord has spoken to me clearly; I have not rebelled, I have not turned back. 6 I offered my back to those who attacked, my jaws to those who tore out my beard; I did not hide my face from insults and spitting. 7 But the sovereign Lord helps me, so I am not humiliated. For that reason I am steadfastly resolved; I know I will not be put to shame. 8 The one who vindicates me is close by. Who dares to argue with me? Let us confront each other! Who is my accuser? Let him challenge me! 9 Look, the sovereign Lord helps me. Who dares to condemn me? Look, all of them will wear out like clothes; a moth will eat away at them.

Isaiah 50:4-9

It is clear that Jesus in His humanity didn’t possess omniscient, how do we explain His superior knowledge of the scriptures?   The New Testament does not give an answer.  Many Christians do not understand that details of the life of the Messiah are contained in the Old Testament.  This passage in Isaiah gives a picture of the process that the Messiah went through.

In Verse 4 the Messiah is depicting the servant as a disciple.  During his boyhood Jesus was taught according to Jewish custom by His human parents; but more importantly I believe based on this verse that his real Father woke His Son in the early hours of the morning to teach Him who He was, what His mission was, and how to behave in various situations.  At an early age the Lord Jesus knew He was the Messiah of Israel.

Looking at verses 5-6, we see that the Messiah was despised; but notice in verse 5 that He had learned all that was required of Him before His suffering and death.  If we think on this, its clear that before His ministry was public, He could have only committed innocent rebellion with His parents (See Luke 2:41-50) and therefore remained sinless.  He also didn’t “turn back” from His mission.  In verse 6 when His time came, He willingly submitted to His persecutors.  The New Testament describes this abuse in great detail so there is no need to elaborate on that here; that is not the point (See John 18:22, 23; Luke 22:63-65; Mark 14:65; Matthew 27:26-31; Mark 15:16-20 for this.).  There is a greater point to be seen.  It was His learning that helped Him and was an example of learning through obedience during His trials both religious and civil.

Verses 7-9 tell us that Jesus as Messiah was able to endure the punishments which led to the crucifixion and death.  Although we don’t see the death of the Messiah; we do see that Jesus knew that His Father was with Him the whole time.

In summary,

1. Messiah would receive special training from God the Father.
2. Messiah’s first coming would be to suffer.
3. Messiah would be obedient in submitting Himself to the punishment and abuse of man.

Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12

The second most controversial text in the book of Isaiah is 52:13 – 53:12.  This is the fourth of the Servant prophecies.  In chapter 49 earlier we saw the rejection of the Servant.  These verses describe primarily the suffering of the Messiah, but we see also His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. This also is a very large passage, so a link is provided:

Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12.

Judaism’s Interpretive Problems

We need to start with how the Jewish teachers viewed this passage over history.  This passage has caused real problems for Judaism as it was once considered a Messianic passage.  However today it is considered a text about the sufferings of Israel in a world dominated by Gentiles.  This is the now the “traditional view” of Judaism’s rabbis.  This is in opposition to and in conflict with all ancient Jewish writings.  The Mishnah, the Gemara, the Talmud, the Midrashim, and many others; they all regarded this passage as one about the Messiah.

Rashi was the first Jewish rabbi to suggest that this passage spoke of the nation of Israel instead of the Messiah, circa 1050 AD.  In doing so he caused a large controversy and debate with contemporary rabbis at that time.  His most famous opponent was Maimonides (also known as Rambam) who stated that Rashi was completely wrong in his interpretation of the passage.  Today, when Isaiah is read in synagogues they skip this part of the text.  Instead they skip from chapter 52 to 54.

There are also the rabbinic sources prior to the controversy of Rashi’s interpretation,

Babylonian Talmud states, “The Messiah –what is his name?…The Rabbis say, The Leper Scholar, as it is said, ‘surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God and afflicted…’” (Sanhedrin 98b)

Midrash Ruth Rabbah 2:14 also has, “Another explanation (of Ruth ii.14): — He is speaking of king Messiah; `Come hither,’ draw near to the throne; ‘and eat of the bread,’ that is, the bread of the kingdom; ‘and dip thy morsel in the vinegar,’ this refers to his chastisements, as it is said, ‘But he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities’”

Targum Jonathan (4th Century), the Aramaic translation of Isaiah 53, ascribed to Rabbi Jonathan ben Uzziel, a disciple of Hillel, begins with the simple and worthy words, “Behold my servant Messiah shall prosper; he shall be high and increase and be exceedingly strong…” (Targum Jonathan on Isaiah 53, ad Iocum)

Rabbi Moses Maimonides (1135-1204) stated, “What is the manner of Messiah’s advent….there shall rise up one of whom none have known before, and signs and wonders which they shall see performed by him will be the proofs of his true origin; for the Almighty, where he declares to us his mind upon this matter, says, ‘Behold a man whose name is the Branch, and he shall branch forth out of his place’ (Zech. 6:12). And Isaiah speaks similarly of the time when he shall appear, without father or mother or family being known, He came up as a sucker before him, and as a root out of dry earth, etc.…in the words of Isaiah, when describing the manner in which kings will harken to him, At him kings will shut their mouth; for that which had not been told them have they seen, and that which they had not heard they have perceived.” (From the Letter to the South (Yemen), quoted in The Fifty-third Chapter of Isaiah According to the Jewish Interpreters, Ktav Publishing House, 1969, Volume 2, pages 374-5)

 

Rabbi Mosheh Kohen Ibn Crispin, described those who interpret Isaiah 53 as referring to Israel as those: “having forsaken the knowledge of our Teachers, and inclined after the ‘stubbornness of their own hearts,’ and of their own opinion, I am pleased to interpret it, in accordance with the teaching of our Rabbis, of the King Messiah….This prophecy was delivered by Isaiah at the divine command for the purpose of making known to us something about the nature of the future Messiah, who is to come and deliver Israel, and his life from the day when he arrives at discretion until his advent as a redeemer, in order that if anyone should arise claiming to be himself the Messiah, we may reflect, and look to see whether we can observe in him any resemblance to the traits described here; if there is any such resemblance, then we may believe that he is the Messiah our righteousness; but if not, we cannot do so.” (From his commentary on Isaiah, quoted in The Fifty-third Chapter of Isaiah According to the Jewish Interpreters, Ktav Publishing House, 1969, Volume 2, pages 99-114.)

Also from Rambam Maimonides, “Whoever does not believe in him (Messiah), or does not await his coming, denies not only the other prophets but also the Torah and Moses, our teacher, for the Torah attests to his coming.”  Source: Hilchos Melachim from the Mishneh Torah of the Rambam, 11:1.

Zohar: Rabbi Simeon Ben Jochai (2nd Century), “There is in the garden of Eden a palace called: ‘The palace of the sons of sickness, this palace the Messiah enters, and summons every sickness, every pain, and every chastisement of Israel: they all come and rest upon Him. And were it not that He had thus lightened them off Israel, and taken them upon Himself, there had been no man able to bear Israel’s chastisement for the transgression of the law; this is that which is written, ‘Surely our sicknesses he has carried’ Isa.53,4).- As they tell Him (the Messiah) of the misery of Israel in their captivity, and of those wicked ones among them who are not attentive to know their Lord, He lifts up His voice and weeps for their wickedness; and so it is written, ‘He was wounded for our transgressions’ (Isa.53,5). part II, page 212a and III, page 218a, Amsterdam Ed.)

Because of the change in Jewish readings to interpret this text as Israel and not the Messiah there are several observations we need to make about this passage concerning the current rabbinic interpretation or reading before we talk about its prophetic messianic implications.

First, the servant of Isaiah 53 is an innocent and guiltless sufferer. Israel is never described as sinless. Isaiah 1:4a says of the nation: “Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters!” Isaiah then goes on in the same chapter to characterize Judah as Sodom, Jerusalem as a harlot, and the people as those whose hands are stained with blood (see verses 1:10, 15, and 21). What a far cry from the innocent and guiltless sufferer of Isaiah 53 who had “…done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. (Isaiah 53:9 see also 1 Peter 2:22)”

Second, many ancient rabbis spoke of two Messiahs, one who was the “Son of David” and another who was the “Son of Joseph.” Though one can find the sufferings of Messiah attributed to the sufferings of the Davidic Messiah in many rabbinic writings, often a second Messiah is posited, the “Son of Joseph” or “Son of Ephraim,” who is the one who suffers while the Davidic Messiah conquers. The rabbis struggled with Biblical portraits of a suffering Messiah, as found in Isaiah 53 and other places, and portraits of a conquering Messiah, also found in the Hebrew Bible. They posited two Messiahs, but could it not also be reasonable to believe there is just one Messiah but two aspects of his mission, a suffering aspect and a conquering aspect?

Third, The eminent scholar Raphael Patai, who “taught Hebrew at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem” and served as Professor of Anthropology at Dropsie University, (Patai, Raphael, The Messiah Texts, Avon Books, 1979, p. vii) said this of the two-messiah theory,

“When the death of the Messiah became an established tenet in Talmudic times, this was felt to be irreconcilable with the belief in the Messiah as Redeemer who would usher in the blissful millennium of the Messianic Age. The dilemma was solved by splitting the person of the Messiah in two: one of them, called Messiah ben Joseph, was to raise the armies of Israel against their enemies, and, after many victories and miracles, would fall victim Gog and Magog. The other, Messiah ben David, will come after him (in some legends will bring him back to life, which psychologically hints at the identity of the two), and will lead Israel to the ultimate victory, the triumph, and the Messianic era of bliss.” (Ibid., p. 166)

Finally, for centuries Orthodox Judaism held the concept of two Messiahs.  Since the Talmudic period (70 – 500 AD) history tells us that the “Son of David” alone was taught to the Jewish people.  There is only one Messiah, but there are two comings and two aspects of his ministry. The Messiah came the first time to provide atonement for sin. One day he will return to judge the earth and to bring in His Kingdom.

This servant prophecy is the most famous and contains five sections of three verses each.  This prophecy predicts the Servant’s death for the sins of His people. Another way to break the text down is into three sections: (1) The Father praises the work of the Servant (52:13–15); (2) Israel confesses that it has despised Him (53:1–9); (3) the prophecy expands on the significance of the Servant’s death (53:10–12). In the New Testament, the Servant is identified with Jesus Christ and it is quoted either directly or indirectly (See Luke 22:37; 24:27, 46; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 1:11).

Verses 52:13 – 15

In verse 13 the Servant of Isaiah 42:1 is mentioned again with the words, “Behold, My Servant.”  This marks a new section in the development of Isaiah’s recording of prophetic truth.  The Hebrew word here for “behold” is a marker used to liven narrative, change a scene, emphasize an idea, call attention to a detail.^[1] It calls the reader to fix his or her attention carefully on the Servant and what follows.  In the NKJV it states that He “shall deal prudently.” The footnote has “prosper”; the Hebrew literally says, “act wisely,” which by metonymy means “succeed.”  Verse 14 explains what happens prior to His death, resurrection, and ascension.  The Servant would be literally in the Hebrew, “Many were appalled at you, so [was the] disfigurement of [Him] from a man, appearance and form of Him from the sons of mankind.” The word “appalled” means to be appalled, horrified, terrified, dismayed, i.e., to have an emotion or attitude of horror and great fear, implying also dismay and discouragement.[2]

Even though many were appalled at the Servant’s inhuman disfigurement; despite this in verse 15 the Messiah is destined for His mission to be completed and result in cleansing “sprinkle” the nations and “kings” being astonished because of the results of the Servant’s disfigurement.  There is debate on whether the word “sprinkle” (NKJV) should be translated “startled.”  I think Isaiah may have used a double entendre at this point so his readers would see both truths. In reading through Isaiah it is clear that he favored the use of multiple allusions.  If “sprinkle” is in focus, Isaiah meant that even though the Servant was such an unlikely candidate Messianic representative, He would still perform the priestly function of cleansing the Israel and the nations their sins (See Leviticus 4:6; 8:11; 14:7; 1 Peter 1:1–2; Hebrews 10:22).  If “startle” was in focus, Isaiah meant that since the Servant was such an unlikely Messianic representative, He would shock the world when He appeared. Both meanings are possible and do not contradict any other text about the Servant. Most translations have “sprinkle,” and I believe is the primary meaning. Another line of evidence for this in the book is other priestly allusions in the upcoming verses (53:6, 7, 10, 11).  Also, in this verse there is the “Kings,” whom I believe to be Gentile, and the reason for their astonishment is,

For what had not been told them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall consider.   Isaiah 52:15c

The Servant’s atoning death and its significance will be comprehended by “kings” (probably synecdoche of the part for the whole, representing the nations and peoples of the earth) as the basis of their reverential awe.   Paul also used this verse in Romans 15:21 in relation to his preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Having these verses as an overview of the sacrificial work of the Messiah, chapter 53 gives us the details.

Isaiah 53:1-3

In verse 1, Isaiah speaks of unbelief; Israel didn’t believe that Jesus is the Messiah.  Isaiah does this by referring to “the Servant of Yahweh” and the “Arm of Yahweh.”  This has to be a reference to the Messiah because back in verse 40:10, the prophet said that the “Arm” will rule for God.  In verse, 51:5 he states that the Gentiles will trust in the “Arm.”  In 51:9, the “Arm” will redeem; finally, in 52:10 we see that the “Arm” will provide salvation.  The thought here is that Israel (at a future time) will express surprise at what was just stated in 52:13-15.

Verse 2 elaborates the reasons, the Messiah was born into the world into humble circumstances; this relates back to Isaiah 11.  Israel confesses that while the Messiah was with them there was nothing special about His outward appearance that would have created an attraction to Him.  His childhood and growth into manhood was “normal” from the standpoint of Israel looking at his upbringing.

In verse 3 remarks that the entire life of the Messiah was filled with rejection and suffering.  People turned away from Him and didn’t accord Him the respect due royalty.  The thought here is that people in general did their best to avoid Him.

Isaiah 53:4-6

In verse 4 we can see the substitutionary nature of the Messiah’s suffering.  Israel didn’t perceive this; on the contrary they considered His suffering a punishment from God.  The nation as a whole (with rare exceptions) one day will understand and confess that He suffered vicariously on their behalf.

Verse 5 has the nation confessing that the substitutionary suffering of the Messiah resulted in reconciliation and spiritual healing.  This was due to the Messiah being the chastisement for their sins.

Verse 6 is a prophetic statement that Israel will make acknowledging their sin and sin bearer.  It also states that they recognize that the Messiah suffered for their sins and that God was the one who laid their sins on Him.

The pronouns throughout this section are important, we, our, etc.  It’s important to note two things here, first Isaiah was a Jew; this prophecy is not a Gentile one but a Jewish one.  Secondly, nothing in this passage could apply to the nation as a whole in any sense other than their repentance and their realization of their sin and who the Messiah was/is; this passage is clearly referring to an individual – the Messiah.  This individual is recognized by the “we” in this passage and the “we” are repentant sinners.

Isaiah 53:7-9

The rendering of verse 7 states that the Messiah remained silent during His affliction with the idea of His “bending/submitting” which was continual per the Hebrew participle.  The Servant humbly submitted to suffering and unjust treatment.

Again this can’t be true of Israel as a nation.  For many years when attacked, Israel has been anything but silent about its treatment in the international community.

Verse 8 states that the Messiah was tried and executed for the “transgressions” of the people.  The word transgression has in its meaning the breaking of the law by a sinner.  The idea here is that after trial and judgment, the Messiah was taken away for execution.  However, at the time the people didn’t realize that He was being executed for their sins.

Verse 9 speaks of the beginning of the Messiah’s vindication, He was executed as a criminal but was buried instead (per divine justice) in a rich man’s tomb – a place of honor.

