A big, untold story: Since last Yom Kippur, millions of Jews have begun searching for the Messiah, and for atonement for their sins. The media isn’t reporting this. But it’s worth examining.

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

Over the past year since the last Day of Atonement, millions of Jews around the world have begun a quest to find the Messiah.

At sundown, we begin Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This is the highest holy day on the Jewish calendar, and one of great Biblical and historic and cultural importance to my people.

I so wish I was home with Lynn and our sons in Israel tonight. Instead, I am in the U.S. speaking at a number of events, from Dallas to San Luis Obispo to Washington, D.C. to Toronto. I am speaking about the darkness that is falling in our world. But I am also explaining to people about a fascinating phenomenon that I’m observing.

Since last Yom Kippur, millions of Jews have begun a quest to find the Messiah. For reasons I cannot fully explain, Jews are suddenly searching for answers to the deepest and most important questions concerning…

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The Suffering Servant

He became sin for us…so that we might become the righteousness of God.

“The gospel tells us that the Creator has become our Redeemer.  It announces that the Son of God has become man “for us men and for our salvation” and has died on the cross to save us from eternal judgment.  The basic description of the saving death of Christ in the Bible is as a propitiation, that is, as that which quenched God’s wrath against us by obliterating our sins from his sight.  God’s wrath is his righteousness reacting against unrighteousness; it shows itself in retributive justice.  But Jesus Christ has shielded us from the nightmare prospect of retributive justice by becoming our representative substitute, in obedience to his Father’s will, and receiving the wages of our sin in our place.

By this means justice has been done, for the sins of all that will ever be pardoned were judged and punished in the person of God the Son, and it is on this basis that pardon is now offered to us offenders.  Redeeming love and retributive justice joined hands, so to speak, at Calvary, for there God showed himself to be “just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus.”

Do you understand this?  If you do, you are now seeing to the very heart of the Christian gospel…”  ~J.I. Packer, Knowing God

 

The Prophecy concerning Jesus as found in Isaiah 52-53:

“Look, my servant will succeed!
He will be elevated, lifted high, and greatly exalted
(just as many were horrified by the sight of you)
he was so disfigured he no longer looked like a man;

His form was so marred he no longer looked human
so now he will startle many nations.
Kings will be shocked by his exaltation,
for they will witness something unannounced to them,
and they will understand something they had not heard about.

Who would have believed what we just heard?
When was the Lord’s power revealed through him?

He sprouted up like a twig before God,
like a root out of parched soil;
he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention,
no special appearance that we should want to follow him.

He was despised and rejected by people,
one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness;
people hid their faces from him;
he was despised, and we considered him insignificant.

But he lifted up our illnesses,
he carried our pain;
even though we thought he was being punished,
attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done.

He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds,
crushed because of our sins;
he endured punishment that made us well;
because of his wounds we have been healed.

All of us had wandered off like sheep;
each of us had strayed off on his own path,
but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him.

He was treated harshly and afflicted,
but he did not even open his mouth.
Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block,
like a sheep silent before her shearers,
he did not even open his mouth.

He was led away after an unjust trial
but who even cared?
Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living;
because of the rebellion of his own people he was wounded.

They intended to bury him with criminals,
but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb,
because he had committed no violent deeds,
nor had he spoken deceitfully.

Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill,
once restitution is made,
he will see descendants and enjoy long life,
and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.
Having suffered, he will reflect on his work,
he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done.

“My servant will acquit many,
for he carried their sins.
So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes,
he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful,
because he willingly submitted to death
and was numbered with the rebels,
when he lifted up the sin of many
and intervened on behalf of the rebels.”

.

…just as many were horrified by the sight of you…

He was so disfigured He no longer looked like a man;
His form was so marred He no longer looked human
so now He will startle many nations.

 

The revelation of His Story might be right around the corner —
The Suffering Servant will come to earth as The Exalted King!

Will you be found in Christ, alone?

.

.

.

My sin — oh the bliss of this glorious thought —
My sin — not in part but the whole —
Was nailed to the cross and I bear it no more!

Praise the Lord!
Praise the LORD,
Oh, my soul!!!

The Name of the LORD

Does a name matter?  When I’m called something other than Michelle, I do not respond.  It is not my identity.  Names are given for the unique individual created…for the personality of the one being named.

Sometimes we do a lousy job of naming our children.  We don’t even give a thought to whom they may be, but to what sounds good to our ears.  Biblical names were not chosen by what would tickle the ear.  Biblical names were given to express the characteristics of the one named.

God revealed Himself through His Name.

