Messianic Perspectives

Guest (Female): Today the eyes of the world are on the Middle East as world leaders try to jumpstart the stalled peace process. What does the future hold for this troubled part of the world? We'll find out today as Pastor Albert Runge talks about Jerusalem, the focus of prophecy, right here on Messianic Perspectives.

Liz Aiello: Shalom and welcome to Messianic Perspectives, a daily program where we look into the scriptures from a distinctive first-century Jewish point of view. I'm Liz Aiello. Today we'll be hearing from associate Bible teacher Albert Runge as he talks about Jerusalem, the focus of prophecy. I'll be back a little later with information about a special offer, so have your pencil and paper ready. But first, with today's study, here is Al Runge.

Albert Runge: Thank you for allowing me to come into your home and to share with you a wonderful message of Jesus, our Jewish Messiah. I want to begin a new series of messages on Jerusalem, the focus of prophecy. Jerusalem was important because God selected this city to situate His ancient temple. God placed His holy name in the city of Jerusalem so that all the peoples of the world might know where they could come and worship the living God.

We want to start with the Tabernacle in the wilderness because it was a prototype of the temple that was built in Jerusalem. You remember when God commanded Moses to erect a Tabernacle, which was a tent sanctuary? God showed Moses the heavenly temple to be used as a blueprint for the Tabernacle. In Exodus 25, verses 8 and 9, God said to Moses, "And let them make me a sanctuary according to all that I show you, that is the copy of the Tabernacle and the copy of all the furnishings, just so you might make it." So it was a copy of what he had seen in a vision.

There were three major purposes for the Tabernacle. First of all, the Tabernacle provided a visible place for God to dwell among His people. In Exodus 25:8, God said, "And let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them." Why? Well, we're told in verse 46 of that chapter, "And they shall know that I am the Lord their God who brought them up out of the land of Egypt that I may dwell among them. I am the Lord their God."

During the day, there was the cloud of glory that represented the presence of God. And during the night, there was a pillar of fire over the Tabernacle to assure the people that God was with them. He was there to guide them, to comfort them, and to provide for them. Why would God want to dwell among His people? The answer is obvious. It's out of love. God told Israel in Deuteronomy 7:6 and 8, "You are a holy people to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth."

Then he said, "The Lord did not set His love on you, nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But because the Lord loved you." You see, love wants to dwell with the one who is loved. When my children became teenagers, they'd ask me many times, "How do you know when you're in love?" I told my son, "When you're in love, you will want to be with that person."

My first date was with my wife when I was 23 years old. I was awfully busy getting through school and didn't have time for dating. But I loved her almost immediately. We were at a Christian college. We were only allowed to date on Friday evenings. And after listening to a concert and then sharing an ice cream sundae together, I had to take her back to the girls' dorm and say goodbye, goodnight. But in my heart, I did not want to leave her. In 48 years of marriage, that desire is still there. I love living with my wife. She's sweet. She's a wonderful company and my best friend.

Why did Jesus the Messiah leave heaven and become a man? He left heaven because He loves us and He wanted to dwell with us. John the Apostle explains this in chapter 1, verses 14 and 15, "And the word of God 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." Why was Jesus willing to suffer injustice and to die an unjust death? He did it because He wanted us to be with Him forever.

Remember when Jesus said to His disciples in John 14, "I go to prepare a place for you in my Father's house. And I will come again to receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also." The children in the wilderness never fully trusted God's love, though they saw the divine presence over the Tabernacle. Every time they faced a serious problem, they complained against God because they doubted His love. So the Tabernacle was made so that God could dwell among His people.

Secondly, the Tabernacle provided a place for God to meet with His people. In Exodus 29:43 and 44, we read this, "And there I will meet with the children of Israel and the Tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory." We have something more than a doctrinal creed that supports our faith. We have the living presence of Jesus. When I accepted Jesus when I was 14 years old, my father took me to the rabbi to convince me that I had made a very serious mistake.

The rabbi was a kind man and well-educated. He patiently gave me all his reasons why I should renounce my faith in Jesus and at the time I was not his intellectual equal. I could not argue with him over his arguments. But I had a genuine experience with God that I refused to give up to please my father and my rabbi. Now today I have the biblical and intellectual arguments to defend my faith. But more than all that, I have 58 years of experiencing the reality of the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah.

I am not the only Jew that can say that. There are thousands of Messianic Jews today who are convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, because they have met with Him and He dwells within them. Thirdly, the Tabernacle was a place for the atonement of sin. In Exodus 30 verse 10, "And Aaron shall make atonement upon the horns of the altar in the Holy of Holies once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. It is most holy to the Lord."

