MESSIAH means anointed one. The anointed one is he who is clothed with authority from his superior to act. The Messiah, therefore, the anointed one of God, must be clothed with authority to carry out the divine plan of redemption and deliverance of mankind, and to extend to mankind the blessings which God promised to Abraham.
The greatest desire of all real Jews has ever been that their Messiah would come, establish his great kingdom, redeem them, and relieve them from their suffering and bring them the blessings promised. It must necessarily follow that the Messiah is "Abraham's seed, ... according to the promise", because it is through him that the blessings must come. It necessarily follows that he is the one of whom Moses was a type, and the one to whom the people shall be gathered. Because he is the anointed of God, because he is the great deliverer and blesser of the people, Satan the enemy would use every possible means at his hands to keep the people in darkness as to Messiah's identity. The testimony of men, unsupported by the Word of God, should never be taken as to who is the Messiah or what is his work. God's Word alone is final and conclusive proof.
Concerning this the Prophet Isaiah wrote: "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isa. 8: 20) In their confession of faith the orthodox Jews acknowledge: "That all the words of the prophets are true; that all the law which at this day is found in our hands was delivered by God himself to our master Moses." Then by the law and by the prophets let us identify the Messiah.
If the words of the law and the prophets give a clear description of the Messiah and it is found from the undisputed facts following the prophecy that a certain one meets every part of that description, such should be sufficient upon which to base the conclusion that the one who meets these requirements is the Messiah. Otherwise stated, God through his prophets foretold the Messiah. The only way to know whether or not we have prophecy properly interpreted is to fit the facts to the prophecy. Now, since the Lord invited us to "reason together", no man can reason unless he puts aside prejudice. Neither should any man permit any one else to do his thinking, whether that man be a rabbi or a preacher. Remember the words of God: "To the law and to the testimony [prophets]; if they speak not according to this word, . . . there is no light [truth] in them." The Devil has used the sophistry of men to keep the people in darkness. But let us throw away this sophistry, return wholly to the Word of God,
and use it in the light of reason and the physical facts which we see before us and which can not be disputed.
No other man ever walked on earth who was the object of such wicked persecution as Jesus, known as Jesus of Nazareth, whom the Jews regard as a great teacher. Jesus was accused of every crime known to the calendar, yet guilty of none. The common people heard him gladly and believed on him. The clergy of his day, from whom better might have been expected, were the instruments used by Satan for his persecution. The clergy of the present time likewise misrepresent God. They advance their own wisdom to turn the minds of the people away from God and from his Word. The time has come when the people must cast away the stumbling stones which the clergy have put in their pathway and must use their own mental faculties to understand the Scriptures.
Jesus always faithfully represented God. No one can justly claim that he was unfaithful to Jehovah and to the law covenant. He said: "I can of mine own self do nothing. ... I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." David prophesied concerning him who should be the Messiah, foretelling how he would be persecuted by the members of his own house. "Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face. I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children. For the zeal
of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me." — Ps. 69:7-9.
Satan the enemy has reproached God since the days of Eden, and has reproached every one who has insisted on following the teachings of Jehovah. He it was who caused the reproaches to come upon Jesus.
Moses was a type of the Messiah; because he testified to that effect. "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." — Deut. 18:15,18.
That the Messiah must come through the tribe of Judah is plainly set forth in the prophecy: "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be." — Gen. 49:10.
The Lord, through the Prophet Micah, foretells the place where the Redeemer, the Messiah, must be born: "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." — Mic. 5:2.
All agree that Jesus was of the tribe of Judah and that he was born at Bethlehem. His name means "savior of the people". — Matt. 1:21.
God, through his prophet Isaiah, said concerning the Messiah: "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" (Isa. 53:1) Thus the Lord foretold that only a few would believe the report concerning him whom God would send to execute his plan. The words of the prophecy continue: "He is despised and rejected 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."
