Do you really expect me to believe in three gods?  Of course not! New Covenant Faith is Jewish! One of the great misconceptions about the faith of New Covenant believers is that “they believe in three gods.” Of course, this is untrue from the clear teachings in the New Covenant:  “And Jesus answered him and said ‘The first of all the commandments is: Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.’” (Mark 12:29; see also 1 Cor. 8:4; James 2:19).  Such statements are typical of the Jewishness of the New Covenant Scriptures. However, because of the ignorance of scriptural teaching on the "tri-unity" of God, there is confusion on the subject.

The Testimony of The Jewish Scriptures

As we look into Jewish Scriptures we see the mystery nature of God presented: "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Deuteronomy 6:4). As one Jewish man commented to me, "God is mentioned three times right there in Deuteronomy 6:4, the verse that speaks of His oneness!"  "But," one might object, "it says 'one' in the verse."

True, but the word "one" (echad, in Hebrew), can point to a oneness-in-plurality. For example, when God established the marriage relationship, the Scripture states: "For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife; and the two shall be one flesh" (Gen. 2:24). Here we see that "one" is used when clearly there is not one in the absolute singular sense, but as a oneness-in-plurality. Another text of scripture illustrates this special kind of unity:  "And they came to the brook of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes" (Num. 13:23).

Here again one is used to refer to a cluster, which is a unity of plurality. There is another word for one in Hebrew, yachid. Yachid is used in Genesis 22:2, when God is speaking to Abraham about Isaac: "Take now your son, your only son." Though Abraham had another son, Ishmael, God refers to Isaac as a one-of-a-kind son, the son of the covenant. This word is used for an utterly singular one, and never used for God in the Bible!  This nature of God is assumed in the Scripture, rather than explained. That's why a portion like the following one in Genesis can only make sense in light of this assumption: "The Lord (Who was on the earth speaking with Abraham) rained upon Sodom brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven" (Gen. 19:24).

In the creation account in Genesis 1:26 where God created man, we are brought into the counsels of God's own heart: "And God said, `Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness" (Gen. 1:26). Please notice the plural possessive pronoun, 'our.' By using this word 'our', God reveals His own plural nature. The Scripture goes on to say, "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him..." (Gen. 1:27).   It was God's very own image, not a group of images. Therefore, God's nature itself is the reason for the use of the word 'our'.

Isaiah the Prophet assumes God’s oneness-in-plurality in several places. Isaiah 6:8 quotes God as He chooses him to be a prophet of Israel: "Who will go for Us, whom shall We send?"  Once more in God's own counsel, God refers to Himself with a plural pronoun. Isaiah again assumes this unity within plurality of God's Nature in regards to our redemption: "Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time it was, there am I; now the Lord God and His Spirit has sent Me" (Isaiah 48:16).  Who is the one "from the beginning" and the one who is always "there?" Only God alone (Isaiah 48:3,5). Thus it is the Lord Himself in that verse, who is sent by The Lord God and His Spirit!

Many more portions of the Jewish Scriptures  present the same truth: There is only One God.  Yet this one God is revealed in three persons: Father (Isa. 63:16; 64:8), Son (Isa. 9:5[6]; Prov. 30:4) and the Holy Spirit  (Isa. 48:16; 63:10, or the Spirit of God, Isa. 63:14).

How the Scriptures teach the Mystery Nature of God

In light of the many polytheistic religions surrounding Israel at that time, the Tanakh (Older Covenant) emphasized the oneness of God, while remaining faithful to the subtle teaching of His plurality. The New Covenant now progressively reveals more of this triune nature (as in Matthew 28:19, "immersing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."), while still being faithful to the truth that there is only one God. So, the New Covenant reveals the truth of God's  triune nature, not to imply that there is more than one God, but to be faithful to the revelation of God's nature as seen in the Tanakh. The Tri-unity is not a contradiction of the oneness of God, but the best explanation of His oneness. Consider:

• The Tri-unity of God best explains the Tanakh's grammatical use of plural nouns and pronouns in identifying God (Gen. 1:26; Isa. 6:8, Ecc. 12:1).
•   The Tri-unity best explains the various manifested appearances of God, (e.g. Gen. 19:24)
•  The Tri-unity best explains the use of echad for `one' instead of other words for God, (e.g. Gen. 2:24)
• The Tri-unity best explains the enigmatic and seemingly paradoxical divine nature of God (Isa. 48:16).The Tri-unity best explains later theological developments in Jewish mysticism, known as Kabbalah. Consider the following:
  
  “’Hear, O Israel, YHVH Elohenu YHVH is one.’ These three are one. How can the three Names be one? Only through the perception of Faith: in the vision of the Holy Spirit, in the beholding of the hidden eyes alone. The mystery of the audible voice is similar to this, for though it is one yet it consists of three elements-fire, air, and water, which have, however, become one in the mystery of the voice. Even so it is with the mystery of the threefold Divine manifestations designated by YHVH Elohenu YHVH - three modes which yet form one unity” (Zohar (Raya Mehemna) Shemoth 43b, Brooklyn, NY: Soncino Press, 1984, taken from the CD-ROM Judaic Classics Library II , 2001).
  
  “Here is the secret of two names combined which are completed by a third and become one again. ‘And God said Let us make Man.’ It is written, ‘The secret of the Lord is to them that fear him’ (Psalm 25:14). That most reverend Elder opened an exposition of this verse by saying ‘Simeon Simeon, who is it that said: “Let us make man?” Who is this Elohim?’ With these words the most reverend Elder vanished before anyone saw him ... Truly now is the time to expound this mystery, because certainly there is here a mystery which hitherto it was not permitted to divulge, but now we perceive that permission is given.’ He then proceeded: ‘We must picture a king who wanted several buildings to be erected, and who had an architect in his service who did nothing save with his consent. The king is the supernal wisdom above, the Central Column being the king below: Elohim is the architect above ...and Elohim is also the architect below, being as such the Divine Presence (Shekinah) of the lower world’” (Zohar Bereshith 22a, vol. 1, p. 91, Brooklyn, NY: Soncino Press, 1984
  
  “...the words ‘The Lord our God the Lord’ (YHVH Elohenu YHVH) represent three grades corresponding to this deep mystery of Bereshith bara Elohim [Gen. 1:1a]… This name is here found in three applications, and thence the same name branches out to various sides” (Zohar Bereshith 15b, vol. 1, p. 64-65)
• The Tri-unity best explains our own "triune nature" and response to God as alluded to in Deuteronomy 6:5, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." Since we were created in His image (Gen. 1:27), we therefore display our own kind of tri-unity: spirit, soul and body ("heart...soul...might").
  
• The Tri-unity best explains the unity of God's one truth of God's mystery nature in both Old and New Covenants (Zech. 14:9, Matt. 28:19). The Tri-unity therefore, best explains the mystery nature and special unity of God.
  

God's Truth is difficult for the natural mind to comprehend
A famous New Covenant scholar, Augustine of Hippo, was walking along a beach trying to understand the Tri-unity of God. As he struggled in thought, he saw a young boy digging a hole in the seashore and then run back to the water over and over taking water from the ocean and putting it in the hole. Augustine asked him, "child what are you doing?" The boy responded "I'm trying to put the whole ocean in this hole!" Augustine laughed and said to himself, "that's what I was trying to do, too!"  
These are certainly truths hard to understand in our natural minds. Though Scripture alone reveals the true nature of God, God acknowledges that these truths are not easy to comprehend: "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, for as the heaven is higher than the earth, so my thoughts are higher than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8,9).

We are to trust the testimony of Scripture as the true revelation of God regarding both His nature, and His manner of reconciling sinful people to Himself: by forgiving their sins through His atonement in Messiah Yeshua. Trust Him for who He is and for what He has done for you in Yeshua. Then you will have eternal life as the gift of God!

The apocryphal story is told of U.S. President Ronald Reagan showing Israeli Prime Minister Begin his phone service in Washington: “This red one is the hotline to Moscow, this blackbox is for nuclear war;” then with a flourish Reagan said, “but this gold phone is a direct line right to the Pope himself!”   Later in Jerusalem, Begin showed Reagan his own communication devices: “This red phone is a hotline to Egypt, this blue phone is to call out the troops,” Begin paused, then pointing to an ordinary looking black phone he said, “that one’s for spiritual matters.”
 “Oh, really,” Reagan said,  “and to whom does that reach?”

