PROPHECY FULFILLED
Did Yeshua fulfill Prophecy? Can this be proven from the TaNaKh, without use of the Brit Chadasha?
Scripture tells us that in the mouth of two or more witnesses shall a thing be confirmed (Deuteronomy 19:15). Let us then explore the TaNaKh, the Talmud, and history; and let us see if we can find these witnesses.
Our first witness is Moshe. Genesis 49:10 reads ...The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the lawmaker from between His feet, until Shiloh come, and the obedience of the people to him.
The first part to note here is the word scepter. Some commentators on Rashi say here that this word is not referring to a scepter as a symbol of royal authority, but to a lesser temporal authority. I would submit however that it does indeed refer to royal authority, since the commentators on Rashi have failed to pay full attention to the context of the person they are commenting on. To imply that it is referring to a lesser temporal authority, is to contradict Rashi’s statement that Shiloh refers to King, Mashiach (the Messiah), for the kingship is his, and thus did Onkelos interpret it. [Targum Onkelos renders “Until the Mashiach will come, for his is the kingship.”] So a scepter as defined by not only Rashi, but by the Webster’s Dictionary, is: a staff carried by a sovereign as a symbol of authority.
Next is the word lawmaker or lawgiver. Some translate this word “umchoqeq” as student or scholar, yet we see the same word in Judges 5:14 translated in various texts as lawgiver, though the word can be translated either way. Again we have to look at the context. We can see that this verse is referring to royal authority, so here Lawgiver or Lawmaker is the correct rendering.
Next we see “until Shiloh come” which according to Rashi refers to the Messiah.
Finally “and the obedience of the peoples to him.” is rendered by Rashi as the gathering of nations to him.
So given these interpretations by Jewish scholars, what is this prophecy saying? More specifically what is it saying about Messiah? Well, the only true king is one having the ability to establish authority. So this verse says that there will always be a true king in Israel from the tribe of Judah, until Messiah comes.
Has this prophecy been fulfilled? Well, we need to ask: is there a king in Israel today? NO!
Suppose there are plans to have a king in Israel, then perhaps this is not yet fulfilled. Yet, are they planning to have a king in Israel? NO!
So this verse has been prophetically fulfilled. When? Well we need to ask who the last king of Israel was, in order to find the answer. According to the Jewish historian Josephus (among other historical documents), in his Antiquities of the Jews, Herod the Great, son of Antipater was the last king of Judea. He also states that Herod had Hyrcanus II, son of Alexander Janneus was the rightful ruler, but Herod who was a puppet king of Rome, had him killed. The line of kings of Judah ended with Herod.
There is an Israeli who was born at this time who, as prophecy foretells, changed the world, and His name is Yeshua. Our calendar system is based on the advent of Yeshua, whether you acknowledge the calendar year suffix C.E. or A.D. This change which took place tells us that we are in the 2006th year of the reign of King Messiah.
As I stated earlier, we are told that in the mouths of two or more witnesses shall a thing be confirmed. So for our second witness we shall call Isaiah. Let us look at Isaiah 11:10, which ties into the last part of Genesis 49:10 “and the obedience of the peoples to him.” which is rendered by Rashi as the gathering of nations to him. Isaiah 11:10 “And it shall be on that day a root of Jesse stands as a banner of peoples; nations shall seek him; his resting place shall be glory.” Rashi indicates that this is a messianic prophecy as well, and he in fact says that the meaning of the last part of Gen. 49:10 is the same in meaning as stated in Isaiah 11:10. Note here though that the usage of the word nations in the Isaiah prophecy is the Hebrew word goyim- gentiles. So this prophecy says that the gentiles will seek him (messiah) out. Have they? Yes indeed! So this prophecy is also fulfilled in Messiah Yeshua.
Let us examine further in Isaiah and see if there is more support for this claim. Isaiah 53:1-3 “Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of HaShem revealed? ... He being despised and we not valuing him.”
To whom is the prophet speaking for and about? Is it not the Jews? I tell you the truth, it is the Jews. Does this not say that our Jewish people will reject, and despise Him? Indeed! Have we? Truly!