The God of the Bible is…

Elohim  —  Our Creator Who said, “Let US make man in OUR image”

El Elyon  —  God Most High

El Shaddai  —  God All-Sufficient

El Roi  —  The God Who Sees

Adonai  —  Lord and Master

Jehovah  —   LORD

Jehovah-Jireh  — The LORD our Provider

Jehovah-Shalom  —  The LORD our Peace

Jehovah-Tsidkenu  —  The LORD our Righteousness

Jehovah-Mekkodishkem  —  The LORD our Sanctification

Jehovah-Rapha  — The LORD our Healer

Oh, so many names — more than I’ve listed — reveal the character and  attributes of our eternal, infinite, transcendent, and HOLY God.

Our God, the God of the Jewish people and the God of the Christian, IS the same God.

That truth offends so many people of both faiths.  But, when we see what scripture teaches, the OLD and NEW Testaments of God, we see Jesus is the Son of the Father, who is in Heaven.  The Great Shepherd who leads His flock to still waters is the Good Shepherd who searches for His lost sheep.  The Rock upon which we stand is the Stone of Stumbling which causes offense.  Our righteousness and our sanctification is found in the Name of the LORD.

The scripture teaches us:

The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and is safe.
~Proverbs 18:10

For You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.
~Psalms 31:3

My God, my Rock, in whom I take refuge,
My shield and the horn of my salvation,
My stronghold and my refuge;
My Savior,
You save me from violence.
~2 Samuel 22:3

For You have been a refuge for me,
A tower of strength against the enemy.
~Psalms 61:3

When the LORD called Moses to return to Egypt and bring His people out of slavery, Moses questioned God.  He wanted to know by whose name — by whose authority — was he to speak.  We read:

Then Moses said to God,  “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?”

God said to Moses,  “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

God, furthermore, said to Moses,
“Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel,
‘The LORD,
the 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-name to all generations.
~Exodus 3:13-15

God declared the name LORD as His memorial name to all generations.  He is known to ALL GENERATIONS by the name Yahweh.  Such a sacred name that the Jewish people will not speak it.  In English we have given the Hebrew tetragrammaton of YHWH the transliteration of Jehovah.

This is the name Jesus spoke when questioned by the Pharisees.  They became so enraged that they took up stones to kill Him!

Jesus said to them,
“Truly, truly, I say to you,
before Abraham was born,
I am.”
~John 8:58

God is known by His Forever Name — I AM  — to all generations!

Jesus is the Great I AM!  Emmanuel — God With Us!!!

In the Book to the Hebrews we are given this explanation:

Because God’s children are human beings––made of flesh and blood––Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the Devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could He deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.  We all know that Jesus came to help the descendants of Abraham, not to help the angels. Therefore, it was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. He then could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since He Himself has gone through suffering and temptation, He is able to help us when we are being tempted.  Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.  ~Hebrews 2 & 3

 

What is the name of your God?

If you want to serve the God of the Bible,

His name is I AM.

I am the LORD! That is My name!
I will not share My glory with anyone else, or the praise due Me with idols.
~Isaiah 42:8

 

O Holy Night

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

A Christmas Prayer by Max Lucado:

Dear Jesus,

It’s a good thing you were born at night. This world sure seems dark. I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem dimmer lately.

These killings, Lord.  These children, Lord.  Innocence violated.  Raw evil demonstrated.

The whole world seems on edge. Trigger-happy. Ticked off. We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs. Are we one button-push away from annihilation?

Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas.  But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. The shepherds were nightshift workers. The Wise Men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows. To see your face, Mary and Joseph needed a candle flame. It was dark. Dark with Herod’s jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty.  Dark with violence.

Herod went on a rampage, killing babies. Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.

Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won’t you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. We, like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger.

This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.

Hopefully,

Your Children

---

“It Is My Duty To Speak”

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
~Psalm 122:6

“I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
~God’s covenant promise to Abraham

Because I love Zion, because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I cannot remain silent.
I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn,
And her salvation blazes like a burning torch.
~Isaiah 62:1

I post watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
They should keep praying all day and all night.
You who pray to the Lord, don’t be silent!
~Isaiah 62:6

We must not be silent.
And we can never forget.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

Forgive Us

It is our fault.

Christians should be the most loving, caring, forgiving, gracious, merciful, and compassionate people on the earth. 

If we truly believe in Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God, the Messiah (Christ) who came to forgive the sins of the world and save us as His own…

…then we are to live as He preached. 

Jesus preached Love. 

It’s our fault if, when people think of Christians, they do not think of Love. 

