Within Christian circles, a common interpretation of Daniel 7:13 is this one “coming with the clouds” must be Jesus at the time of his second coming; however, upon reading the text in context as well as with nearly every other prophecy made by the prophets, we learn much about this particular cloudy day as well as who emerges.
I submit to you today that this sentiment of one coming with the clouds may not be Jesus victoriously floating in the cloudy air coming down to earth to rule and reign as some imagine, but more like a person emerging from the ashes or smoke upon the smoldering day of the LORD as the prophets frequently describe.
We know in the final moments of this earth and this heaven, there will come a time when Israel is surrounded and attacked, but God literally and physically saves them from annihilation (see Zechariah 12, as one example). We also see in numerous prophecies written by more than two or three witnesses, being the prophets of Tanakh/the Hebrew Bible, words like earthquakes, fire, burning, melting, dissolve, stubble, blazing, steam, and clouds are all used to describe the great and terrible day of the LORD. Furthermore, we see in Isaiah 45:22 Israel’s sins are forgiven like a cloud covering their transgressions from the sight of the LORD.
How does the LORD prefer for His people and the earth to be cleansed throughout the Hebrew Bible? By water and fire – think about the great flood in Noah’s day or washing the hands before various rituals of the Jewish people or being ritually made clean in a mikvah before the feasts of the LORD and other lifetime events (where baptism came from), as well as the burnt offerings using fire and smoke, a sweet-smelling aroma to the LORD. Now consider the LORD previously used water to cleanse or create a new earth, but this time, He will use primarily fire since He already promised not to flood the entire globe at once; hence, the symbol of the rainbow for that covenant. Many Christians understand this concept as even Peter wrote about it in 2 Peter 3:7-13.
Therefore, it should not be too difficult to comprehend this terminology used in Daniel 7:13 as one “coming with the clouds” is referencing one emerging from the smoke or ashes. Review the previous verses in Daniel 7, specifically verses 9 as it references a “fiery flame”, a “burning fire”, or in verse 10, “a fiery stream..” or verse 11 referencing a “burning flame” all leading up to this one coming with the clouds.
Also, notice in these plethora of passages, they all reference an unbelievable amount of destruction using the fire and earthquake or possibly nuclear related terminology described previously (see Isaiah 24:3-6, 13, 18-23, 44:22-25; Haggai 2:6-7; Zechariah 14; Joel 2:2; Ezekiel 30:3, 34:12, 38:18-23, Malachi 4:1-3; Zephaniah 1:14-18, 3:8; Amos 5:18-20; Jeremiah 30:23-24). Nearly every prophet describes the same or similar event.
Is it not possible this earth-shattering epic event full of fire would not create much smoke-filled clouds? Having lived near the gas and oil refineries in the Galveston Bay area of Texas, it was not unusual for explosions to erupt causing smoke-filled plumes of clouds in the sky. Now, consider how at this same time throughout Scripture, the prophets also speak to a resurrection of the dead, specifically all of Israel, all twelve tribes, and the miraculous reunion of both houses of Israel (see Jeremiah 29-31; Ezekiel 34-37) as God forms a New Jerusalem centered in the New Earth and New Heavens (see the article I wrote, “Are We Raptured to Heaven?” ).
While understanding all of Israel is resurrected as promised by the LORD regathering them to the land of Israel no matter where in the world they were scattered and died, then the LORD washes them clean and dispenses His Spirit of Holiness onto them (see Ezekiel 11:19-20; 36:27), ponder the plausibility of literally David also being resurrected to rule and reign as the prophets reference numerous times in Ezekiel 34:23-24; 37:24; Jeremiah 30:9; Isaiah 9:7; Hosea 3:5. Notice in Daniel 7:14 and 18, just after describing one who comes within the clouds, that it speaks to one who will rule the reunited kingdom matching what the previous references state as well fulfilling God’s Davidic Covenant or covenant made with King David. Equally interesting is that Ezekiel 34:12 references a cloudy destructive day and then a few verses later also refers to David being made King in Ezekiel 34:23-24.
Due to all of the overwhelming discussion in the Hebrew Bible of said events, it is my conclusion and belief that Daniel 7 is referencing one, specifically King David, emerging from the smoke-filled plumes of clouds due to the fiery day of the LORD, to rule and reign along with the rest of “the saints of the Most High” being Israel (Daniel 7:18), while God’s presence encompasses the newly formed New Jerusalem, New Earth, New Heavens, and activates the promised New Covenant (Ezekiel 36:27, 37:26-28; Jeremiah 29-31; Isaiah 2, 11, 51,59:16-62:12; Micah 4; Zechariah 14).
Just as Daniel foretells, a cloudy day of the LORD indeed appears to be in the forecast.
The Jewish Bible vaguely introduces the concept of a messiah figure expected to manifest in the future. Messiah simply means “anointed one” and the Hebrew term “mashiach” has been used throughout the Jewish Bible to describe many prophets, priests, and rulers, including a Gentile King. To learn more about the term “mashiach”, read my article “Not THE Messiah, But Many Messiahs“.
Many Jews and Christians alike believe a messiah or anointed ruler will manifest one fine day, but it should be noted not all Jews or Christians believe in such concepts. I have found the various branches of Judaism and their off-shoots have varying interpretations as to when this messiah will appear if they believe in a messiah figure at all. Christians obviously believe Jesus is the one and only messiah and that he will return at some point in the near future to rule and reign. In other words, Christians, specifically evangelical Christians, believe in a “second-coming” of the messiah.
Throughout thousands of years, many have claimed to be the much anticipated “messiah” and many more will surely do the same, but none of them fit the profile of the final messiah. So how can a person know who is or isn’t the final messiah? To learn clues of what to look for in a messiah, we must study the book that made us even aware of such a concept, the Hebrew Bible.
The Final Messiah must be a human born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).
The Final Messiah must be Jewish, specifically of the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Deuteronomy 17:15).
The Final Messiah must be a descendant of Jesse, King David’s father (Isaiah 11).
The Final Messiah must more specifically be a descendant of David and his son, Solomon- note: David had many sons (2 Samuel 7:8-16; 1 Kings 8:15-22; 1 Chronicles 22:9-10; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Psalm 132:12; Psalm 89:31-38).
The Final Messiah will be made known to the world and reign afteror near the time of the miraculous literal rescue of the Jews in Israel, the literal resurrection and regathering of House of Israel/Northern Kingdom, and the House of Judah/the Southern Kingdom, which collectively represent all twelve tribes of Israel. All twelve tribes will once again and permanently dwell as one kingdom in the land of Canaan/Israel (Isaiah 11:12; Ezekiel 36-37; Jeremiah 30-31; Zechariah 8-12; Isaiah 54-66; Joel 3; Amos 9:11-15).
The Final Messiah will teach, uphold, and administer Torah to all nations from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3; Micah 4:2; Zechariah 14:16-21; Ezekiel 37:24).
The Final Messiah will bring peace to the entire globe as he unites the world and rules the world under a one-world government centered in Jerusalem, Israel (Ezekiel 34:25; Isaiah 2:2-3; Micah 4:3; Zechariah 14:16-21).
The Final Messiah will rule when the entire globe worships the One True God (Isaiah 2:18; 66:23; Zechariah 14:16-21).
The Final Messiah will help build the third temple and facilitate worship. More specifically, he will make various offerings on behalf of the people including the sin offering and help the priests lead the people in worship of God (Ezekiel 37:26-27; 45:16-46:18; Amos 9:11).
The Final Messiah will have sons (Ezekiel 46:16-18).
The Final Messiah could be David himself upon being resurrected, which would be a literal interpretation of the prophetic text (Ezekiel 34:23; 37:24-25; Jeremiah 30:8-9; Micah 5:2). Traditionally, orthodox streams of Judaism teach the Final Messiah will be a descendant of David and Solomon.
Now knowing the criteria or profile of the final messiah, let’s compare what the Christian Bible tells us about Jesus to see if he fits this profile.
