Looking Unto Messiah in 2018

Multiplied Blessings in Yeshua,

We have chosen, as our first verses of Scripture for the year 2018, Hebrews 12:1-2, “Therefore, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also get rid of every weight and entangling sin. Let us run with endurance the race set before us, FOCUSING ON YESHUA, THE INITIATOR AND PERFECTER OF FAITH…” (emphasis ours). Yeshua is the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega, the Alef and the Tav, the Founder and Perfecter, the Author and Finisher, the Source and Goal of our faith: THE PROMISED MESSIAH!

As we focus on Yeshua the Messiah, we find Him throughout the Holy Scriptures, from Genesis
to Revelation. He is present in prophecy, both direct and indirect, in types and shadows, and even
in mysterious pre-incarnate personages. Many people, especially our Jewish people, think that
Yeshua (Jesus) cannot be found in the Tanach (Old Covenant). This is far from the truth. His Presence
pulsates from its pages. We like what Michael Rydelnick says in The Messianic Hope: “…the best
way of understanding the Bible as a whole is to see the Old Testament as predicting the coming of the
Messiah and the New Testament revealing Him to be Jesus of Nazareth.”

Yeshua affirmed the truth of this perspective. On the road to Emmaus, following His resurrection
from the dead, Yeshua rebuked two of His disciples for their slowness of heart in believing all that
the prophets had spoken concerning the Messiah, “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets,
He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). Returning
to Jerusalem, they told the other assembled disciples that they had seen the risen Lord. As they did,
Yeshua appeared to all of them and said, “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” (Luke 24:44).

Fred John Meldau, in Messiah in Both Testaments, commented on the word MUST: “Notice how
the Lord on different occasions spoke of the necessity—MUST—of Old Testament prophecy being
fulfilled in Him: necessary, because the Word of God cannot fail, and the God of the Word cannot lie,
and the Son of God who fulfilled the Word cannot fail. ‘The Scripture cannot be broken‘ (John 10:35).”

The Tanach (Old Covenant Scriptures) contains approximately 456 prophecies concerning the
Messiah. Of these, 75 are found in the Torah, 243 in the Prophets, and 138 in the Writings and Psalms.
Of the 333 prophecies that relate to the first coming of the Messiah, Yeshua fulfilled them all. He is the
only One in the history of the world to do this. In fact, according to David Baron in Rays of Messiah’s
Glory, more than 40 false Messiahs have appeared in the history of the Jewish nation, and none of
them ever appealed to fulfilled prophecy to establish his claims. Yeshua, on the other hand, said, “You
search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of
me” (John 5:39). Yeshua knew that His life was pre-written in the Tanach.

Yeshua in the Law of Moses

Yeshua appears in the Law of Moses (the Torah or first five books of Moses) in various ways—in
direct prophecies, pre-incarnate personages, types, shadows, and hints called remazim (reh-mah-
ZEEM) in Hebrew. A “type” is a divinely created illustration of spiritual truth, a person, place, thing, or
event by divine foresight and planning that forms a picture of its antitype or fulfillment.

Adam, the first man created by God, is a picture of Yeshua, the Messiah. (See Romans 5:14!)
He was of the earth, made of dust. Yeshua is from heaven, born of the Spirit. A new creation. The last
Adam. “And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a lifegiving
spirit’” (1 Corinthians 15:45). Death came through the first Adam. Resurrection came through the
last Adam. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Messiah all shall be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).

Abraham’s son Isaac, who obeyed his father in willing to be sacrificed on an altar to fulfill the will
of God (Genesis 22), typified another Son, who prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “…not My will,
but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). While Isaac’s life was spared by the provision of a ram caught in
the thicket, God’s Son was not spared, but delivered up for all of us. (See Romans 8:32.) Perhaps
Abraham saw this future provision (John 8:56).

The Passover lambs slain by the Israelites at the Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 12:1-13) are a
prophetic picture of one final Lamb that would be sacrificed for the eternal redemption of all who would
believe. Yeshua was identified as that Lamb, at the beginning of His earthly ministry, “The next day
John saw Yeshua coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of
the world!’” (John 1:29).