Isaiah 53:10-12

Now in verse 10, God is seen as ultimately responsible for the Messiah’s death.  The first part of the verse literally reads, “Yet Yahweh delighted in crushing Him, He made Him sick, if He [literally, ‘his life’ or ‘soul’ or ‘living being’] makes a reparation offering.”  We need to stop here and remember the principal of the remission or atonement of sin.  This is why a system of animal sacrifice was instituted and recorded in the scriptures of the patriarchs all the way back to Able.  However, we know from progressive revelation that these sacrifices only covered sin, they didn’t remove sin.  During the period of the Mosaic Law, it only covered a year.  The One who would provide the final sacrifice was God Himself, through the Messiah God would remove sin completely.   There is much more that could be discussed here, but for now it’s important to realize this is one of the reasons the Messiah had to die.

The next part of the verse seemingly is strange, “He shall see [His] seed, He shall prolong His days…”  However, this can be understood as a reference to the Messiah’s resurrection.  The “seed” is a metaphor for His spiritual progeny.  It is interesting to note that we have just been told the Messiah will die, and then in the next phrase hear that He will be resurrected.

In verse 11 we read that the coming Messiah who is killed will be able to see the results of His suffering.  The Hebrew word for “labor” in the NKJV has a couple of meanings.  First it means “trouble” or misery with the idea of work that is unpleasant, hard; a distressing experience.  Figuratively, it is a picture of hard toiling work.  The second meaning is that of “toil”, work that is difficult and hard with the idea of possibly gaining wealth (See scattered references in Ecclesiastes 1:3 – 10:15).  Both of these ideas are important.  We also see something interesting in that this Messiah will do this from a perspective of “self-knowledge.”  This part of the verse could be read, “…he will reflect on his work, he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done.”  This is the translation of the NET.  The Messiah will after suffering will know and understand what He has done and be satisfied with what has transpired.  In addition, the next part of the verse literally reads, “…he will acquit, a righteous one, my servant, many.”  This is a puzzling statement; I believe the key is the verb here.  The specific meaning of the Hebrew verb (tsadaq) is debated and I believe the reason is competing theological systems.  If we just let the text speak we can arrive at what Isaiah’s meaning.  In other Hebrew texts this particular form is used at least six times in the sense of “make righteous” in a legal sense, i.e., “pronounce innocent, acquit” (see Exodus 23:7; Deuteronomy 25:1; 1 Kings 8:32 is equivalent to 2 Chronicles 6:23; Proverbs 17:15; Isaiah 5:23). It can also mean “render justice” (as a royal function, see 2 Samuel 15:4; Psalm 82:3), “concede” (Job 27:5), “vindicate” (Isaiah 50:8), and “lead to righteousness” (by teaching and example, Daniel 12:3). The immediate context suggests a legal sense here. Due to the Messiah’s willingness to carry or bear the people’s sins, the Servant is able to “acquit” them.

Continuing in verse 12 the Messiah is pictured as coming into His kingdom.  Because He (literally) poured out His life to the point of death God will greatly bless the Servant in the end above all others because He died on their behalf and was also willing to be numbered among sinners – He identified Himself with His people, even the lowest of them.  In addition, the Messiah will intercede for them in the future.  I believe that this is a reference to the High Priestly ministry of the Lord Jesus’ that is being conducted today.  Another interesting item, the word used for “strong” can mean “a force potent to accomplish its purposes” or physical strength, or a multitude, or great.  This last term is frequently seen in the translations.  But the meaning here should be with the strong in more than one sense, but primarily with those “who accomplish the purpose God had for them.” [3]

So we have seen the following from this passage:

1. That the ancient rabbis understood this passage as speaking of the Messiah, and only later did the “interpretation” change to the current view that this passage speaks of Israel as a Nation.  See the references above.
2. That the Messiah would,
   1. be born in natural circumstances with no distinguishing characteristics.
   2. in His first coming be characterized by suffering.
   3. be rejected.
   4. undergo a legal trial and be condemned to death.
   5. be executed.
   6. buried in a rich man’s tomb.
   7. be resurrected.
   8. in His sufferings and death be substitutionary.
   9. bring justification to all who believe in Him.

Isaiah 61:1-3

This prophecy was partially read by our Lord Jesus in Luke 4:16-21.  He only read verse 1 and 2a and then stopped.  He was the fulfillment of those verses and will be the fulfillment of the remainder of the verses.

Looking at verse 1; we can see that it confirms Isaiah 11:2 and 42:1, the Messiah will be anointed with the Holy Spirit for His mission.  This anointing took place in Matthew 3:16 (at His baptism) and it was at this point that He began His public ministry and openly proclaimed his Messiahship.

In His first coming it was prophesied that the Messiah would first preach the good news to men, proclaim liberty to the captives, to open the prison of those who were bound, and to proclaim the acceptable year of Jehovah’s favor.  Each of these in turn is examined for their significance.

1.  Preaching the good news, we understand as the gospel (which is much different than the one we see preached today).
2. Proclaiming liberty to the captives is a way of saying in context that the nation Israel and Jews in particular were slaves to the Mosaic code.  This was primarily due to their inability to keep it.  As the Messiah pointed out in John 8:31 – 36, the Jews were indeed slaves to sin.  They were not only bound but they were under a curse of the law due to their inability to keep all 613 commandments and ordinances.
3. The statement “To open the prison of those who were bound” is further explained in the book of Hebrews,

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.  Hebrews 2:14–15

Due to Israel’s failure to keep the law, they were bound by a Satanic fear of death.  Part of the Messiah’s mission was to remove the keys of death and hades from Satan so that anyone who believes in the Messiah, Jew or Gentile, need have no more fear of death.  We all know that fear before we are believers and once it is removed what a relief it is to not be bound by it.

 

1. A Messianic Jew once recorded a different translation for the last part of this passage, “To proclaim the acceptable period of favor of grace.”  With the death of the Messiah, the Law was brought to an end as a rule of life for believers.  This doesn’t mean that these commandments and ordinances cease to exist, they are codified in the imperatives within the NT, and there are over 1000 of them versus the 613 in the OT.

In verses 2b through verse 3 we see the Messiah in His second coming.  This is a study in itself due in part that it’s a study of multiple books of both the OT and NT, such as Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, other Old Testament Prophets and passages; Matthew, Revelation and other prophetic passages from Messiah Jesus and His Apostles. As such these will have to wait until another series on the second coming which is another part of the Good News or gospel as it is understood today.  I recommend The Footsteps of the Messiah, by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum available through Ariel Ministries (www.ariel.org).

This last Messianic prophecy from Isaiah shows us two major points in God’s plan of redemption,

1. The Messiah would be anointed by the Holy Spirit at the beginning of His ministry.
2. The Messiah would have a prophetic preaching ministry.

This ends the section on Isaiah; in the next several installments we will cover the rest of the major and minor prophets in the OT.  Our next area of study will be in Jeremiah.

---

^[1] Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.  #6786

“Crockpot Theology”

I was reading a post from a friend and he had commented on another’s blog.  In reading this blog I thought how insightful this was and then went back and read the posts leading up to this.  I was amazed!  Its a well thought out, reasonable view of our Lord and the woman at the well in John 4.  You can find the end post here,

http://sancsblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-much-we-need-need-final.html

I would go back and read the other posts leading up to this one as well.

References about the Messiah and Kingdom in the Old Testament – Part III

Introduction

This next installment of the references to the Gospel in the Old Testament begins with the prophet Isaiah and with one of the most controversial messianic prophecies.  As said earlier, these texts were most likely the ones that the disciples and apostles, and the Lord Jesus Himself used to communicate the gospel.  The more I read through these and try to put myself into the mind of an apostle trying to communicate the gospel to someone, the more I understand why the Lord said to Nicodemus,

“Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?”  John 3:10

The Prophets

First we will start with the prophet Isaiah.  The book of Isaiah will have to be done in several parts; this post will cover the Isaiah’s writings concerning: The Book of Immanuel and its Messianic prophecies (7:1-17; 8:9-10; 9:6-7), The Stump of Jesse prophecy (11:1-2), The Herald of the King prophecy (40:3-5), and the first two of The Servant prophecies (The Servant of the LORD – 42:1-6 and The Servant’s Discouragement – 49:1-13).  Part IV will cover the last three of The Servant prophecies; Part V will cover the rest of the OT prophets.  Without delaying let’s get right into the text.

Isaiah 7:1-17

Due to the length of this passage, A link is provided: Isaiah 7:1-17.  The chapters starting with seven to twelve has “The Book of Immanuel” because the name “Immanuel” is contained in verses 7:14; 8:8, 10.  This is the first Messianic prophecy we will look at in the section of the scriptures referred to as “The Prophets.”  This text deals with the birth of Immanuel.  If you study the scriptures long enough, you will see that when human parents name a child it reflects their thinking.  This is somewhat true I think in our day when we name our children.  However, when God names a child, the name shows the very nature of that child.  In this passage, the very nature of Immanuel is “God among us.”

Going back to the post on Genesis 3:15 earlier, this text is another prophecy of how the “seed” of a daughter of Eve will conceive and give birth to the Messiah.  There is no shortage of controversy over verse 14, especially this part of it,

“a sign…the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son…”

This text and its meaning is disputed by rabbis, liberal, evangelical scholars and theologians.  The dispute centers on two things 1) the meaning of the “sign” and 2) the Hebrew word “almah.”

First, the context of the chapter itself is concerned with a sign given to King Ahaz of Judah.  So how can it refer to a birth some 700 years in the future?

Often a passage or a block of Scripture is speaking of two different persons or two different events that are separated by a long period of time. In the passage itself they are blended into one picture, and the time gap between the two persons or two events is not presented by the text itself. The fact that a gap of time exists is known because of other Scriptures, but in that particular text itself the gap of time is not seen.  The gap is clear from other scriptures just as this one is.  In Matthew 1:22-23 we have the future event interpreted.  This is called a prophetic “Double Reference.”  There isn’t time or space to defend this view over other views, suffice it to say that this writer accepts this interpretive principal and rejects the others.

We will see in a bit that this passage deals with two separate prophecies with completely different purposes and different fulfillments.  I’m only going to deal with the issues surrounding the prophecy to Ahaz as a peripheral issue.  On the other hand I would like to show why its believed that this virgin birth is not only Messianic but was held by teachers before the time of the Messiah’s first coming.

The word itself Almah translated as “virgin” is to be distinguished from two other Hebrew words, Na’a’rah, and Betulah.  The first of these two other words can refer to either a virgin or a non-virgin.  (See 1 Kings1:2 compared to Ruth 2:6 respectively).  The second word is used in scripture to describe a virgin exclusively.  Those who point to this word have said that if Isaiah had wanted to indicate virginity they would have used Betulah.  While it is true that this could be done, but the word is not always exclusively used of a virgin.

In Joel 1:8 it is used to reference a widow.  In Genesis 24:16, it is clarified for the same reason by the writer, referring to Rebekah,

Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. (emphasis mine)

The writer chose to clarify what he meant by using this word by adding, no man had known her.  This was done instead of letting the word stand for itself.  Also, in Judges 21:12 a similar phrase is used, “had not known a man.” This had to be added to give the text a precise meaning.

On the other hand, Almah is used seven times in the Hebrew Scriptures and not once does it occur in the context of describing a married (non-virgin) woman.  This is not debated by scholars.  (See Genesis 24:43; Exodus 2:8; Psalm 68:25; Song of Songs 1:3; 6:8; Proverbs 30:18-19; and Isaiah 7:14.)  So if the woman in described by the word in verse 14 is an unmarried woman, then God would be promoting and promising a sign involving fornication and illegitimacy.  Going further, what would be the reason or so unusual about an illegitimate child that would constitute a sign?

Jewish writers of antiquity had no argument about this passage predicting a virgin birth.  The LXX (or Septuagint) a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament made about 200 B.C.  That is 200 years before any controversy of the virgin birth of the Messiah arose.  The translators who made the LXX, who lived closer to the time of Isaiah than we do today, translated Isaiah 7:14 using the Greek word parthenos which very clearly and exclusively means a virgin.

To cover this passage in its entirety would take too much space, but the relevant facts about the passage from some hermeneutical work would be good to understand the context.  I’ll do this in outline form with clarifying notes:

In verses 1-2 we have a threat to the House of David.  The threat of invasion by the Assyrian Empire rattled the smaller Kingdoms in that part of the world.   Through an alliance between the northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and Syria those Kings hoped to defeat the armies of Assyria.  They felt that there were not enough forces to withstand an attack so they hoped to ally the King of Judah, Ahaz to help them.  He refused.  The two kings plotted to dethrone Ahaz, to install a more favorable King to their alliance.  However, in doing so they would have deposed the House of David.  This is something God would not allow.  We will talk more about this in the Davidic Covenant.

In verses 7:3-9 we see Ahaz who is by this time an idolater and is fearful of the impending attack seen in verse 2.  In these verses God gives Ahaz a message through the prophet Isaiah.  Isaiah is to take his son with him, Shear-Jashub who’s name means “a remnant will return.”  We see in later in verses 15-16 why Isaiah takes his son with him.  Verses 5-6 describe the plot and directing Ahaz to not be afraid.  The plot is to replace Ahaz with the son of Tabheel.  This name means “God is good.”  Isaiah has altered the vowel pattern slightly to change the meaning to “good for nothing.”  This conspiracy cannot succeed against the covenant that God made with David.  God makes this clear in verse 7, and in 8-9 He says He will judge the two Kings.

Unfortunately as an idolater Ahaz already made arrangements with the King of Assyria.  So how he responds to God’s instruction in verses 10-11 is not really a surprise.  God speaks again in verse 10 offering Ahaz a sign.  The word here for “sign” here can mean a miracle or supernatural or a natural sign.  What God is saying in verse 10 is that Ahaz can go beyond the bounds of ordinary human experience and request a supernatural sign.

In verse 12, Ahaz rejects the offer under false piety.  This is a reference to Deuteronomy 6:16.  However, here God is offering a sign.  Ahaz miss applies the scriptures in his rejection of God’s offer of a sign and subsequent protection.  How often do we do this in our own lives when we have the clear promise of the Lord in His word and we reject it for the counsel of men or succumb to our own fear and make our own plans in case what the Lord has promised “doesn’t work out.”  How sick with sin we are when we do this.

Isaiah has been instructed to give a sign to the house of David.  This is apparent from the pronouns used in verses 13-14.  In English we don’t distinguish between “you” singular and plural, it’s the context that tells which it is.  In Hebrew there is a difference, and the plural “you” of verses 13-14 are addressed to the house of David and by extension the nation of Israel.  When we add the singular and plural markers to the passage we see the change in address between Ahaz and the House of David,

“…The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son. If you [singular] will not believe, Surely you [singular] shall not be established.

 

Moreover the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself [singular] from the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!”

Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you [plural] to weary men, but will you [plural] weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you [plural] a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.  Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you [singular] dread will be forsaken by both her kings.  The LORD will bring the king of Assyria upon you [singular] and your people and your father’s house—days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah.”          Isaiah 7:9–17

In verse 14 the Hebrew word “behold” is a word which draws attention to an event which could be past, present, or future.  However, grammatically, whenever this word is used with the Hebrew Present Participle, it always refers to a future event.  That is not what is happening in the text, not only is the birth future, but the very conception of the child is future.  This is not referring to a pregnant woman about to give birth.  The passage specifically says “the virgin” (the NIV and NKJV are correct, but the NASB and other translations that have “a virgin” are incorrect).  The question arises who is this woman?  And who is this child? According to Hebrew grammar, when the definite article the is used the reader should look for a reference in the immediate previous context.  No woman is refered to from verse 1 onward.  Not finding anything there the reader is to apply the “principal of previous reference.”  In other words we have to go back chronologically to a reference to an earlier reference.  It is common knowledge that there is no reference to a virgin woman giving birth in the Hebrew Scriptures.  The only reference that makes sense is in Genesis 3:15.

We discussed this in the last post; the Messiah would be from the “seed” of the Woman.  Why is this?  Because in the Genesis passage, we have the first hint that the Messiah would have no Human father.  God’s Son would be a virgin-born son.  Again, this means that the Messiah must be born before the destruction of the temple in 70 AD.