According to Matthew 2:2, Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
According to Matthew 1:3 and Luke 3:33, Joseph, Jesus’ father was from the tribe of Judah. And yet, Joseph was not Jesus’ biological father. Also, compare Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1 and Luke 3. Both are said to be Joseph’s lineage, but they don’t match. Regardless, Joseph was not Jesus’ father, according to Matthew 1:18-19. According to Luke 1, Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, was of the tribe of Levi, so that would infer Mary also was of the tribe of Levi, not Judah. Jesus does not meet this criterion.
According to Matthew 1:5-6 and Luke 3:32, Joseph is a descendant of Jesse. Regardless, Joseph was not Jesus’ father, according to Matthew 1:18-19. The New Testament does not tell us Mary’s specific lineage other than her cousin was a Levite (Luke 1). Jesus does not meet this criterion.
According to Matthew 1:6-7, Joseph came from Solomon. According to Luke 3:31, Joseph is a descendant of not Solomon, but a different son of David, Nathan. Regardless, Joseph was not Jesus’ father, according to Matthew 1:18-19. Jesus does not meet this criterion.
Obviously, there has not been literal salvation by rescuing Jews, nor a literal resurrection, or reuniting the House of Israel and the House of Judah to the land of Canaan/Israel, so Jesus does not meet this criterion.
Obviously, Torah (the laws of God) are not being taught, upheld, and administered worldwide, so Jesus does not meet this criterion.
Obviously, there is no worldwide peace. In fact, as I am typing this, there is a war going on between Ukraine and Russia. Moreover, Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34). Jesus does not meet this criterion.
Obviously, the entire globe is not worshipping the One True God. Instead, many different religions and gods still exist. Jesus does not meet this criterion.
Obviously, there is no third temple and sacrifices have not resumed much less a prince/ruler offering sacrifices. Also, if Jesus was the “final” sacrifice for the world’s sins as Hebrews 10:1-18 teaches, why will there be future sin-offerings? Jesus does not meet this criterion (and clearly Hebrews 10:1-18 is fake news).
Jesus did not have any sons or atleast none that we know of according to the New Testament. Jesus does not meet this criterion.
Having been armed with this knowledge, I trust you will be better equipped to determine who is and is not the final anointed one.
To assist you with your studies, I attached a downloadable/printable version of this article.
In recent years, while on my peculiar faith journey learning to listen and lean on God, I thoroughly studied the prophets of the Hebrew Bible to help me understand prophecy and to discern between true and false prophets. I was experiencing many unexplainable and seemingly prophetic occurrences, which I attributed to God’s Spirit moving on my life and directing my steps, all of which prompted me to explore such concepts in the Bible. In the ancient days, the Hebrew Bible reveals there were numerous true prophets as well as false ones (1 Kings 19:14-18; 2 Chronicles 18:5). If God doesn’t change as the prophet Malachi proclaims (Malachi 3:6) and does nothing without revealing it to His prophets first as the prophet Amos says (Amos 3:7), it is likely God indeed still speaks though His revelation may be less common like it was reported in the days of Samuel’s early life (1 Samuel 3:1). Consequently, unlike most branches of Judaism today who believe God stopped speaking after the prophet Malachi, I believe God still speaks and there are still true prophets today. As a former Christian, I also studied the New Testament as it reports various prophets, namely John the Baptist, Jesus, Paul, and a few others. Due to these reports of prophets and apostles, some sects of Christianity breed a plethora of false prophets. These variables prompted me to investigate the prophets of the Hebrew Bible to discern who is a true prophet and who is a false prophet in both the New Testament as well as in modern-day life. We can glean much from a careful study of the Hebrew Bible, the foundation for which all theological concepts must be judged by.
Note: The Scriptures listed below do not capture all the appropriate verses that could be applied to said concepts, but they are an extensive list for readers to research and reflect on.
A true prophet will acknowledge the One True Living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of Israel and Him alone. Exodus 3:6,15-18; Judges 5:1-3; Isaiah 43:10-11; 44:6; 45:21-22; Jeremiah 11:1-3; Hosea 13:4. Be aware even some false prophets acknowledge the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and can even accurately hear/see things of God, such as Balaam (Numbers 22-24; 31:8); nevertheless, all the following criteria should be measured when discerning who is and isn’t a prophet/prophetess of God.
A true prophet will not just be all about serving the One True Living God, but they will also be all about His way, being Torah, also known as God’s instructions, to hit the mark, or God’s laws/commands. Deuteronomy 13 warns that if a prophet comes along and instructs you to worship another god or worship another as if they are God (like Jesus), do away with God’s commands as Paul teaches in his letter to the Galatians, follow another voice such as Jesus’ or Paul’s voice, etc., then you will know they are a false prophet. That same text says even if the prophecy manifests or some miracle is performed and they use that to convince you to worship, follow, serve, listen to, trust and obey anything other than what God’s Voice already said in His documented Voice, being Torah, you will know they are a false prophet. When one studies the prophets of the Hebrew Bible, it is glaringly obvious they all beckon their audience to repent and return to the One True Living God and His Torah, which is His Voice, His instructions for how to live (Deuteronomy 28:1+; Genesis 26:5). Furthermore, Scripture reveals false prophets can indeed perform signs and wonders such as the ones that battled Moses for Pharaoh’s decision (Exodus 7:11, 22), but it does not mean you ought to believe their message. Should you come across an alleged prophet, whether in written text or in person, it will behoove you to discover if the alleged prophet or teacher is for or against God’s law/instructions/commands, all synonyms for Torah, as it will be a huge clue to aid your discernment. 1 Samuel 7:3; 12:14-15,20-25; 13:13-14; 15:22-24; 1 Kings 8; 1 Kings 18:36-40; 2 Kings 17:13-23; 2 Kings 22:14-20; 2 Chronicles 34:21-33; Isaiah 30; Jeremiah 9:12-16; 10:1-16; Jeremiah 11:1-7; 16:10-12; Ezekiel 3; 11:19-21; 33; 36:26-28; Daniel 9:4-13; Hosea 4:6; 9:17; 14:9; Amos 2:4; Jonah 3:3-10; Malachi 2:5-9
A true prophet will be called by God and or receive instructions through typically a vision or dream versus their own wishful thinking.Consequently, God’s prophets were called “Seers”. If you evaluate all the prophets of the Bible, the LORD spoke to the vast majority of them through a vision, dream, or some type of visual experience. Numbers 12:6; Genesis 15:1; 17:1; 26:2; 31:10-13; 32:22-32; 37:1-36; 40-42; Exodus 3:2-6; Judges 5:12; 1 Samuel 3:3-15,21; 9:3,19 ; 2 Samuel 7:4,17; 24:11; 1 Kings 3:5,15; 9:2; 2 Kings 17:13; 2 Chronicles 7:12; 2 Chronicles 9:29; 2 Chronicles 16:7,10 ; 2 Chronicles 26:5; Isaiah 1:1; 2:1, 13:1; 30:9-11; Jeremiah 1:11-13; Ezekiel 1:4, 28; Daniel 7:1; 8:1,15; 9:20-21; Hosea 12:10,13; Amos 1:1; 3:7; 7:1,4,12; 8:1-2; Obadiah 1:1; Micah 1:1; Nahum 1:1; Habakkuk 1:1; 2:2; Zechariah 1:8; 2:1
A true prophet does NOT want to be a prophet. Whereas, a false prophet promotes themselves and their status as a prophet, their merchandise, their books, etc. True prophets are hated, persecuted, isolated, lonely, and usually killed not to mention, carry the burden of the prophecy itself. A false prophet wants to be a prophet for fame, respect, power, and control. True prophets are humble, often isolated (especially when being called by God and refined before ministering), often lowly in position, seem peculiar or different from the world (think of David and Amos how they were just shepherds of no status or Moses hanging out in a desert). False prophets want the glory and strive to be popular. They often are flashy, showy, performance-driven, and driven by money. They often prophesy about their followers’ material possessions versus a person developing a heart that actively seeks God. Jeremiah 1:6-10; 20:7-10; Daniel 6; Amos 7:14-15; Habakkuk 1:1-4; Nahum 1:1; Jonah 1-2; Micah 2-3
