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The Gospel Of the Kingdom of God In Isaiah Objections?

In the prophetic book of Isaiah the term gospel, or "glad tidings" describes the process of YHVH G-d Himself redeeming a remnant of Jews and Gentiles to be a covenant people of G-d unto salvation, empowering them as joint-heirs of His everlasting kingdom, and ultimately bringing the kingdom of G-d to pass on earth as it is in heaven by "the rule of G-d" in the anticipated golden Messianic age to come through Messiah. The "rule of heaven and kingship of YHVH is the very substance of the TaNaCH (Old Testament); the object of the calling and mission of Israel; the meaning of all its ordinances, whether civil or religious; the underlying idea of all its institutions was the preparatory presentation of the rule of heaven and of the Kingship of its Lord." On the other hand, the Biblical prophets also describe a Messiah Who, in part, is characterized by a suffering-servant role in "making atonement for sin" during a first advent followed by an interval of time (according to Daniel), and then a second advent that culminates with a "triumph of that kingdom" in the golden messianic age to come ultimately "putting away sin." Reconciling the timing of The Messiah's first advent in His suffering servant role and the anticipated universal messianic rule on Earth is obscure in Isaiah's book, and has been misunderstood. Other Old Testament prophets such as Daniel, however, clearly separate Messiah The King's suffering servant role from the anticipated universal messianic age to come by an intervening stage. For example, Daniel presents Messiah's first visitation 476 (69X7) years from the Persian decree to rebuild Jerusalem issued in 444 BC by Artexerxes, and before the second destruction of the temple by General Titus in 70. History bares out that Yeshua was crucified on the eve of Passover, in the tomb during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and that his guarded tomb was vacant on the Feast of "First Fruits" 483 sevens and 476 years after the anniversary of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem in 444! Even so, the obscurity of the intervening stages in some prophetic books coupled with a misunderstanding of the purpose and relevance of Messiah The King's suffering servant mission has led to a series of speculations among many, not all, rabbis. Many relegate the vivid descriptions of a Suffering Servant Who is The Arm of the Lord, or Messiah in the scriptures to mere poetic symbolism about Israel the nation while others have speculated that the messiah would suffer concurrently in the course of throwing off governments, and or political powers opposing the G-d of Israel leading ultimately to political perfection and supremacy in one messianic visitation. The Messiah will indeed eventually throw off all opposition in the end of things; not as a suffering-servant, but as the undisputed King of Kings and Lord of Lords because Messiah the King already fulfilled His Suffering-Servant role in 33 AD (Exactly 476 years after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem, and 37 years before Titus destroyed the second temple). Isaiah makes the messianic connection with the suffering servant role, and clearly explains the functional purpose and relevance of that role in redeeming a remnant of Jews and Gentiles to be a people of G-d for G-d as joint-heirs of the kingdom of G-d, and coming before the establishment of the universal rule of G-d on earth; a kingdom and rule characterized by the worship and adoration of one G-d, purity, righteousness, cleansing, restoration, healing, peace, humility, joy, and serving through the Holy Spirit's enablement. Moreover, the Holy Scriptures show that the gospel of the kingdom of G-d is already, but not yet a present reality to certain extents during the intervening stages following messiah's first advent as Suffering-Servant and before undisputed universal messianic rule; not merely in type, but in reality. This is good news for the Jew or Gentile laying hold of this gospel of the kingdom of G-d by grace through faith as presented in the context of Isaiah's book, and explained in the next section.

A Holistic Gospel Predicated Upon The Messiah   

In Isaiah the gospel of the kingdom of G-d includes the necessity of Messiah making atonement on behalf of Jew/Gentile, accomplishing the means of communion with G-d through Messiah's mediator ship, completing the redemption of the elect through Messiah in climatic judgment of all people/nations bringing all those remaining obstinate towards G-d under Messiah (Isaiah 24:21-23), and ushering in a golden age characterized by peace (Isaiah 12, 24-27, 34-35). Isaiah's "gospel of the kingdom" is presented as good news as only Messiah can establish the kingdom described in this book, and qualify its subjects as citizens. For example, Isaiah reveals the inability to be justified by the law in G-d's sight, and for man's need, Jew or Gentile, to be saved from sin unto righteousness everlasting by the righteousness from G-d himself; the Messiah. As the Levitical sacrificial system typified atonement is necessary as "All have gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6), "Our righteousness is as a minstrel cloth" (Isaiah 64:6), and our sin separates us from G-d (Isaiah 59:2). No wonder Isaiah asks, "Who can be saved?" (Isaiah 64:6; cf. Ecclesiastes 7:20; Ezekiel 18:4, 20; Psalm 49:8-9). Moreover, those rejecting G-d's acceptable sacrifice, or provision for atonement and dying separated from G-d by their sin will experience everlasting torment where "their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched" (Isaiah 66:24). That is bad news. The good news is that those, Jew or Gentile, receiving/persevering by grace through faith in Messiah The King's righteous atonement will be heirs of G-d's kingdom. Messiah "will sprinkle the nations" (Isaiah 52:15), and justify many (Isaiah 53:11). Hence, the gospel of the kingdom of G-d in the book of Isaiah describes the Messiah accomplishing the redemption of all things over time in accordance with G-d's time-table, and omniscience. Even so, G-d has provided clear signs, or milestones along the way through his prophets; milestones referenced before, during, and after historical Jesus the man. I will describe some of the signs unique to Isaiah's book in the next section.

