Yeshua began his ministry as Messiah by being baptised by John in the River Jordan. John was going to refuse, believing that it should be Yeshua baptising him, but Yeshua insisted:
Matthew 3:15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
At this water baptism (mikvah) the power of the Holy Spirit descended upon him and remained upon Yeshua throughout his ministry:
John 1:32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”
The same Holy Spirit who had come upon the prophets in the Tanakh (Old Testament) came upon Yeshua and remained upon him. He was henceforth “filled with the Spirit” and also “led by the Spirit”:
Luke 4:1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
After his time of fasting, hunger and testing in the desert, he returned to Galilee (prophesied in Isaiah 9:1-2) and stood up in the synagogue:
Luke 4:13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. 14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. 16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Reading from the appointed scroll in the synagogue Yeshua declared that He was the one spoken of in that reading! He described himself as “something greater than Solomon” and “greater than Jonah”. (Luke 11:29-32) Paul said:
Hebrews 3:3 “Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.”
Yeshua was not just a prophet, or even the greatest prophet of all time, He was the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Hope of Israel! When the rich young ruler called him, “Good teacher”, he replied:
Luke18:19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.
He meant that He was the son of God! He also said:
John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” 57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” 58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
The name Yeshua means “YHWH is salvation,”1 and YHWH is from the root, “I am”, so by using the phrase, “I am”, he was declaring that he was indeed God!2
Many Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by the coming of Yeshua and the timing and manner of his birth and ministry. He would be born of a virgin, from the tribe of Judah and family of David (of the kingly line), born in Bethlehem, minister in Galilee, and so on.
His ministry of healing, deliverance from demonic spirits, and even raising from the dead, substantiated his claims to be who he said he was. Daniel prophesied the very year of his death – 483 years from the decree of Cyrus the Persian to rebuild Jerusalem!
Zechariah prophesies that the Messiah (literally, YHWH, ‘The LORD’) will “go out and fight against those nations”:
Zechariah 14:4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.
16 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 17 If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain.
Who is Zechariah talking about here? Whose feet will descend upon the Mount of Olives? Of whom was it promised that he would return there, “in the same way that he left?”
Acts 1:9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
It is Yeshua the Messiah whose feet will descend upon the Mount of Olives and to whom the survivors of the nations of the world will come every year to worship at the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). The apostle John also describes this worship:
Revelation 5:13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” 14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Yeshua’s prophecies
Yeshua prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and the removal of power from the nation of Israel.
Matthew 24:1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
We know that that has come to pass. But He also promised that, “This [Jewish] race will survive!” Again he stated:
Luke 21:29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 “Truly I tell you, this generation [race] will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
According to Yeshua, we need to be prayerfully on the lookout, interpreting unfolding events in the light of the words of the prophets. The fig tree is generally taken to be a prophetic representation of the nation and people of Israel. When we see the fig tree sprouting leaves, Yeshua says, we know that the kingdom of God is near.
The fig tree has been sprouting for quite some time, now. The nation of Israel was re-established, against all the odds, in 1948. Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount; Judaea; and Samaria were restored to Israel’s control in the Six Day War of 1967.
Each time that those surrounding nations, who hate Israel’s very existence, have attempte
d to wipe her out, the LORD has given her victory over her enemies.
Those enemies are still surrounding her and plotting furiously to destroy her. They will not be content until they see her destruction.
But that plan is NOT going to be fulfilled! Yes, they will launch the attack, the missiles will strike – at least one of them, at any rate – but their whole battle plan will once again go awry.
The result will be an overwhelming victory for Israel, only this time her enemies will “flee far away” and become like dust, chaff and “tumble-weed in a gale” .(Isaiah 17 & Psalm 83). As Yeshua foretold, “This race will survive!” (Luke 21:32)
Most of Yeshua’s prophecies in Matthew 24, 25 and Luke 21 concern warnings not to be led astray by false Messiahs and parables warning that we should be alert, on the lookout for His return.
One false Messiah we can be sure of is the one expected by many, though not all, followers of Islam – the Mahdi. In his book, ‘The Islamic Antichrist,’ Joel Richardson does a great job of describing all the common points between the Mahdi – expected by many Shiite Moslems – and the biblical Anti-Christ.
In addition, he analyses the relationship between the ‘return of Jesus’ in Islam – from heaven, because ‘he never died’, and who will convert the Christian world to Islam! – and the False Prophet of The Revelation.