A true prophet will be sent by God (usually to leaders, but also to lands, and individuals not in authority). Genesis 37-42 (Joseph forcibly sent) ; Exodus 3; 1 Kings 17:3,9; 18:1; Jonah 1 (Jonah forcibly sent); Isaiah 7; Amos 7:14-15; Jeremiah 2:1; 4:5; 5:1; 7:2; 11:2; 18:2; 26:2; Daniel 1-2 (Daniel forcibly sent); Haggai 1:1, 12
A true prophet will most likely tell you what you NEED to hear, not what you WANT to hear. Hence, why the prophet was sent in the first place. Whereas, a false prophet will be all about telling you want sounds good to you. They can read the idols of your heart and therefore, tell you what your heart desires making you like them and that word. A true prophet’s message will be about cultivating a circumcised heart, open to relationship with God, serving Him with your whole heart, walking in God’s Torah, and not nearly as concerned about material fleshly things. Although a true prophet may at times provide an encouraging positive word if that is what God tells them you NEED to hear, it will more likely be a message of repentance, warning, or judgment. What I call a “Reflect. Correct. Direct.” type of message. Be leery of prophets who give you words of ‘peace and prosperity’ than prophets who correct or warn you. Always analyze the overall message though – does it point your heart towards repentance? 1 Kings 18:16-19; 22; 2 Kings 20:1; 2 Kings 22:14-20; 1 Chronicles 17:1-5; 2 Chronicles 16:7-10; 2 Chronicles 25:15-16; 2 Chronicles 28:9-15; 2 Chronicles 36:15-16; Isaiah 38:1; Jeremiah 2; 5:15-18; 10:1-25; 12:17; 13:9-10; 14-15; 22:1-5; 23:9-40; 28:1-1-29:32; Ezekiel 2; 13-14; Hosea 8:1-3,8; 11:5; 13:4; Nahum 1-3
A true prophet will be all about “REPENT & RETURN, Serve the LORD” whereas a false prophet will be all about “RECEIVE & REJOICE, The LORD serves you!” Again, a true prophet is less concerned about your worldly goods or fleshly things and will be focused on the issues of your heart that need aligning to Abba Father and His Word first and foremost. 2 Samuel 12; 1 Kings 20:35-43; 2 Chronicles 12:1-12; 2 Chronicles 16:3-17; Isaiah 55:6-7; Isaiah 56:1; Jeremiah 4:1-4; 13:9-10; 18:1-11; 23:9; 23:9-40; Jeremiah 18:19; 28; 31:21-22; Ezekiel 14; 16; 18:30-32; 20:7-32; Daniel 9:4-13; Hosea 4:6; 6:1-3; Joel 2:12-14; Amos 4:6-13; 5:4, 14-15; Jonah 3; Micah 6:8; Zephaniah 2:3; Zechariah 1:3-4; Malachi 2:5-9; 3:6-7; 4:4-6
A true prophet will tell you a very specific word from the LORD. 1 Samuel 3:11-21; 1 Samuel 10; 2 Samuel 7:4-17; 2 Samuel 24:11-25; 1 Kings 17:8-9; 21:17-24; 2 Kings 3:15-4:7; 2 Kings 5:10; 2 Kings 19:2,5-7,20-37; Isaiah 7-11; 41-46 (notice Isaiah in chp 45 predicts a Gentile King named Cyrus will help restore the temple after the Babylonian captivity of Jews-See Daniel 9 predicts the same thing/compare to Ezra 1); 48-56; 60-62; 65-66; Jeremiah 6; 16; 29-33 (notice in 29:10 Jeremiah predicted Jews would be in Babylonian captivity 70 years, which indeed manifested/Daniel 9:2); 50:4-5; 51:1-6; Ezekiel 9-12; 34-48; Daniel 11-12; Hosea 3:4-5; Joel 1-3; Amos 1-9; Micah 4-5; Zephaniah 1-3; Haggai 1; Zechariah 12-14
A true prophet’s prophecy will probably** manifest whereas a false word will fall to the ground (fail). Deuteronomy 18:18-22; 1 Samuel 3:19; Jeremiah 18:1-11; 28:9.
**Please note!
IF the prophecy manifests, that could be a very good indication it is of the LORD. UNLESS, the overall message of that prophet is telling you to reject God’s Torah/Law, serve the idols of your heart, worship another god (like Jesus), obey man’s doctrines (like Paul’s), or be all about more worldly things (like most modern prophets) versus the One True Living God and His ways, His laws, His will!! THIS IS A TEST FROM GOD. Deuteronomy 12:32-13:10
IF the prophecy does NOT manifest, that could be due to a few reasons:
It came from the so-called prophet’s/person’s heart (imagination) not God. Jeremiah 23:16-17
The person/prophet added to or subtracted from the word itself. Deuteronomy 12:32; Jeremiah 26:2
The people repented or disobeyed, depending on if the prophecy was a call to repentance (much more common) or a prosperous prophecy (very rare), and so it was a prophecy conditioned on the response of the people. Book of Jonah; Jeremiah 18:1-11
The end goal of all true prophets who prophesy repentance, warning, and judgment is that the prophecy NOT manifest for that means the people repented. Jeremiah 18:1-11.Jonah, for example, was a successful prophet, because the Gentiles/ Ninevites repented and avoided devastation.Then again, a successful prophet is also one who is obedient in giving the word of the LORD. It is not the job of the prophet to get or somehow manipulate the people to receive the word; it is merely his/her job to deliver the message.
With these criteria, I encourage you to carefully consider and judge those who may have been said to have been a prophet in the writings of the New Testament as well as modern-day prophets or alleged prophets of old. People like Saint Paul, Emperor Constantine, Joseph Smith, David Koresh, and many others have had mystical visual experiences, myself included, some have claimed to be prophets, but how do they measure up as a prophet according to the criteria we studied above? Based off the criteria of the Hebrew Bible, the vast majority of today’s prophets are false as were the ones of days gone by; additionally, the alleged prophets of the New Testament have proven they are false considering they all encouraged their audience to worship the man, Jesus, as God and most, especially Paul, encouraged God’s Torah to be ignored (that is assuming such characters actually existed to begin with and the stories written about them are indeed how they presented themselves).
Prophets, both then and now, are sent by God as a test. Learn to discern.
Every Christmas season, Isaiah 9:6 is quoted in churches around the world as one of the clearest prophecies of Jesus. Many Christians are familiar with the familiar wording:
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…”
For years, I accepted that interpretation without question. As a Christian, I assumed Isaiah was predicting the birth of Jesus approximately seven centuries before the events described in the New Testament. However, when I began studying the Hebrew text and examining the broader context of Isaiah, I discovered that traditional Jewish interpretation understands the passage very differently.
The issue is not whether Isaiah 9 is important. Both Judaism and Christianity recognize the significance of the passage. The question is whether Isaiah was describing a future messiah hundreds of years later or speaking about events unfolding in his own generation.
Reading Isaiah in Context
One of the most important principles of biblical interpretation is context. The Book of Isaiah was not written as a collection of isolated verses. Rather, it records prophetic messages delivered to real people facing real historical circumstances.
Isaiah chapters 7–12 are set during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah. The kingdom was facing a military threat from Aram (Syria) and the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim). The prophet Isaiah was sent to reassure Ahaz that these enemies would not ultimately prevail.
Isaiah 7 begins with a conversation between the prophet and King Ahaz. The king is frightened, and God instructs Isaiah to offer him a sign (Isaiah 7:10-11). The purpose of the sign is immediate and practical: to reassure Ahaz concerning the crisis facing Judah.
The sign Isaiah provides is found in Isaiah 7:14:
“Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: behold, the young woman is pregnant and is bearing a son, and she shall call his name Immanuel.”
In the Hebrew text, the woman is already pregnant or about to give birth. The prophecy is directed to Ahaz, not to people living centuries later. The child serves as a sign that before he reaches a certain age, the threatening kings will be removed (Isaiah 7:15-16).
From a Jewish perspective, the passage is therefore understood as referring to events within Isaiah’s own lifetime rather than predicting a future virgin birth.