Signs of The Messiah's First Advent   

In the course of examining the nature and scope of the gospel of the kingdom of G-d in Isaiah's book it becomes apparent there is continuity between this pre-exilic writing and the gospel of the kingdom of God proclaimed during first century Christianity (586 B.C. vs. 30 A.D.ff) This is important for a number of reasons. First, Isaiah predates historical Jesus by at least 680 years, and reveals some unique insights into the nature of this coming Messiah as related to the gospel prior to the Babylonian exile in 586 B.C. For example, In Isaiah's book the Messiah would be conceived from "alma," or a "young woman before marriage" who was a virgin (Isaiah 7:14). Isaiah uses "almah" instead of "bethulah" in order to underscore messiah's supernatural conception since the latter applies to women who are either married or unmarried. Moreover, the mother described in Isaiah 7:14 would call him "Immanuel," or "G-d with us." This can not apply to Isaiah's son at the time the oracle was given as Isaiah, not his wife, names him "Mahershalalhashbaz," or "Quick to plunder, swift to spoil." And, Isaiah's wife conceived in marriage through sexual intercourse. It is noteworthy that fulfillment of distant prophecies were often preceded by the fulfillment of immediate prophesies that included a symbolic "sign" in order to establish the prophet's reliability and credibility in the TaNaCH. Isaiah 16:14 and Isaiah 21:16 are two examples where immediate prophesies came to pass during Isaiah's ministry that gave credence to the other prophesies Isaiah made that were to be fulfilled much later. Hananiah's death and seventy-year exile prophesy in Jeremiah 28:16-17 is another example in the life of Jeremiah the prophet. Those teaching a dual sign is unbiblical are wrong. In any case, this is significant because the distant fulfillment of the Isaiah 7:14 prophesy including the sign "Immanuel" symbolizing the presence of "G-d with us" (cf. Isaiah 9:6) was preceded by the immediate and confirmed prophesy/fulfillment of the sign "Mahershalalhashbaz," or "Quick to plunder, swift to spoil;" the symbolic name given by Isaiah to his son predicting Assyria's devastating blow to Damascus and Samaria (Isaiah 8:1-4). This immediate prophesy of the Assyrian conquest was recorded 734 B.C., and indeed occurred 733-722 B.C. in accordance with the prophetic oracle "Before the boy [Mahershalalhashbaz] knows how to say, 'My father' or 'My Mother,' the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria." Thus, the reliability of Isaiah's oracles pertaining to the more distant coming messiah was confirmed when the prophecies Isaiah proclaimed having to do with the near/immediate future were fulfilled. Faith was not demonstrated by the contemporaries of Isaiah blindly accepting him as a prophet, but based upon Mosaic/prophetic precedence in accordance with the scriptures (Deuteronomy 18:21-22; cf. 18:20). What specifics did Isaiah proclaim regarding origin, nature and purposes of the coming Messiah? Objections?