Parallels between similar entities are common in Rabbinic literature. One of these parallels
includes comparisons between Messiah and one of the Torah’s most famous personages: Moses.
There is a Jewish expectation that the Messiah will be a “second Moses.” Yeshua definitely fulfilled
that expectation. There are more than 50 parallels between the life of Moses and that of Yeshua. To
name a few: Moses and Yeshua were both born during the reign of a cruel tyrant, both were doomed
to death as infants, both were miraculously preserved, both performed mighty signs and wonders, both
fasted forty days in the wilderness, both chose suffering with God’s people over palace pleasures,
both spoke for God and with God face-to-face, and both were redeemers, teachers, judges, mediators,
intercessors, and shepherds/leaders. Both Moses and Yeshua also chose Gentile brides (but returned
and will return for their own people).

Yeshua fulfilled the Messianic prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:18, “I will raise up for them a Prophet
like you [Moses] from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth; and He shall speak to
them all that I command Him.” Moses was referring to Yeshua in this prophecy. Yeshua would later say
to the Pharisees, “For if you believed Moses you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me” (John 5:46).

Perhaps the most important messianic prophecy that Yeshua fulfilled is the very first one in the
Torah: Genesis 3:15, “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.” God is speaking to Satan here,
speaking about the hatred that came into the world because of sin. Communion with God had been
broken. Someone born of a woman would be an enemy of the devil. That Someone would be wounded
by the devil or Satan, but it would not be a mortal wound (only to the heel). The devil, on the other
hand, would be wounded in the head.

Satan bruised Yeshua’s heel on the Tree of Sacrifice. Yeshua died, but His death was temporary
since He rose again on the third day. Messiah’s permanent victory over Satan is mentioned in various
places in the Brit Hadasha. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy
the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly”
(Romans 16:20). Yeshua is the “seed of the woman” prophesied in the first book of the Torah.

There are also veiled references to Yeshua in the Torah in the brazen serpent of Numbers 21,
the life of Joseph in Genesis 37, the Tabernacle in the Wilderness in Exodus 25–31, and the Angel
of the Lord (Malach Adonai), who wrestled with Jacob in Genesis 32. It has been wisely said that the
Old Covenant is in the New Covenant concealed, while the New Covenant is in the Old Covenant
revealed.

Yeshua in the Prophets

Of the 243 prophecies of Messiah in the Prophets (Neviim, neh-VEE-eem), some are particularly
outstanding, but all of them were inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit), picturing a
Messiah who would come. “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes
in Him will receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43).

The Jewish prophet Micah prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem about
750 years before Yeshua was born, “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 old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). Jewish sages interpret Messiah’s birth in
Bethlehem meaning that He would be of the House of David. Yeshua was. The phrase “whose goings
forth are from old, from everlasting” speaks in some way of divinity, according to at least one rabbinic
commentator, Rabbi David Kimhi, who said, “…and he is El (God), which is how he is ‘from old, from
ancient times.'” During the Middle Ages the interpretation was given that the Messiah “was before the
sun, moon, and the course of the stars.” He was Yinnon, the One who would awaken the children of
the dust from the dead. That is true. Yeshua was in the beginning with God (Colossians 1:16-17), and
He entered our time and space as a baby born in the little town of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1-11).

It was prophesied that the Messiah would be Redeemer of both Jews and Gentiles. Isaiah said,
“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” (Isaiah 42:1). This verse is repeated in Matthew
chapter 12, after Yeshua healed great multitudes who followed Him. Matthew specifically notes that
Yeshua was fulfilling that which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet (Matthew 12:17), ending with, “And
in His name Gentiles will trust” (Matthew 12:21). This was a radical concept. Gentiles believing in a
Jewish Messiah? Yes. Yeshua declared this part of His mission in John 10:16, “And other sheep I
have, which are not of this fold [the Jewish fold]; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice;
and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.”

Yeshua knew that He was destined to fulfill all that the Jewish prophets said about Him. As He
was nearing His death, He commented to His twelve talmidim (tahl-me-DEEM), “Behold, we are going
up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be
accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.
They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again” (Luke 18:31-33).

Where did the prophets say these things? The prophet Zechariah prophesied that Messiah would
enter Jerusalem to bring salvation, riding on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9). Yeshua did (Matthew 21:1-5).
He was delivered to the Gentiles, the Roman soldiers (Matthew 27:27), mocked (Psalm 22:7-8 with
Matthew 27:31), and spat on (Isaiah 50:6 with Matthew 27:30).