All agree that the Pharisees and other leaders of the people, and the clergy and the doctors of the law, despised Jesus. They rejected him and persecuted him. They heaped upon him all manner of abuse and put forth every possible effort to turn the people away from him. The common people of that day were not responsible for the manner in which Jesus was treated. The common people of our day are in no wise responsible for the mistakes and errors of those who claim to be teachers of the Bible.
The prophet further says: "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted; yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." — Isa. 53:7.
Surely Jesus and his experiences fulfil every part of this description. He was oppressed and
persecuted and afflicted; and then when he stood before his accusers he opened not his mouth. The prophet further identifies the one who is to be the Messiah as 'the lamb of God', of whom the Passover lamb was a type. It was at the time of the Passover that the great trouble came upon Jesus during which he was put to death.
The prophet continues: "And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth." (Verse 9) He went down into the grave as all the wicked die and are buried. He was buried in the tomb of the rich man Joseph of Arimathea; and he had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in his mouth.
The Prophet Isaiah further says: "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make 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." Why should the Lord be pleased to bruise this harmless and defenseless Son? Because it was necessary for his Son to die in order to provide the redemptive price; he must be made an offering for sin in order that the people might have their disability removed. This is God's way and plan, and this he foreshadowed when Abraham offered up his only son Isaac.
The prophet further says: "He hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered
with the transgressors." (Verse 12) Surely Jesus met this description, because he was crucified between two thieves, who were confessed transgressors of the law. 'He bore the sin of many,' because the one who is to be the Redeemer and Messiah must be made an offering for sin and take the sinner's place. When dying, he "made intercession for the transgressors", speaking to them words of kindness.
The Prophet Zechariah, in chapter eleven, verse twelve, prophesied that he who would be the Redeemer and Messiah would be betrayed by one pretending to be his friend, and that for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus was betrayed by Judas, one of his disciples, for thirty pieces of silver, which were paid over by the clergy of that time. Of course the Devil induced them so to do.
The Prophet Daniel prophesied that he who is the Messiah would die, "not for himself" but as a sin-offering for others; and that he would be cut off "in the midst of the week". (Dan. 9:25-27) According to the divine rule for the calculation of time, as hereinbefore mentioned, a day is used as a symbol for a year. A week is composed of seven days, and the midst of the week would be three and one-half days. Three and one-half symbolic days would represent three and one-half actual years. Jesus began his ministry about the time of the atonement; and exactly three and one-half years thereafter, to wit, the Passover season, he was put to death,
just exactly as the Prophet Daniel says: "Messiah [shall] be cut off, but not for himself." And then the prophet adds: "And the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary." It is a well-known fact that this prince that came was the Roman ruler, and he did destroy the city of Jerusalem and the temple and sanctuary shortly after Jesus' death, exactly as the prophet foretold.
David prophesied that he who would be the Redeemer and Messiah would be put to a violent death, but that not one bone of his body should be broken. (Ps. 34:19,20) The law required that not a bone of the Passover lamb should be broken. The Passover lamb was a type of the Redeemer and Messiah. Jesus was crucified upon the cross; but it is a well-known fact that, contrary to the custom in respect to the victims of crucifixion, not one bone of his body was broken.
David prophesied concerning Messiah: "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." — Ps. 16:10,11.
Hundreds of witnesses testified that within three days after the crucifixion of Jesus God raised him out of death, and that his body was taken away and did not see corruption.
Can any reasonable person conclude that these things happened concerning Jesus merely as a
coincidence? Has any man, Jew or Gentile, ever lived on earth who so completely fulfilled every detail of prophecy as did Jesus? There certainly has not been one.
We have seen that he who would be the Redeemer of the human race must be a perfect man; therefore he must be sent by God and not be taken from among the race on earth. Isaiah prophesied: "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isa. 7:14) Exactly in harmony with this prophecy Jesus was born of a virgin, the virgin Mary. About this there is not the slightest doubt, nor will any one successfully attempt to disprove it. Satan the enemy knew that this child was the one promised, and hence Satan sought to have the mother stoned to death before the birth of the child. But God thwarted his purpose. Now we observe that Jesus met every one of the requirements, namely: He was from the tribe of Judah; he was born of a virgin; he was despised and rejected of men; he was persecuted by the leaders in Israel; he was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver; and he suffered an ignominious death.
Throughout the time of the prophets God had put his spirit upon only a few men, and these few men had prophesied as they were directed by Jehovah. Joel prophesied that in the last days of the Jews, and just before the great and
terrible day which would mark their last dispersion, when they were to be overthrown in a terrible siege by the Romans, God would then give his spirit to many others and that they would prophesy. (Joel 2:28, 29) Surely this prophecy must be accepted and believed by all Jews, because they claim to believe the prophecies. If it is found that it was fulfilled exactly according to the promise, and timed a short time before the great and terrible day when the Romans overthrew Jerusalem, then the testimony concerning its fulfilment should be taken as from the Lord.
Peter was one of the disciples of Jesus. He was a Jew who served the law. At Pentecost) immediately following the Passover, at which time Jesus was slain, Peter and the other disciples were waiting at Jerusalem; and at that time the prophecy of Joel above quoted was fulfilled. At that season there were in Jerusalem a great many Jews from various nations, who spoke various tongues. These Jews observed Peter and the others, all unlearned men, speaking in different languages; and they were amazed. Those who scoffed, and did not want to believe, said: 'These men are drunken.' But Peter replied to them in these words: 'These men are not drunken, but what ye now see here is a fulfilment of what the Prophet Joel said'; referring to the prophecy above mentioned. Then he quotes the prophecy, and tells his hearers that now they see its fulfilment. This of it-
self qualifies Peter as a competent witness. He marks the fulfilment of the prophecy uttered before by Joel, and then proceeds to testify; and his testimony definitely identifies the Redeemer and the Messiah, to wit:
"Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him, in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
"Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ [Messiah] to
sit on his throne; he, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ [Messiah], that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the holy [spirit], he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ [the Messiah].
"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the holy [spirit]. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." — Acts 2:22-39,41.
Here then is the testimony, all of which, based upon the prophecies, identifies Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah; and there stood about at that time and heard the testimony three thou-
sand other Jews who believed. This prophecy of Joel shows that God would have others prophesy just before the final dispersion of the Jews by the Romans. The fulfilment of this prophecy at the proper time shows conclusively that God did endow other men with power to prophesy, and that these Jews who were thus endowed to prophesy were the disciples of Jesus. These were caused to make a record of what occurred; and this record was made under the direction of Jehovah God, and therefore imports absolute verity. It follows, then, that the record of the New Testament, being in harmony with that of the Old Testament, is the Word of God written under the direction of Jehovah. It was all written by Jews also, with possibly one exception.
Orthodox Jews have long rejected the New Testament. And why? The answer is, Because the enemy Satan the Devil has used his instruments and agencies to blind the minds of men lest this glorious light of truth should shine unto them. Again, the New Testament has been made offensive to Jews, not because it is wrong, but because many so-called Christian preachers have used it as a club to chastise all Jews. They have likewise been the Devil's instruments to blind the Jews to the truth.
But now the day of jubilee has come and the day of Israel's warfare is done. The time has come for her blindness to be removed and for her to see what wonderful provisions God has
made for the salvation of the Jews and for the establishment of them again in their homeland.
What, then, does the New Testament show concerning the great question of redemption and of the Messiah? Exactly in harmony with the prophecies of the Old Testament, it shows, to wit: That the human race has been going into death because of Adam's sin (Rom. 5:12); that the race must be ransomed from the grave and redeemed from death, and that this could be done only by the death of a perfect man.
Saul of Tarsus, a Jew and a member of the Sanhedrin, a lawyer of great ability and a man of wide learning, who afterward became a disciple of Jesus, wrote to the Hebrews these words:
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part [partook] of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." — Heb. 2: 9,14,15.
The testimony of these witnesses further is that Jesus was raised from the dead and that he ascended into heaven itself, there to present the value of his sacrifice as a great sin-offering for mankind. — Heb. 9:19-28; Phil. 2:3-11.
The further testimony is that Jesus, the Messiah, will oust the Devil and establish a new heaven and a new earth; that is to say, a new invisible ruling power and a new visible government on earth amongst men. This is the testimony of Peter, a Jew, who was anointed by the Lord to speak at Pentecost as above cited:
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." —2 Pet. 3:9-13.
Isaiah prophesied that the kingdom of Messiah will be a kingdom of peace and righteousness:
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlast-
ing Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." — Isa. 9: 6, 7.
It is recorded in the New Testament that when Jesus was born at Bethlehem the angels of heaven sang together, "On earth peace, good will toward men," and that in due time this good news should come to all men. This is exactly in harmony with the words of the prophets. Isaiah prophesied that when the Lord's kingdom is established the law shall go forth from Zion and the word of God from Jerusalem; and that then there would be no more war, but that he who rules will rule in peace. (Isa. 2: 2-4) This same prophet prophesies: "Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment." — Isa. 32:1.
The king here mentioned is the Messiah, and the princes undoubtedly are the same princes mentioned in Psalm 45:16, and are, to wit: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the other prophets and holy men of old who will be returned to earth and will become the rulers amongst the men of earth, and will honor the name of Jehovah.
It must be apparent to every Jew who has followed the argument herein set forth, which has been based exclusively upon the Holy Scrip-
tures, that God intends Israel, the Jews, to have the land of Palestine; that he promised that land to Abraham and to his seed after him, and that he purposes to keep that promise; that for many centuries God has by their various experiences been teaching the Jews, and through them other peoples, that he is Jehovah God and that there is none besides him; that God has permitted the evil one to pursue his nefarious course and has overruled this to serve as a test of the faithfulness of men; and that all who prove their love for God and loyalty and faithfulness to him shall receive his blessings.
The Jews are now, in fulfilment of prophecy, being regathered to Palestine. But it must be admitted that the major portion of them have little faith in the Lord and in his promises. Prom the long experience of the Jews, as recorded in the Bible, it must be apparent that God will never permit them to succeed in rebuilding their homeland and be restored there unless they learn to exercise faith in him. Let the Jews therefore turn to their God and to his Word, study the prophecies, and rely upon the Word of the Lord; and then, according to his promise, he will guide them in the way they should go, and lead them into ways of everlasting blessings.
God provided the cost price for the restitution of man. This provision he made by the gift of his beloved Son, that he might die as a man in Adam's stead and thereby Adam and all his
offspring in due time be released from death and the grave. Thus he carried out his promise as made through his prophet. (Hos. 13:14) Having provided then the cost price or redemption for man, it follows that God has obligated himself to offer to man restitution blessings, and this he is certain to do in his own due time.
THE DIVINE PLAN
A careful study of the Scriptures will reveal the fact that this is the plan of God stated briefly, to wit: That God made man perfect; that man sinned and was sentenced to death; that God promised to redeem him; that he who will be the redeemer must also be the Messiah and the "seed" of promise, through which the blessings shall come to the people; that this redeemer must be a perfect man who must give his life as a ransom price for mankind; that no man on earth could meet these requirements; that the obedient and faithful Son of Jehovah, the Logos, was sent from heaven to earth, being begotten by the power of Jehovah and born as a perfect man child; that he grew to manhood's estate; that he suffered death as a sin-offering; that he was raised from the dead and ascended on high; that at the end of the world he returns to establish his kingdom; that the time has come for the Jews to be restored to Palestine; that the blessing of the people will be restitution; and that the time for the comfort of Israel is here, because her warfare has ended.
The day has come when Israel shall know as never before that Jehovah is her God. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance." (Ps. 33:12) The day of jubilee is come; the good news must be given to the people of Israel and to all the peoples of the earth. See Psalm 89:15.
The long dark period of Israel's warfare is ended. The favor of God is being extended to that people; and the Messiah, their Lord and Prince of Peace, the Savior of the world, must be identified and pointed out to them. Some one who loves the Lord must speak the message of good news; therefore it is commanded: "0 Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; 0 Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!" — Isa, 40:9.