  “Well,” Begin smiled, “that goes directly to God Almighty!”

   “How do you have a phone that can get to God?” Reagan insisted.

“No big deal, really”, Begin explained “for you it would be long distance; from here in Jerusalem, it’s a local call!”

This little story reflects what many people believe: Followers of Yeshua (the Jewish way of saying Jesus) need a mediator to get to God, but Jews have no need of a mediator and can go directly to God themselves. Though many of my Jewish people may think this assumption is true, the Jewish Scriptures teach otherwise.

Past Mediation for Israel
It may be a shock to someone’s spiritual sensibilities, but at least from the days of Moses onward there was always a mediator for an Israelite to properly approach God to both hear the truth of God, as well as find forgiveness from Him.

Moses say, “At that time I stood between the LORD and you to declare to you the word of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 5: 5).

In fact, Israel did not want to go directly to God, but implored Moses: “Go near and listen to all the Lord our God says. Then tell us whatever the Lord our God tells you. We will listen and obey.” (Deuteronomy 5: 27)

Though today God is considered by some to be so insignificant that anyone can “barge” into His presence, the Scriptures make it an awesome and dangerous consideration for a sinner to stand before the Living God!

Thus Moses was the recognized mediator of revelation from God to Israel. But that was not all. The Levitical priesthood was ordained by God to be the official mediators for Israel’s relationship with God through the Tabernacle, and eventually the Temple in Jerusalem.

“Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests [cohenim]; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary must be put to death” (Numbers 3:10).

Only the priests could sprinkle the offering before the altar, or enter the holy place, burn incense or any of the other religious ceremonies that were necessary to worship God and find acceptance in His presence (Leviticus 1:5; etc.).  It was not merely ineffective for someone other than the priest to enter the presence of God to offer incense, but it was condemned- even for a king! (2 Chronicles 26: 16-23)

When an Israelite was back home on the farm and away from the Temple, it was only the continual daily morning and evening offerings that the priesthood presented  “as a regular burnt offering” that gave any basis for Israel to have a spiritual life with God (Numbers 28:1-8). The mediation of the priesthood was necessary for Israel’s spiritual existence.

Predicted mediation for Israel
      The Jewish Scriptures predicted God’s provision of future mediation for Israel for both prophetic revelation and priestly ministration.
1)  “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your countrymen” (Deuteronomy 18:15, c.1400 BCE).

This way they would not have to “hear the voice of the Lord” themselves (18:16). God would not provide revelation directly to each Israelite, but through the prophets, and ultimately through the Messiah, who would be “a light for the Gentiles” and “a covenant for the people [Israel]” (Isaiah 49:5-8).

2) “The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You [Messiah] are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek’ ” (Psalm 110:4, c. 1000 BCE).

Though the Levitical priesthood existed since Moses, God promises a new priesthood, originating with Messiah. God would not leave his people without priestly mediation, for His desire is that we would have a proper way to draw near to Him.

3) “He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He [Messiah] poured out Himself unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors; for He bore the sin of many, and made intercession with the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:12, c. 700 BCE).

God would provide perfect intercession for all transgressors. Messiah would be the perfect sacrifice for sins, “He bore  the sin of many”, and therefore as our Mediator would be able to provide perfect intercession for all who trust in God through Him.

Provided Mediation for Israel
With both the past and predicted mediation taught in the Jewish Scriptures, it should come as no surprise that God has fulfilled His Word, Messiah has come! Therefore when He taught His followers: “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but by Me!” (John 14:6).  Yeshua was saying what was to be expected from the true Messiah, our Mediator. Therefore the New Covenant, in accordance with principles of the rest of the Jewish Scriptures, states:

“ For it is declared: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek’…because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, because He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7: 17, 24-25).

This is the fulfillment of the mediation the God of Israel promised and was spoken of by Moses, David and Isaiah.