Finally there was a sign to Ahaz, in verses 15-17 after the far future prophecy concerning the birth of the Messiah, God provides another sign.  In these verses the “you” again is singular.  The prophecy is that before Isaiah’s son is old enough to know right from wrong, the Kings of Israel and Syria will be deposed and their threat removed.  This happened in three years.  The word “boy” in verse 16 has the definite article, so “the boy” or Isaiah’s son is referred to here not the one in verse 14.

One last thought, even in Ahaz’ idolatry and unbelief God is still faithful to the house of David.

To sum up, Isaiah 7:14 explains Genesis 3:15, i.e. a virgin born Messiah, this Messiah will be both God and Man, the Messiah will be a King, and the Messiah must be born before the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD.

Isaiah 8:9-10

The next passage in Isaiah is also dealing with the promise of Immanuel.

“Be shattered, O you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Give ear, all you from far countries. Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces; Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; Speak the word, but it will not stand, For God is with us.”   Isaiah 8:9-10

Just as in chapter 7 God promised a sign to Ahaz, this was in response to the promise to King David to protect his dynasty until One comes to sit on his throne eternally.  So this passage is a confirmation that any conspiracies, threats, or the like would be thwarted until the Messiah comes.

Verse 10 more literally rendered, “…but it will not stand, because of Immanuel.”  The gravity of these two verses, especially this last phrase, is lost in the English translation.

In addition to being a reminder of God’s presence in the immediate crisis faced by Ahaz and Judah, Immanuel (whose name is echoed in this concluding statement) was a guarantee of the nation’s future greatness in fulfillment of God’s covenantal promises.

Eventually God will deliver his people from the hostile nations (vv. 9–10) through another child, an ideal Davidic ruler who would embody God’s presence (see 9:6–7 below). Jesus the Messiah is the fulfillment of the Davidic ideal prophesied by Isaiah, the one whom Immanuel prefigured. Through the miracle of the incarnation He is literally “God with us.” Matthew realized this and applied Isaiah’s ancient prophecy of Immanuel’s birth to Jesus (Matthew 1:22–23).

Once again, this prophecy indicates that the Messiah must be born prior to 70 AD.

Isaiah 9:6-7

A quick review, chapters 7-12 of Isaiah constitute the fifth major section of the book and are a single unit, again as stated above, called “the book of Emmanuel.”  This name appears three times in this section, in verses 7:14, and 8:8, 10.  The “book” deals different aspects of the Messiah’s person and work.  Two verses specifically deal with the origin of the Messiah,

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.  Isaiah 9:6

In verse 9:6a His human origin is emphasized.  The phase “unto us a Son is given” in the Old Testament emphasizes a unique gift of God.  This is the same Son as in Psalm 2, which will be discussed when we discuss the Writings.  His divine origin is emphasized by four names given in 9:b:

1. Wonderful Counselor.  In the Hebrew this is two words Pele-Yeoitz and should be taken as one name.  Not separated by a comma in some translations.  There are words in Hebrew which are used of God and never of men, pele is such a word.
2. Mighty God.  In Hebrew it means just what it does in English and this needs no further comment.
3. Eternal Father. Is literally in Hebrew “Father of Eternity.”  The Son who is to be born will be the Father of Eternity, meaning He is the source of everlasting life.  Clearly this is no mere man who has this title.
4. Prince of Peace.  In Hebrew this is Sar-Shalom and is only one of the four names which can be used of Man and God.

These names are used in other parts of the Old Testament scriptures.  The phrase “Wonderful Counselor” is used in Isaiah 25:1 and 28:29,

O LORD, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.    Isaiah 25:1

This also comes from the LORD of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance.     Isaiah 28:29

In all of these verses, we have the same term which clearly indicates the writer was referring to God.

In Isaiah 10:21 we have the same name “Mighty God” which in the Hebrew is El Gibbor.  It is the same word in Hebrew. There are many translations of the scriptures; and several of them mistranslate or insert texts that are not there   in messianic prophetic texts when they do not want to have to face what they see in the Hebrew text.  We have seen this already with Isaiah 9:6.  This is interfering with the text.  Unfortunately unsuspecting believers take their translations as being error free.  Basing knowledge of God and salvation on texts whose integrity is compromised leads such a one who is seeking God down the wrong path.  The New English Bible is a perfect example of this.  See how Isaiah 9:6 and 10:21 are translated compared to the NKJV or NET translations.

The name “Eternal Father” can be compared with Isaiah 63:16b,

You, O LORD, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.

In this verse the name is used clearly of God as it should be in 9:6.

The constituent pieces of the name “Prince of Peace” can be found in Isaiah 26:3,

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.  Isaiah 26:3

The subject and object of the sentence is God.  Again in Isaiah 26:12, the work of peace is attributed to God.  Again, as said earlier, the phrase “Prince of Peace” is sometime used of men.

LORD, You will establish peace for us, For You have also done all our works in us.  Isaiah 26:12

In verse 9:7 we have the rule of the King.  This is appropriate that it follows a text that clearly indicates that this person named Emmanuel is both God and man.  This verse shows us the person is the Messiah of Israel, He is to sit on the throne of David.

Isaiah 11:1-2

There is also in the book of Isaiah the prophecy of the “stump of Jesse” which is a picture of a tree that has been cut down.  Usually when a tree is cut down all you have is a dead stump.  The NKJV has “Rod” and “Stem,”

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.                Isaiah 11:1-2

In the KJV, NIV, and other translations have “stump” will sprout a “branch.”  The picture is of a young green stem coming from the stump.  It’s also interesting that David is not mentioned only his father.  The name of David was always associated with royalty and kingship.  But recall that before he was king, David was a shepherd boy.  Also, the Messiah came lowly as a servant the first time as emphasized in this passage.

In verse one the emphasis is on the Messiah’s origin.  A plain reading of this tells us that the Messiah will not come until the House of David is reduced to that which it was in the days of Jesse.  Verse two tells us that that this One will have the sevenfold fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Each of the “Spirit of …” statements begins with the “Spirit of the LORD” or the Holy Spirit “shall rest upon Him.”  This is followed by more statements each followed by two attributes, “wisdom and understanding,” “counsel and might,” and “knowledge and of fear of the LORD.”  Putting these statements together reminds those of us with a Jewish background or heritage of the menorah lamp stand.

When looking for fulfillment of this prophecy in the Messiah; we find it in the life of the Lord Jesus.  We know from the scriptures that Jesus was:

1. Born into the House of David.
2. Born into Bethlehem, the home of Jesse.
3. He was born into great poverty.

We see this during Mary’s purification.  According to Leviticus 12:1-8, after the birth of a baby, the mother should offer a blood sacrifice in the temple for her cleansing.  The text of Leviticus states that it could be a lamb and a pigeon or a dove.  But a provision for those in poverty was that they could offer two pigeons or doves.  Mary and Joseph could only afford a pair of two birds.  This makes clear that the couple, descendants of the House of David were very poor.

We also find in John 3:34, John the Baptist describing Jesus as having the fullness of the Spirit,

For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.  John 3:34

The New Testament teaches that those who believe in the Messiah are given a measure of the Holy Spirit.  Because each one only has a measure of the Spirit, each one has different gifts so that they are dependent on each other to fulfill the role God assigned them in the Body of the Messiah.  The Lord Jesus however, was given the “Spirit without measure.”  In scripture the number seven signifies perfection, completeness or fullness.  The sevenfold nature of the Spirit in this passage is synonymous with the fullness in John 3:34.  It can also be seen in relation to the “seven spirits” in Revelation 

1:4, 3:1, 4:5, and 5:6.

Isaiah 40:3-5

A few verses in the beginning of Isaiah 40 don’t deal with prophecy about the Messiah directly. Therefore I don’t want to spend too much time on this.  This text is a prophecy about the Messiah’s herald or forerunner.  A text on the manners and customs of the period relates it this way,

It’s been the custom for centuries for Eastern monarchs who are traveling through their domain to send men before them to prepare their way by removing stones (see Isaiah 62:10), leveling rough places, filling up hollows, cleaning up trash and litter, and generally making the road pleasant and easy for the distinguished travelers and their guests… In Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, and John 1:23, this passage is applied to John the Baptist who, as a herald, preceded the Messiah to announce His coming and prepare the way for Him (see Malachi 3:1). 1

Notice the contexts and who is saying what to whom in the above referenced NT passages.  In the context of the book of Isaiah, this forerunner was calling out because the LORD was coming to His people’s aid.  The indication is that the Messiah was certainly coming and His people should prepare for His appearing.

One can’t help but think of the two comings of the Messiah as we look at verse 5,

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.                                                                                                                                                                             Isaiah 40:5

All “flesh” would be astonished at His saving the Israelites and bringing them back into their land. Even more so, the entire world would stand amazed at His saving mankind through the appearing of the Messiah. Greater will be His demonstration of His glory that would accompany Messiah’s return the second time to rule.

Isaiah 42:1-7

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

 

He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands shall wait for His law.”

 

Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it: “I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.

Isaiah 42:1-7

The title “Servant” was used by Isaiah quite frequently to designate the Messiah.  It is a messianic title found in Isaiah 42 thru 66.  This is one of the first of five passages speaking of the “Servant.”  There are four logical sections of this passage emphasizing attributes of the Messiah:

1.  Verse 1 – Emphasis: The station or status of the Messiah.  The verse describes four things about the Messiah:

1. He will be the “Servant” of LORD.  Marks Gospel has this servanthood of the Messiah as its theme.
2. He is the LORD’s “Chosen” or “Elect” One. The LORD will take pleasure/delight.  Although the Hebrew word for delight is in the perfect tense, the verb “delight” probably refers to the LORD’s constant delight in the servant not to be limited to the moment of choice.
3. He will have the LORD’s Spirit “put upon” Him (See also Isaiah 11:2 above).

1. He will be a benefit to the Gentiles.  The Messiah primarily comes for the benefit of Israel, He will also come to benefit the Gentile nations as well.

1. Verse 2 – Emphasis: The conduct of the Messiah.  The Hebrew word rendered “cry out” means “to cry out in distress.” The phrase “cause His voice to be heard in the street” suggests the same thing. The manner in which the Messiah will conduct Himself is portrayed here as one who does not draw attention to himself.  This is confirmed by the Gospels as the Lord Jesus’ usual style of behavior.

1. Verse 3 – Emphasis: The way of the Messiah.  This verse is easy to misunderstand, the phrase in 42:3a means the poor and needy (See Isaiah 41:17; 42:7).  The Messiah would be gentle towards the weak or oppress those who are already oppressed and down trodden.  The phrase “not break” is a figure of speech, it’s an understatement for the positive equivalent – to mend or restore a person.  The words “smoking flax” is better rendered “dimly burning” and represents those who have almost lost their faith and hope in the Lord. The Servant will come to restore the poor and needy and encourage people in their faith (see Matthew 11:5).   In the last part of the verse He would be faithful to His calling to bring forth justice to the nations.  The NASB and the NRSV more accurately translate the Hebrew which is literally, “faithfully he will bring out justice.”

1. Verse 4 – Emphasis: The success of the Messiah.

The Messiah was and is more than Moses.  Once the Messiah starts the process of bringing mankind under the rule of God, he will not stop. The pressures and blows that cause many to stop serving the Lord would not deter Him. This reflects the Holy Spirit’s empowerment in His life (compare to verse 1). He would complete His mission of instituting justice on the earth. It’s clear from this verse that the farthest reaches of the earth will anticipate the coming of His law.

Its important to remember that God the Father Himself is declaring the unfailing endurance of His Servant.  It is an unusual word selection in the Hebrew; Isaiah uses play on words in verses 3 and 4. The words “not fail” is literally “grow dim, fade,” and echoes the “smoldering” or “dimly burning” wick in verse 3.  The phrase “be discouraged” is literally “be crushed, bruised” and echoes the “bruised” reed of verse 3. The servant will persist through difficult situations; He will not have a “break down” in the adversities that happen to Him. The Servant in accomplishing His purpose will persist with unfailing endurance; will not perish under oppression in carrying out His task to completion.

I’m sure this passage (verses 1-7) refers to the first coming of the Messiah, but I also believe that this also refers to His second coming.

1. Verse 5-7 – Emphasis: The mission of the Messiah.

The Lord now turned from describing His Servant’s task by speaking about Him to confirming His task by speaking to Him.  God introduces Himself as the source of all physical and spiritual life; this is indicated by the words “breath” and “spirit,” which refers to the breath of life and man’s ability to perceive ultimate truth. Then there is a beautiful majestic declaration by God the Father to the Son!  He will enable the Servant to free both Israel and Gentiles from death (the breath of life restored) and spiritual darkness (satanic blindness). While not part of the section we are looking at to verse 7, compare verses 6 all the way to verse 9.  The Father gives His qualifications to bring all of this to pass.

The Lord Jesus, Israel’s Messiah rescued both Jews and Gentiles from spiritual darkness and will ultimately free those who have died by giving them the breath of life at the resurrection. The Father declares that all will come to pass as the covenant God of Israel, the Messiah His Son was to be the visible “Messenger of the covenant” described in Malachi 3:1 which we will look at later in this series.

So there are several points to consider in this passage,

1. Messiah would be anointed by the Holy Spirit.
2. Messiah would conduct Himself in meekness and gentleness.
3. From a human point view the Messiah’s mission seemed to end in failure.  On the contrary His mission was a unequivocal success. The Jews could not understand the necessity of the Messiah’s death.
4. Messiah’s mission includes Gentile salvation.

Isaiah 49:1-13

This section contains the Servants discouragement.  In the previous section we saw the uniqueness of the Messiah’s station, conduct, success, and mission foretold by the prophet Isaiah.  Now Isaiah related the calling of the Servant.  The preceding passage introduced the Servant.  This passage tells us more about the Servant and develops on the promise made in 42 that He would bring blessing to the Gentiles.  Due to the size of the passage, a link is provided to read the appropriate verses of this prophetic text.

Isaiah 49:1-13

This is the second of five “Servant” passages and it comes in three parts, the first is the Servant’s discourse (verses 1-6) and the second is the Lord’s encouragement to Him (verses 7-9), third is Isaiah’s elaboration and hymn of praise (verses 9-13).

In verses 1-4 we have the temporary discouragement of the Messiah,

“Listen, O coastlands, to Me, and take heed, you peoples from afar! The LORD has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name. And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me.”

“And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, In whom I will be glorified.’ Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, And my work with my God.’ ”     Isaiah 49:1–4

Verse 1 is Isaiah is speaking the words of Messiah Himself, which tell from His very conception God has given Him a specific mission.  (See Matthew 1:21).  Here again we have a reference to a mother and not the father which is consistent with the virgin birth seen earlier in Isaiah 7:14.  In verse 2 the Messiah is to be specifically equipped and called for the mission.  In verse 3 Messiah, the Servant of the LORD is called Israel “par excellence” due to the fact that He will be the only Jew to completely and perfectly do the LORD’s will and fulfill the Mosaic Law. Verse 4 is where Isaiah sees the discouragement of the Servant; as we already know, the Servant despite His perfection will be rejected.  This is what causes the Servant’s discouragement.  However, the Servant still has hope,

Yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, and my work with my God.      Isaiah 49:4b

The servant is in awe that God the Father will accomplish thru the Messiah in verses 5-6,

“And now the LORD says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, So that Israel is gathered to Him (For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, And My God shall be My strength), Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

Isaiah 49:5–6

God’s words of encouragement to the Messiah start in verse 6; God summarizes the divine mission to the Messiah,

1. To bring spiritual salvation to Israel.
2. To gather dispersed Israel to physical restoration.
3. To be the light of salvation to the Gentiles.

I believe unlike some who think that the first two were set aside, that items 1 and 3 were accomplished in the first incarnation.  This passage primarily speaks of Cyrus’s mission to “bring Jacob back” foreshadowed the spiritually redemptive mission of the Servant to free His people from their captivity to sin (See discussion on verse 42:7 below).