The Meaning of Immanuel
Christians often point to the name “Immanuel” as evidence that the child was God incarnate because the name means “God is with us.”
However, Hebrew names frequently incorporate the name of God without implying that the individual is divine.
Examples include:
Elijah (“My God is YHWH”)
Isaiah (“Salvation of YHWH”)
Jeremiah (“YHWH exalts”)
Hezekiah (“YHWH strengthens”)
No one suggests that these individuals were themselves God. Rather, their names conveyed theological truths about God’s relationship with Israel.
Likewise, “Immanuel” communicates the message that God is with His people during a time of national crisis.
Isaiah 8 and the Continuing Sign
The context becomes even more interesting in the next chapter.
Isaiah 8 records another birth associated with Isaiah’s prophetic ministry. The prophet’s wife conceives and bears a son named Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (Isaiah 8:1-4). Like the child of Isaiah 7, this child serves as a time marker connected to events unfolding in Isaiah’s own day.
Before the child reaches a certain age, the wealth of Damascus and Samaria will be carried away by Assyria.
This repeated pattern is significant. Throughout Isaiah 7 and 8, children are used as prophetic signs concerning contemporary events. The focus remains firmly on Judah’s immediate political situation rather than on events hundreds of years in the future.
Isaiah 9 and the Promised Child
When Isaiah 9 is read within this larger context, the chapter continues the theme of hope for Judah.
The Hebrew text is often translated differently than the familiar Christian rendering. A more literal reading of Isaiah 9:5 (9:6 in Christian Bibles) contains verbs in the past tense:
“For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us.”
Rather than describing a future birth centuries later, the verse can be understood as celebrating a child already born or recently born.
Traditional Jewish commentators generally identify this child with King Hezekiah, the righteous son of Ahaz.
This interpretation fits the historical setting. Hezekiah became one of Judah’s most faithful kings and played a crucial role during the Assyrian crisis. Under his leadership, Jerusalem survived the Assyrian siege described in 2 Kings 18-19.
Understanding the Royal Titles
The titles found in Isaiah 9 have generated considerable debate.
Many English translations render them as:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
From a Jewish perspective, however, these titles are often understood differently.
Hebrew names and royal titles frequently contain references to God. Rather than describing the child as God Himself, many Jewish commentators understand the verse as declaring what God has done or will do through the child.
This approach is consistent with numerous Hebrew names that incorporate divine attributes without assigning divinity to the individual bearing the name.
The broader context also favors a royal successor in the line of David rather than a divine incarnation. Isaiah is describing God’s preservation of Judah through the Davidic dynasty during a period of national crisis.
The Messianic Question
Does Isaiah 9 speak about the Messiah?
Some Jewish commentators see messianic themes within the chapter because the Davidic kingdom ultimately points toward the future redemption of Israel. However, even among those who acknowledge messianic implications, the passage is not viewed as predicting a divine messiah or a virgin birth.
Traditional Judaism expects the Messiah to accomplish specific tasks described throughout the Hebrew Scriptures.
According to passages such as Isaiah 2:1-4, Isaiah 11:1-9, Jeremiah 23:5-8, Ezekiel 37:21-28, and Zechariah 14, the Messiah will:
Gather the dispersed of Israel.
Restore the Davidic kingdom.
Bring worldwide knowledge of God.
Establish lasting peace among nations.
Lead humanity into an era of justice and righteousness.
Because these events have not yet occurred, Judaism does not identify Jesus as the Messiah foretold by the prophets.
My Personal Journey
As I began studying Isaiah in Hebrew and examining traditional Jewish interpretations, I was surprised by how different the text appeared from the way I had previously understood it.
I discovered that many passages commonly presented as messianic prophecies look quite different when read in their original context. Rather than beginning with the New Testament and reading backward into the Hebrew Scriptures, I found it helpful to let the Hebrew text speak on its own terms.
That process led me to appreciate the depth of Jewish biblical interpretation and the importance of studying Scripture within its historical and linguistic setting.
Whether one ultimately agrees with Jewish or Christian conclusions, Isaiah deserves to be read in context. The prophet’s message was first delivered to the people of his own generation, and understanding that original audience is essential to understanding the text itself.
The more carefully I studied Isaiah, the more convinced I became that Isaiah 9 is best understood as part of a message of hope to Judah during the days of Ahaz and Hezekiah rather than as a prediction of Jesus seven centuries later.
~ Carrie R. Turner, revised June 15, 2026
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Below are some related graphics I discovered online many years ago from unknown sources regarding gods that various ancient cultures believed were born on December 25th. I did not create the graphics nor confirm all the information presented on the graphics. Nevertheless, I found them interesting, and something I want to investigate further.
Since we each must give an account for ourselves and ideally should be able to explain one’s faith, I have wrestled with some difficult questions over the years all of which cumulated in this eye-opening year of 2020 vision. This, like all my thought-provoking articles, are not an attack against an individual person, but rather it is exposing what I now see is a false ideology called Christianity, specifically what God labels as idolatry, and moreover, an invitation to dig into the Holy Scriptures for oneself while pondering, praying, and pursuing such critical concepts.
Naturally, when people can’t explain or can’t overcome such objections, they become angry at the person exposing error or at the very least challenging their belief, not realizing the person, such as myself, typically are motivated by love to do so. After all, iron sharpens iron. Nevertheless, I understand the mentality, the passion, and emotion of the Christian, as I, too, was appalled and even angry upon learning such truths below – first, at the person or people sharing, and then, more appropriately my anger became directed at Christianity or idolatry in general for propagating such blatant and now obvious to me fallacies. Though I readily admit, I know not all of God’s truth, for none of us can, today, I am in complete peace (Psalm 119:165), more in love with God and others than ever and daily learning to surrender to God, His will, and His Spirit of Holiness. It has been a long process of truth-seeking that eventually led me to the LORD when I thought I would be leading others to Him! You could say it’s been a journey of flip-flopped faith, though certainly not my intention when I picked the name “Flip Flop Fellowship” for my ministry. God clearly has a sense of all-knowing humor. It is my prayer these questions, as well as my various articles and testimony, spurn you, dear student of the Bible, to continue to seek Abba Father and His will for you with all your being and by continually comparing and examining your will and theology to His as defined in His Holy Scriptures. But I both confess and warn, it is not easy to lay our idols down.
As always, much love, shalom, and blessings! ~Carrie, 10.5.2020
1)What criteria did God give the Israelites regarding how to discern a false prophet, false teacher, or false messiah?
FACT: In Deuteronomy 13, God specifically instructed the Israelites to beware of and test a person based off two criteria: 1) Does the person implore the Israelites to worship any other person, thing, or other gods as “God” for God alone is to be worshiped – not His son, not anybody, or anything but God. 2) Does the person teach that G!d’s instructions being God’s law or Torah is done away with, old, irrelevant? For Israel is only to obey God and His instructions, not man’s, not Paul’s, not Jesus’ commands, but God’s alone.
2) What are the Jews, Israel, or Twelve Tribes of Israel chosen for? “Chosen” to do what exactly and why?
FACT: Israel, being the Twelve Tribes, specifically the Jews, are chosen to make God, His name, and His Torah known. They are chosen to be the light of the world, to set the captives free, so that all the world may also experience salvation. They are chosen as God’s “Servant” (Isaiah 44:1, 21, 45:4, 48:20, 49:3, 52:13) or commissioned to instruct the world in Torah, which the Scriptures define as light itself (Psalm 119:105,130; Proverbs 6:23; Isaiah 62:1-2), the way of salvation or righteousness, and moreover, living a lifestyle of loving God and loving others. According to the prophets, eventually, in the World-To-Come/Messianic Era, they are elevated and honored while some of them are specifically commissioned to help teach Torah to the world as the world “learns righteousness” (Isaiah 26:9-10). See Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 6, 7:6-8, 26:17-19; 2 Samuel 7:23-24; Psalm 105; Isaiah 2:1-5; 26:1-12; 32:16-20; 33:20-24; 35:1-10; 42:6-7; 48:17-19; 49:6; 51:4-7; 52:1-2; 62:1-12; 66:5-24; Jeremiah 29-31; Zechariah 8, 12; Ezekiel 44:23-24; Amos 9:11-15; Obadiah 1:15-21; Micah 4:1-5; Joel 3; Zephaniah 3:8-20; Daniel 12:3; Hosea 14. Nearly every prophetic book foretells this glorious event and outcome for the children of Israel, wherever they are scattered in the past, present, and future world!