Right now you can find forgiveness right where you are through the Messiah of Israel, who is ready to intercede for you.  Please, “draw near to God through Him."

The story goes something like this: a person considering whether Yeshua*  is the Messiah asks his Rabbi, "Could it be that Messiah has already come, and that Yeshua is His name?" The Rabbi walks over to the window and looks out, shakes his head and with a sigh declares: “He can't be the true Messiah. There's still no peace. We know that when Messiah comes there will be peace everywhere.” Is it true that Messiah is to bring peace? And if Yeshua is the Messiah, then where's the peace?

The Promise of Peace
The desire for peace is universal among the sane nations of this world. The idea of peace means much more than merely the end of political hostilities. The Hebrew word ‘shalom’ has in it the idea of ‘completeness’ or ‘wholeness.’ Because of sin we are all ‘incomplete’. The scriptures tell us that sin separates us from God, from each other, and from even ourselves. However, the shalom of God fulfills us perfectly and completely.

This is the very desire of God, who in Aaron's blessing states, “May the Lord give you peace” (Numbers 6:26); the Psalmist writes “The Lord will bless His people with peace” (Psalm 29:11); and in the Prophets, Messiah is even called “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). In fact, when Messiah reigns peace will be His Kingdom's theme (Isaiah 2:1-4; 9:4-5, 7; Zechariah. 9:9-10; etc.).

This universal peace of Messiah is, however, based on every person first having a personal peace through a right relationship with God: "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You" (Isaiah 26:3).

Thus when each person receives peace from God, then each one can share and live in that peace within their family, community, country and world. This peace is like having a million dollars to give to a friend: if you don't have it, of course, you can’t give it.

The Rejection of Peace
The Scriptures prophesy that God's peace would actually be rejected when it would be offered. Isaiah the Prophet wrote that Messiah, the Prince of Peace, would come to make peace between God and His people, and that Messiah would be rejected. When Messiah would be rejected the peace He brings would be rejected with Him. Why would Messiah be rejected?

1. “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should be attracted to Him.” (Isaiah 53:2)

For people attracted to externals, Messiah would be too ordinary looking: there was nothing about His appearance to command our attention. But for those who were looking for true peace with God, it was Messiah's internal character that made Him stand out.

 2. “He was a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. Surely, He took upon Himself our griefs and sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God and afflicted by Him.” (Isaiah 53:3-4)

For people desirous of comfort and convenience, this one suffered too much. How could one suffer so much at the hands of religious people and the government, and not be judged by God? In any case, no decent person wants to associate with someone who attracts trouble the way this “Messiah” did! But He suffered for our sins, not His own: “The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

3) “He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, as a sheep before the shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)

He was too compliant, too passive. He wasn't exactly the “John Wayne” type of warrior king. Many wanted a Messiah who would come to vanquish the enemies of Israel and thus have a forced peace. His humility was despised and rejected, for He came not to protect His own life, but to be an offering for our sins: “the Lord makes His life a guilt offering.” (Isaiah 53:10)

Now suppose I came to your house with a beautiful cake--my father always taught me not to visit empty handed--but as soon as you saw it was me you slammed the door in my face! Would you still expect to get the cake? Of course not! Reject me, and you reject all that I bring with me. So, why isn't there “peace”? Reject the Prince of Peace and you reject the very peace that He brings.

The Provision of Peace
The New Covenant Scriptures repeat the promise of Isaiah 26:3 (see above). All who will trust in Messiah and the atonement that He made for sins, receives...

1. Peace with God
2. Peace of mind and heart
3. Peace with one another

1) “Therefore, since we're made right with God by faith, we have peace with God through Yeshua Hamashiach Adoneinu [our Lord Yeshua the Messiah].” (Romans 5:1).

2) “The peace of God, which is beyond all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Messiah Yeshua.” (Philippians 4:7)

3) “Messiah is our peace, who has made the two (Jews and Gentiles) one…one new person, thus making peace.” (Ephesians 2:14-15)

The Scriptures also teach that one day our people, Israel, will acknowledge the Messiah and receive His salvation and peace “The stone which the builders rejected shall become the capstone!” (Psalms 118:22-26). In light of that event, we are commanded to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalms 122:6). In that day, peace will be worldwide, even as the Scriptures promised.