In Isaiah's book the Messiah would be a "holy seed" and "righteous branch" (Isaiah 4). He would spring from the root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:10), would be called, "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty G-d, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace"(Isaiah 9:6), be a descendent of King David (Isaiah 11:1-2; cf. Isa 16), and would reign on David's throne forever (Isaiah 9:7). Hence, the Messiah was not only to be the "Son of David" but also "The Son of G-d" as deity incarnate; the Anointed One and His Anointing (Isaiah 42:1-9). This can not apply to Isaiah the person; nor does it apply to Cyrus. Second, the term "good news," or gospel predated Christianity and was linked with the coming Messiah in the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 61:1-2). In fact, Jesus himself later attributed Isaiah's use of the term good news, or gospel to himself saying, "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Isaiah 61:1-2a; Luke 4:18-21). It is noteworthy that when Jesus read this passage in the synagogue at Nazareth in 30 AD he stopped at Isaiah 61:2a and proclaimed "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your ears" indicating the final consummation associated with the prevalent messianic end times expectations also described in the very scroll were still in futuristic terms even during Jesus' earthly ministry. Jesus not only taught that he would be cut off in death before the messianic expectation of end-time restoration would be accomplished in fulfillment of the scriptures , but cites Isaiah 53:1 indicating he was nevertheless fulfilling messianic prophecy in which all restoration is predicated upon in G-d's economy (John 12:32-33). This brings me to my final point. Nowhere else in the Old Testament or in Hebrew thought is the concept of an innocent person suffering vicariously for the guilty found except in the the book of Isaiah. This is noteworthy in light of the overall context of the prophet Isaiah's more immediate message for the people of his day; Judgment is coming, but maintain hope when judgment comes to pass as G-d will restore future generations of Jewish exiles from the coming captivity. That is, Isaiah could not be the subject of Isaiah 53 as he not only had unclean lips (cf. Isaiah 6:5 & 53:9b), but the southern kingdom of Judah was indeed exiled for their transgressions in spite of Isaiah's prophetic ministry (586 B.C). In fact, Isaiah himself realized he was not "the holy seed" when YHVH G-d answered his question, "For how long Lord?" (Isaiah 6:11-13; cf. 28:12, 30:9-11). Israel as a nation is not the subject of Isaiah 53 either. See Isaiah 1:4 , Ezekiel 5:15 , and many others. . . Rachmiel Frydland rightly notes, "Israel is not now, nor has it ever been, without sin (guile)." (cf. Isaiah 53:6, Isaiah 58:1, Isaiah 64:6, Isaiah 59:2; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Psalm 49:8-9) There is something more far reaching in these prophesies in Isaiah, and pointing to a day when the righteous Messiah would be cut off for transgressors- "his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness-so will he sprinkle many nations . . ." (Isaiah 52:13-15). Consider the following excerpt from Isaiah 53 mindful that this Jewish prophetic book was wide spread, predated historical Jesus and Christianity by seven centuries, and is substantiated with the great Isaiah scroll found in Qumron whether favoring the Septuagint (LXX) or the Masoretic:

_______Isaiah 53:1-12_________"a man of sorrows" (Isaiah 53:3)

(1) Who has believed our message and whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? (2) He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. (3) He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (4) Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. (5) But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (6) We all, kike sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (7) He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; and he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. (8) By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. (9) He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. (10) Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. (11) After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life], and be satisfied by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. (12) Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53:1-12

The Messiah in Isaiah was to be cut off from "the land of living" in death, "assigned a grave," and "buried." Yet, he would be resurrected (Isaiah 53:10-11), and indeed reign on David's throne forever (Isaiah 9:7; cf. Psalm 16:10; Psalm 110). It is noteworthy that king David's tomb is occupied, but Yeshua's is not! Even so, the gospel as presented in Isaiah describes G-d creating for himself one people of G-d, consisting of a remnant of redeemed Jews and Gentiles grafted into his Chosen One by grace through faith unto final salvation and predicated upon the vicarious atonement of the messiah. G-d will keep his covenant promises to Israel, and through Messiah is and will be the light unto the nations as intended (Isaiah 56:3-8); "It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be salvation unto the end of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6). This continues to be fulfilled literally, and will culminate with Mesiah Yeshua's second visitiation (Zechariah 12:10; Cf. Daniel 7). Moreover, no other Jew has been embraced by billions of Gentiles for salvation than the Jew Yeshua-The Jewish Messiah for the nations. Woe unto those who seek Israel's eradication, and reject Messiah Yeshua; Son of David, Son of G-d (Genesis 12:3, Zechariah 2:8, Psalm 2:12). Isaiah's "gospel of the kingdom" message is consistent with the life and teachings of Messiah Yeshua' (Jesus) coming 680 years later, and the teachings of the Apostle Paul following Him. Hence, this gospel of the kingdom of G-d was first Jewish!

