The Hebrew Bible vaguely introduces the concept of a messiah figure expected to manifest in the future. In this video teaching, we explore 10 criterion of the final Messiah.
To read this teaching instead, visit:
https://flipflopfellowship.com/2022/03/14/profile-of-the-final-messiah/
To read this article instead, click this link: https://flipflopfellowship.com/2020/08/30/why-jesus-didnt-die-for-your-sins/
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 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.
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.
Many Christians believe Jesus of Nazareth is THE Messiah. But did you know there are many “messiahs” throughout the Hebrew Bible? The reason Christians mistakenly believe there is only one messiah is because of the King James Version translation of Daniel 9. It appears the mistranslation was intentional to lead the reader to believe in Christian dogma. Keep in mind, Christians have been told there are some 300 Messianic prophecies in the Hebrew Bible all about Jesus and Daniel 9 is one of the alledged 300 prophecies predicting Jesus as THE Messiah. Moreover, Christians are trained to read into the text what they want it to mean instead of letting the text interpret itself or reading the text in context. Interestingly, the New Testament not once quotes Daniel 9 as proof text predicting Jesus as Messiah or when he would arrive on the scene. The deceiving urge to do has become more popular within modern times. Additionally, it is common within recent years for some Evangelicals, Hebrew Roots, and Messianics to use the phrase “Yeshua HaMashiach” or some variant to mean Jesus The Messiah, all of which only adds to their confusion. I confess I once was guilty of such false practices before realizing my error.
To clear up the misunderstanding of believing there could only be one Messiah, let’s take a look at the text within Daniel 9 which the King James Version translates the term “mashiach” to be Messiah. More specifically, in Daniel 9:25, it translates the Hebrew text into English as “the Messiah the Prince”.
Similarly, in Daniel 9:26, the King James Version translates the Hebrew text as “Messiah”.
And yet, in the other 37 times the term “mashiach” is used throughout the Hebrew Bible, the King James Version translates the term as “anointed”, which is the accurate translation.
In other words, the term “anointed” or “mashiach” in Hebrew was used a total of 39 times throughout the Tanakh or what Christians refer to as the Old Testament. I will list below each time so you can review them for yourself in your own Bible while using a tool like Bible Hub to see for yourself how the term “mashiach” is translated as “anointed”. Each time it is used it is referring to a priest, prophet, or king that was literally anointed or ordained, if you will, as such. It was not limited to a Jewish king for even the Gentile King Cyrus was anointed or “mashiach” in Isaiah 45.
As you can see within the pages of your own Bible, there was and is not one messiah, but many anointed persons throughout Jewish history. For further study specifically on Daniel 9, read this article and watch these videos:
Daniel 9 – The Truth of Daniel’s 70 Week Prophecy
The Book of Daniel Shattered the Fundamental Doctrine of Christianity
The Church Corrupted Daniel 9’s 70 Week Prophecy
List of 37 Times The Term Maschiach Is Translated As Anointed:
Leviticus 4:3, 4:5, 4:16, 6:22
1 Samuel 2:10, 2:35, 12:3, 12:5, 16:6, 24:6, 24:10, 26:9, 26:11, 26:16, 26:23
2 Samuel 1:14, 1:16, 1:21, 19:21, 22:51, 23:1
1 Chronicles 16:22
2 Chronicles 6:42
Psalm 2:2, 18:50, 20:6, 28:8, 84:9, 89:38, 89:51, 105:15, 132:10; 132:17
Isaiah 45:10
Lamentations 4:20
Habakkuk 3:13
To download his article with Scriptures, Click Here.
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:
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:
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.
Carrie R. Turner, 9.3.2020
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.
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)
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.
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!
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Many Christians are told Isaiah chapter 53 is all about Jesus. If one were to only read that chapter in all of the Book of Isaiah while also ignoring what the other prophets of the Hebrew Bible prophesied about, then it would be easy to assume Isaiah is describing the death of Jesus on the cross. However, one cannot grasp all the author is conveying by only reading one chapter and jumping to conclusions. Whether Christian or Jewish, we must learn to stop making Scripture fit our preconceived notions and rather, let Scripture interpret Scripture within context and how the author refers to terms throughout.