3) If both Jew and Gentile can be forgiven by simply repenting and striving to keep God’s commands, which are His instructions for life found in Torah, why did Jesus have to die for people’s sins?
FACT: God has always eagerly forgave people who authentically repented. His grace has always been available well before Jesus arrived. See Deuteronomy 4:29-31; 1 Kings 8; 2 Samuel 12 (Did King David have to make a sacrifice for forgiveness of his sin?); Isaiah 1:16-17; 42:6; 43:25; 44:22; 45:22,25 ; 49:10; 55:6-7; Psalms 24:3-6; 25:6,10; 30:5; 32:1,5; 34:22; 36:5,10; 37:18,29,34,37-40; 51:1-4, 7-9 (really all of Psalm 51); 68:19; 72:12-14; Psalm 103; 119:118,132,155-156; 146:17-20; 147:11; Micah 7:18-20; Book of Jonah (notice even the Gentiles had to repent- repent from what? Did they have to have a blood sacrifice for forgiveness?). To study more passages, read this article: Always Have Been Saved By Grace
4) Since forgiveness has been and still is granted without any blood sacrifice and by simply repenting, why did Jesus need to spill his blood as a sacrifice?
FACT: God forgave people with or without blood sacrifices and /or if they only offered other items instead of blood sacrifices such as flour, money, or jewelry when a temple was in place. See passages above in #3 as well as Leviticus 5:11-13 (flour), Exodus 30:15-16 (money), Numbers 31:48-52 (jewelry). The sin sacrifices were a tangible act in order to teach them to not forget God’s instructions/His law like requiring your kid to sacrifice their electronics when they disobey for sin has consequences – best to learn to obey Abba Father/God for our own good (Deuteronomy 5:29; 6:24-25; 10:12-13). To learn more, read this article: Why Jesus Didn’t Die For Anyone’s Sins (but his own)
5) Why would the unknown authors* of the gospels claim Jesus is God’s one and only son (John 3:16) when Scripture reveals the twelve tribes of Israel/the Jewish people (and their descendants) are God’s sons and daughters; therefore, G!d has many sons?
*scholars don’t know for certain who exactly penned each gospel
FACT: When God speaks to the Israelites/Israel/Judah or when the prophets refer to God, God or the prophet often identifies Himself/God as Father inferring He has many sons and daughters – see Deuteronomy 32:6; Isaiah 64:7; Jeremiah 3:19, as a few examples. Similarly, God says in Isaiah 56 that non-Jews/Gentiles/foreigners who choose to enjoin themselves with God and His holy covenant (meaning Torah) by willingly obeying it (Judaism refers to this as “Jews-By-Choice”) are considered “better than sons or daughters” indicating the naturally chosen are sons and daughters while the “Jews-By-Choice”, or adopted if you will, are even more honored and also brought to Mt Zion upon being literally saved, regathered, or resurrected. Also, see Psalm 82:6 and even Jesus referred to his audience of Jews also as sons in John 10 when quoting Psalm 82:6. And yet the mysterious author of John* made it seem like Jesus is the one and only begotten son of God a few chapters earlier in John 3. In other words, Jesus was one of God’s many children.
6) Why would God instruct one of His sons, since Jesus was a Jew, to die for the sins of the world as the New Testament claims when God already informed Israel no person can die for another person’s sins?
FACT: According to Deuteronomy 24:16; Ezekiel 18:1-32; 33:12-20; Jeremiah 31:29-30 (which is also what Eze 18:1-2 says), and Psalm 49:7 no person can die for another persons’ sins even in the New Covenant chapter of Jeremiah 31.
7) Why would God instruct one of His sons, much less God’s other kids, to believe God would offer His child as a sacrifice when God specifically told His kids, being the Israelites, never to offer their children as sacrifices?
FACT: God often instructed the Israelites to not mimic other religions such as offering their children as sacrifices to a god(s), or as a form of worship, and labeled such behavior an abomination. See Leviticus 18:21, 20:3; Deuteronomy 12:29-32; 18:10; 2 Kings 3:27, 16:3, 17:17; 2 Chronicles 28:3, 33:6; Jeremiah 7:31; Psalm 106:35-38; Ezekiel 16:20-21 as some examples.
8) Why are we still teaching each other about who the One True Living God is if we are currently in the New Covenant?
FACT: According to the only chapter in the Holy Scriptures that refers by name a “New Covenant”, found in Jeremiah 31, no one will need to inform one another who God is for all will know Him (see verse 34). Incidentally, most Christians seem to not notice what the ambiguous author of Hebrews pens in chapter 8:13, which says referring to the “old” and “new” covenants, “Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away” inferring the “old” covenant isn’t obsolete or done away with yet because the New Covenant hasn’t manifested just yet -obviously, since there is no world peace and everyone obeying Torah (but more on that later). Equally fascinating, is the New Covenant isn’t activated until there is a New Jerusalem, New Heavens, and New Earth – hence, all the references to “Behold, I will do (future tense) a NEW thing..” Isaiah 43:19. More accurately, RENEWED covenant, RENEWED earth, RENEWED Jerusalem, etc. How interesting God is referring to do a “new thing” upon literally saving Israel from their oppressors and restoring them all to the land of Canaan/Israel as discussed in #2.
8) Why in the New Covenant / World-To-Come / Messianic Era (the future, whatever you want to call it) are there still sacrifices if Jesus was the final sacrifice? Moreover, how can Christians honestly believe another man, namely Paul, when he says God’s laws are a curse and not to be obeyed when clearly it is not just commanded by God, but the future of the world?
FACT: Ezekiel chapters 36-48 describe both the literal resurrection of all of Israel, regathering, and restoration of Israel, both dead and alive, to the land of their inheritance in Israel, a magnificent event nearly all the prophets describe but hasn’t manifested nowhere near its entirety just yet. In this future era, there is a unique temple established along with sacrifices led by the ruler/prince including not just the praise sacrifices, but sin sacrifices as well (see specifically Ezekiel 43-44). Additionally, Zechariah 14:16+ informs us in the future, after God literally physically saves Israel from their enemies, all the remaining survivors of the nations must participate in bringing sacrifices to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, or what is known in Hebrew as “Sukkot”, in order for it to rain, or put another way in order for them and their economy to survive. Sukkot is in the Fall (September/October on the Gregorian calendar) and is the initiation of the rainy season. In fact, as I pen this, it is Sukkot, a festival of rejoicing, for one day, it will indeed be a whole new world full of joy and peace! To learn more about the Feasts of the LORD, read Leviticus 23. Also, in Isaiah 65-66 God describes the future and how He wants to be worshiped, as well as how He is specifically angered at those who consume pork, which He instructed not to eat in Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14, and describes worship as participating in the Sabbaths and festivals of the LORD in the New Heavens and New Earth (aka New Covenant). Furthermore, Zechariah 8 tells us Gentiles will be clinging to Jews to learn more about God one fine day.
9) Why would the “New Testament” and Christianity be all about propagating one must “believe” Jesus is Messiah in order to be spared from hell and go to heaven when there is absolutely no prophecy in the Hebrew Bible stating one must believe in a future Messiah in order to experience salvation much less the heaven vs hell concept?
FACT: Search the prophets out for yourself, you will not find any prophetic word regarding anyone must believe in a Messiah to be saved. But what you do read in Amos 3:7 is God does nothing without revealing it to His prophets first. Also, you will find a very different definition of salvation unfolds. Plainly said, salvation is a literal, physical experience, not solely spiritual mental ascent, while both salvation and righteousness are repeatedly linked with obeying God’s commands, His laws, His Torah, His Voice. Whereas many passages infer or directly state those who disregard God’s laws are considered wicked (Psalm 50; Psalm 119), without knowledge, and will perish (Hosea 4:6). You will not find in the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh, the law, and the prophets where salvation is merely a mental belief in a Messiah, but rather reward is based on your conduct, the exact opposite of what the New Testament, namely Paul, teaches.