Is the subject of Isaiah 53 without sin? Look at the immediate context. Who is without sin in Isaiah 53? Does Deuteronomy 24:16 and Ezekiel 18:4, 20 refer to those with or without sin? Could it be that Deuteronomy 24:16 and Ezekiel 18:4, 20 is saying sinners can not redeem sinners? The subject of Isaiah 53 is sinless, and the iniquities of the audience of Isaiah 53 will be removed from them, placed on the sinless one, and thereby this Righteous Servant will "justify many." Deuteronomy 24:16 and Ezekiel 18:1-4; 20ff does not conflict with the notion of vicarious sacrifice as clearly outlined in Isaiah 53 since the subject is an unusual man for who is without sin? Bottom line, G-d made this provision for you and me to seperate us from our sin to present us blameless in His sight. That is great news!

Before 70 a Jewish person was constantly reminded of the penalty of sin (death) and the personal relevance of a substitute. After Titus invaded Jerusalem the emphasis shifted from sacrifice out of practical necessity using 1 Samuel 15:22, Isaiah 1, Hosea 6:6 because the temple where redemptive-type blood/death sacrifices for sin was destroyed and the Jewish people were again scattered in accordance with Daniel 9:24-26. 1 Samuel 15:22, Isaiah 1, Hosea 6:6 were never intended to be used to teach that the penalty/remedy for sin had changed, but were in their original context teaching that atonement without repentance is not efficacious-that the sacrificial system was not intended to be a license to live a G-dless self-centered and idolatrous life (cf Numbers 15:30). It saddens me that so many "experts" know so little about the sacrificial system and what G-d was teaching us through it within the context of the TaNaCH (called Old Testament by Gentiles) See Leviticus 17:11. Yet, any little boy standing under the door while their father applied the blood of the Passover Lamb or later in history accompanying their family to bring a worthy sacrifice to the temple could better understand the personal relevance and parallels in Isaiah 53. It seems many understand contemporary Jewish interpretations of other Jewish interpretations but not the TaNaCH itself. Hopefully you will ponder what I am sharing here, and that you will realize that G-d wants to tabernacle with you in accordance with the New Brit, or Covenant cut in his blood as first proclaimed in the TaNaCH-although it is there in the New Testament too.

As only G-d was capable of orchestrating the political release of the Jews by the Persian king Cyrus 160 years after after Isaiah 44:28 was penned (cf. 58:12), G-d was/is capable of ultimately delivering those, Jew and Gentile, from their sin through his "holy seed" or "Suffering Servant" (Isaiah 52:15; 53:8) culminating in "new heavens and a new earth" (Isaiah 65:5-24; cf. Isaiah 2:2-4, chapters 12, 24-27, 34-35). When the Jews were indeed set free by Cyrus politically speaking in 538 B.C., and in accordance with the prophets including Isaiah who by then had passed away, messianic expectations for "new heavens and a new earth" soared. While this expectation was a primary motivator in rebuilding the temple in 516 B.C., rebuilding Jerusalem in 444 BC, and paved the way for the Messiah in the hearts and minds of those anticipating his advent, the Messiah's suffering servant role in being cut off to make necessary atonement for our justification as the Gospel of the Kingdom of G-d was unexpected-"Who has believed our message . . . (Isaiah 53:1)? No doubt restoration from captivity to independence was viewed as good news under captivity, but there is more to the good news of the kingdom of G-d than being restored unto the land of promise. It also includes higher salvation for Jew and Gentile alike (Isaiah 52:7-15); a salvation only G-d himself would bring to fruition. He alone is Redeemer (Cf. Isaiah 9:6). That is truly good news considering man is incapable of saving himself, and mindful that those who are not redeemed or not persevering in this gospel of the kingdom in covenant with G-d through Yeshua, and who perish in their sin will experience everlasting torment where "their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched" (Isaiah 66:24; cf. Daniel 12:2). The feasts, Levitical system, law, and prophets point to the holistic gospel of the kingdom summed up in the sinless Messiah; born of woman under the law to redeem those under the curse of the law (Ezekiel 18:4, 20). "An eye for an eye" "A tooth for a tooth" "a life for a life." This redemtion is received in this lifetime by His grace through your faith in G-d in Yeshua the Messiah. Therefore, it is vital to "Seek the Lord while he may be found" (Isaiah 55:6)._Objections?

Zechariah 12:10

 

I am grateful this resource is helping many of you, especially those sincerely wanting to understand the Jewish foundation for Yeshua The Messiah in the TaNaCH in Spirit and truth. You who are investing the time to compare/contrast in historical and Biblical context are learning that others cultivating reputations as "teacher" may be rabbinical in their presentations regarding G-d, but not necessarily really very Biblical. What a tradgedy it would be to not know the G-d of the Bible (And you can know Him through the New Covenant), and end this life with Jeremiah 8:8 as your legacy. Shloam-.

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