In verse 6b we have the Hebrew word Yeshuah. This word describes deliverance from distress and the resultant victory and well-being. The word occurs most often in Psalms and Isaiah where its frequently used with the word  righteousness, representing a connection between God’s righteousness and His saving acts (See 45:8; 51:6, 8; 56:1; 62:1; Psalm 98:2). This word can be used for a military victory (1 Samuel 14:45), but it is normally used of God’s deliverance (Exodus 15:2; Psalm 13:5, 6). The expressions “the salvation of the Lord” and “the salvation of our God” speak of God’s work on behalf of His people. The expression “the God of my salvation” is more private in nature, referring to the deliverance of an individual (12:2; 52:10; Exodus 14:13; 2 Chronicles 20:17; Psalms 88:1; 98:3).

The Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:38-39; Mark 14:34-36) is the only place this could have happened in the life of our Messiah.

Next in verse 7 we have the rejection and triumph of the Messiah,

Thus says the LORD, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the LORD who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You.”   Isaiah 49:7

The first part of this verse (7a) foretells the rejection of the Messiah.  The second part confirms that the rejection will only be temporary and Israel will one day accept Him.  The future acceptance will be during the tribulation when Israel will repent and ask forgiveness for what is essentially a national sin.

Verses 8-13 speak of the restoration of the Messiah.  Verse 8 tells us that when the Messiah’s mission to the Gentiles is complete, then will come the final restoration of Israel.  God will make the Messiah a covenant of His people (Israel), that is, He will make a new covenant with His people that the Servant will embody ( See 42:6; Jeremiah 31:31; 32:40; Ezekiel 37:26; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 8:8–12).

The Apostle Paul quoted this verse in 2 Corinthians 6:2. To him the present day was the day of salvation that Isaiah predicted.  Paul meant that the day of salvation had begun because Messiah had died on the cross, not that everything that will mark that day had arrived.  There is still the land to be restored Israel and the day of salvation will come to total fulfillment in the Messianic Kingdom.

Verse 9 says that part of that day will involve freeing of captives; physical and spiritual (Compare to Isaiah 61:1–4). God’s sheep will enjoy feeding even on the roads and formerly barren heights of their land (See Isaiah 17:2; 40:10–11; 41:18; 43:19; 63:11). This paints a picture of abundant millennial blessings. Verse 10 pictures the Messiah as the Good Shepherd, providing for and protecting God’s sheep. (See Exodus 12:21; 17:6; Psalm 23; Revelation 7:16–17).

Verse 11 gives a view of the Messianic earth changed so that mountains are flattened and roads raised so the peoples can come to His dwelling.  Verse 12 tells us that people will come from all over the earth to worship God in Jerusalem.  “Sinim” is the modern day Hebrew word for China.  But the words use in the time of Isaiah is not known, it did however point to the Far East.Verse 13 concludes with Isaiah calling on the whole earth to praise God for His salvation of Israel and the Gentiles.

In Acts 15:14 it is told based on Peter’s missionary activity that “…God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.”  Romans 11:25-26 tells us that this will continue “…until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved…”.

Today, the Messiah is still being rejected by Israel.  Jewish people including their religious leaders have said and continue to say that had Jesus been the real Messiah, the Jewish leaders of His day would have welcomed Him.  It’s clear from this passage that isn’t true.  There have been many Jewish “messiahs” and they all were false.  It is also clear that rejection is one of the identifying marks of the true Messiah.  As one Messianic Jew put it, “Israel’s national rejection of Jesus actually substantiates His claim to be Messiah.”2

A question I have been meaning to answer based on Old Testament revelation and a study of it over time is this:  How was an Old Testament person “saved.”  I think the answer is this, the Old Testament believer received his salvation because of a heart response to whatever special revelation of God was available at that time in history, this faith didn’t necessarily include knowledge Christ crucified, since such a view does not reflect the progress of revelation. While the death of the Messiah has always been and always will be the final basis of salvation, it’s not the same as saying that it was the understanding of content revelation and faith in the God who revealed it. Also, it was this faith and not the works of the Old Testament believer or of animal sacrifices that saved.

We are saved by God based on faith based on revelation that we have today to a salvation yet future just as Old Testament saints were.  The difference is they were looking forward, we are looking in both directions, back to the cross and all that preceded it and forward to our Messiah coming a second time.  I have more to say on this, but for now this will suffice.

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[1] Freeman, J. M., & Chadwick, H. J. (1998). Manners & Customs of the Bible (Rev. ed.].) (361). North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos Publishers.

[2] Messianic Christology, A. Fruchtenbaum, Ariel Ministries, 1998

References about the Messiah and Kingdom in the Old Testament – Part II

Introduction

 After surveying in the last post the quotes of the Lord Jesus and the writers of the New Testament in using the Old Testament, the results are varied.  Those same verses are sometimes difficult to understand just why the Lord or the NT writers used those specific Old Testament passages.  In part two of this series of posts we look at the passages of the Old Testament that point specifically to the Messiah.  This first installment will be of the passages in the text of the Law.  We will examine the texts of the Prophets and Writings in succession after that.

When one looks at the NT carefully it becomes apparent that the disciples had no idea that the Messiah was to die or to rise from the dead.  A good passage illustrating this is Luke 24:25-27; 44-48:

Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself … Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.

 It wasn’t until the Lord Himself opened their minds to understand the scriptures concerning the Messiah and His first coming.  Notice that Messiah Jesus scolding His disciples for NOT KNOWING ALL that the prophets said concerning His person.  It might not be too far from the truth that the disciples not only were in a state of unbelief, but that they had given up hope that Jesus was the Messiah. As pointed out in a previous post there is a process of believing for those who are called by the Father to the Lord Jesus Christ.  It was a compassionate thing that the Lord went through all of the Hebrew Scriptures, showing the disciples all of the things concerning the Messiah.  Lord Jesus, the Messiah was then able to prove that His death and resurrection were perfectly laid out in the scriptures and essential to His work – authenticating His Messiahship.

From ancient sources to modern Jewish Rabbis, Jewish teachers have always divided the scriptures into three sections: The Law, The Prophets, and the Writings.  We see above that primarily in verse 44, our Lord does the same.  The Writings are sometimes referred to only as “the Psalms,” Psalms being the first book in the Writings.  The Messiah systematically covers all the scriptures, revealing to His disciples all the things concerning Him.

The phrase “all things” include prophetic statements about the second coming – still to be fulfilled – as well as those of His first coming – which were being fulfilled at the time that the Messiah was on earth. In laying out all the prophecies from all three sections of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Messiah was able to prove that it was necessary for Him to be killed, buried, and raised again on the third day.

Our Lord’s disciples learned those lessons well because after the Messiah’s ascension they used the Hebrew Scriptures repeatedly to authenticate and justify Jesus’s Sonship and Messiahship to the Gentiles as well as Jews.  They did this only with the Hebrew Scriptures since it was all they had, for example, Acts 8:26-39:

Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the Scripture which he read was this:

“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation?  For His life is taken from the earth.”

So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.

Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”

Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.

Phillip explained the OT passage Isaiah 53 to the Ethiopian eunuch. Note that Phillip was using one of the texts that predicted the suffering of the Messiah.  So this too is part of the Gospel – there is only one Gospel from Genesis to Revelation.  Other examples could be given from the NT, like Paul’s missionary activities in Acts 17:1-4:

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.

Paul was explaining the OT passages concerning the Messiah and His coming into this world to His ascension and everything in-between.  From this he showed that Jesus was the Messiah.  We will look at his writings in more detail in another post.

As mentioned earlier this post will begin our journey in the Old Testament with the Law.  As our Lord started with the writings of Moses, and as His apostles were in this habit, this is where we will begin this survey of Messianic prophetic scriptures.

The Law

Genesis 3:15

Genesis 3:15 is the earliest recorded messianic prophecy.  Remember, if sin had not entered into our world (and death with it) there would be no need for a Messiah.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed;     He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.  Genesis 3:15

This prophecy happens in the context of the fall of man.  There is an implied person behind the woman and the snake, Messiah and Satan.  The word enmity could also be rendered hostility, animosity or rancor.  This enmity is between two parties or even classes of beings as we have here in the context.  This is a prophecy of the victory of the ultimate “Seed” of the woman (Messiah) over Satan (cf. Revelation 19:1–5; Galatians 3:16, 19; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8).

This first messianic prophecy states that the Messiah’s decent of genealogy is will be reckoned after a woman and not a man.  This is at odds with genealogical statements in scripture.  Most of them list the decent in men’s names.  However Moses traced his genealogy through the woman tells us that there will be something very different about the Messiah (Exodus 6:14-27).  No explanation is given, until the time of Isaiah when he prophecies that the Messiah would be borne of a virgin.

Genesis 4, 5, and 6 give us early echoes of the promise.  Genesis 3:15 and our understanding of it come from the light of revelation given to us up to the present.  A question needs to be asked, what was the understanding by those who first heard it?

A study of these later passages in Genesis will show that even though the virgin birth was not foretold until Isaiah, an anticipation of a God-Man Redeemer was understood.

Genesis 4:1

In Genesis 4:1 we have,

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.”              Genesis 4:1

A more literal rendering would be:

And the man knew Eve his wife, she conceived and bare Cain and said, “I have gotten a man: Jehovah.”

This sentence construction is the same in the very next part of the passage:

Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel.  Genesis 4:2

Few interpreters or translators understand what Eve is saying here, which is why our English translations do not read as given above.  It appears that Even clearly understood from God’s words in Genesis 3:15 that the serpent would be defeated by a God-Man.  Scholars have masked this with the words “with the help of” in most English translations because the alternative was unacceptable.  However, this is the literal rendering of the Hebrew text.  The Septuagint (LXX) reads “through God.”  The Jerusalem Targum, an Aramaic translation has, “I have gotten a man: the angel of Jehovah.”  The rabbis gave a translation here that is much closer to the Hebrew text. The Targum Pseudo-Jonathan has, “I have gotten for a man the angel of the Lord.”  Another translation, the Targum Onquelos reads, “from before the Lord.”

These translations and paraphrases indicate that the translators saw what was in the Hebrew and the supernatural implications.  It is widely accepted that the Angel of Jehovah is seen as the second person of the triune God.

In the Midrash Rabbah for Genesis 3:22, a rabbinic commentary, it records two rabbis explaining away why the rendering of “from the Lord” was needed versus “I have gotten a man: the Lord.”

Also, in the Peshitta on the OT this verse it reads, “I have gotten a man to the Lord.”  Three rabbis in commentary on this verse also try to get around this by rendering it differently than it reads in that language.

In Jewish tradition and Christianity there are attempts to get around the obvious of the original text.

Genesis 5:21-29

In Genesis 5:21–24, we have the story of Enoch, who in the NT was said to be a preacher of righteousness and a prophet (Jude 14-15).  He also pleased God (Hebrews 11:5).  However the name he gave his son was even more loaded with prophetic significance.  Methuselah is a Hebrew name which means, “When he dies he will come.” The Hebrew has no neuter, so it could be rendered “it will come.”  If you do some simple math with the lifespans in Genesis and compare the time when Methuselah died, you find that it’s the year that the flood came.

Lamech, Methuselah’s son, probably understood that the name of His father was prophetic but mistakenly seen that name referring to the birth of Noah.  Lamech clearly hoped that Noah (whose name means comfort) will be the longed for Messiah.  From the years and the ages given in Genesis 5 that Lamech was 56 years old when Adam died.  He would have had a firsthand account of what happened in the Garden of Eden and all the words God had said.  This would be true not only the curse but of the one who was to remove the curse.

In verse 5:29 Lamech expresses his own Messianic hope:

And he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed.”  Genesis 5:29

This too is a part of the Gospel: that a redeemer, the Messiah would come to remove the curse of man and the subsequent results of the fall.  Imagine living in that time, knowing that with each generation that your lives are being shortened due to the presence of sin and death in the earth’s biosphere.  Lamech made a similar mistake as Eve did.  So it’s clear that the idea of the Messiah was understood in the generations beyond Adam to this point.

Genesis 6:1-4

The generations of Adam understood that the Messiah would come from the seed of a woman.  But they were not the only ones who understood that truth.  Satan to whom these words were spoken also understood their significance.  The adversary most likely directed those who followed him in his fall to act outside of their normal abode.  In this passage we have the first attempt by the devil to corrupt the line of decent and ruin the bloodline of the Messiah, the seed of the woman.

Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.    Genesis 6:1-4

The “sons of God” is Hebrew bene ’elohim, an expression that has been disputed among scholars.  Most evangelical scholarship has argued that sons of God means “angels” and that they were not “elect” or holy angels but demons (Job 1.6; 2.1; Psalms 29.1; 89.6; Daniel 3.25; 2 Peter 2.4–5; and Jude 6).  It is not my purpose to present the other views (of which there are two others), but to lay out what I believe.

It is often overlooked that not only is this an attempt to destroy the bloodline of the Messiah, it is also a foreshadowing of the conception of the Antichrist which was also foretold in Genesis 3:15.  The union of demon’s and human women resulted in a new class of creature, the Nephilim.  The text itself describes these creatures (and probably gave rise to the mythos of Greece and later Rome) and its believed that they were diabolical in not only corrupting the human race, but to incite them to evil.  I believe that this brought on the flood judgement on the earth.  It was not only to destroy the Nephilim, but to judge the human race as well, who were incited by these demonic creatures to wickedness.  This is clear from the text, verses 1-4 deal with the angelic cause and verses 5-6 deal with the human cause of the flood.

Genesis 22:18

In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”   Genesis 22:18

This is one of many texts speaking of the Abrahamic covenant.  There are six different passages of scripture that are related to the Abrahamic covenant, Genesis 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-21; and 22:15-18.    The word “seed” in the Hebrew text is always used in the singular.  However, it is used in a couple of different ways.  The word can be in the absolute singular, meaning one individual person, or as a collective singular, meaning one group.  Within the context of the Abrahamic covenant, when seed is used in its collective sense, it always refers to Israel as a nation.  An example would be in Genesis 12:

Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.  I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3

When used in the absolute singular it refers to one individual, the Messiah:

Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.   Galatians 3:16 

In this verse Paul is quoting Genesis 22:18, he highlights the absolute singular nature of “seed” and applying it to Jesus as Messiah.  In Genesis 3:15 we understand that the Messiah would be the seed of a woman.  In this passage we understand that the Messiah would be from one distinct branch of humanity.

Space doesn’t permit a full discussion of this covenant.  However distilled to its basics, the covenant contains three aspects: Land, Seed, and Blessing.  The land aspect is developed further in the Palestinian Covenant (Deuteronomy 30:1 – 10).  The Seed aspect is developed in the Davidic Covenant (we will see this later in under the Writings portion (I Chronicles 17:10b – 14). The Blessing aspect is developed in the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31 – 34).  Also these covenants (with the exception of the Davidic covenant) can’t be elaborated on here.  But will be covered in future posts as it relates the gospel.

Genesis 49:10

Genesis 49 describes the prophecies spoken by Jacob about his sons.  In the 10^th verse he prophecies about Judah:

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes;…

Genesis 49:10 NKJV

The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; the nations will obey him.  Genesis 49:10 NET

Translations vary on the wording of this verse and obscure the actual meaning of the word “Shiloh.”  The NET bible actually renders the statement pretty well.  I would translate it this way:

The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whose right it is and to him it belongs; and to him the nations will obey.  Genesis 49:10 Author’s Translation

Judah’s identity and right to rule cannot be lost until one comes who has full rights to rule. The above translation is close to the Septuagint (LXX) and the Syriac versions of the OT.  There a passage we need to compare verse 10 with to shed more light on this prophecy:

‘Now to you, O profane, wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose iniquity shall end, thus says the Lord God:  “Remove the turban, and take off the crown; Nothing shall remain the same. Exalt the humble, and humble the exalted. Overthrown, overthrown, I will make it overthrown! It shall be no longer, Until He comes whose right it is, And I will give it to Him.” ’ Ezekiel 21:25–27

This passage is primarily concerned with the 2^nd coming of the Messiah. Verse 25 is a reference to antichrist, the last Gentile ruler over Israel.  Verse 26, the turban is the mitre of the priest and crown refers to the royal crown.  Just as in Genesis 49:10 uses the “scepter” to represent authority to rule, the prophet Ezekiel uses the crown the same way.  Then the exact same phrase is used: “until he comes to whose right it is”.  Both priesthood and kingship will be overthrown until the Messiah comes the second time; then the priesthood and kingship will be given to Him.  The allusion that the prophet uses is that the Messiah is to be a priest and king by the reference to the mitre and crown.