10) In the early 1990’s, did you believe David Koresh when he claimed to be Messiah? His followers claimed he performed miracles and was prophetic. He and presumably his followers were writing manuscripts to spread his good news, his message. Would you put your trust in him? How about if he and or his roommates, who all tragically and unnecessarily perished, claimed he WAS actually God? Would you pick up your cross and follow him? On what criteria do you judge a person and their message? Is not the Hebrew Bible, the law and prophets, the foundation for which all are to be judged? Hence, the very label “the law”. What makes you put your trust in Jesus, or more accurately, Paul since Christianity is mostly based on Paul’s message and spiritual experience of seeing Jesus in the sky allegedly? Did Jesus, Paul, or other Apostles entice you to worship someone or something other than God, or worse, did Jesus or his followers indicate Jesus WAS/IS God; therefore, replacing God or elevating oneself to be as God or as part of God? Did Jesus, Paul, the other Apostles, or any of their followers, then and now, instruct you to disobey God by not keeping His law? Do you or your church have an Easter ham for dinner, as an example of breaking God’s law? Do you rest, reflect, and spend time with God and family on the 7th day or are you out grocery shopping, mowing the grass, or doing laundry? Does your church celebrate Easter, Halloween, or Christmas, but not the feasts of the LORD, His holy holidays? Why do some, if not all, denominations of Christianity claim everybody should keep the 10 commandments, but not the one about Sabbath or worshiping other gods?
FACT: Every Christian, whether Catholic or Protestant or even Messianic Jew/Gentile, knows that according to the writings of the New Testament, Jesus, but especially Paul as well as the other Apostles and the unknown authors of the gospels, elevated Jesus to be God (John 1), for Jesus to be worshiped and obeyed (Matthew 28:18; Philippians 2; Colossians 2), as well as instructed their audience, their disciples to disregard God’s laws (Galatians 3)or at the very least, the church instructs congregants to disobey most of God’s laws, the eternal law (Psalm 19, 119:142,152,160: Isaiah 2) of then, now, and the future. Hence, eternal. So with all that said, back to Deuteronomy 13, what were the two criteria God specifically said to watch out for? See #1.
“Choose this day whom you will serve.” Joshua 24:15.
Zechariah 8 is a short and sweet chapter telling the people of Israel (and readers), one fine day, God will dwell in Jerusalem. At that time, He will end antisemitism and instead, not only bless the reunited 12 twelve tribes of Israel (House of Judah and House of Israel), but vindicate them. There are many chapters in the Hebrew Bible that describe a miraculous regathering or reuniting of the scattered Israelites across the globe, both the living and the dead, bringing them all to heaven on earth being Jerusalem (such as Ezekiel 36-37; Jeremiah 29-31). Also, notice the section of Zechariah 8:16, a prophecy about the very end of time as we know it. Right after the LORD describes and promises Israel’s future literal salvation, what does He instruct the must the Jews/Israel do in the meantime? Believe in the Messiah? Believe in God’s Son yet to be born (at the time this chapter of Zechariah was written)? Believe in Jesus? No, essentially, live righteously – obey the principles of Torah. Shouldn’t the concept of believing in Jesus to pay for your sins or even just stating “Believe in The Messiah” be inserted in this epic moment leading up to their salvation? I encourage you to pray and ponder as to why there is nothing like that mentioned in the Tanakh/Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and yet, Amos 3:7 says the Lord does nothing without revealing it to His prophets first. Moreover, always get in God’s word for yourself and ask Abba Father (Jeremiah 3:19) lots of questions. He will show you things you did not know (Jeremiah 33:3) as He does with me and many others.
Ask yourself and Abba Father (Jeremiah 3:19), why after He dwells on earth in Jerusalem described in Zechariah 8, the entire globe is seeking not just God in Jerusalem, but clinging to Jews, specifically their tallits, which are the garments with tzits-tzits attached (see Zechariah 8:23 below)? These are commanded by God to be worn and are symbols to help them remember the importance of obeying God’s commands (see Numbers 15:37-41).
Think about the connection –> At this future moment, people will be clinging to the Jews realizing God is with them. Notice the verse of Zechariah 8:23 specifically state people will be grabbing onto the Jew’s garment corners as if the prophecy is telling us people will cling to Jews and God’s Torah, which has already started to manifest today. God’s ways are found in His commands, His Torah, His instructions for living, which not only is His will, but they are the light (Psalm 119:105-106, Proverbs 6:23) and the Jews/Israel are called to be the light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6). Hence, what they are chosen to do: Be the light – lead in love as they live by Torah.
Why doesn’t the prophet Zechariah describe the New heavens and New earth or New Jerusalem or New Covenant era (notice all the “NEW”s -pun intended) as…”And in that day the Christians will be the light of the world teaching people how to decorate Christmas trees, how to have successful Easter egg hunts and stand in line for the best Heavenly Ham, how to plan a great turn-out for Trunk or Treats, or teaching them about communion, how to successfully and secretly slip up that repentant hand and inwardly profess the sinner’s prayers without anyone knowing then or later, or how to memorize the Lord’s prayer, how to evangelize by handing out tracks about God’s son, how to go on mission trips and build things but tear down with our words..”, or whatever other definition Christians used to define as being the light?
I don’t think it’s possible for any of us, whether Jew or Gentile, to ponder and know God’s truth in it’s entirety, much less live it precisely as He intended it here and now, for how can we know infinite truth and all His thoughts or ways? But we do know truth is what He chose to reveal in the Tanakh and that is: Israel is chosen and God’s Torah is the light for all eternity. So much so the non-Jews will be looking to Jews and the instructions God gave them for guidance.
Christianity teaches that the New Covenant began with Jesus’ death and resurrection. However, according to the Hebrew Bible, the events that describe the initiation of the New Covenant are vastly different than Christian dogma wants you to believe.
Because God does nothing without revealing it to his prophets first (Amos 3:7) and He is BIG on reiterating concepts with at least two or three prophetic witnesses, it’s important we study what God specifies through these prophets to better understand important concepts such as the New Covenant and other related events.
THE TERMINOLOGY
In both the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, there is a limited dialogue regarding the New Covenant. Nevertheless, the one and only time the terminology is used, the LORD provides a few critical clues through His prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 29-31. Specifically, the term is used in Jeremiah 31:31.
“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah – ” Jeremiah 31:31 NKJV (New King James Version)
FAMILY REUNION
In Jeremiah 31:31, the reader is introduced to the term “New Covenant” and that this New Covenant is made between God and two groups of people, the Northern Kingdom or ten tribes of Israel, being the House of Israel, and the Southern Kingdom, primarily consisting of the remaining two tribes, the House of Judah. The slang term “Jew” comes from the tribe of Judah, which later evolved to be “House of Judah”. To understand how the kingdom of Israel split into two groups, read 1 King 12. Essentially, there was a family feud, but not the Steve Harvey type.
The famous Jeremiah 29:11 quote, which can be found in nearly every Christian Bookstore and Hobby Lobby across the United States, God says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future…” (NIV). Technically, this promise is given to Israel, not Christians shopping at Hobby Lobby. When we read Jeremiah chapters 29 through 31, at the time of these prophecies, both houses were in captivity. The House of Israel had been taken captive by the Assyrian Empire much earlier and the House of Judah was taken captive by the Babylonian Empire. Although the prophecy in chapter 29 primarily applied to the Jews held in Babylonian captivity, the prophecy of Jeremiah 30, applies for a much later time. In Jeremiah 30:7 it references a time of trouble for Jacob, meaning the nation of Israel, perhaps it could imply a greater captivity, if you will. Daniel 12:1-2 also uses the same terminology of “a time of trouble” and is referring to the Battle of Gog and Magog. Such an epic battle will be led by Gog, the ultimate villain, as he and numerous other nations surround and attack the nation of Israel. More details of this battle can be found in Ezekiel 38 and Zechariah 14 among other prophetic passages. Nevertheless, through the prophet Jeremiah, God is giving His people hope that even though life will be frightening for them in the future, God will literally and physically save them from their enemies similar to how He did when they were in Babylon and years earlier, in Egypt.