Although Joel’s book provides a fascinating parallel between these Shiite expectations and the biblical prophets, I am not convinced that followers of Islam will immediately be taken in by an Anti-Christ who will “exalt himself above all that is called God.”
Perhaps, because of the great defeat of Islamic nations by Israel in the 6-hour war, many scattered and disillusioned Moslems may be so desperate for revenge on Israel that they will even swallow such an ungodly world leader? That remains to be seen.
Yeshua prophesied “many” false Messiahs – Hitler was one good example of such – and the Mahdi may simply be another, but not necessarily THE Anti-Christ.
Yeshua also told his disciples:
John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
In other words, Yeshua promised, “I will be back!”
But when He comes there will be many who have called him “Lord, Lord,” but who have not obeyed his commands. The question will not be, “Do you know the LORD?” but “Will He know you?”
There are so many in churches today who seem to know nothing of the contents of this book – the sources of which have been available to them in black and white print, the same as they have to me.
Many leaders of churches and fellowships have successfully avoided speaking about any of these things for decades. I have been to many churches here in Northern Ireland, but I cannot remember when I last heard anyone focus on this subject.
The apostle Paul made a point of reminding the Thessalonians:
2 Thessalonians 2:5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?
Then why are we so indifferent to them? Do our leaders not realise that those who take it upon themselves to teach will be judged more severely? (James 3:1) If we are not searching the scriptures and seeking out answers to these questions, then we are being deliberately disobedient to Yeshua’s explicit instructions to ‘keep watch!’ (Matthew 24:25, 42, 44, 50, etc.)
Worse still, we are in danger of coming under the same judgements that are meant to be for those who do not believe. Wake up! Start seeking God. Start reading the whole of His word – not just the nice, comforting bits!
Yeshua prophesied, and taught several parables about, his (second) coming. These are mainly found in Matthew 24 & 25 and Luke 21. They contain warnings about false Messiahs and emphasise the need for us to be watchful, prepared and looking out for His coming.
Yeshua is coming very soon! Will YOU be ready when these things come upon the world?
The greatest prophet of all
1 Yeshua fulfilled all the prophetic requirements of the Messiah, the Anointed One – coming from the tribe of Judah (through his mother, Miriam), at the appointed time, preceded by John the Baptist, etc.
2 John witnessed the Holy Spirit descending upon Yeshua and remaining upon him – the sign to John that this was the One.
3 He declared himself to be “greater than Solomon,” “greater than Jonah” – in fact, to be the Son of God!
4 He could not have been deceived, or a deceiver, and still be a ‘good man’ or a prophet. He was and is who he said he was.
5 He foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, but also that the Jewish nation would NOT be destroyed.
6 He promised that he would return to receive his own and the angel at his ascension promised that Yeshua would return to the Mount of Olives, just as he left it. When Zechariah describes this he refers to YHWH himself descending to the Mount – confirming that Yeshua is God!
7 He warned us that many would come in His Name, that there would be many false Messiahs. We’ve already seen the ‘Christian’ German people fooled by one of these – Hitler. Not everyone who speaks in Yeshua’s Name has His authority to do so. We need to be alert, discerning and knowledgeable in the scriptures to be sure of not being taken in by them.
8 Above all, He promised that He WOULD return!
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20 The church must change!
Pure and spotless?
Yes, Yeshua is coming again! But what sort of people are going to be among those who accompany him, those who will be “caught up to meet Him” at His coming?
Colossians 1:21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by [Messiah’s] physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
2 Peter 3:14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
The church will become pure and spotless, without blemish, stain or wrinkle, free from accusation, holy and blameless! How will this be accomplished? By carrying on regardless of what his commands are? By continuing in ungodly ways, in our blindness and lack of understanding? If we do, we are deliberately disregarding Yeshua’s teaching.
Support for Israel
The world is becoming more opposed, day by day, to the people that God separated to be His own. By and large the Israelite people are not yet receptive to Yeshua as their Messiah, but this does not mean that He has finished with them:
Romans 11:1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew.
11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!
13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to
the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
As the “body of Christ“ (Messiah), the church cannot afford to reject the people of Israel. We are looking for the time when their full inclusion will bring much greater riches, their acceptance will be “life from the dead!” We are not superior to them, nor can we be arrogant. Instead, we are to be thankful and tremble!
The Whore and her Mother: 9/11, Babylon and the Return of the King Page 20