Returning to Genesis 49:10 and Messiah’s first coming, there are three main points to remember:

1. The Messiah is declared to be a man, descended from Abraham, the decent is limited to the line of Judah.
2. The Messiah is to be a King.
3. The Messiah must come before the tribe of Judah loses its identity.

This last point makes a clear limit to the timeline of the coming of Messiah.  The tribal/genealogical records were maintained in the Jewish temple.  All of these records were lost with the destruction of the temple in 70 AD.  Within a few generations all tribal identity was lost with the exception of the tribe of Levi.  Immediately after the destruction of the temple the rabbis passed laws which would preserve the line of Levi – the Priests.  Since Judah lost its identity and genealogical records in 70 AD the messiah must have come before 70 AD.

On further investigation substantiating this verse has been consistently viewed by rabbis as a messianic verse there is the following:

In the Targum of Onqelos, the Aramaic translation renders it as,

“the transmission of dominion shall not cease from the house of Judah nor the scribe from his children’s children for ever until Messiah comes to whom the kingdom belongs and whom the nations shall obey.”

The word “Shiloh” has also been interpreted by the rabbis as being a rabbinic name for the Messiah.  The word itself (sheloh) is similar to the Hebrew for the amniotic sac in which the fetus is formed in the womb (shilyah).  This word the rabbis claim, is evidence proving that the Messiah cannot be divine, but born of a woman.  In their thinking this means that the Messiah is merely human since he was born from a shilyah.  One interpretive passage says, “the Messiah shall be called Shiloh to indicate that he was born of a woman and would therefore not be a divine being.”

The Midrash Rabbah 97 on this passage reads,

“Furthermore the royal Messiah will be descended from the tribe of Judah as it says (quoting Isaiah 11:10).  Thus from the tribe of Judah were descended Solomon who built the first Temple and Zerubbabel who built the second Temple and from his will be descended the royal Messiah who will rebuild the Temple.  Now of the Messiah it is written [quoting Psalm 89:37]…”

“…Judah is a lion’s whelp.  Rabbi Hummah ben Rabbi Hannina said, ‘This alludes to the Messiah the son of David who was descended from two tribes, his father from Judah and his mother from Dan, in connection with both of which ‘lion’ is written [quoting Deuteronomy 33:22]”

“The scepter alludes to the Messiah the son of David who will chastise the nations with a staff as it is written [quoting Psalm 2:9]”

“…’Until Shiloh comes’ this indicates that all nations will bring a gift to Messiah the son of David as it says [quoting Isaiah 18:7]”

The Midrash Rabbah 98 has,

“This alludes to the royal Messiah. ‘Obedience of the people,’ the Messiah will come and set on edge the teeth of the nations of the world.”

The Midrash Rabbah 99 on Genesis 49:10 has,

“to whom kingship belongs,” again taking “Shiloh” to be a possessive pronoun.

It’s the consistent view of the rabbis that Genesis 49:10 is related to the Messiah.

Numbers 23 and 24

Many people who have read the book of Numbers will no doubt remember the story of Balaam.  Especially the story of Balaam’s talking donkey.  Balaam was a gentile astrologer/seer who came from the region of Babylonia (modern Iraq, they were also called Chaldeans).  In Numbers 22:1-6 we have the description of Balaam’s reputation,

“…whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”  Numbers 22:6

This potential conflict between Moab and Israel caused the King of Moab to call for Balaam.  However, its interesting to see what God does with Balaam.  Reading the context, we have God appearing to Balaam in a vision or dream and giving him instructions during both the visits of Balak’s men.  The Lord initially forbids him from going, but in the second He tells him to go.  I won’t elaborate as to why this is, that is another much later post.  Going back to the text, once Balaam arrives he attempts to curse the Israelites. In the first prophecy that Balaam delivers, he obviously doesn’t curse Israel,

And he took up his oracle and said: “Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, From the mountains of the east. ‘Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!’           “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced? For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him; There! A people dwelling alone, not reckoning itself among the nations. “Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!”     Numbers 23:7-10

In verse 8, Balaam is unable to curse those whom God has not cursed.  At this point God was protecting Israel even in her disobedience.  As God’s chosen covenant people God will not allow the Gentiles to put curses that would have an eternal effect.  Evidently Balaam’s would have been so, because God intervened on their behalf.

Another thing to note in this passage is in verse 9 where it states that Israel will not be counted as the other nations.  Look at the history of the Jews; they didn’t have a land of their own for much of their history.  The land of Canaan or the Land of Israel is granted to them by divine right.  However, it was conditional on their obedience to the Law of God and to fulfill their divine purpose, the blessing of the entire earth.  To the Gentile nations, a nation without land could not be a nation.  No matter where the Jews are, in the land or outside of it they are a distinct nation.  This is because God sees this particular nation by line of decent and not by a geographical location.  And God has yet to completely fulfill His purpose and covenant’s with the people of Israel.

Balaam saw in the future the distinctness of Israel as a nation.  He saw God’s final destiny for them was incredible blessing which is evident from verse 10b.

Coming to the second of Balaam’s prophecy,

Then he took up his oracle and said: “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, son of Zippor! “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it. “He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, And the shout of a King is among them. God brings them out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox. “For there is no sorcery against Jacob, Nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’ Look, a people rises like a lioness, And lifts itself up like a lion; It shall not lie down until it devours the prey, And drinks the blood of the slain.”

Numbers 23:18-24

In verse 21, first Balaam sees into the future when Israel will be sinless.  And additionally, he says that during this time God will be present with Israel and be their King.  This prophecy relate to the second advent of Messiah.  But note that it is He who is among the people ruling as King.

Next to Balaam’s third prophecy,

Then he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, The utterance of the man whose eyes are opened, The utterance of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open: “How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel! Like valleys that stretch out, Like gardens by the riverside, Like aloes planted by the LORD, Like cedars beside the waters. He shall pour water from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters. “His king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted. “God brings him out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox; He shall consume the nations, his enemies; He shall break their bones And pierce them with his arrows. ‘He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?’ “Blessed is he who blesses you, And cursed is he who curses you.”        Numbers 24:3-9

Again, there are two things to notice in this passage.  First, there is a description of the future of Israel, ultimate blessing as a condition in the Kingdom.  Next, we have the type of rule of the future King of Israel.

Finally, the fourth prophecy from Balaam,

So he took up his oracle and said:  “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened; The utterance of him who hears the words of God, And has the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open:

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

“And Edom shall be a possession; Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession, While Israel does valiantly. Out of Jacob One shall have dominion, And destroy the remains of the city.”

Then he looked on Amalek, and he took up his oracle and said:

“Amalek was first among the nations, But shall be last until he perishes.”

Then he looked on the Kenites, and he took up his oracle and said:

“Firm is your dwelling place, And your nest is set in the rock; Nevertheless Kain shall be burned. How long until Asshur carries you away captive?”

Then he took up his oracle and said:

“Alas! Who shall live when God does this? But ships shall come from the coasts of Cyprus, And they shall afflict Asshur and afflict Eber, And so shall Amalek, until he perishes.”    Numbers 24:15-24

In verse 17a is a key prophetic text, “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,…”  This prophecy builds on the one already given in Genesis 49:10.  The star referred to is the star of the birth of the Messiah.  Remember also the scepter denotes Kingship.  The Messiah has three offices, one of which is King.

Balaam went as God told him to do and he began by prophesying the distinctiveness of Israel; then said this nation that would be scattered would be gathered and a unique and powerful King who will rule over it.  He finishes the series of prophetic utterances by saying that the coming of this King would be heralded by the appearance of a star.

The incredible connection of the closing words of this chapter bears some thought.  Balaam, “returned to his place,” that is Babylon.  As an astrologer he was going to “his people” (verse 14) and his “place.”  Many generations later Babylonian astrologers remembered these words and kept watch for His star.  At its appearing they went and found the new born King and worshiped Him.

This passage as the others teaches that the Messiah would be King.

Deuteronomy 18:15-19

“The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, according to all you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’ “And the LORD said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good. I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.  And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.”   Deuteronomy 18:15–19

This passage records what God spoke to Moses.  God told Moses about a Prophet that would come in the future and would be like him.  Here in this passage Moses is relating it to Israel before entering Canaan.  The first question we might ask, is why a prophet like Moses?  This is explained in Numbers 12:5-8,

Then the LORD came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. Then He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?    Numbers 12:5–8

In the context preceding this, Aaron and Miriam are criticizing Moses because they don’t approve of his marriage to an Ethiopian woman.  They also questioned Moses office in which he spoke for God to the people.  The Lord heard their railings against his servant and told Moses, Aaron and Miriam to come to the tent of the meeting.  In this passage God Himself intervenes on Moses behalf, declaring Moses’ unique relationship to God.

Even with later prophets, like Elijah and Isaiah, there was not direct revelation like there was to Moses.  God used dreams and visions and other means.  Moses is the only man post flood that received direct revelation from God.  Judaism bases its view of three tier inspiration on this.

Previously we were told that the Messiah would be a King.  Now we know from this passage that he will be a Prophet.  We also understand by comparing these two passages that the phrase “face to face” is literally in Hebrew, “mouth to mouth.”  In our terms this would mean equality of rank; but we know that Moses is certainly not equal in rank with the LORD. And yet God is here stating that Moses has an immediacy and directness of communication with God. It goes beyond the idea of friendship.  This is a clue to the coming Prophet and His relationship to God.

In my readings I have noticed there are several of these similarities between Moses and the coming Prophet:

1. The coming one will be a Prophet (Numbers 12:6-8).  This is explained above in regard to the Messiah.
2. This one will also be a redeemer (Exodus 3:10).  As Moses was a redeemer of Gods people, so too will be the Messiah.
3. The coming one will be a Mediator (Exodus 20:18-21).  In the beginning, God spoke directly to the people of Israel.  But God’s voice was so powerful that the people asked Moses to mediate for them so they would not hear God’s voice, but only God’s voice through Moses.  This too is true of the Messiah (see also Hebrews 1:2).
4. The coming one would be an Intercessor (Exodus 32:7-35).  As Israel traveled throughout their journey’s it was often necessary for Moses to intervene on their behalf do they would be spared from God’s righteous judgement (see also Exodus 32:30-32, Luke 23:34).

I hope that you have been blessed as I have in this exploration of the scriptures that constitute the gospel.  Next time we will look at the Messianic and Kingdom predictions in the Old Testament Prophets.

Wow!

As I have been working through all New Testament passages using the Old Testament in relation to the Messiah, and the Messianic passages in the Old Testament, it has occured to me that I’m going to have to present these truths very carefully.  There is so much truth about Messiah Jesus and the Kingdom of God that its going to be better to break up the series into a smaller set of posts.

One thing I will say is that as I see the Messianic texts they are almost always connected to passages about the Kingdom.  This isn’t an exclusive connection, as I see them separated as well.  Perhaps as we look at these things together we will see more of them as individual passages about Him, and then others about His Kingdom.

Another thing I’m learning in teaching my friends about the future is,

For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.       Revelation 19:10d

Which I believe now is that you cannot separate future things from the gospel (“testimony” I think refers to the proclamation of the truths of the gospel), just as you cannot separate Old Testament truths about the Messiah and His Kingdom from the gospel.

Look for the first in this shorter series soon, they will be passages from The Law, The Prophets, and The Writings.  I beleive that this is the way the Jews ordered them so I think its only appropriate to do it this way as well.  I’ll then start to work through the truths of the New Testament about how the gospel was presented by those who knew the Lord first hand.

I pray that you will have eyes to see and ears to hear…

References About the Messiah and Kingdom in the Old Testament – Part I

When one thinks about the Lord Jesus, John the Baptist, the apostles, and their message (as we did in the last post) there is a fact that comes up again and again: If all they had was the Old Testament, where were the “Gospel” texts?  How were these Messianic texts used and taught (by the rabbi’s, the Messiah, His disciples, the apostles and the early assembly of believers)?

This question started an investigation into the Old Testament passages that spoke of the Messiah and His Kingdom.  Many Old Testament passages do speak to the question of who is the Messiah and what are the things concerning His Kingdom.  This search began in the NT where I felt comfortable with the authority of the writers of the Gospels pointing to passages.  This later included a search of rabbinic texts or commentaries on the Old Testament.  What I found was astonishing.  The “church” has lost most of its Hebraic roots due to the influence of tradition that has its origin in man and not God.

If we look at what constitutes the Gospel by those who taught and preached the message, the gospel should be clear.  If it isn’t to the reader, I give the answer in the last part of this post.  In fact, the Lord and the Apostles used many direct quotes and allusions to the Old Testament.[1] It’s here that I would like to start recording what I have found.  This is to be a three or four part series on Messianic Prophecy and fulfillment.  At this time I’m teaching through this primary theme of the scriptures with a small group.

What passages did the New Testament writers use and/or record being used that are related directly to the Messiah and His Gospel of the Kingdom?

Evidence from the Synoptic Gospels[2]

Matthew

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14 NKJV[3]

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Matthew 1:22–23

This passage is partially used by Matthew along with a translation of the meaning of the Hebrew word Immanuel.  There is controversy among men about this passage.  I won’t dwell here except to say that I reject the interpretive principle of “double fulfillment” and instead use what I believe to be a better interpretive principal, that of “double reference.”  Often a passage or a block of Scripture is speaking of two different persons or two different events that are separated by a long period of time. In the passage itself they are blended into one picture, and the time gap between the two persons or two events is not presented by the text itself. The fact that a gap of time exists is known because of other Scriptures, but in that particular text itself the gap of time is not seen.

In this promise of a sign rejected by Ahaz, God then spoke of the House of David to which He promised an eternal dynasty and so the sign is for the Jewish people.  It is the sign of the Messiah.

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

Micah 5:2

This passage is from Matthew 2:6 and has been only partially fulfilled.  Jesus has to come forth “to be Ruler in Israel.”  After the incarnation, the events of Herod’s rage at the deception of the wise men occurred and subsequent murder of the infant children of Bethlehem.  Miraculously an Angel warned Joseph to flee to Egypt with the new born Messiah and therefore Matthew quotes the prophet Hosea,

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.

Hosea 11:1

God’s continuing loyal love for Israel is depicted in this passage; but Matthew uses it to relate the need for the Lord Jesus to be sent to and return from Egypt.  There are supposed problems posed by some as to the “inaccuracy” of Matthew using this passage this way.  The context of Hosea clearly shows that the prophet was speaking of the Exodus and not the Messiah.  That is to say the text is neither prophetic nor messianic.  At the time Matthew wrote the gospel, the exegetical technique at the time allowed a messianic application in one text while interpreting it in the light of another. ^[4]

Matthew 2:18 also uses Jeremiah 31:15, which is clearly a prophetic passage.   Matthew also looks back to a passage in Isaiah,

Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.

Isaiah 9:1–2

This passage is clearly Messianic; Matthew related it to the beginning of the Lord Jesus’ ministry after the death of John the Baptist.  Notice that in the very next verse what the Lord Jesus did and said,

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:17

Repentance was a necessary act before entering the Kingdom of God.  Today, many say that repentance isn’t necessary to salvation but follows afterwards when one trust in the Messiah’s promise of “eternal life.”  Others will contend that it must be beforehand.  Jesus Christ said that we must “repent AND believe the gospel.”  Remember from the last post, there are not several dispensations, there are not different gospels.  There are only two ages the current one and the one to come.  There is only ONE Gospel.