There are some who think, "Well, if I'm religious, if I eat what I'm supposed to eat and wear what I'm supposed to wear, if I keep the holy days and do good deeds, then I will be a righteous person." The fact is that no matter how good you are, you're not perfect. Everyone fails in some areas of their lives. I remember reading a rabbi who said there's one commandment that no one can keep because it deals with the heart. And that commandment is, "Thou shalt not covet what belongs to your neighbor."

And Jesus said, "If you commit adultery in your heart with a woman, even though it's not a physical adultery, it's still adultery." And so we are all sinners. In fact, this is not a simply New Testament teaching. The Jewish psalmist wrote in Psalm 14, verses 2 and 3, "The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside. They have altogether become corrupt. There is none who does good, no not one."

So this is not a simply New Testament teaching when Paul wrote, "We've all sinned and come short of the glory of God." Whatever he wrote, he got from the scriptures of the prophets and Moses. We are all sinners. We all have failed. None of us can compare ourselves to the holiness of God. That's why we need atonement. We cannot atone for our own sins. And that's the lesson of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. God required sin offerings to substitute for the punishment of sinners.

Jesus is our high priest and He is superior to the priesthood of Aaron because He is our eternal high priest and He's provided an eternal atonement for us. This is what the writer of Hebrews wrote in 9, verses 11 to 13, "Not with the blood of goats and calves but with His own blood, He entered the most holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption for us." Now notice Jesus' sacrifice was once for all. He died on the cross. He doesn't have to die again every year.

He doesn't have to provide another blood atonement as the high priest of Aaron did because His sacrifice was once for all. Think of it. The Messiah Himself took upon Himself our sins. And that's why there is only one valid sacrifice for sin. And that sacrifice has been accepted by God. He's the Lord Jesus Christ. Some people get offended when we say that there's only one way to God. But it's not said to be offensive, but it's said because it's true.

There is no other sin sacrifice. There are no sacrifices for the atonement of sin except through Jesus. And that's why Jesus said in John 8:23 to 24 to religious people, "Therefore I say to you that you will die in your sins for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." Why? Well, you have a choice. You can die in your own sins and answer for them yourself, which I would not want to do. I would not want to die in my sins. I'd want to die in forgiveness of sins.

I want to meet God knowing that my sins have been atoned for. You see, you have a choice. Either you're going to face God on the basis of your own merits or you're going to face God on the basis of what Jesus did for you. And if you believe that Jesus is the one He said He was, the Messiah, the Son of God, and you accept His sacrifice for your sins, then He will forgive all your sins. I remember the day that I accepted the Lord Jesus into my life and I experienced by the Spirit of God the joy of forgiveness.

You too can experience the joy of forgiveness. Did you know that? It's available to all people who will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. They can have their sins forgiven forever. One sacrifice for all times. He is our superior high priest because when He ascended, He sat down at the right hand of the Father on high and He is our advocate. Can you imagine that you have a personal advocate with the Father who loves you and cares for you and who wants you to belong to the children of God and He offers this freely because He paid the price?

I trust that you will consider the claims of the Lord Jesus, that you'll take time to evaluate them, but mostly that you'll say, "Oh God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, show me if this is true. I want to know Him who died for me that I might live forever with You." God bless you as you think these things through in your heart.

Liz Aiello: Thank you, Pastor Runge. And thank you, listening friend for tuning in today. You've been listening to Albert Runge, our associate Bible teacher here on Messianic Perspectives, and his discussion of Jerusalem, the focus of prophecy. In this fascinating series of studies, Pastor Al Runge explains the pivotal role the city of Jerusalem plays in Bible prophecy. He says it's no accident that this ancient city is the focal point of world attention in our generation.

If you enjoyed today's study, you'll be glad to know that our special offer this week is the CD of this current series of studies on Jerusalem, the focus of prophecy, and you can have this set shipped right to your door for a gift of only $12. Just visit our secure online store at messianicspecialties.com to place your order. If you would prefer to order by mail, just address your request to Messianic Perspectives, P.O. Box 345, San Antonio, Texas 78292.

To order by phone, use our toll-free order line. The number is 1-800-926-5397. And as always, when you're in touch with us, please mention the call letters of this station. If you're listening to our webcast or podcast, we need to know that too. I'm Liz Aiello. Join us next time, won't you, as Dr. Gary Hedrick continues our series of studies on Jerusalem, the focus of prophecy, right here on Messianic Perspectives.

Guest (Male): Messianic Perspectives is sponsored by CJF Ministries of San Antonio, Texas, and is made possible on this station by the free will contributions of our listeners in this area.