A View of the Future
An illustration of that coming day was once seen in Israel. An Israeli soldier, who believes in Yeshua, was on patrol one night in Gaza. While on patrol his squad spotted a suspiciously parked van, which in this part of the world can be dangerous. Somebody had to check it out, so the others in his squad had him, the "believer", investigate the van. As he approached the vehicle a man came out and walked toward him: it was the driver, who turned out to be a Palestinian pastor--a believer in Yeshua--visiting some of his congregants. To the amazement of his on-looking squad, here was an Israeli Jew and a Palestinian laughing and rejoicing in fellowship in the Gaza moonlight. Yeshua is Israel's hope for peace.

Until that coming day, each one of us can right now have peace with God in our own hearts, and with each other by trusting in Israel's Messiah, Yeshua. Trusting the Lord begins by recognizing that the world's peace plans, nor our own strategies for personal peace have not worked, nor will they work. Messiah Yeshua is God's way to have peace in your life and “peace on earth, goodwill to all people.”

Why do we need a sacrifice to atone for sins?  Normally, people object to the idea of sin and sacrifice: “I don't need a sacrifice! I'm good enough; sin isn't all that important anyway.”

The Issue of Sin Minimized
For most people “sin and sacrifice” are not very relevant issues.
“Sin” for the most part, is viewed as a “moral lapse in judgment” and is “atoned” for with something between a sincere apology and a life sentence. The basic consideration is that “people are generally good,” with a few obvious exceptions.
I remember handing out Good News literature several years ago in NYC. It was a few weeks after Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). I saw one of NY’s finest, and since his Police ID revealed he was from “my side of the family”, I offered him a brochure. When he saw that the title spoke of the need for atonement and forgiveness, he said, “Forget it; I don’t need that, the people I arrest need that message.”

“Really,” I said, “and where were you on Yom Kippur?”

“In the synagogue,” he shot back, “where I’m supposed to be!”

“And what did you do in the synagogue?” I asked.

“Why, I was…” and his voice trailed off as his fist started automatically beating his chest, as all orthodox are trained to do as they repent of sins on that Day.

His voice changed and he said, “okay, I’ll read one of your pamphlets”. As he thought of Yom Kippur, he remembered as well that on the Day of Atonement all must acknowledge they’ve sinned.

As Jewish people, we know that at least once a year we are reminded by the Law not to be self-righteous (Leviticus 23:29). In the Prophets and the Writings, the Scriptures are perfectly clear regarding the sinful nature of people:

“All we, like sheep, have gone astray; each one has turned to his own way.” (Isaiah 53:6)

“All of us are as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6)

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it.” (Jeremiah 17:9)

“There is none that does good, no, not one.” (Psalms 14:3)

“In Your sight no can be justified.” (Psalms 143:2) Etc.

God calls “sin” (rebellion and disobedience to God) “wicked” and deserving of judgment. A person calling “sin” unimportant doesn’t make it any less deadly than changing the label on a bottle of poison to read “fruit juice”. In fact, now it becomes even more dangerous as you might mistakenly think taking a drink would be good for you!

If this seems like an overstatement, understand that it’s the Scriptures that reveal how disastrous sin is:

The Prophet Ezekiel said, “The soul that sins, it shall die!” (Ezekiel 18:3)

This is the eternal judgment also spoken of by Daniel the Prophet; that there is a time of resurrection coming when eternal judgment will be dispensed: “Those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Dan. 12:2)

Isaiah reveals that though people think they pray and are heard by God, their sins actually break that prayer connection.

“It’s not that God is unable to hear you or help you, but your sins have made a separation between God and you, so that He will not hear you.” (Isaiah 59:1-2)

God’s way of Atonement
God’s way of forgiving sins is as misunderstood as the problem of sin. People often discuss whether the Temple, which was a place of sacrifices, will ever be rebuilt in Jerusalem. The problem with rebuilding the Temple is not a Moslem Mosque on the Temple Mount, but 2000 years of traditional teaching, which has erroneously taught our people that we don’t need blood atonement for sins. The Scriptures, however, state only blood sacrifice can atone for sins: “The life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” (Leviticus 17:11)

In fact, Yom Kippur is only a Day of Atonement if God’s way of atonement (Leviticus 16), the blood atonement, is observed. Merely acknowledging your sins is no more effective than an apology can remove a murder charge. Sin is that horrific to God, the offended party.