Time will not permit an elaboration of the meaning of the word repent or its semantic history here; but it is crucial to briefly distinguish what the word means – to change one’s mind about something or someone.  If you change your mind about something as momentous as God and His Son then that repentance should manifest itself in a change of life direction.  It is also important to remember that God looks at the heart. We can say we repent, but in our hearts it is just mouthing the words.  This will be taken up in another article on the subject.

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

Isaiah 53:4

This passage used in Mathew 8:17 makes another Messianic fulfillment.  The preceding verse explains why Matthew chose this OT passage,

When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,…

Matthew 8:16

The phrase “healed all who were sick” is literally “those who were having badly”, a Hebrew idiom to be ill, or to be sick.  It’s similar to the English idiom “to be bad off” when speaking of someone who is has a very bad health condition.  In Isaiah 53:4a, the words “borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” is literally “took our weaknesses and carried our diseases.”

Another Messianic passage used by Matthew (11:10) is from the OT prophet Malachi,

“Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the Lord of hosts.

Malachi 3:1

And again the gospel writer records the words of Isaiah,

“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands shall wait for His law.”

Isaiah 42:1–4

Matthew 12:18-21 has this passage nearly word for word and is clear from the context fulfilled in by Jesus the Messiah.  This is the longest OT quotation in the first Gospel.  It’s significant to see that the Messiah would bring justice to pass. In this passage the Greek word for “justice” means fast approaching judgment, not just justice as opposed to injustice.   So it’s clear that justice in the kingdom is in view here and is yet to be fulfilled.

There is another passage from Isaiah that is particularly important to the time Matthew wrote it and is so today,

And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ “Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.”

Isaiah 6:9–10

Matthew quotes Jesus who is speaking from the book of Isaiah in Matthew 13:14-15; who in the preceding verses is speaking to the disciples question as to why He is now speaking to the crowds in parables,

He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

Matthew 13:11–13

The Lord and Messiah was revealing in the preceding verse information concerning the future messianic kingdom, but He was not allowing the unbelieving multitudes to understand these plans.  He was teaching in parables because He wanted to provide new revelation concerning His kingdom. This was given to His disciples but not to the multitudes. Therefore He presented truth in a veiled way.

He restated His reason for using parables in terms of human perception rather than divine intention (compare verses 11 and 12). The unbelieving redeemed[5] were not able to understand what He had to reveal since they had refused to accept more basic revelation, namely about Who Jesus is and about the coming Messianic Kingdom. The parables do not just convey information it was a real challenge for a response. The unbelieving redeemed had not responded to the challenge Jesus had already given them. Until they did they were in no position to receive any more truth. The only response that makes sense is to repent and believe the Messiah has come and in the gospel of the Kingdom.  The Kingdom and its King are a mystery that puzzles many of the “church” going redeemed even in our day.

I can’t imagine the number of religious “Christians” who think that they are on their way to heaven and are in for a literal rude awakening.  It seems that the mystery is still confounding the Christian religious masses even today.  The word “mysteries” is the Greek word mysterion which has as its meaning “secrets” and comes from the Old Testament Hebrew word raz (See Daniel 2:18, 19, 27, 28, 29, 30, 47 [twice]; 4:9). It refers to what God knows will happen in the future. “Mysteries” are divine plans for the future that He reveals to His believing redeemed who are believing/following Him.

Paul defined a mystery in Colossians 1:26 where he wrote, “the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints.” We will talk more about Paul’s teaching to the redeemed in a moment.  In the same chapter of Matthew there is another OT quote,

I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,…

Psalm 78:2

This is another fulfillment of prophecy by Jesus Christ that is recorded by Matthew; He goes on to quote the Lord who is speaking from the book of Isaiah again,

Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,…

Isaiah 29:13

This passages context is our Lord speaking to the Pharisees, answering their criticism of the eating habits of His disciples (probably they thought to insult a rabbi’s student was to insult the teacher who is teaching them.). It’s also interesting to note that this is the first time the Lord called the Pharisee’s and teachers of the law hypocrites.  He is pointing out that there are redeemed who make a show of commitment to the Lord but their heart is not behind the commitment.  Many of the redeemed today need to repent and return to the Lord and abandon the teachings of mere men.

In Matthew 21:5 records another prophetic event that relates to two prophets and their individual writings,

Indeed the Lord has proclaimed To the end of the world: “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Surely your salvation is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.’ ”

Isaiah 62:11

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.

Zechariah 9:9

Both of these prophecies are concerning the coming Messiah and King predicted throughout the OT.  This passage in Matthew was fulfilled immediately after the Lord told the disciples where to find the donkey and colt.  This alone was amazing, but it’s more amazing that this event was predicted by two prophets of the OT.  Isaiah lived between 701 and 681 B.C. Zechariah lived between 520 and 470 B.C.  Two different men in different generations!  Perhaps one is for the first coming and one for the second coming?

Zion is a poetic name for Jerusalem often used of the city under Messiah’s rule during the kingdom.  It’s also interesting that radical Islam uses the form “Zionist’s” and “Zionism” as derisive terms for those they seek to destroy – two groups of people who have as part of their population the redeemed – Jews and believers in the coming Messiah.

The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.

Psalm 118:22–23

This portion of the Psalm was used by the Lord Jesus and recorded in Matthew 21:42 to show the Pharisees that they were in very real danger of a fate that is worse than death.

Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. … Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’ Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt;

Exodus 3:6, 15–16

In the challenge of the Pharisee’s against our Lord concerning the woman who’s had seven husband’s die and whose wife would she be in the resurrection in Matthew 22:29-33.  In answering He points out their ignorance of the scriptures (How that should speak volumes to today’s religious masses who say that they love the Messiah but don’t do what He has asked to be done.).  And then He points out the ignorance of the Sadducee’s by addressing the resurrection of the dead.  Then He quotes a section of the Book of Exodus.  As far back as Moses (whom they revered even as they added to the requirements of the Law penned by God and taught by Moses) the current teachers should have seen evidence of the resurrection in the passage.  Indeed, resurrection from the dead is a major part of the Gospel of the Kingdom and entrance into it.

The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

Psalm 110:1

Here again is another OT passage quoted in confrontation with the Jewish religious leaders, this passage was quoted by the Messiah after they questioned Him about the greatest commandment in the Law.  Which He answered famously, that we are to love God with all our being, and to love our neighbor as we do ourselves and that the Law and the Prophets “hang” on these two commandments.  The Lord Jesus then asked them a question,

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “The Son of David.” He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’?  If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.

Matthew 22:41–46

What incredible grace God extended to these men, in midst of their rejection, the Messiah continued to reach out and instruct them in the scriptures.  I often wonder our Lord did this to try and save some of the religious leaders who were hardening their hearts against Him.  (See also Mark 12:35–37; Luke 20:41–44)

It’s an incredible destiny for those who believe in the Messiah and continue in the Gospel of the Kingdom, but there will come a time for those close to the time of His return that will witness massive tribulation.

Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

Daniel 9:27

Matthew records in verses 24:15-26 the Lord’s prophecy about the “abomination of desolation” by referring to the above passage from Daniel.  This quote is just after the Lord lists out what will happen in answering the disciple’s questions about the sign of His coming and the end of the age.[6] He answers them from verses 4-46.  This section of scripture is some of the most terrifying of the NT.  It also contains what I understand as what the Lord will be looking for from those of us who say we have faith or that we believe the Gospel (specifically verses 34-40).  Faith without works is useless as James points out in his letter.

“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion,” Says the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.”

Zechariah 13:7

Another prophetic statement to the disciples concerns their defection by the Lord is captured in Matthew 26:31-35 (notice our Lord’s use of the word stumble).  This is amazing that the prophet records this, and more amazing there are others that the Lord Himself quotes,

“I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.

Daniel 7:13

In Matthew 26:64, the Lord Jesus in chains before the Sanhedrin quotes the prophet after the High Priest commands under oath that the Messiah to tell if He was the Messiah (Christ), the Son of God.  In what would be considered part of the Gospel there are two passages that strangely (for me anyway) foretell events that would accompany the Messiah into His betrayal and suffering.

And Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, “Buy my field which is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it.” ’ Then Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord. So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in Anathoth, and weighed out to him the money—seventeen shekels of silver.

Jeremiah 32:6–9

Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.  And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter.

Zechariah 11:12–13

Matthew again records the events related to these passages in verses 27:9-10.  These passages are full of information which I won’t cover here; again the reader needs to dig and see for they the wonders of the Gospel of the Messiah and His Kingdom; which includes what we now understand includes the fact of His first and second comings.  It’s also hard to not see progressive revelation of truth to man by our God.

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

Psalm 22:1

This is Psalm 22, and it has been considered a messianic passage for generations.  It’s hard for this writer to even comment on these words uttered by the Lord Jesus our Messiah, while He was on the cross.  Matthew and Mark record this cry from the Messiah’s lips (see Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34).  What caused this literal scream from our Lord?  Can it mean that He was experiencing what we who are redeemed should experience, separation from the God of life and light?  Who can say what it was like?  It’s impossible for a human to imagine; but it is recorded for our instruction.

This covers Matthews Gospel.  There are other passages in Mark, Luke, and John.  I will cover John next and leave the other two Gospels for the reader to research for themselves.[7]

The Gospel of John

John starts his use of the Old Testament to quote John the Baptist.  Evidently John was a disciple of John until our Lord arrived where the Baptist was.  In the gospel John the Baptist was referring and quoting to Isaiah,

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.

Isaiah 40:3

He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

John 1:23

This was in response to the Pharisee’s question about his identity.  This section of Isaiah is part of a messianic prophecy (cf. Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4) which predicted the appearance of God’s glory when the Messiah appeared.  If we look further in Isaiah we can see this and trace it back to chapter 1 verse 14 in John’s Gospel.

The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Isaiah 40:5

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

This is an incredible statement that is made by the apostle about the arrival of the Messiah and in what form.  Isaiah predicted that God would appear in acting for His people and in the acting manifest His glory to the whole world.  Strange that the religious leaders of Israel didn’t understand this verse.

Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.

Psalm 69:9

Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

John 2:17

Some historians have speculated that David had a preoccupation with building the temple.  They also speculated that it had had turned popular opinion against him. Perhaps the majority of the Israelites considered this an extravagant project.  Had he increased taxes to pay for it? We do not know.  What we do know is that the Lord Jesus’ zeal for the temple that led Him to drive the money changers out of it brought this verse to His disciples’ minds.  This is an example that I believe teaches us that we should see scripture in through the eyes of the apostles.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.

Exodus 16:4

Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven.

Psalm 78:24

“Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

John 6:31

The context of this passage (where John is records use of a synthesis of two OT passages) is the people had just been told by the Messiah what work they needed to do to obtain eternal life.  They had asked what they had to do to do the works of God.  Jesus replied to believe in Him, the one that God sent.

Then they asked for a sign to authenticate the Messiah before they would believe in Jesus.  They used a reference to Exodus 16.  Jesus replied,

“Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

John 6:32, 33

The expansion of Jesus on manna and true bread is interesting, the dialog indicates that temporal but of divine origin which sustained human life in the desert is (was) replaced by “true” bread from above.

All your children shall be taught by the Lord, And great shall be the peace of your children.

Isaiah 54:13

It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.

John 6:45

The Messiah continues to explain and defend why He was saying the things in the context of this passage (continuing the above context).  He was explaining that The God that was to teach them according to Isaiah has come!  And they didn’t get it.

I said, “You are gods, And all of you are children of the Most High.

Psalm 82:6

Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’?

John 10:34

Jesus in this passage wanted the Jews to see that the divine terms that He was using to describe Himself were terms that the Old Testament itself also used of human beings. They could not logically accuse Him of blasphemy because the Father had set Him aside and sent Him into the world with a special mission. He was a legitimate Son of God for this reason.

Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.

Psalm 118:25–26

… [they] took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!”

John 12:13

In this passage, the people were welcoming the Messiah with words from the Psalms.

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.

Zechariah 9:9

“Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”

John 12:15

The Lord Jesus as Israel’s King and Messiah fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy.  This was truly good news, unfortunately what follows is a sad prophetic fulfillment as well.  The prophet Isaiah records,

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

Isaiah 53:1

…that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

John 12:38

And again another prophecy of Isaiah’s reveals the rejection of the Messiah.

“Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.”

Isaiah 6:10

“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.”

John 12:40

There is a theme of being spiritually blind to the Gospel and its spoken of in the Old Testament and the New.  See Deuteronomy 29:2–4; Jeremiah 5:21; Isaiah 6:9:10, then compare to Matthew 13:14–15; Mark 4:10–12; Luke 8:10; John 12:39–41; Acts 28:26–27; and Romans 11:8.  Only those who God has opened their eyes to see and their ears to hear will respond to the gospel.

Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.

Psalm 41:9

“I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’”

John 13:18

This is a moment in time; in it the Lord predicted the traitor’s actions and fulfilled another prophetic passage of the OT.  This even and its effect is recorded elsewhere in the NT (Matt. 26:14–16, 21–25, 47–50; John 13:18, 21–30; Acts 1:16, 17).

Those who hate me without a cause Are more than the hairs of my head; They are mighty who would destroy me, Being my enemies wrongfully; Though I have stolen nothing, I still must restore it.

Psalm 69:4

But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’

John 15:25

They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.

Psalm 22:18

They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things.

John 19:24

In the previous verse the soldiers discussed preserving the “tunic.” It was actually an undergarment worn next to the skin and was woven in one piece.   John alone among the gospel writers noted that this process was another fulfillment of prophecy (Psalm 22:18 above). The poetic parallelism in the prophecy found literal fulfillment in this event. Men continued to carry out God’s foreordained plan of salvation though unconsciously.  This passage is quoted from the Septuagint (LXX) exactly.

In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones.

Exodus 12:46

They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.

Numbers 9:12

He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken.

Psalm 34:20

For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.”

John 19:36

And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

Zechariah 12:10

And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

John 19:37

This series of passages and John 19:36, 37 are two more fulfillment of OT prophetic statements.  Psalm 34:20 describes a righteous man by saying that God would not allow anyone to break his bones.  This is a Psalm of David, apparently written when David pretended madness before Abimelech (1 Samuel 21:10–15).  This is a song of encouragement to those who are righteous and suffer trials in this life.  In the last book of the scriptures the prophecy of Zechariah will come true,

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

Revelation 1:7

This verse summarizes the main features of the revelation to follow. There is another part of this passage that bears mention.  The first section of this passage is an allusion to Daniel 7:13.  This OT book records events expanded on in the NT.  It is also the first book in the scriptures that mentions resurrection.   It is in this sense the key verse in the book.  The ultimate victory of Jesus Christ over all enemies and the establishment of His earthly kingdom really is the theme of Revelation and by extension, all of scriptures.  The Gospel of the Kingdom, praise the Father of the Son Jesus our Messiah.

This is a fitting place to stop for the moment.  Next time we will look at specific passages about the Messiah.

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[1] Identification of quotations is not always easy. Seldom did the authors give the exact derivation of the texts that they quoted, and still less often did they quote verbatim. Very frequently they made only a casual allusion, so that one may not always be certain whether the writer intended to recall a specific passage or whether he were simply using general Biblical language that had become part of ordinary parlance.

Scriptural references can be generally classified under three heads: citations, which are almost exact verbally and which are definitely referred to a given author; quotations, which are sufficiently close to the original to leave no doubt concerning their derivation, but which are not attributed explicitly to a definite source; and allusions, which are often so loosely constructed that only one or two words out of a sentence parallel the Biblical text. (From The Old Testament and the Fourth’ Gospel, pg 301, by Merril C. Tenny, BIBLIOTHECA SACRA October, 1963.

[2] This is not an exhaustive study on the quotes since all that is being looked at is the prophetic and salvific portions of the OT in the new.

[3] Unless otherwise specified the NKJV will be used throughout this article: The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[4] See Introducing New Testament Interpretation, Guides to New Testament Exegesis, S. McKnight, Baker, 1989, pg. 174-176

[5] The meaning of this phrase “unbelieving redeemed” will be explained in a future article about redemption.