I watched a show on Shalom TV last night:  Repentance.  It struck me hard.  It is a film documenting a movement of repentance in Germany which acknowledges 2,000 years of anti-Semitic Church history that culminated in the Holocaust.  It features Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel.

After reading Night by Elie Wiesel years ago, I embarked on a study of his writings.  Seeing his name in the description peaked my interest.  Although I’m only 49 years old and have never been an anti-Semite, I felt compelled to ask God for forgiveness for my ancestors  since I do have some German blood running through my veins.

I don’t really believe it works that way, that I can seek forgiveness for my ancestors.  I do believe we will all stand individually and give an account for the deeds done in the flesh.  However, I feel a deep grief over the 2000 years of Church history.  I feel we have smeared Christ’s name by hateful acts of prejudice toward His people.  And then, I think of all the other people we seem to snub, push aside, act as though we are better than…!!!

What’s wrong with us? 
Do we really believe the words of Christ?
How is it we can be so hateful toward our fellow man and call ourselves Christians?

Christ came to save the lost,
To bind up the wounds of the broken,
To release the chains of the prisoner.

I could get on my soapbox and wax loooong about what we’ve done as Christians, but my point:

We need to apologize.

We need to apologize for the ugly distortion we have taught as Christ followers.

We need to apologize for the evil we’ve done in Christ’s name.

We need to love as He taught us to love the world.

ALL people.

We would not be here, we would not have any of our Christian teachings, if God did not choose the Jewish people through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  They are the People of the Book.  They have kept the sacred text indisputably incorrupt (proven through the Dead Sea Scrolls) for thousands of years.  Our Savior came through this people…and look what we have done in His name…

Please.  Please, accept this heartfelt statement of repentance from one lone girl deep in the heart of Texas.

This act of contrition is not for the Jewish people only, but for all people who have seen and heard an ugly word or action done in the name of Christ.

Please, forgive us.
If you do not see us as a loving people, we are to blame.

It is our fault.
Our Savior didn’t teach us to act this way.

His Plan Will Be Done

“Don’t let your meology determine your theology”
 ~Jeff Shreve

Seek the Lord while you can find Him.
      Call on Him now while He is near.
Let the wicked change their ways
      and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
   Let them turn to the Lord that He may have mercy on them.
      Yes, turn to our God, for He will forgive generously.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
      “And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
      so My ways are higher than your ways
      and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.
~Isaiah 55:6-9

Self-justification is a statement that says:
“I don’t need grace because I can explain.” 
~Serena Woods

There has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice.  But, if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace…

I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say,
 

 “The One who rescues will come from Jerusalem,
      and He will turn Israel away from ungodliness.
And this is My covenant with them,
      that I will take away their sins.”

Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people He loves because He chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For God’s gifts and His call can never be withdrawn. Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against Him, God was merciful to you instead. Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so He could have mercy on everyone.

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge!
How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His ways!

For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
      Who knows enough to give Him advice?
And who has given Him so much
      that He needs to pay it back?

For everything comes from Him
and exists by His power
and is intended for His glory.
All glory to Him forever!
Amen.
~Romans 11

~We may not understand what is happening in this world,
but rest assured, He has a plan.
He is working His plan.
His will be done.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o’er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
In ancient times did’st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

I Believe

Words scrawled on a cellar wall where Jews had hidden in Cologne, Germany during World War II:

I believe in the sun
Even when it isn’t shining. 

I believe in love
Even when I am alone. 

I believe in God
Even when He is silent.

To believe…even when the world, as you know it, is falling apart.

I know God is real. He may be silent at this point in time, but I will trust His silence.

He is never asleep.

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?

My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade on your right hand.

The sun will not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

The Lord will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.

The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever.

~Psalm 121

I was sure by now
God, You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say “Amen”, and it’s still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I’ve cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can’t find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I’ve cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

Living Your Convictions

Mandy reminded me today of one of my favorite authors: Corrie ten Boom

After hiding Jews during WWII for the Dutch underground, and then surviving Ravensbrück concentration camp, Corrie ten Boom wrote her story: The Hiding Place.

She has been my hero from the moment I completed her book in high school.  I recently read it again and was amazed at her bravery and tenacity.  I hope to have the same kind of faith and courage if ever faced again with the horrors of WWII.  I will stand with the Nation of Israel.

Here are some of her words of wisdom:

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

“The first step on the way to victory is to recognize the enemy.”

“Joy runs deeper than despair.”

“Discernment is God’s call to intercession, never to faultfinding.”

“When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.”

“Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.”

Corrie’s sister, Betsie, died in Ravensbrück.  Before she died she told Corrie,

“There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”

I’m challenged by these saints of the Lord.

Any thoughts?