Messiah’s death and resurrection are graphically portrayed in the prophecy of Isaiah 53, where
the meaning of His death, as a substitutionary atonement, is given. This prophecy was written over
700 years before Yeshua was born, but the prophet accurately details His suffering and death by
crucifixion as the Suffering Servant of the Lord. (The Messianic interpretation of this chapter was
almost universally adopted by Jews until Rashi applied it to the Jewish nation instead of Messiah.)

Isaiah 53 does speak of Messiah, specifically of the Messiah Yeshua: He acknowledged this
Himself at His last Passover Seder with His talmidim (Luke 22:37). Consider the following verses from
Isaiah 53. Of whom do YOU think the prophet speaks? “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of
sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and
we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him
stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised
for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All
we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid
on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He
was led as a lamb to the slaughter… He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions
of My people He was stricken…Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When
You made His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed; He shall prolong His days, and the
pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand…”

Yeshua. The Lord’s Suffering Servant (Isaiah 50:6). Sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12),
He came to earth to redeem man on God’s timetable, before the destruction of the Second Temple
(Daniel 9:24-26). He fulfilled the promises of the prophets.

Yeshua in the Psalms

The Psalms (Tehillim, Teh-he-LEEM) also predict the coming of the Messiah, with numerous
prophecies fulfilled by Yeshua HaMashiach. We see Him clearly throughout this Book of the Old Covenant.
Of the 280 quotations from the Psalms in the Brit Hadasha, 50 of them deal with the sufferings,
resurrection, and ascension of the Messiah, as well as the spreading of the Gospel to all nations. The
passages from the Psalms reinforce, complement, and complete the picture given by the Torah and the
Prophets.

A brief summary: Messiah was despised (Psalm 22:6, 69:19-22), rejected (Psalm 118:22), mocked
(Psalm 22:7-8, 89:51-52), whipped (Psalm 129:3), ridiculed (Psalm 69:8, 20), crucified on a cross
(Psalm 22:1-2, 14-17), thirsty (Psalm 22:16), given wine mixed with gall on the cross (Psalm 69:20-
22).Lots were cast for His garments (Psalm 22:18-19), and His bones were not broken (Psalm 34:21).
In addition, we see Messiah risen from the dead (Psalm 16:10), ascended to heaven (Psalm 68:19),
at the right hand of God (Psalm 110:1, 80:17), and as the High Priest (Psalm 110:4). He will judge the
nations (Psalm 89:3-5), His reign is eternal (Psalm 89:35-37), and He is the Son of God (Psalm 2:7).

We can see Yeshua clearly in these verses. There are even more. It was prophesied that He
would speak in parables (Psalm 78:2), calm storms (Psalm 89:9), and be welcomed with shouts of
Hoshiana, (Save now) and Baruch Haba b’Shem Adonai (Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the
Lord) (Psalm 118:25-26).

There are two Messianic Psalms that have been considered almost a pair, from ancient times:
Psalms 2 and 110. The letter to the Hebrews quotes them side by side (Hebrews 1:5, 13; 5:5, 6; 7:17,
21). Psalm 2 deals with the “anointed one” (Hebrew Mashiach, Mah-SHE-akh, Messiah). This “anointed
one” is referred to twice as the “Son.” He is also a “King,” whom God has set on His holy hill of Zion.
The psalm exhorts us to “Kiss the Son.” “Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him” (verse 12).

Psalm 110 speaks of an eternal priest, in the order of Melchizedek, whom David calls his “Lord.”
Then David says, “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a foot
stool for your feet'” (Psalm 110:1; 1 Corinthians 15:25-26; Hebrews 1:13). The One sitting at God’s
right hand, the Priest in the order of Melchizedek, is Yeshua, the Messiah (Hebrews 5:8-10). Yeshua
said to the priests and scribes who spoke blasphemously against Him, “Hereafter the Son of Man will
sit on the right hand of the power of God” (Luke 22:65-69). He is there still, interceding for us (Romans
8:34)!

Many blessings in 2018 in the Prophesied Messiah, Yeshua! Love in Him,