[6] This writer has abandoned dispensational and other schemes of Eschatology for what the scriptures declare. There are only two ages defined in scripture: the present age, and the age two come.  This age is the preparation of the Kingdom and the one to come is the actual presence of the Kingdom of God.

[7] See the following passages in Mark and Luke as a start,  Mark 1:2–3; 4:12; 7:6–7, 10; 8:18; 9:44, 46, 49; 10:6-8, 19; 11:9, 17; 12:10–11, 19, 26, 30, 31, 36; 13:14; 14:27, 62; 15:28, 34; Luke 2:23, 24, 3:4–6; 4:4, 8, 10-12, 18-19; 7:27; 8:10; 10:27; 12:53; 13:35; 18:20; 19:38, 46; 20:17, 27-28, 30, 42–43; 22:37; 23:30, 46.  Note these are only verses to use as pointers to the actual Old Testament scriptures.  The reader will have to research the meaning on their own.

 

Upcoming Posts and Jim’s Library

In surveying the references in scripture that should be understood as references from a gospel perspective there is a series of posts that have been in the works since last year.  My hope is that its another presentation of words to help open the eyes and ears to those who have been called.

First in the series is References About the Messiah and Kingdom in the Old Testament – Part I; followed by part II.  I’m finishing the study of the Gospels references used by the Lord and his apostles in John.  John always seems to take more time since the material is unique.

After these two posts I’ll walk through the NT writings on the Gospel of the Kingdom.  By this time most I hope will see why man made theology has led people into a ditch.

The last in the series will be a post on the Redeemed and the Gospel.

Just a quick note, if anyone is interested my personal library contents are listed in a document that can be downloaded by clicking this link.

More coming in the days ahead, stay tuned.

Jim

What is the Gospel?

What is the Gospel?

It is a continual struggle to try to use the language of the scriptures in a way that is appropriate. It’s also difficult to avoid using manmade theological words, but hopefully the reader will grant forgiveness if there are infractions of either principal.  In writing this post, I found another term to define just as in the previous post.  Before we get to what the Gospel is, it seemed a good idea to explain who the “gospel” is for.  Traditionally it has been thought to be for the unbelieving masses.  I no longer think that this is true, at least in a direct sense.  I have based this on passages surveyed and on how our Lord and the early disciples used terminology.  Additionally, I have come to believe that our word “Church” is not a scriptural concept either.  Having said that, let’s start by scripturally defining the word “Church.” Remember this should be viewed from what the scriptures say and not from a manmade theological viewpoint.

The word translated “Church” is a common use of a Greek word found many times in the New Testament.  The Greek word translated “Church” in our English bibles is ekklesia. This is not the origin of the word though which I will get to later.  The word in Strong’s has this definition (partial, emphasis mine):

1)      a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly,

1a) an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating,
1b) the assembly of the Israelites,
1c) any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously,
1d) in a Christian sense. (Strong, J. (1996). The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the text of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurrence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.)  The related dictionary of synonyms for this word yields the following:

ekklēsía; gen. ekklēsías, fem. noun from ékklētos (n.f.), called out, which is from ekkaléō (n.f.), to call out. It was a common term for a congregation of the ekklētoí (n.f.), the called people, or those called out or assembled in the public affairs of a free state, the body of free citizens called together by a herald (kḗrux [2783]) which constituted the ekklēsía. In the NT, the word is applied to the congregation of the people of Israel (Acts 7:38). On the other hand, of the two terms used in the OT, sunagōgḗ (4864) seems to have been used to designate the people from Israel in distinction from all other nations (Acts 13:43 [cf. Matt. 4:23; 6:2; James 2:2; Rev. 2:9; 3:9]). In Heb. 10:25, however, when the gathering of Christians is referred to, it is called not sunagōgḗ, but episunagōgḗ (1997), with the prep. epí (1909), upon, translated “the assembling . . . together.” …(Matt. 16:18; Acts 2:44, 47; 9:31; 1 Cor. 6:4; 12:28; 14:4, 5, 12; Phil. 3:6; Col. 1:18, 24).

In scripture, the word is used to designate the assembly of God (1 Cor. 10:32; 11:22; 15:9; Gal. 1:13; 2 Tim. 3:5, 15); the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18); the assembly in Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:21;); exclusively the entire assembly (Eph. 1:22; 3:10, 21; 5:23–25, 27, 29, 32; Heb. 12:23). These assemblies, however, are also confined to particular places (Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 1:2; 16:19; 2 Cor. 1:1; Col. 4:15; 1 Thess. 2:14; Phile. 1:2); to individual local assembly (Acts 8:1; 11:22; Rom. 16:1; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1). Ekklēsía does not occur in the gospels of Mark, Luke, John, or the epistles of 2 Timothy, Titus, 1 and 2 John, or Jude.

In the ancient world a herald went through the streets and “called” the people “out” of their houses to come to the assembly. Though the basic meaning of Ekklēsía is “a called-out assembly” and the word was a technical term for the political assembly at Athens, in its later use the idea of a “calling out” was not the main focus. “The gathering together for a specific purpose” became the thrust of the word. (See Robert Whiston, “Ecclesia,” in A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, ed. William Smith (London: John Murray, 1872), 439–43; Curt Fensterbusch, “Ekklesia,” in Der Kleine Pauly: Lexikon der Antike (Munich: Deutscher Taschenbuch, 1979), 2:222–24; O. Linton, “Ekklesia,” Reallexikon für Antike und Christentum (Stuttgart: Hiersemann, 1950), 4:905–06; G. H. R. Horsley, New Documents Illustrating Early Christianity (North Ryde, N.S.W.: Macquarie University Press, 1983), 84; and Passow, Handwörterbuch der griechischen Sprache, 2, part 2, 834–35.)

The only other word that is used to describe an assembly of believing ones is paneguris occurs only in Hebrews 12:23, and differs from both ekklēsía and sunagōgḗ. The word denoted a solemn assembly for festal rejoicing.  So where did the word church have its origin?

The English word ‘church’ is derived from the Gk. adjective kyrialos as used in some such phrase as kyriakon dōma or kyriakē oikia, meaning ‘the Lord’s house’, i.e. a Christian place of worship. ‘Church’ in the NT, however, renders Gk. ekklēsia, which mostly designates a local congregation of Christians and never a building. Although we often speak of these congregations collectively as the NT church or the early church, no NT writer uses ekklēsia in this collective way. An ekklēsia was a meeting or assembly. Its commonest use was for the public assembly of citizens duly summoned, which was a feature of all the cities outside Judaea where the gospel was planted (e.g. Acts 19:39); ekklēsia was also used among the Jews (lxx) for the *‘congregation’ of Israel which was constituted at Sinai and assembled before the Lord at the annual feasts in the persons of its representative males (Acts 7:38). (See Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996). New Bible dictionary (3rd ed.) (199–200). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.  Emphasis mine.)

In addition to being used in classical Greek for the political assembly at Athens, ekklēsia also was used for a gathering or assembly of soldiers. In the Septuagint the word translates to the Hebrew word qahal with the meaning “assembly”; it generally indicated the people of Israel who were assembled. ekklēsia, however, does not mean “kingdom” (See Friedrich Rehkopf, Septuaginta-Vokabular [Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1989], 91; K. L. Schmidt, 3:522; Leonard Rost, Die Vorstufen von Kirche und Synagoge im Alten Testament. Eine Wortgeschichtliche Untersuchung [Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 1967]; and Klaus Berger, “Volksversammlung und Gemeinde Gottes. Zu den Anfängen der christlichen Verwendung von ‘ekklesia,’“ Zeitschrift für Theologie und Kirche 73 [1976]: 167-207). Also see Psalms of Solomon 10:6 and Testament of Job, 32:8.)

So it is clear the word “the church” is not something new or “early”. Nor was it a word that was used to describe a gathering of believers. The gospel was preached to Abraham (Galatians 3:8) and therefore not to some select group of people called “the Church.”  We need to now define who the gospel is for.   This as with other misconceptions carries a great weight of falsehood and manmade tradition.

The gospel is for the redeemed of God and this has been true from Adam’s time to the present.  Why not the unbelieving masses?  Because they are not redeemed; there it is and it’s really simple as that.  They are outsiders that Paul talked about (Colossians 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:12; 1 Corinthians 5:12, 13; 1 Timothy 3:7  See also Numbers 16:40; 18:4, 7)  This has tremendous implications and will be further explored in another upcoming post on the redeemed and as the posts on the Gospel.  At this point, we have shown that the word “church” has nothing to do with the company of the redeemed that not only the scriptures are addressed to, but specifically who the Gospel is to be preached to (Synoptically read all Gospels).  Next we need to start laying out the content of the Gospel.

The Gospel

First and foremost, the Gospel is a message of the Messiah and His coming Kingdom. A truth that is clear from each of the Gospel writers in the NT.  This truth has been obscured.  Why?  There are many reasons, if I could point to one cause it would be that over the centuries since the apostles passed from the scene, traditions and philosophical ideas of men have crept in and supplanted the Gospel of the prophets, Jesus Christ, and His apostles.  Also, the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself has been disregarded, or regulated to another “age” or “dispensation.” We were warned of this ahead of time,

He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ “For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men––the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition…”

Mark 7:6-10

Another issue arises here on the word believe, it has been misconstrued that a person believing these truths at a point in time ensures their entry into the Kingdom.  I now do not believe that this is so.  In the Greek, the word for believing is usually in the present tense.  The word has been translated as faith or belief occurs about 550 times and possibly constitutes the most frequent instruction/command found in the New Testament.  Let’s take a look at the word as it is used in a very familiar verse, John 3:16.

After referring to Greek grammar rules, this verse gave me a journey more difficult than the one in my previous post as to why I don’t translate the last phrase as “eternal life.” Back to the verse, the subordinate clause which is begun by a Greek conjunction “in order that“; has its verb(s) in the subjunctive mood, a mood of objective possibility.

There is no rule of Greek grammar that insists that every subordinate clause be interpreted as having its action indefinite, remaining objectively possible and never actual. Objective possibility can and often does result in actual action depending upon the context.

The context determines the outcome of the action in most subordinate clauses to be actual. This is the purpose of the action in the main clause that controls what happens in the subordinate clause in our verse. So when an individual does “believe” in God’s Son, he or she can be sure that God will grant him eonian life.

There is a lot we could mine out of the main clause, but we want to focus on the subordinate clause, “whoever believes” is a nominative present participle in the Greek.  This is where the controversy comes in; many say this is a onetime instance of believing, others a continuous one, etc.

In Greek, the language of the New Testament, there are many tenses for verbs. Instead of going into the exegesis of this verse and its context, I have provided a way to see the research notes and data on why I would translate this verse a certain way. (If the reader would like to see my notes on translation of NT Greek present tense forms outlining my research on this issue, they can contact me through this blog.)

The present tense in this verse should be rendered “…that whoever is believing in Him…”.  This puts a different light on the verse. One would expect the word believe to be in the aorist, to show it’s a point-in-time event.

Why did Jesus switch to the present tense in a verse full of aorists? The present tense in light of my study implies a process of belief, and not the past mental assent I once thought.  In my own and others’ lives it has been true that at a point we believed but that belief grew until we understand enough to know who the Messiah was and is, what the Kingdom that is to come is, and that we needed to continue in the process as its not complete.  Our hope is this future eonian life.  This eonian life is granted as a gift to those who,

…eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality…

Romans 2:7

The Father has delegated this authority to give life to the Son Who gives this gift, at the at the resurrection to those who qualify for their inheritance.  This can only be done by faith that produces a life that does good while in this life.

Based on this discussion so far, a new expanded version of the verse is warranted:

In this way God loved (aorist, a past point in time) the world, so that He gave (aorist, a past point in time) His one and only Son, in order that whoever is believing (present, a process) in Him will not perish (aorist, a past point in time), but will have (present, but with reference to a process with future completion according to the context of the Kingdom) eonian life.

Notice that the phrase “will have eonian life” is also in the present tense. It does not say you will have eonian life in the past or future, but that you will currently be having eonian life.  But as you can see above, since it’s a process the final possession of it is at the resurrection. I have found a mixed bag with the lexical and grammatical texts.  What is more disturbing is that there are scholars who say we don’t know for sure. One needs to be careful with the interpretation of the scriptures, for what one believes and understands has eternal consequences!

Space and time doesn’t permit a fuller discussion of the case for a belief which is a process one goes through.  But one thing is certain about the gospel, accepting, receiving, or believing in Jesus is impossible unless one is told what his Gospel message is.  It also takes God opening the eyes as well as the ears to be able to hear, understand, and believe the gospel.  Many believe that it’s just up to them to do this when in reality it takes divine intervention for someone to believe.  The gospel is much greater that what current religious leaders promote, teach, and preach.  So what is involved in the “believing”?  So, I have held for a long time that belief is a process and not a one-time event.  Salvation is a future event that refers, I believe (at this point in time) is a gift given at the resurrection.  I use the phrase, “At this point in time,” I have to go with the understanding that I have – that believing is a process and salvation is a future event.  At its core, the Gospel is about a promise God made to man after the fall (Adams sin) to destroy the devil and his works.  We believe the promise as we come to understand the Gospel of the Kingdom and who the King is.

If you read the scriptures carefully and long enough you will see that the main promise was and is today of a Messiah and His Kingdom of righteousness.  Since our Lord has risen and ascended the promise has not changed; it’s expanded to include the identity of and life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and session of the Son of God.  Within this many Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled; many remain unfulfilled.  When Jesus Christ said that you must believe in Him, it is the fact that He is the promised Messiah to Israel and by extension to the whole world, that He is God’s Son, and that He is the coming King.  These truths can be found from Genesis to Revelation.  It also needs to be presented in the context of the King and His Kingdom.  It is by the words of Jesus Christ that we come to understand His mind and the things he would want us to know and do.

This is why Paul penned the emphatic warnings in 1 Timothy 6:3-5. Anyone who is avoiding the words of Jesus Christ concerning the Gospel is a false teacher and a menace to the redeemed.  And it’s the redeemed who desperately need to hear the Gospel of the Kingdom. John has that same message in 2 John 7-9. A Jesus separated from His teachings is not the Jesus of the bible; he is an unreal Jesus, reinvented by twisted minds.  Many people in “churches” today believe in an imagined Jesus.  The enemy has gained a great victory over the assembly of saints, the body of Christ. Why? Satan has as one of his tricks to prevent a redeemed person from entering the Kingdom and it is this: separate the Lord Jesus Christ from His Gospel teachings. Our Lord pointed this out to His disciples,

Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

Luke 8:12 NET

This is from the Lord’s explanation of the parable of the sower. This “word” is referring to the gospel.  And in this context, it’s referring to the Gospel of the Kingdom.  We will revisit this later, but a plain reading of this parable’s interpretation by the Lord will show that there is not only those who will not enter the kingdom, but those who have their priorities wrong and also are in danger of not entering.

Just as the gospel preached to the Jews promised a coming kingdom and king, so the redeemed of the God need to believe that He will come again.  Why is it hard to agree that the Gospel is about the Messiah and His Kingdom?  If we examine the biblical evidence, it is clear that the King and Kingdom preached is the message of salvation.   Jesus spoke daily of the Gospel of the Kingdom of the Messiah as did Paul (See Acts 19:8; 20:24, 25; 28:23, 31; 2 Tim. 4:1.). This is true of the other apostles, which will be covered later.  Luke in Acts 8 (which is post ascension) uses several phrases to illustrate the gospel proclaimed. For example, “preaching the word” (literally, “evangelizing the Word,” Acts 8:4). Philip “preached Christ to them” (Acts 8:5). Samaria thus “received the word of God” (Acts 8:14). After “they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans” (Acts 8:25).  Luke provides a comprehensive description of the content of the Gospel message in one particular passage. With precise wording, Luke shows exactly what “proclaiming the Christ” or “proclaiming the Message” or “preaching the Gospel” means.  In NKJV the verse reads:

But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.