Whenever one studies a book, they often start with: What is the series or book’s overall theme? Let’s explore the theme of the Book of Isaiah before identifying the character of Isaiah 53. As I read Isaiah 53, I recognized a familiar theme manifest. In several other chapters penned by Isaiah as well as others throughout the Hebrew Bible, God’s chosen people, particularly the righteous remnant, are often persecuted, and afflicted, not because of their actions, but because of the actions of others associated with them. Certainly, throughout the pages of the Bible and over the course of history, many of God’s chosen people at times were stiff-necked and rebellious (as some are still today); however, there are others, a remnant, who chose to live righteously by adhering to the laws of Torah, or God’s ways, that apply to them as individuals to the best of their ability and will be eventually rewarded. Consider how the prophet Jeremiah warned the House of Judah of their sins and pending captivity should they not repent. We see in the Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Daniel, the righteous prophet, Jeremiah, as well as Daniel, were carried off into captivity alongside their rebellious brethren. Eventually, however, after 70 years, the House of Judah was redeemed and restored by the arm of the LORD. Isaiah was a prophet to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, known as the House of Israel, many of whom were also rebellious while others were righteous. Nevertheless, prior to the captivity of the House of Judah, both the rebellious and the righteous remnant of the House of Israel were attacked and carried off by the Assyrians (too bad the House of Judah didn’t learn from the House of Israel’s sins). Consider how all of the Egyptians suffered the plagues because of Pharoah. Similarly, have you ever told your teenagers to be careful who they hang around with because if one friend does something illegal, the others associated with them can also be charged with the crime? For example, one kid uses drugs in a vehicle, while his friends are also in the car. The teens are pulled over by police and the cops end up arresting all of them because of the one’s rebellious, illegal choice. Guilty by association.
Conversely, we also see in the Bible, others can be spared because of their association with the righteous. Recall how Noah, a righteous Gentile, was mocked while being obedient, and yet, he and those associated with him (his family) were spared of the great flood of judgment by the arm of the LORD while the rest of the world drowned. Similar concepts are portrayed by the righteous deed of Rahab, a Gentile; subsequently, she and her house were spared of God’s judgment. As a sidebar, notice these Gentiles were saved by their response to obedience (their action), not mental belief. Furthermore, Abraham bargained with God that if there were just ten righteous in a city, would God not spare that city (Genesis 18)?
These concepts manifest repeatedly throughout the Jewish Bible, including in the Book of Isaiah. Righteous by association and guilty by association.
Now, as a Christian, you may be thinking those associated with Jesus will be righteous and subsequently, saved by association, and those who reject Jesus or never heard of Jesus will be condemned and excluded. Interestingly, many religious Jews perceive association with Jesus as guilty (idolatrous) and excluded by association because the first commandment God instructed Israel on (and to teach the world) is to not worship any other creature or thing as if they are God. Jews have learned this lesson repeatedly starting with the Golden Calf incident, the Assyrian captivity, and Babylonian captivity. So, you can understand why many Jews balk at Christian missionaries or Christian programs broadcasted in Israel — they don’t want to be guilty by association and find themselves suffering in captivity again!
While we are on the topic of Christianity evangelizing Jews, you never see Jews forcing God or Torah onto others through violent means such as the Crusades or other forced conversions. More often than not, you will find Jews to be kind, inviting, and inclusive, knowing God also is kind, inviting, and inclusive. This isn’t to say all Christians are violent or evil, by any means. Many modern-day Christians are Israel’s biggest and only fans. Furthermore, while you will see Christians and Muslims persecuted for their faith sporadically over history and present-day, you will never see other religions suffer as much as the Jewish people consistently have. Whether righteous or rebellious, all Jews have suffered merely for being Jewish.
Israel, wherever he (Israel) is scattered, has been “chosen” to serve the nations. Israel, or Jews, are commissioned to be moral ambassadors as they make the One True God and His ways, and literal salvation known through their lifestyle or their deeds, also known as their obedience to mitzvot (the commandments) See Isaiah 49:1,3,6-8. Because of his (Israel’s) appointed assignment to lead in love, the world historically loathes Jews. The world prefers to sojourn this life apart from a moral compass. Hence, the atrocities Jews have suffered, and still suffer. Israel, the Jewish people, are the suffering “servant” of Isaiah 53 for this reason. By the righteous Jews’ suffering, we are healed, or righteous by association.
Let us dig further for a greater understanding. In the final verses of Isaiah 52, specifically verses 13-15, leading up to the often misunderstood Isaiah 53, we see “My servant” will be raised up and revered by many after having misunderstood the identity of “My servant”. It also says Kings will be shocked at the fact God’s servant is suddenly being elevated. Considering most of the world is under the umbrella of Christianity, will it really be shocking if Jesus is the so-called “servant” Isaiah is referring to? Is Jesus eventually being elevated to rule and reign a concept Gentiles are unfamiliar with? Of course not! It’s the entire hope of Christianity, no? Compare Isaiah 52:13-15 and Isaiah 62:1-4, 12. Notice Scripture doesn’t say Jews will be shocked upon the elevated servant, but rather, that Gentiles and Kings/Government leaders of other nations will be shocked. Interestingly, Jeremiah, the prophet, also reveals that the Gentiles (the nations) will be shocked upon realizing they inherited lies (while the Jews inherited truth) in Jeremiah 16:19. Furthermore, many other Scriptures reflect similar sentiments of Israel being eventually restored, extolled, and elevated (compare Deuteronomy 26:19, 28:1,10 as well as Isaiah 2,11, 60-62, 62:2-4; Ezekiel 34-48; Jeremiah 29-31; Micah 4; Zechariah 8; Zechariah 14, as some examples).