Through the prophet Jeremiah, God expands in great detail exactly what He means when He says “a future and hope” or “a hope and a future” (depending on which version you are reading) in Jeremiah 30. Notice in Jeremiah 30:3, Adonai, the LORD says, “For behold the days are coming…that I bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah…I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers and they shall possess it..” So here we see God plans on rescuing and restoring all of the House of Israel and the House of Judah, uniting both the divided kingdoms and bringing them all back to the land of Israel to safely dwell.
Where in the world are the ten lost tribes reminded me of the “Where’s Waldo?” cartoon.
Interestingly, the House of Judah largely consisted of the tribe of Judah, Benjamin, and the Levites, but the House of Israel, the ten northern tribes that were taken prisoners by the Assyrian captivity and assimilated into the nations, have never been tracked, much less regathered. As a side note, texts from both the Hebrew and Christian Bibles reveal some of those Northern tribes merged with the House of Judah and therefore, it can be argued that the Jewish population today represents all or at least some of the twelve tribes, but for the most part, it would appear the vast majority of the ten tribes assimilated with the nations and are considered unidentified or lost. With that said, here in this text of Jeremiah 30, God declares He will be regaining custody of all His kids in a glorious and miraculous family reunion in the New Covenant. In other words, the lost will be found!
RESURRECTION | RESTORATION
Jeremiah 30, verse 9, reads, ”They shall serve the LORD their God and David, the king whom I will raise up for them.” Now, if you aren’t familiar with the plethora of other passages in the prophets discussing this same prophecy you might glaze over the “raise up” phrase but this is referring to the resurrection and restoration of the House of Israel and the House of Judah described in Ezekiel 37. I believe this verse indicates the LORD is literally going to resurrect King David, as well as all of the deceased Israelites (twelve tribes), and David will rule and reign once more. Other Jews state this verse means, God will provide someone from David’s lineage, specifically through the line of David’s son, Solomon, to rule. Christians typically assume this David figure refers to Jesus’ alleged past resurrection and yet, obviously, this reference to resurrecting, rescuing, and restoring Israel cannot be about Jesus’ alleged resurrection because #1 all twelve tribes were not rescued from the Roman Empire, in fact, the Jews weren’t rescued at all, though they were oppressed, AND #2 nobody was raised up to be a literal, visible-to-all king of Israel after Jesus’ alleged death and resurrection. Just the opposite manifested. The House of Judah was scattered throughout all the nations in the years after Jesus’ alleged resurrection, not rescued to dwell in safety, much less restored.
It wasn’t until 1948, that a minority of Jews have been and still are being restored to the land of Israel in present modern times, but still not both houses. There still are many Jews scattered throughout the globe as well as the deceased House of Israel and their unknown descendants.
WORSHIP | SACRIFICES RESUME
As we continue to read the surrounding verses and context of the new covenant prophecy, notice we left off at Jeremiah 30:9, an important verse to grasp as it proclaims the House of Israel and the House of Judah, previously defined, will all be serving God collectively, not Allah or Jesus, mind you, but “their God”. Furthermore, that same verse adds they also will be serving David as their king. David was known as a “man after God’s own heart” and one of the greatest kings of Israel to ever have lived, who also authored most of the Psalms. You could say, David, the king/prince, was the ultimate worship leader as he will do once more in the New Covenant. In the prophetic Book of Ezekiel, the prophet Ezekiel also speaks about the reunion of both the House of Israel and the House of Judah in addition to describing David, a ruler or prince that leads the people in worship, including in making various offerings, even sin offerings (Ezekiel 34:23-24, 36:22-24, 37:24-28, 45:16-46:18). Ponder this as you study these passages: If Jesus was the final sacrifice, why does the prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel 45-46 and the prophet Zechariah in Zechariah 14:16-21, very clearly detail sacrifices will resume as a critical means of worship in the future for both Jew and Gentile?
WORLD PEACE
Go to Ezekiel 34:23-31. Notice God reiterates here through a different prophetic witness being Ezekiel what He said in Jeremiah 30:9 that He will make David be like a shepherd to His sheep (of Israel), the LORD will be their God (not Jesus), and David will be a prince or governing ruler. Verse 25 describes the New Covenant as a “covenant of peace” made with them. Incidentally, Ezekiel 37, verses 25-26 express the same statement. Notice in Ezekiel 34, the prophet goes on to describe a time of peace and prosperity, where animals will no longer attack people or each other (Hosea 2:20 & Isaiah 11:6-9, 65:25 also speak to this), the earth will be a lovely garden producing delectable crops, Jews will no longer be persecuted by Gentiles anymore, and all will know who the LORD is (Ezekiel 34:25-31). Return with me to Jeremiah, specifically Jeremiah 31:33-34. Please carefully notate that the LORD makes it very plain and understandable in this New Covenant that “No more shall every man teach his neighbor, his brother, saying ‘Know the LORD’, for they ALL shall know Me..” There will be no more wars because there will be no religious or political debates for all will know God and His ways in the New Covenant time frame. Other prophetic witnesses such as in Isaiah 2 and Micah 4 both speak to similar sentiments of all will know and be taught God’s instructions and there will be no more war.
A NEW WAY OF LIFE
Did these descriptive events manifest upon Jesus’ alleged resurrection? Of course, not. In fact, Jesus proclaimed the opposite, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34 NKJV). The Crusades and other heinous persecution of innocent Jews by the hands of Christians confirm the fruit of the Gospels. Jesus and the faith that developed in his name indeed failed to bring a covenant of peace to the globe. Rather, the prophets of the Hebrew Bible describe obvious physical changes as G!d more or less will provide a NEW way of life, or perhaps you could say, a type of NEW heaven and NEW earth; hence, the NEW, or more accurately termed, RENEWED covenant, a covenant of peace on earth. By describing the earth and this covenant as “new”, it is simply a figure of speech inferring a refreshed version of the existing earth and existing eternal covenant God has with Israel. Each covenant God has made with humans builds upon the previous. As a simple example, women are still experiencing pain in childbirth, which was part of the very first covenant God established. Several more have been established since then, but no covenant nullified the previous, it only builds upon it.
NO ONE CAN DIE FOR ANOTHER’S SINS
Lastly, in all these Scriptures foretelling a future era, have we read anything stating Israelites or anyone for that matter must believe in a Messiah in order to receive eternal life, be resurrected, be forgiven of sins, and miraculously make it to Israel? Do you notice the resurrection of the dead, as well as the rescue and reunion of both the House of Israel and the House of Judah, have been in the forecast even without any belief in Jesus? Moreover, if God can reveal all these other details to His prophets, why didn’t he reveal the most important detail that a person must believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, to be resurrected, or rescued? Christians are led to believe Jesus died for their sins and therefore, believe they are in the New Covenant, and yet, in addition to the fact that none of the events of the New Covenant have manifested yet, Jeremiah 31:30, quite literally the verse next to the “new covenant” verse, reiterates commands God already stated, which is “every one shall die for his own sin”. Just like God says numerous places elsewhere – nobody can die for your sins – each person is held accountable to God for themselves. Study Deuteronomy 24:16, 2 Kings 14:6, Psalm 49:7, Jeremiah 31:30; Ezekiel 18 & 33. Therefore, it is a direct violation of God’s word for another person, like Jesus, to die for the world’s sins.
WAIT & SEE
With all this overwhelming evidence, it is clear the new covenant has not manifested yet. While we can’t be certain WHEN exactly these prophecies will manifest, we do know WHO is involved, WHERE to be watching, and WHAT to look for as there will be glaringly obvious signs indicating the New Covenant has been activated. For now, we wait and put our trust in God alone.