There are a vast array more witnesses in the TaNaKh and through historical documentation, but there is another witness specifically which I wish to focus on. Let us turn to the Talmud Bavli, Sukkah 52a. “It is well according to him who explains that the cause is Messiah, the son of Joseph, who was slain, since that well agrees with the scriptural verse, ‘And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son [Zechariah 12:10].’ Our Rabbi’s taught, the Holy one, blessed be He, will say to the Messiah, the son of David, ‘Ask of me anything, and I will give it to you [Psalm 2:8a]’, as it is said, ‘I will tell of the (L*RD’s) decree, “You are My Son: This day have I begotten Thee, ask of Me and I will give the nations for Your inheritance.” [Psalm 2:7-8a]. But when He will see the Messiah the son of Joseph who was slain, he will say to Him, ‘L*RD of the universe, I ask of you only the gift of life.’ ‘As to life’ He would answer him, ‘your father David has already prophesied this concerning you’, as it is said, ‘He asked life of You, You gave it him.’ [Psalm 21:5]”
This leads us to our next set of questions. Is it necessary for a blood sacrifice to atone for our souls? Many have said that since the temple was destroyed there is no need for a sacrifice of blood to atone for our soul. I say to you that this is not the case, since the scriptures are adamant about this, and there is therefore a need for a suffering Messiah redeemer, though this has been denied throughout the ages. Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar, to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood which makes atonement for the soul.” We can see scripturally speaking, it is necessary, and the Talmud agrees.
Talmud Bavli, Yoma 5a “...Does the laying on of the hand make atonement for one? Does not atonement come through the blood, as it is said: For it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life! ... Does the waving make atonement? Is it not the blood which makes atonement, as it is written, ‘For it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life!’?
What then are we to do for the atonement of our souls? Yeshua has taken care of this, as he was our sacrifice, as shown in Sukkah 52a of Talmud Bavli, and the TaNaKh. There is yet more testimony from the prophet Isaiah, regarding this. The entire chapter of Isaiah 53 is in fact testimony to this. I have heard lame excuses and explanations that this is talking about Israel, but given what we have so far seen and learned this just doesn’t hold water.
Finally I wish to turn focus toward a promise given by HaShem, through the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah 31:30-33 (31-34) states “Behold the days are coming, says HaShem, that I will cut a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant I cut with their fathers in he day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt – which covenant of Mine they broke, although I was a husband to them, says HaShem – but this shall be the covenant that I will cut with the house of Israel: After those days, declares HaShem, I will put My Torah in their inward parts, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their G*d , and they shall be My people. And they shall no longer each man teach his neighbor, and each man his brother, saying, Know HaShem. For they shall all know Me, from the least of them even to the greatest of them, declares HaShem. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more.”
Do you not wish this promise fulfilled for yourself? If you do, and you agree with that which I have put forth, then you also recognize the need for the atonement sacrifice of Yeshua for your soul. Receiving it is easy, if you want it. Just acknowledge those things we have read in the TaNaKh: Messiah has come; He came during the days of Herod the great; His name is Yeshua; He changed the whole world according to the prophecies; The witnesses in the TaNaKh testify to this; The gentiles have readily accepted him; Our Jewish brethren have rejected him and turned away from him; There is a new covenant for Israel and Judah, in which HaShem will forgive our iniquity and remember our sin no longer, and write His law on our hearts, so as to be our L*RD!
Second acknowledge your sins to HaShem, and pray to receive atonement through the willing blood sacrifice of Yeshua. Your prayer could go something like this –
Almighty King and L*RD of heaven and earth, G*d of Avraham (Abraham), Yitzchak (Isaac), and Ya’akov (Jacob), I know that I have sinned and broken your commands, either by willful intention or neglect. I now repent (admit and quit) of these sins and turn back to you my G*d. I believe that you sent your spirit to earth in the person Yeshua, and that he is the Messiah and Redeemer, sent to atone for our sins and remove our iniquities by his blood, and your grace. I ask now for this atonement, and that I be made part of this new covenant. Remember my past sins no longer, and put your laws on my heart. Birth a new spirit in me and let me know you; be my L*RD and teach me your ways, oh G*d. In the name of Yeshua I pray these things to you, Amein.
If you made this prayer, you are not alone. Please contact me and I can help get you started in your new faith.
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Baruch HaBah B'Shem Adon!