Messiah is God’s final Sacrifice for Atonement
All the sacrifices were to picture the final, perfect sacrifice that God himself would provide in the Messiah.

“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken and afflicted by God. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities…the lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all…He was cut off from the land of the living for the transgression of my people was He stricken…He shall make His soul an offering for sin…My righteous Servant shall justify the many, for He shall bear their iniquities…He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53: 3-12)

What is pictured for us is the fact of God’s provision for our sins through the Messiah’s atonement. The prophet starts out the chapter asking, “Who has believed our report?” (53:1). That’s still the question: Who will believe God and His view of sin and way of forgiveness. All who trust in Messiah for their atonement have forgiveness of sins and an eternal relationship with God.

It seems rather strange to many Jewish people that the Messiah could have come, and yet comparatively so few Jews believe it.
Many times the question sounds like this: “So, with all the scholars and rabbis searching to discover the Messiah, you’re the only genius to figure this out?” 
The number of living Jewish people who believe in Yeshua (Jesus’ Jewish name) numbers somewhere between 200,000 to over a million.  Though this number is not insignificant, it’s still not the majority of the Jewish people.  For many, there’s the idea that the truth is determined by a majority vote.  But as much as this may play a role in the politics of men, this has little to do with the truth of God.

In the Jewish Scriptures (Tanakh), the prophet Isaiah declares that most Jewish people would not recognize the Messiah when He would first come: “Who has believed our report? To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He grew up before Him as a tender shoot, as a root out of dry ground; He would have no majesty that would attract us, nor any beauty that we would desire Him. He is despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised and we esteemed Him not” (Isaiah 53:1-3).

God knew and revealed to Isaiah what may not seem all that hard to figure out:  The majority of people don’t want God’s way of salvation, not even religious people!  In fact, that’s exactly what Isaiah goes on to say: “All we like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned his own way; but the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all”  (Isaiah 53:6).

It was prophesied that although He would be our sin-bearer, the true Messiah would be rejected by the majority of the Jewish people when He would first come. Isaiah makes this matter crystal clear by further stating:  “The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob to the *Mighty God” (Isaiah 10:21).

God recognized that only a “remnant”, a very small portion of the whole nation, would believe and make “teshuvah” (repentance).  Only this remnant would “return to the Mighty God”. This prediction is fulfilled in the Jewish people (like myself) who have come to believe in Yeshua. The New Covenant (see Jeremiah 31:31-34) also compares the present situation of the Jewish majority with their apostate condition in the time of Elijah the Prophet:  “Even so, then, at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace” (Romans 11:5).

Though the Scriptures make clear the phenomenon of general unbelief,  there will be some who still wonder how the Rabbis could have “missed it”.  The Messiah that God promised and sent was not the 'Messiah' the world or the rabbis were looking for.  They wanted a Messiah who would immediately remove Roman domination from Israel and return Israel to its former glory.

But the purpose of Yeshua’s coming was to die for sins; and rather than vindicate the self-righteous judgements of the rabbis, He insisted that the religious leaders of Israel repent as well!  That was intolerable for the rabbinical leaders. Though many did accept the Messiah, the majority of the Jewish people and Rabbis rejected Yeshua, just as the prophets predicted.

But there will come a time when our people as a nation will come to believe in Him. The Prophets also predicted: “I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem,  the Spirit of grace and supplications: and they shall look on Me whom they have pierced, and mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son” (Zechariah 12:10).

“The stone which the builders rejected shall become the chief of the corner” (Psalms 118:22).

One day our people will trust in Yeshua, their Messiah and King.

We also see it was foretold that today a “remnant of Israel” believes in the Messiah. You can be part of that “remnant”, if you will acknowledge Yeshua for what the Tanakh and New Covenant declare Him to be, the Messiah of our people.  Shalom!