Now, that we have considered the theme and a few verses leading up to Isaiah 53, let’s discuss pronouns used in the Scriptures. In regards to Isaiah 52 and 53, I asked myself, “What other passages refer to Israel as ‘him’?” Surprisingly, numerous Scriptures refer to Israel in the masculine (Isaiah 45:11,46:8,56:8; Jeremiah 31:9-11,18,20-22; Hosea 7:8-10, 8:14, 10:6, 11:1,5, 12:1-4, 13:12-13). It would appear when collective people are referred to in the Jewish Bible, such as Israel/Jacob/Ephraim/Judah, pronouns such as him/his and them/their are used. Whereas when Scripture references specific cities such as Zion, Jerusalem, Holy City, Samaria, Babylon, etc, it uses the feminine pronouns (Isaiah 10:11,47:1,5, 51:17-18, 52:1-2, 62:1-2).
I then asked myself, “Has Israel been defined as ‘My Servant’ such as in Isaiah 52:13?” Again, surprisingly, yes. Isaiah 44:1-2,21-22, 45:4, 48:20, 49:3; (other general references 50:10; 52:13).
When reading any other book, would you insert a different subject just because they have similarities and then deem that one chapter is all about a different person not identified within the book? For example, while reading a book about the suffering of Jews during the Holocaust, no one would pick out one chapter and say, “Oh, this must be about Anne Frank, because she was a Jew that suffered in the Holocaust” when there is no mention specifically of Anne Frank.
More specifically, let’s examine each verse of Isaiah 53 to see other themes of these same sentiments further proving this text is about Israel, not specifically and exclusively Jesus.
Isaiah 53:1 arm of the LORD = strength; see Isaiah 51:9, 59:16; 63:5 and Psalm 44:4 all of which speaks to this pattern is all of God’s doing, His strength and His will, the arm of the LORD;
53:2 no form or comeliness is likened to Zephaniah 3:12 referring to the remnant as meek and humble;
53:3 the servant is despised and rejected; despised and we did not esteem him is similar to Psalm 44:13-15, but especially Isaiah 49’s reference to Israel being rejected by men, yet later esteemed or raised up just as the later part of Isaiah 52 and 53 speak to. Notice the entire passage of Isaiah 49 is about Israel, the servant (vs 3), who is afflicted by men (vs 13-14), and just as Isaiah 52:13-15 speaks to the “servant” being miraculously extolled higher than kings which shocks the kings that this little nation is now honored, Isaiah 49:23-26, Isaiah 51 speak to the same prophecy as does all of Isaiah 60, but specifically Isaiah 60:14-15, as well as Isaiah 62:2-4;
53:4 wounded, stricken, smitten and afflicted by God – compare to the remnant of Israel being afflicted in Zephaniah 3:19, Psalm 44:24-25, Isaiah 51:7,12 (notice Isaiah 51:9 referring to the arm of the LORD just as Isaiah 53:1 and the close proximity of these parallel verses); also, see Isaiah 60:14-15;
53:5 all of Israel will suffer for the sins of Israel (i.e. even the righteous remnant such as Daniel and Jeremiah were carried off into the Babylonian captivity). Also, compare the servant being bruised for iniquities then healed to Israel being bruised for their iniquities in Isaiah 30:9-15, then bind up the bruise and healed in Isaiah 30:26;
53:6 is about the entire community being held accountable for sins. Should one person sin, they all suffer; hence, why there are incidents in the Jewish Bible of drastically removing the offender from the camp (i.e. Joshua 7-9). God is big on community, unity, and being in one accord; hence, why God stresses throughout Torah that we are responsible for one another (think Cain and Abel; love your neighbor; priests sacrificing for the entire community should there be unintentional sin members committed) or how God’s entire justice system is designed to hold one another accountable. Remember, the prophet Isaiah was the prophet sent to the Northern Kingdom of Israel/10 tribes/House of Israel. So when the majority of the House of Israel sins, hence “we (House of Israel) like sheep have gone astray”, everyone suffers including the few righteous ones just like Jeremiah and Daniel suffered in the Southern Kingdom/House of Judah when the Babylonians took the Jews to Babylon and held them captive. Some of Judah had sinned and consequently, God sent the Babylonians to discipline them for 70 years due to their violation of God’s land laws. Nevertheless, the righteous remnant paid heavily too (Jeremiah, Daniel, and others). We see that same concept in the second part of the verse, “and the LORD has laid on him (righteous remnant of House of Israel) the sins of us all (the majority of people of Israel/House of Israel)” and is likened to Zephaniah 3:13 as well as Ezekiel 34 and Psalm 44:11;
53:7 the servant/he didn’t open his mouth is also referenced of the righteous remnant of Israel learning to not open their mouth in rest and quietness Isaiah 30:15, Numbers 10:36, and Zephaniah 3:13, and Psalm 46:10/11 (depending on if you are using the Hebrew or Christian Bibles); sheep for slaughter, the sheep being representative of Israel, is also found in Jeremiah 11:19 and 12:3 as well as Psalm 44:22;
53:8 the righteous servant/remnant being cut off from land of living is also referenced in Jeremiah 11:19 whereas Israel being cut off from the land/living in general is mentioned in 1 Kings 9:6-7 and Ezekiel 37:11;
53:9 no deceit in his mouth is also referenced in Zephaniah 3:13 of no deceit being in the mouth of the righteous remnant (even the author of the Book of Revelation seemed to understand this reference is about Israel see Revelation 14:5 and how it is referencing the 144,000 righteous remnant of Israel found in Revelation 7);
53:10 again references bruising the servant as did 53:5 and 30:26; note: Jesus/Yeshua had no physical seed or offspring to carry on his legacy, but Israel’s descendants continue to be fruitful and multiply. The prophet Isaiah also prophecized a tenth of the holy seed will remain in chapter 10:13;
53:11 -12 by his knowledge – knowledge or wisdom in the Bible always refers to Torah/God’s laws see Hosea 4:6 as an example or Proverbs 3. Obeying Torah is defined as being righteous and received by God (see Psalm 95:6-11; 103, 119 and Isaiah 1:16-20, as just a few examples, but really it is everywhere in the Tanakh/Jewish Bible.) Also, notice Isaiah 26 speaks all about salvation and the importance of learning righteousness in Isaiah 26:8-12 or Isaiah 48:17-19. Israel, specifically the Jewish people, are called to be the light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6-8 and 49:3,6), and how are Jews to be the light? By living Torah, obeying God’s voice, which is Torah (Deuteronomy 28:1; Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 6:23; 4:2) so that the world might come to know how to be physically saved or spared and therefore not perish (Hosea 4:6). The righteous remnant repeatedly intercedes and suffers on behalf of the people (see Moses and Aaron and all the prophets as examples), but moreover, the righteous remnant lead in love simply by example of a Torah-observant lifestyle (to the best of their ability). Isaiah 53 speaks to the affliction of Israel; Isaiah 54 speaks to the literal, physical salvation of the Jews/Israel; Isaiah 55 is an invitation for all to follow their example; Isaiah 56 explains the Gentiles/foreigners who also keep God’s covenant (Torah), are also saved/gathered to Mt Zion.
Next, after pondering such concepts, I thoroughly researched the Scriptures to find where it indicates a person will need to die for my sins and that one is eternally damned in their sins. To my surprise, I found “salvation” is always referencing a literal, physical saving, no one can die for another’s sins for we each are held accountable for our individual sins (Deuteronomy 24:16, 2 Kings 14:6, Jeremiah 31:29-30, Ezekiel 18:19-24, 33:12-20) while often collectively subjected to disciplining judgments as previously discussed above. Moreover, to benefit from God’s grace, all one must do is repent and He will gladly forgive (see Psalm 103 and Isaiah 1:16-20 or the story of Jonah and how even the Gentiles had been forgiven simply for repenting or the repeated message of the Prophets).
Christianity teaches if you don’t believe in Jesus you are damned to hell, eternally lost, part of the Anti-Christ Spirit, etc. while the Hebrew/Jewish Scriptures teach if you believe in Jesus you are an idolater and will be held accountable for your sins as we all are. In fact, it could be argued the trouble of Jacob, as prophecized by Daniel 12 (and other passages of judgment on Israel), could be because of Christians and Messianics propagating idolatry (the worship of Jesus) in the land of Israel. Choose this day whom you will serve and choose wisely.
Friends, Israel, more specifically the righteous Jewish remnant, are the suffering servant of Isaiah 53. I hope you will research all these Scriptures prayerfully.
Am Yisrael Chai!
Shalom and blessings to Gentiles and Jews alike!