Acts 8:12

In some translations this portion of the verse reads “preaching the Gospel of” instead of “about” or “concerning” which makes more sense since the Greek preposition peri is used here. (See online bible: Acts 8:12). This is Luke’s summary of the Gospel; it repeats at two points in his account. Many would be surprised that this is exactly what Jesus Christ told His disciples after the resurrection and before He ascended,

To the same apostles also, after his suffering, he presented himself alive with many convincing proofs. He was seen by them over a forty-day period and spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God.

Acts 1:3 NET

These texts receive almost no mention in modern Christianity in defining the Gospel. If we take them seriously, today’s current evangelistic content would be uncovered as deficient. But tradition teaches not to use the book of Acts for teaching truth.  What a satanic lie!  What would be uncovered?  It is this truth: that the Apostles preaching the Kingdom of God as part of the message and that Jesus Christ is the Messiah promised to Israel and later to the world!  They would now post resurrection and ascension expand the gospel from the Old Testament to include the life, death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah, and His return to judge mankind and the creation as a whole. Modern evangelism’s Gospel eliminates truths about the King and His Kingdom and only gives a very cursory look at some Old Testament passages.  I have actually heard a theologian and pastor say that if you get bored reading the Old Testament you can skip certain portions of it.  The gospel is contained in the Old Testament!  If you have your eyes opened by God you can see the beautiful and glorious gospel.  This is why our Lord chided Nicodemus (John 3) about being a teacher of Israel and that he didn’t know the gospel!

In current evangelism it is taught that one only needs to believe to be saved, while this is partially true and salvation is not of works, which is also true – works are required by the King to enter into the Kingdom!  (See Matthew 5-7)  This passage teaches that for a redeemed person to enter the Kingdom must obey the Kings commands, but if they have disobeyed the King there will be loss of reward or worse.  This is why the baptism of John was to prepare the people morally.  However, if one does not believe, or has gone on sinning after understanding the gospel, that redeemed one will not enter the Kingdom.  The punishment for these people is too horrible to contemplate.  The phrase “weeping and gnashing of teeth” says volumes of what their experience will be (See Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30, Luke 13:28). One thought has become ingrained in the minds of church goers, a simple Gospel.  This one thought has been widely acknowledged that the Kingdom of God was not the main emphasis of Paul’s preaching.  How can that be?  It was the leading topic in our Lord’s evangelizing efforts. If we read Acts 20:25 we can see that Luke shows Paul’s Gospel included the Kingdom of God.  Not only does the importance of the Kingdom in Paul’s preaching appear frequently in Luke’s accounts of Paul’s evangelism, it is found indirectly throughout Paul’s own writings.

The Apostle Paul and the Kingdom

Paul in reminding the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 1:6-10) what they had received was “the Word” (cf. Luke 4:43; 5:1) and by receiving it were expressing their faith in God as they “…and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come”.   This is critically important, to be believing in the return of the Christ/Messiah and the wrath associated with the coming of the future Kingdom are exactly John the Baptist’s and Jesus’ Gospel. The apostle refers to the Gospel of God (1 Thessalonians 2:2, 8, 9), which is the phrase used by Mark to signify Jesus’ preaching of the Gospel (Mark 1:14, 15). Paul then encourages his readers to “walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:12). It is evident that the Messiah and Kingdom is clearly in Paul’s mind.  This is as Luke reports that the Kingdom was part of Paul’s Gospel (Acts 19:8; 20:25; 28:23, 31). In addition Paul tells the Thessalonians that this “Word,” or “Word of God” (both synonyms for the Gospel the Messiah and Kingdom) was “at work” in those who are believing. The idea is exactly the same as Jesus Christ Who spoke of the saving message of the Kingdom.  This word or message when heard, and is received in continual belief, becomes a foundation in the heart of the believing one.  It takes root as the life-giving seed able to do in producing fruit,

“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside…But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Matthew 13:19, 23

What about the other apostles?  They too are in accord with Paul and certainly with the Lord.  Towards the end of a paragraph speaking of the works a redeemed person should be doing Peter makes this statement (See also 1 Peter 2:9):

…for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:11

We see in the book of Mark what is thought to be Peter’s recalling of the words of the Savior about the Kingdom.  John also speaks of the Kingdom in recording the words of the Lord Jesus; in the third chapter of his Gospel he records the meeting of Nicodemus with the Lord (John 3) and again in verse 18:36.  The writer of Hebrews also records truths about the Kingdom as well (Hebrews 1:8; 12:28).  James records words about the future for those who are poor (James 2:5).

The point of this article is this – without an understanding of the gospel of the kingdom, it is hard to see how there can be a believing response to Jesus’ command; “repent and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

Upcoming posts will discuss different aspects of the Gospel.  These issues have been debated recently, and as far as this writer can tell many, if not all have missed the message altogether.  Passages in the New Testament about the saving message should be referenced to a basic truth about the gospel of salvation: The coming King and Kingdom.  The message that is being preached and taught today has all but eliminated the belief in the Kingdom.

Remove belief in the Kingdom from belief in the Messiah and you have “different gospel” (Galatians 1:6). You may be asking yourself at this point, “What does all this mean?” This means that THE MESSAGE of Jesus’ the Messiah, John the Baptist, and the apostle’s gospel preaching has been pretty much silenced. This is the history of the “church” from the earliest centuries.

I would like to leave you with this passage written to the redeemed of God:

4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, we do not become discouraged. 4:2 But we have rejected shameful hidden deeds, not behaving with deceptiveness or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God. 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing, 4:4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God. 4:5 For we do not proclaim 10  ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. 4:6 For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ.

1 Corinthians 4:1-4:6

Thoughts on “eternal life”…

Thoughts on “Eternal Life?”

Note this article was revised considerably on Sunday October 17, 2010.

The phrase “Eternal life” as always been associated with the “Gospel.”  There aren’t different Gospels, there is only one.  There are those of us who have been called to proclaim the truth of the Gospel of the Kingdom.  However, that is not the aim of this post.  This post is to help the reader understand a critical phrase before one can even understand the Gospel in its entirety.  In this series of posts hopefully the reader will be able to understand the biblical Gospel.

In fact, it was an encounter with an associate of one of my Greek teachers that helped me see this and to begin to understand this Gospel for the first time.  The associate and my old friend were used as God’s instrument to help me see my blind and wretched condition.  I thank the Lord multiple times for their teaching and knowledge of the actual Gospel.  In the first post, I included links to their material which was like life saving medicine for a terminally ill patient.  I will not repeat here what they have said or written.

By way of introduction, I would also like to say that in most cases I’m going to provide links to online bible texts instead of quoting the scriptures.  The primary reason is to see the context you have to quote past the point where a writer doesn’t need to ask for permission from a publisher.  It’s sad, but true; the word of God sold profit.  Also, in some cases, a rough translation of a passage will be given from the Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic.  This is to show how the translators either didn’t understand how to translate the word or phrase or read in their theological frame of reference into the text or was simply a poor translation choice in choosing a word or phrase and how it affected the meaning that many people understand and take a face value.  In addition, if there are exegetical fallacies that have been recorded by scholars, these will be mentioned.

Another thing I need to say is I’m responsible for the content of these posts and this site.  My believing prayer is that I will not err, leave something out that should be included, misstate, or any of the hundreds of things that could be done wrong.  Also this prayer is that if I have erred that God will protect the reader from my mistake or omission.  What is written on here hopefully honors the King of the coming Kingdom and that He will be well pleased.  Let’s take a look at the phrase under consideration.

A Word that Unlocks the Future of Mankind

So where did the idea of “eternal life” come from?

Moulton and Milligan contend that the Sanskrit, to which the Greek word for “eternal” is related, contains the idea of life and long life. In the Septuagint (LXX), eon translates no less than nine different Hebrew expressions.  The word eon first occurs in the LXX in Genesis 3:22.  You may notice this is the section on the temptation and fall of mankind.  The Hebrew word in the Masoretic Text is olam and is usually rendered in a variety of ways.  Here are just some of the definitions: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, and world.  Many translators render this word as “forever.”  Young’s translation has “age-lasting.”

To Plato, the word eon applied to ideas which belonged to the world of the eternal — it was the core of Plato’s philosophy of the world around us.  It’s that pagan meaning which underlies our bible translations, as though Platonic metaphysics are the basis of what the prophets and Jesus said about the future. Then as now, people expect their souls and those that they love to enter at death an eternal heavenly place. If eon and the associated word under consideration eonian had been allowed to retain its Hebrew connotation with God’s concept of the ages, we would not get that impression from the scriptures. What the scriptures promise is not “heaven” at death, but life renewed following the resurrection into the Kingdom to be established on earth when Jesus comes returns (1 Corinthians 15:23; Revelation 5:10). The place of our rising from the dead is the Earth.  Even at that point we are not immortal.

Both the Hebrew and Greek adjectives and particularly the Greek, should not be translated as “of the age”.  The adjectives pertain to an undetermined duration of time that may be less than an age or greater than an age.  For example, the Aaronic priesthood was to be OLAM.  However, the priesthood did not last for an “age”.  Our translation of the adjective must change.  I and others who have read this for themselves use a very good English adjective that corresponds both to the Hebrew and Greek adjectives, and it is “eonian”.  I think it is the Concordant translation that uses “eon” and “eonian”.

There are 54 verses in the Greek bible which use the word as a quantifier or zoe rendered “life” in most places in the bible. The total list from a search in both Logos and BibleWorks came up with the following (including apocryphal references):  Job 10:22; Ezek 26:20; Dan 12:2; Jonah 2:7; Tobit 3:6; 2 Macc 7:9; 4 Macc 15:3; Ode 6:7; Ps Solomon 3:12; Matt 18:8; 19:16, 29,  25:46; Mark 10:17, 30; Luke 10:25, 18:18, 30; John 3:15, 3:16, 3:36, 4:14, 4:36, 5:24, 5:39, 6:27,  6:40, 6:47, 6:54, 6:68, 10:28, 12:25, 12:50, 17:2, 17:3, Acts 13:46, 13:48, Rom 2:7, 5:21, 6:22, 23; Gal 6:8; 1 Tim 1:16, 6:12, 19; Titus 1:2, 3:7; 1 John 1:2, 2:25, 3:15, 5:11, 13, 20, Jude 21.  This is not an authoritative list, by any means.

Based on this list it’s easy to see the occurrences of the phrase “eternal life” that are in many bible translations.  This was a poor choice of words by the translators and is where much of our trouble understanding the future that God has for us starts.  Those who have shown me where to look prefer the phrase “eonian life.” The phrase should be rendered “eonian life” in the appropriate contexts instead of its usual rendering “eternal life.” It is a quality that a life that a redeemed human being would have during the age of the Kingdom.  This life is almost always used in reference to the future.  Unlike a lifespan that currently only covers a generation (40 years more or less) this life lasts for an undetermined period of time.  To me it would not be unlike the life span of Adam, which lasted over 900 years.  However, it’s not everlasting life or eternal, or even immortal life. As the references mentioned earlier in the first post, only God possesses immortality. Man will not possess immortality until it is given to him by God.  At this time, I understand this to be post resurrection at which point we will only be raised “imperishable,” not immortal.  The granting individual’s immortality will be at the end and consummation of the reign of the Messiah.  That is a subject for another post, for now we need to trace this eonian life through the bible.  Where does this phrase show up first?  Amazingly the first occurrence of the phrase is in connection with our resurrection in Daniel 12:2,

Many of those who sleep in the dusty ground will awake – some to everlasting life, and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence. Daniel 12:2 NET

Another translation,

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2 NKJV

And another,

Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace. Daniel 12:2 NLT

The Hebrew term for “some” does not occur either in Daniel 12:2b or 12:2c.  In both instances, the author used the near demonstrative plural pronoun “these”.  A better translation would be “Many of those who sleep in the dust of ground will awake, THESE to eonian life, but THESE to disgrace, eonian abhorrence.”  ALL translations are wrong that do not translate both near demonstrative plural pronouns as “these”.  The NASB correctly translates the first and strangely, not the second.  By correctly translating the demonstrative pronouns, the reader can understand that the judgment has already occurred!  How fast did it occur?  In a blink of an eye—this is the power of God.  They are awakened and the judgment seat of Christ has already occurred when this pronouncement in Daniel 12:2 is made!  The near demonstrative pronoun also associates those being judged as near to the Judge, not far off.  Jesus speaks of this judgment in Matthew 13:41-43.  Note that Jesus alludes to Daniel 12:3 in Matthew 13:43.

Notice how the phrase under consideration is rendered everlasting or eternal life.  Many “Christians” don’t even know this verse exists.  And many of those who are believers who do misread or apply this verse to the wrong event in the future.  Some think it’s another reference to the Great White Throne judgement in Revelation (Rev 20:11-15).  That judgement was not revealed except by the Apostle John in the same book for the first time.  The Old Testament prophets didn’t know about it, nor did Jesus our Messiah and Lord speak of it, nor His apostles.  The cross references for this passage contain a wealth of information: Psalm 17:15; Isaiah 26:19, 66:24; Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29, 11:20; Acts 24:15 and show that there is no possibility that this resurrection refers to the one in Revelation.

A difference between Daniel’s resurrection and that which occurs at the Great White Throne is Daniel’s resurrection occurs at the end of this age and the resurrection at the Great White Throne judgment occurs sometime after the initial 1000 years of Christ’s reign in the age to come.  Most people don’t chart out the resurrections on a time line and don’t see this.  Also, Jesus refers to the resurrection at the end of the age (see Matthew 13:39 and elsewhere).  Jesus’ reference to the resurrection was what was prophesied by Daniel and not John in The Revelation.

The Lord and His apostles only had the Old Testament to teach from and would have certainly understood this reference and the subsequent teaching that they heard from Jesus Christ and taught afterwards.  Think about this for a moment, a single verse has incredible implications for the redeemed.  There are no more excuses that if something occurs only once in the bible you shouldn’t base authoritative teaching on it.  Far from it, in this case as we examine this teaching from its origin to the end of the bible the idea of God progressively revealing truth will become clear.  Even the words which occur infrequently can have significant meaning and therefore should not be ignored.

In Daniel 12:2, where eonian describes the resurrection life of those who emerge from their sleep of death in the dust of the ground. Here eonian modifies the word for life and it’s this phrase which was often used by Jesus’ (the phrase appears 40 times in the New Testament).  The prophet Daniel provided many phrases and ideas concerning the end, all of which have been distorted or ignored by Platonically corrupted theology.  Daniel 12:2 reveals that in that Kingdom the resurrected redeemed will obtain eonian life or eonian abhorrence.  The contrasted fate of the wicked is to be excluded from enjoying life of the Kingdom of God.

The phrases “eternal life” and “everlasting life” that appear in our translations. They reflect the Platonizing influence on translators and on Christianity in general. The real meaning of these phrases life in the future Kingdom of God on the earth. The concept is in direct contradiction of the popular idea that “immortal souls” are currently enjoying “paradise” in a far-off heaven.

I have come to understand the Gospel, the one and only Gospel.  As long as I have attended church, which has been over thirty years, I didn’t understand the Gospel clearly, even though I presented what I understood as being the Gospel to many people.  In recent days, I understand the Gospel as the Scriptures presents it.  My thinking in the past had been skewed because I was not only reading what the Scriptures proclaimed, but what I choose to understand because of my personal acceptance of doctrinal tradition.

The Gospel that Jesus Christ and the apostles preached is taught or preached today by a very limited few.  The majority of what is preached today is a different gospel from the one understood by Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Daniel, John the Baptist, Peter, James, John, as well as the other apostles who understood and believed.  My hope with this series of posts is give a biblical perspective on Gospel; starting with the words associated with what was preached by the Lord Jesus, John the Baptist, and the Apostles.

So we have exhausted the information to justify not using the words translated “eternal life?”  Probably not and it’s important to leave it there and let the reader continue the research and see for him or herself.  I’m not here to convince anyone, just to report what I have found.  My prayer is that you will see and hear what God is saying to the redeemed.

In the next few posts, we will address passages about the Gospel of Kingdom.