Discovering The Jewish Jesus

Rabbi K.A. Schneider: We are looking today at Messianic prophecy and the book of Isaiah. It's so important for us to understand how our faith in Jesus is rooted in the Old Testament that we call in Judaism the Tanakh, consisting of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible), the prophets (the Nevi'im), and the writings (the Ketuvim). From those three syllables—the T for the Torah, the N sound from Nevi'im, and the K sound from the Ketuvim—we get the word Tanakh. We are looking at the writings in the Hebrew Bible and showing how the Messiah was revealed in those writings.

One of the most foundational prophetic books in the Old Testament is the book of Isaiah. In fact, Matthew, the Gospel writer, uses the Old Testament more than any other Gospel writer to show that Jesus is the Messiah. Matthew's primary audience was the Jewish people, and he quotes the Old Testament to prove to his Jewish audience that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament. The prophet that Matthew quotes most is Isaiah. We are going to examine some of these Messianic prophecies.

The primary prophecy that we're heading for is Isaiah chapter 53, but before we get there, I want to show you how fully Isaiah reveals the Messiah. Let's begin today with the book of Isaiah chapter number 7, verse 14. Isaiah says this: "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign; behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she shall call His name Immanuel." Of course, many of you associate this scripture with Christmas time, but this is a Messianic prophecy about the Messiah.

Christmas really is the celebration of Messianic prophecy being fulfilled. I should educate some of us that aren't aware of this: traditional Judaism rejects that Jesus is the Messiah. I am Jewish and I believe Jesus is the Messiah, but I am in a huge minority. As a whole, those Jewish people that believe in Jesus as the Messiah are ostracized by the larger Jewish community.

When a Christian person quotes this verse to a Jewish person, a traditional Jewish person that knows the Bible would say, "Well, the Hebrew word there for virgin, which is almah, does not necessarily mean a virgin. It can mean a young maiden." But the truth is that the Hebrew word almah can mean a virgin. It is translated as virgin in other portions of Scripture, and Isaiah 7:14 wouldn't make sense unless it was a virgin rather than a young maiden.

If the verse was translated, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: a young maiden will be with a child and bear a son," that isn't really a sign. It doesn't make you pay attention. Signs get your attention. If just a regular young maiden bore a son, that's not something that's going to get your attention. But if a virgin bears a son, that's going to get your attention. That's why Isaiah says it's a sign.

Messianic prophecy, in addition to predicting the future, is also about Jesus fulfilling Israel's history by reliving its history and repeating the same patterns. Jewish history begins with Abraham, and that the Jewish lineage is traced from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob. Think about the birth of Isaac. God made a promise to Abraham and said, "Abraham, through your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed." Abraham waited his whole adult life for this seed to be born.

Abraham got desperate, and he ended up having a relationship with his maid, Hagar. Hagar got pregnant, but God said to Abraham, "It's not through Hagar that the child's going to be born. The seed is not coming through Hagar, Abraham; it's going to come through Sarah, your own wife." Abraham and Sarah were about 100 years old. Somebody having a child at 100 years old is well past their ability to have a child.

God appeared to Sarah at 100 years old and said to Abraham and Sarah, "At this time next year, you're going to have a child." Sarah laughed because it was impossible. She said, "Can a woman that's 100 years old have a child?" Yet sure enough, the same time next year, she bore Isaac. God's supernatural destiny promised to Abraham was fulfilled through his seed that began with Isaac.

His birth came into the world very supernaturally. His mother Sarah conceived at 100 years old when she was well past the age of childbearing. How much more supernatural should the birth of Jesus be, the most unique being that has ever come into the planet? God takes this concept of a supernatural birth process one step further. Rather than having someone bear a child that is 100 years old, He brings it to the highest level by having a virgin bear a child.

Jesus comes into the world in the most unique way possible because Yeshua is the most unique being that's ever been born into the planet. We see once again that Jesus' birth is prophesied in the book of Isaiah. In fact, Matthew quotes it in the book of Matthew chapter number 1, verse 23: "Behold, the virgin will be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means God with us."

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Rabbi K.A. Schneider: So from the very beginning of Jesus coming into the world, we see revelation coming to us thousands of years ago in this prophetic book that we call Isaiah. Let's continue on in this work as we come to the book of Isaiah chapter number 9, verses 1 and 2. Isaiah says this: "But there will no longer be no more gloom for her who was in anguish. In earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious by the way of the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them."

This is a Messianic prophecy. Remember once again that Jesus, after He'd been crucified when His disciples were completely downcast because they thought that Jesus' plan failed, Jesus came up to them and opened their mind to understand the Scriptures. He showed the disciples all the things that were written about Him in the Hebrew Bible. He opened their minds to perceive what couldn't be perceived naturally.

Isaiah is talking about something supernaturally happening along the Sea of Galilee in the region of Galilee. It doesn't say much; it's hidden if you don't have revelation to see it. Now look what happens as I go to the book of Matthew once again and see how Matthew brings up this scripture from Isaiah and quotes it identically.

Matthew chapter 4, verses 12 through 17: "Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea." Remember, the last scripture that I just read to you from the book of Isaiah pointed out this thing happening by the sea. Matthew continues: "This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet."

Isaiah prophesied that Messiah's primary ministry would be around the Sea of Galilee in the Galilee area, which it was. Matthew quotes from Isaiah and says, "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light, and those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them a light dawned."

From that time, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Many times when we think about Israel, we are so romantic about Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the city of the Great King; it's so beautifully gorgeous and it's the land of prophetic destiny. But most of Jesus' ministry did not take place in Jerusalem. His ministry took place in the Galilee area.

In Isaiah, we not only have prophesied the birth of Jesus, but we just saw that His primary ministry would take place in Galilee. In the Gospels themselves, we have the record of Jesus' birth and we have a record of Him going to the temple for Passover with His parents. But other than that, the next thing that happens is we go to His ministry that begins with Him being baptized in the Jordan and ministering in the Galilee area.

The platform through which Isaiah launches his prophecy correlates exactly with what the timeline is in terms of recording for us the life of Jesus in the Gospels. Listen to this section of scripture from Isaiah 9, verses 6 and 7: "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulder; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of His peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore."

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. Here we see a Messianic prophecy of the Messiah coming to Earth to establish truth and government and His reign in the world. The only person that could do that is God Himself. That's why the scripture says in Isaiah chapter 7 that a child will be born to us and His name will be Immanuel, God is with us.

We as believers in Jesus understand that the Messiah is God in the flesh. Remember, John told us in the Gospel of John chapter 1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Then John continues and he says, "And the Word became flesh." So who became flesh? The Word, who was God, became flesh.

We that know Jesus know that Jesus is God clothed in humanity. We understand that the Messiah is God in the flesh. Traditional Judaism rejects the notion that the Messiah is God in the flesh. They just believe that the Messiah is someone that will have a very charismatic personality that will be anointed to be able to lead Jewish people back to Torah observance. But the Hebrew Bible itself tells us that when Messiah comes, He will be God in the flesh.

He'll be called, once again, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace—God in the flesh. No one could be called Wonderful Counselor, Eternal Father, Mighty God, except God Himself. Jesus has fulfilled these ancient prophecies. He is not just a man that is anointed that brings people back to observe Torah again. No, the Messiah is God in the flesh.

Let's go to one more scripture today. I'm reading now from the book of Isaiah chapter 11, verses 1 through 10. "Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, and He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, nor make a decision by what His ears hear; but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth."

"And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Also righteousness will be a belt around His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist. And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox."

"The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Then in that day the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, who will stand as a signal for the peoples; and His resting place will be glorious."

This is a Messianic age in which Messiah will reign over the earth, and this brings us to fruition in the book of Revelation. The book of Isaiah is extraordinary in how it brings forth for us Messiah's coming, His birth, His ministry, and what happens when He executes His glory over the earth. I want you to stay with me as we dig deeper into the book of Isaiah and this concept of Messianic prophecy.

I haven't heard a sermon on the widow's mite lately, have you? Perhaps you don't even know the story. Jesus was at the temple one day observing people as they were coming to put their offering forward unto the Lord, and a widow came and she just gave just a little bit. But Jesus commented to His disciples that her offering was actually the greatest of any He had observed, even though it was a small amount.

He said she gave out of her poverty, when the others gave out of their abundance. It didn't cost them anything to make an offering; it didn't hurt. But that widow gave out of a position where it was purely love and purely obedience. It was a sacrifice. It reminds me of David that said, "I will not offer to the Lord that which costs me nothing." I want to encourage us all: let's be faithful to the Lord with our finances. It should hurt a little bit, and God promises it's going to come back good measure, running over into our laps. I encourage you to give unto the Lord through this ministry if it's feeding you.

Guest (Male): Amen, and we are so grateful for your gifts of any amount. As the Lord leads you to support this ministry, you can give online at DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com or give generously by calling 800-777-7835. You can also send your check in the mail to Discovering The Jewish Jesus, PO Box 777, Blissfield, Michigan, 49228.

As a token of appreciation for your faithful support, we want to send you our latest newsletter in the mail. You'll be able to see the impact that your giving is having through the testimonies our listeners send in. Right now, I'd like to share another resource that we have available absolutely free for you. It's designed to help you break free from spiritual oppression to walk confidently in your relationship with God. It's our free self-deliverance teaching bundle.

It includes a step-by-step PDF guide and also an inspiring MP3 audio message from Rabbi that provides pastoral encouragement, will lead you in powerful prayers, and offers spoken declarations to strengthen your daily walk with the Lord. You can claim the freedom that's yours in Jesus today. Find our bundle online at MyFreeGift.com/freedom. Now here is Rabbi to speak God's sacred blessing over our lives.

Rabbi K.A. Schneider: In the Old Testament book of Numbers, we find a blessing God speaks over His children through Moses and Aaron. It carries the idea of favor and expression. Open your heart to the spirit and the word today and receive Father's goodness into your life with confidence.

Yevarekhekha Adonai veyishmerekha. Ya'er Adonai panav eleykha vikhunekha. Yissa Adonai panav eleykha veyasem lekha shalom. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift you up with His countenance and the Lord give you, beloved one, His peace. God bless you and Shalom.

Guest (Male): I'm your host Dustin Roberts and this program is produced and sponsored by Discovering The Jewish Jesus. Be sure to join us again when Rabbi Schneider reveals what Isaiah's servant songs tell us about the Messiah. That's Tuesday on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.