To assist you in your Biblical studies, the PDF version of this article is available for download/print.
Many evangelical Christians believe in something called “the rapture” where the dead Christians will be resurrected and the Christians alive at that time will all be whisked away to heaven when Jesus returns for them and then Jesus and “his saints” will hide out in heaven for 7 years or so while God pours out His wrath on Earth to those who rejected Jesus. Then, according to this doctrine taught throughout some evangelical protestant denominations, Jesus will come back to Earth for technically a third time and bring all his peeps with him to rule and reign.
Now, imagine being up high up in the sky as if parasailing and getting to see the big picture. It would certainly change your perspective. Using a plethora of Scriptures, this article lifts you above the doctrinal distractions to help you see the big picture.
As a foundational reminder, Amos 3:7 tells us God does nothing without revealing it to His prophets first.
THE THREE R’S
The prophets of the Hebrew Bible say nothing about people who must believe in a Messiah to be saved, forgiven, or to have eternal life. Nor do they say anything about a rapture of believers in a Messiah. The prophets do, however, predict people will be resurrected, rescued, and restored.
RESURRECTED
Let’s take a look at some Scriptures within the prophetic books that speak to a resurrection. The text we are reviewing can be found in Daniel 12:1-2, Isaiah 26:18-19, Ezekiel 37:12.
The prophetic book of Daniel was penned during the time that the exiled Jews were living in Babylon. So when this angel relayed these words to Daniel, the angel was referring to Jews as “your people” way in the future. Specifically, this prophecy is believed by Orthodox rabbis to be referring to the Battle led by Gog of Magog. Clearly, the angel is telling Daniel with the intention he will write it down for future generations to know and be encouraged that during that awful time Jews will be rescued if they are not blotted out of the book of life, meaning if they are still alive at this time. Zechariah 14 and Ezekiel 38 also describe this horrific battle of Gog and Magog (note: many Orthodox rabbis believe we are in the end times battle of Gog and Magog now since October 7, 2023, the day Israel’s enemies succeeded in a surprise attack similar to the one described in Ezekiel 38).
In regards to the expression, inscribed in the book, meaning the Book of Life, other passages within the Hebrew Bible equate that expression to mean an Israelite, now known as Jews, are literally alive because they haven’t transgressed the Torah, God’s instructions. In other words, to intentionally violate God’s boundaries means one will be removed or blotted out from the Book of Life. This is why on Yom Kippur, Jews strive to be inscribed in the Book of Life for another year by carefully examining their lifestyle and repenting to God and others when necessary.
Daniel 12, verses 1 and 2, indicate that those Jews (not Christians) who are alive during this devestating time will be rescued, whereas many of those that are dead, will be resurrected. Some sects of Orthodox Judaism teach there will be two resurrections – one will be for the Jews (Israelites) wherever Jews are located globally, with the Jews buried in Jerusalem resurrected first, and a separate resurrection for Gentiles (non-Jews) later. However, there are very few references of a resurrection in the Hebrew Bible; thus, how many resurrections there are, what that will look like, and the timing, are all speculated, but the general consensus among sects of Orthodox Judaism is everyone is resurrected at some point in the future. Generally speaking, Reform Judaism, a more liberal denomination of Judaism, does not focus on mystical and mysterious prophecies or the World-To-Come; rather, bringing heaven to earth here and now is the focus. Nevertheless, hints of resurrection are found within the prayers, songs, and poems of the Reform Judaism siddur (prayer book used at each worship service).
Notice in Eze. 37:12 the reference to “O My People” a.k.a. Jews/Israel and that God will bring them “to the land of Israel.” Not raptured to heaven.
RESCUED
We touched on Jews being rescued, but let’s take a closer look at these passages found in Jeremiah 16:14-16, Ezekiel 34:27-29, and Zechariah 8 and 12.
This particular text in Jeremiah 16 is interesting because it reveals this rescue operation of the Jews will make the original Exodus story look like nothing compared to this greater exodus to come. I didn’t type out the entire text, but I also wanted to point out how God says through the prophet Jeremiah that it will be as if God is sending fishermen to haul out Jews. What exactly that looks like is yet to be determined, but you get the idea God loves Jews very much and promises to rescue Jews at that terrible moment. It’s going to be epic!
God is all about making His Name known or His Presence and authority known. He’s all about taking people from a culture of worshiping many false gods to a culture of worshipping Him the One True God. God desires direct, personal relationship with everyone. Just as He made Himself known to both the Israelites and Egyptians in the Book of Exodus, God will do so again when He rescues Jews in the future. At that time, all of the Jewish and non-Jewish populations worldwide will know who the One True God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is!
Here we have yet again (see above), God saying through a different prophet that He will rescue Jews from wherever they are in the globe, and notice the text says they will be brought to Jerusalem to permanently dwell. It says nothing about saving Jews to live in heaven, nor rapturing anyone, but rather this Scripture and others emphasize bringing heaven to earth as God’s presence dwells on Earth in Jerusalem among God’s people: Jews.
This verse I included because it speaks to how much God loves Jerusalem inferring Jews living in that holy city. It also validates what God told Abraham when He said in Genesis 12:3, I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. Note: If you want to survive all that’s to come, don’t say or do anything against Israel/Jews (see Zechariah 14). Because to do so, is to harm those in the apple of God’s eye (Zechariah 2:8). I feel like most evangelical Christians are aware of this important truth, thankfully.
Although Isaiah 56 doesn’t specifically refer to Jews being rescued, I’m including it within this teaching, because it does state that anyone who chooses to keep God’s covenant, meaning live by the instructions He gave Israel at Mt. Sinai, will also be brought to Israel. It infers these Jews-By-Choice (converts) will also be rescued. This chapter of Isaiah 56 later says these individuals will be considered even better than sons and daughters, meaning naturally born Jews (because they volunteered for this lifestyle on their own when they could have chosen an easier path).
TORAH: The Sacred Highway to God’s presence, Jerusalem, Heaven on Earth
Although the prophets don’t directly state how the rescued Jews will travel to Jerusalem, there are hints particularly in the Book of Isaiah that Jews may travel by foot on a sacred highway or road of sorts. In other passages, it describes a worldwide earthquake, mountains crumbling, and land moving. Perhaps continents reconnect or the seas part so Jews (and non-Jews) will be able to get to Jerusalem by road similar to how God paved an unexpected path through the Reed Sea when the Israelites fled Egypt. Of course, airfare seems like a more realistic option currently!
In Zechariah 14:16-21, even non-Jews must come to Jerusalem to celebrate and worship God for the holy holiday of Sukkot, also known as Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths. Presumably, both the Jew and non-Jew could travel to Jerusalem using the new and improved Interstate known as the “Sacred Highway.” Ha-ha!
RESTORED
In addition to the prophets revealing a resurrection and rescue of Jews, the prophets also reveal that the physical wealth of Jews will be restored in Israel. “Double for your trouble” you could say. I have listed only a few passages that refer to this concept, but there are many more.
In Jeremiah 30:18-19, we once again see yet a different prophet refers to Israel as “outcast” whereas Isaiah chose “suffering servant,” but Jews are not despised forever. For here, as in many other passages, God encourages Jews documenting that God has a plan to restore, rebuild, and replant. Moreover, to elevate Jews and the nation of Israel.
CONCLUSION
As highlighted earlier, God reveals His plans through His prophets (Amos 3:7). Isn’t it strange that there are no texts in the entire Jewish Bible, or “Old Testament,” about non-Jews or Jews being raptured to heaven or anything pertaining to such doctrine? Interestingly, the prophet Jeremiah says that at that time the Gentiles (non-Jews) will be shocked and realize they were taught lies. Notice it doesn’t say Jews will be shocked, but specifically, the prophets declare the Gentiles will be surprised. I know I sure was upon realizing all of this.
In conclusion, the prophets of the Hebrew Bible make no mention of people being raptured to heaven but do frequently refer to Jews being resurrected, rescued, and restored to Israel.
SOUL-WORK
To study this topic more, I invite you to review the following passages in addition to the ones already presented:
