The Birth of Yeshua

Photo: ©2006 Jaimie Trueblood/New Line Productions

By David Cook

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:
Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son,
and she will call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14 NASB

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song

46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord

47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

49     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

holy is his name.

50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,

from generation to generation.

51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

54 He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful

55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,

just as he promised our ancestors.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Luke chapter 1 NIV

Photo Credit: ©2006 Jaimie Trueblood/New Line Productions

Keisha Castle-Hughes (left) stars as “Mary” and Oscar Isaac (right) stars as “Joseph” in New Line Cinema’s release of Catherine Hardwicke’s drama, The Nativity Story.

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

Luke chapter 2 NIV

“Little Drummer Boy” by Lara Landon
From the “CHRISTMAS” EP
http://www.laralandon.com

Mäshiach Had To Come Before 70 AD

Roman soldiers brought back a Menorah and other holy relics from the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

By David Cook

The Mäshiach had to come before 70 AD.  Let me explain why.  In the Tanakh we read prophecies about the suffering, death and resurrection of Yeshua our Lord; the promised Mäshiach. [1]  In Daniel chapter 9 we read about important events that were predetermined in heaven for the benefit of the Jewish People;

Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish transgression, to make an end of sin, to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.  Daniel 9:24 HSV

The angel Gabriel brought an important communique from heaven to Daniel, foretelling that sin would be atoned for in the future and that everlasting righteousness is available for those who have faith like Abraham.  Gabriel prophesied that the Mäshiach would make an end of sin and finish transgression, and be put to death.  Yeshua our Savior redeemed us from the debt of our sin with His own blood.  The prophet Isaiah wrote extensively of the suffering and crucifixion of God’s Righteous Servant, Yeshua the promised Mäshiach in Isaiah chapter 53.  Gabriel gives Daniel these significant points in Daniel chapter 9 verse 24;

1. To finish transgression.
2. To make an end of sin.
3. To atone for iniquity.
4. To bring in everlasting righteousness.
5. To seal up the vision.
6. To seal up prophecy.
7. To anoint the most Holy.

Then Gabriel explained that a decree would be made to restore and rebuild Jerusalem;

Therefore know and understand that from the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Yerushalayim until the Mäshiach Prince there will be seven ‘sevens’ and sixty-two ‘sevens’.  The streets will be rebuilt, and the wall, despite treacherous times.  Daniel 9:25 HSV

From the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Mashiach comes there will be a certain period of time.  The period of time is given in weeks of years, similar to a decade only in seven year periods.  There will be seven ‘sevens’ and sixty-two ‘sevens’, for a total of sixty-nine ‘sevens’.  Sixty-nine ‘sevens’ or sixty nine weeks of years is equal to 483 years.  So after the decree is issued to restore and rebuild Jerusalem there will be 483 years and then the Mäshiach will come.

From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem on March 14, 445 BC by Artaxerxes Longimanus until Yeshua arrived and was presented in Jerusalem riding on a donkey as the Messianic King on April 6, 32 AD.  This is celebrated by believers of Yeshua the Messiah on Palm Sunday.  We discover that when we calculate 69 weeks of years (or 483 years and correct for leap years) it figures out to be 173,880 days to the day. [2]

How is this possible, to announce the coming of the Anointed One, the Lord’s Mäshiach, the King of Zion; almost five centuries before the historical event transpires in precise detail?  The Tanakh is an amazing collection of books, our awesome God orchestrated it.  YHVH our Elohim is omniscient, the future is as clear to Him as the present and the past; He knows the beginning from the end.

After sixty-two ‘sevens’ the Mäshiach will be put to death, and will have nothing.  The people of the prince that will come, will destroy the city and the temple.  The end will come with a flood.  War and desolation are determined until the end.  Daniel 9:26 HSV

So after the sixty-two ‘sevens’ and the before mentioned seven ‘seven’s (483 years) the Mäshiach will be put to death.  Then the people of a future prince will come and destroy the city of Jerusalem and the Temple.  YHVH Elohim sent Gabriel to tell His people that an Anointed Prince, who is the promised Mäshiach must come, atone for sin and be put to death before the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish temple.  The destruction of Jerusalem and the second temple occurred in 70 AD, during the siege of Jerusalem; when the Roman legions fought under Titus Vespasian and the Roman army leveled the city.  The Siege of Jerusalem in the year 70 AD was the catastrophic and crucial event of the First Jewish-Roman War. [3] The Roman army, led by the future Emperor Titus and Tiberius Julius Alexander second-in-command, along with the enlisted soldier legionnaires in Judaea, conscripted provincial soldiers from Syria, other soldiers from Alexandria and in collaboration they besieged, destroyed and conquered the city of Jerusalem. [4]

Josephus wrote that “Vespasian sent his son Titus [who], came by land into Syria, where he gathered together Roman forces, with a considerable number of auxiliaries from the kings in that neighborhood.” [5]  Josephus goes on to give us these details; “Malchus also, the king of Arabia, sent a thousand horseman, besides five thousand footmen, the greatest part of which were archers; so that the whole army, including the auxiliaries sent by the kings, as well as horsemen and footmen, when all were united together, amounted to sixty thousand.” [6]

Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a Roman senator and historian.  He wrote extensively on the history, of this period of the Roman empire.  Tacitus includes the Roman attack on Jerusalem and gives details of the specific legions and the peoples that comprised the attacking army: “Titus Caesar . . . found in Judaea three legions, the 5th, the 10th, and the 15th . . . To these he added the 12th from Syria, and some men belonging to the 18th and 3rd, who he had withdrawn from Alexandria.  This force was accompanied . . . by a strong contingent of Arabs, who hated the Jews with the usual hatred of neighbors.” [7]

The siege ended with the sacking of the city and the destruction of the Second Temple. The destruction of both the first and second temples is mourned each year at the Jewish fast Tisha B’Av. The Arch of Titus, celebrating the Roman sack of Jerusalem and the Temple, still stands in Rome.  The Arch of Titus, was built in 82 AD by his younger brother Emperor Domitian to commemorate Emperor Titus’ victories, including in the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

Photo by J. E. Howard, “The Arch of Titus”; built in 82 AD to commemorate Emperor Titus’ victories; including in the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

The Jewish People Did Not Recognize the Visitation of the Mäshiach

Tragically, most of the Jewish people did not recognize the time of their visitation by Yeshua the Mäshiach, God’s promised Messianic King.  As the Mäshiach King approached Jerusalem, He wept over the city and He gave the reason why the city of Jerusalem and the Second Temple were destroyed as predicted by the angel Gabriel in Daniel 9:26;

41When He approached Jerusalem,

He saw the city and wept over it,

42saying, “If you had known in this day,

even you, the things which make for peace!

But now they have been hidden from your eyes.

43″For the days will come upon you

when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you,

and surround you and hem you in on every side,

44and they will level you to the ground

and your children within you,

and they will not leave in you one stone upon another,

because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

Luke 19:41-44 NASB

Both God’s envoy the angel Gabriel and Yeshua the Son of God, the promised Mäshiach prophesied the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the Temple.  In the Bible we see both the severity of God’s judgment and the mercy and love of our Father who is in heaven.  Yeshua the Mäshiach explained God’s plan for our redemption and salvation, and how to receive eternal life.

14“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;

15so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

16“For God so loved the world,

that He gave His only begotten Son,

that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

17“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world,

but that the world might be saved through Him.

18“He who believes in Him is not judged;

he who does not believe has been judged already,

because he has not believed

in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:14-18 NASB

In the fullness of times, Mäshiach did come and was presented as King in Jerusalem.  In the Gospel of John we read how God blesses all those who believe in and receive His Son, Yeshua the promised Mäshiach.

11He came to His own,

and those who were His own did not receive Him.

12But as many as received Him,

to them He gave the right to become children of God,

even to those who believe in His name,

13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh

nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:11-13 NASB

In the book of Daniel 9:26 we read how God sent the angel Gabriel to Daniel in response to his fasting, repentance and contrite prayer to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Gabriel told Daniel that the Mäshiach will come and be put to death before the destruction of the Jewish Temple and the city of Jerusalem.  We know from history that the siege of Jerusalem by Emperor Titus happened in 70 AD; and this is when the temple and the city of Jerusalem were destroyed.  So the Mäshiach had to come before 70 AD.  Why then are so many Jewish people still looking for the coming of the Mäshiach?

Is it because they put more faith in the oral traditions of the Talmud taught to them by the rabbinic community; rather than the Word of YHVH Elohim in the Tankh?

[1] Suffering of the Mäshiach, Isaiah chapter 53, Psalm 22:1-24; death of the Mäshiach in Daniel 9:26, Isaiah 53:8-9, resurrection of the Mäshiach Psalm 16:10, Isaiah 53:10-12.

[2] Missler, Chuck, “Daniel’s 70 Weeks”, Koinonia House, 2004.  (Also, the recording of “Expositional Commentary on Daniel”)

[3] Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Jerusalem_(70)

[4] Richardson, Joel, “Mideast Beast”, chapter 7, The People of the Prince to Come; page 91-97, WND Books, 2012.

[5] Flavius Josephus, “The Complete Works of Josephus”, The Wars of the Jews  or The History of the Destruction of Jeruselum, bk 3, chap. 1, par. 3.

[6] Ibid, chap. 4, par. 2.

[7] Tacitus, “The History”, New Ed ed., bk. 5.1, ed. Moses Hadas; transs. Alfred Church and William Brodribb (New York: Modern Library, 2003).

Copyright © 2013 by David M. Cook, all rights reserved.

Resurrection of Messiah

Inside the empty garden tomb of Messiah Yeshua in Jerusalem.

by David Cook

Long ago, God promised the Good News of redemption via Messiah’s atoning death; as a ransom for all our sins.  In the holy Scriptures, we read of God’s righteous Servant Yeshua and His victory over death by His resurrection from the dead; which was foretold by the Jewish prophets in the Tanakh.  Sha’ul of Tarsus (known to many as the apostle Paul) also wrote about Messiah Yeshua, who is God’s beloved Son and a descendant of King David;

2 God promised this Good News long ago

through his prophets in the holy Scriptures.

3 The Good News is about his Son.

In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line,

4 and he was shown to be the Son of God

 when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 1:2-4 NLT

In the Tanakh we read prophecies about the suffering, death and resurrection of Yeshua our Lord; the promised Messiah.  In Daniel chapter 9 we read about important events that were predetermined in heaven that would transpire in the holy city of Jerusalem;

Seventy sevens are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish transgression, to make an end of sins, to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.  25 Therefore know and understand that from the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Yerushalayim until Messiah the Prince there will be seven sevens and sixty-two sevens.  The streets and the wall will be rebuilt, despite treacherous times.  26 After sixty-two sevens the Messiah will be put to death and have nothing.  Daniel 9:24-26 HSV

The angel Gabriel brought an important communique from heaven to Daniel, foretelling that sin would be atoned for in the future and that everlasting righteousness is available for those who have faith like Abraham.  Gabriel prophesied that the Messiah would make an end of sins and finish transgression, and be put to death.  Yeshua our Savior redeemed us from the debt of our sin with His own blood.  The prophet Isaiah wrote extensively of the suffering and crucifixion of God’s Righteous Servant; Yeshua the promised Messiah.

Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
6 All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.

Isaiah 53:4-6 NASB

In the book of Zechariah we read that Yehovah of hosts foretells that in the last days Jerusalem will be attacked by many nations.  The Yehoavh of hosts is the Lord of heaven’s army, He will “set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem”;

9 And in that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.  10 “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.  Zechariah 12:9-10 NASB

The Yehovah of hosts is Yeshua, the resurrected Messiah; who will return and fight the wars of God for His people.  The Lord of hosts prophesied that the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “will look on Me whom they have pierced”.  They will mourn for the Lord of hosts and will weep bitterly over Him like someone who mourns for an only son.

Nicole C. Mullins – My Redeemer Lives

One night while Messiah Yeshua was fulfilling His ministry on earth, a Pharisee named Nicodemus who was a ruler of the Jewish people; sought answers on how to enter the kingdom of God.  Yeshua explained to him;

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  John 3:16-18 NASB

When Messiah Yeshua returns to rescue the remnant of Israel, the house of David and the people living in Jerusalem; will see that Yeshua is their Messiah and will mourn and weep bitterly.  Isaiah explains that God’s righteous Servant, Yeshua the Messiah; was suffering on our behalf, to atone for our sins.  Each and every one of us has turned away from God to go his own way.  Like straying sheep that are lost and are away from the flock and are in need to be rescued by the Good Shepherd.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away;
And as for His generation, who considered
That He was cut off out of the land of the living
For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?
9 His grave was assigned with wicked men,
Yet He was with a rich man in His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
10 But the Lord was pleased
To crush Him, putting Him to grief;
If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.
11 As a result of the anguish of His soul,
He will see it and be satisfied;
By His knowledge the Righteous One,
My Servant, will justify the many,
As He will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,
And He will divide the booty with the strong;
Because He poured out Himself to death,
And was numbered with the transgressors;
Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
And interceded for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53:7-13 NASB

The prophet Isaiah wrote that not only will God’s righteous Servant, suffer and die for our sins; but He will live again!  Messiah Yeshua will see His offspring, namely those who believe in Him will be born again to eternal life! [1]  These are the children of God, as many as believe in and received Yeshua the Messiah as Lord.  The apostle John wrote concerning Yeshua’s offspring;

10 He came into the very world he created,

but the world didn’t recognize him. 

11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.

12 But to all who believed him and accepted him,

he gave the right to become children of God.

13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth

resulting from human passion or plan,

but a birth that comes from God.

John 1:10-13 NLT

In Isaiah 53:10 we read that Messiah’s Father will “prolong his days” throughout all eternity.  God’s righteous Servant, Yeshua our Savior makes many of the unrighteous; righteous by faith.  By God’s grace, the just Messiah who is God’s righteous Servant foretold of in Isaiah 53 is the One who justifies the unjust.

Yeshua the Messiah Himself prophesied that He would suffer, be crucified and rise again on the third day;

“The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected

by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed,

and on the third day be raised.”

Luke 9:22 ESV

The empty garden tomb of Yeshua the Messiah located in Jerusalem, outside the city walls and close to the Damascus Gate.

“the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men

and be crucified and on the third day rise.” 

Luke 24:7 ESV

In Psalm 16, King David wrote that Yehovah God would not allow His “Holy One” to undergo decay;

Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

Psalms 16:10 NASB

God’s “Righteous Servant” written of by Isaiah in chapter 53 verse 11 is the “Holy One” written of by King David in Psalms 16:10.  Yehovah’s “Holy One” is Messiah Yeshua, who is without sin.  Yeshua did not undergo decay since He rose from the dead on the third day.  Messiah Yeshua is my Adonai. [2]  As Job declared long ago, I know my Redeemer lives!

“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
 And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.
26 “Even after my skin is destroyed,
Yet from my flesh I shall see God;
27 Whom I myself shall behold,
And whom my eyes will see and not another.

Job 19:25-27 NASB

Hillsong – Stronger

The apostle Peter gave this sermon in Jerusalem at the portico of Solomon, which was at the eastern edge of the outer court of the Jewish temple; [3]

But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren; to Him you shall give heed to everything He says to you. 23 And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days. 25 It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”            Acts 3:18-26 NASB

Yeshua gave this promise of the hope of resurrection from the dead and eternal life for those who would come to Him and believe;

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.  John 6:44-47 NASB

[1] Yeshua explained to Nicodemus, a Jewish Pharisee how to be “born again” in John 3:1-18.

[2] Psalms 110:1&5, Messiah is King David’s Adoni mentioned in verse 1 and his Adonai in verse 5.

[3] Second Temple, Court of the Gentiles, the Portico of Solomon.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple

Miraculous birth of Eliyahu and virgin birth of Messiah

by David M. Cook

For many years and to this day the Jewish people have been looking for the arrival of the prophet Eliyahu (Elijah) who it was foretold that he would come before the great and terrible day of the Lord.

We read in the prophet Malachi;

4 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” 2 “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. 3 You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,” says the Lord of hosts.  4 “Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel.  5 “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. 6 He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”  Malachi 4:1-6 NASB

While Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah was living on earth He explained that Eliyahu (Elijah) did come but that the people did not recognize him.

17 Six days later Jesus *took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. 7 And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” 8 And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.  9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” 10 And His disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; 12 but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.   Matthew 17:1-13 NASB

We read about the miraculous birth of Eliyahu (who is John the baptist) in the gospel of Luke chapter one.  We learn that his parents Zacharias and Elizabeth were not able to have children (as was also true of Abraham and Sarah);

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.   Luke 1:5-7 NASB

Luke gives us the amazing account of John’s (Elihahu’s) miraculous birth.  While Zacharias was performing his priestly service in the Temple he was visited by the angel Gabriel.

8 Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 

18 Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”  Luke 1:8-20 NASB

After the birth of his son, Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied this concerning his son John:

68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of David His servant—
70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—
71 Salvation from our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us;
72 To show mercy toward our fathers,
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways;
77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins,
78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
79 To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”                                     

Luke 1:68-79 NASB

John (Eliyahu) is the prophet of the Most High; who went before Messiah Yeshua our Lord to prepare His ways.  Below is a link to a radio program about the miraculous birth of John and the virgin birth of Messiah Yeshua.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/eternityreadyradio/2013/12/11/eternity-talk-presents-christmas-rama-2013

“The Lord said to my Lord”

We read in the gospel of saint Matthew the 22^nd chapter; But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together.  One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”  And He said to him, ” ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’  “This is the great and foremost commandment.  “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’  “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”  Matthew 22:34-40 NASB

An expert in the Mosiac Law attempts to ask Moshiach a question that will stump Him or incriminate Him. The “lawyer” asks; “Rabbi, which is the great commandment in the Torah?”

Yeshua (Jesus) who is the promised Moshiach and Son of the living God is not befuddled nor was He incriminated but instead gives a very profound answer, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’  This is the most important commandment.  The second in importance is, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’

Then Yeshua the promised Messiah decided to ask the experts a question that confounded them.

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question:  “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.”  He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
”SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET”‘?  “If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?”  No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question. Matthew 22:41-46 NASB

Yeshua asked; if King David calls the Messiah ‘Lord’ (Adoni — which means “my Lord”)  how can the Messiah be David’s descendant? 

Yeshua quotes Psalms 110:1-2 written by David the shepherd lad who became the second king of Israel.  The proper name of the G-d of Israel in Hebrew is יְהֹוָ  then transliterated into English is Yhvh pronounced (yeh-ho-vaw’) sometimes used as Yehovah or Jehovah.  Another name for Lord in Hebrew is  in English the transliteration of the word is “Adoni” that means “my Lord”, which can refer to either a human lord or divine Lord.

Yehovah said to my Adoni, “sit at My right hand, until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet.”

Yehovah said to my Lord, that is Father God said to David’s Lord; “sit at My right hand, until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet.”  The reason King David calls Him “my Lord” is because Messiah is the KING of Kings and the LORD of Lords.  Yeshua ha’Mashiach (Jesus the Christ) is the Son of the living God, the promised Messiah.

Another name for Lord in Hebrew is אֲדֹנָי in English the transliteration of the word Adonai always means divine “Lord”.  David uses this word Adonai in Psalms 110:5 also referring to Messiah as in verse 1.

The Lord is at Your right hand;

He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath.

Psalm 110:5 NASB

Here verse five King David writes in the Spirit that Adonai is at the right hand of Yehovah, repeating what he said in verse one.  So Adoni / Adonai is seated at the right hand of Yehovah.  A divine Lord (Adonai) is seated next to Yehovah.  As we continue we see that Adonai is the Messiah, who “will shatter kings in the day of His wrath.”  That is when Messiah returns during a time known by the Hebrew prophets as, “the day of the Lord”; Adonai Messiah will shatter kings in the day of His wrath.

Yeshua the Messiah existed before His incarnation in Bethlehem, where He was born of a virgin named Mary.  “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him.”  Colossians 1:15-16 NASB

Mashiach existed in the beginning with His Father in heaven.  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.  In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.  The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”  John 1:1-5 NASB

But not only is Messiah David’s Lord He is also his Son.  The genealogy of Yeshua (Jesus) the Moshiach can be traced back to King David’s royal line.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Advent of Messiah, Copyright © 2010 by David M. Cook, all rights reserved.

Messiah’s royal lineage

The genealogy of Jesus Christ can be traced to King David’s royal line and on back to Abraham whom God made a covenant with and then clear on back to the first man the Heavenly Father created, Adam.  So Jesus the Messiah is the son of David, the son of Abraham, the son of man—the first man Adam; and the Son of God.[1][2]

Abraham was the father of Isaac; and to Isaac was born Jacob and so on.  So that all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations; and from King David until the Jewish people were exiled to Babylon were fourteen generations and from the exile of the Jewish remnant to Babylon to the birth of Messiah were fourteen generations.[3]  So from Abraham to the birth of the promised Messiah were forty-two generations in all.[4]

[1]  Matthew 1:1 – 16 HVS,  [2] Luke 3:23 – 38 HVS,  [3] Matthew 1:17 HSV,  [4] Matthew 1:1 – 17 HSV

Scripture quotations are from:  ╬ HSV – Holy Scripture Version™, © 2009 by David M. Cook, all rights reserved.  Used by permission.

The genealogy of MESSIAH

Here is the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.  Abraham is the father of Isaac, and Isaac father of Jacob, and Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers.  To Judah, Perez and Zerah were born out of their mother Tamar.  Perez fathered Hezron, to Hezron was born Ram; and Ram fathered Amminadab, and Amminadab father of Nahshon, and Nahshon father of Salmon, and Salmon father of Boaz, his mother is Rahab.  To Boaz, Obed was born out of Ruth.  And Obed father of Jesse, and Jesse fathered David the king.  King David the father of Solomon, by Bathsheba, the former wife of Uriah.  Solomon father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam father of Abijah, and Abijah father of Asa, and Asa father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat father of Joram, and Joram father of Ahaz, and Ahaz father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah father of Manasseh, and Manasseh father of Amon, and Amon father of Josiah, and Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the exile to Babylon.  After they were taken away to Babylon; Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel fathered Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel fathered Abiud, and Abiud father of Eliakim, and Eliakim father of Azor, and Azor fathered Zadok, and Zadok fathered Achim, and Achim father of Eliud, and Eliud father of Eleazar, and Eleazar fathered Matthan, and Matthan fathered Jacob, and Jacob father of Joseph, and Joseph was the husband of Mary, and Mary gave birth to Jesus, the one who is called Messiah.  So all the generations from Abraham to David the king are fourteen generations; and from King David until the deportation to Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the deportation of the Jewish remnant to Babylon to the advent of Messiah is fourteen generations. [1][2]

[1] Matthew 1:1 – 17 HSV  [2] Luke 3:23 — 38 HSV

Scripture quotations are from:  ╬ HSV – Holy Scripture Version™, © 2009 by David M. Cook, all rights reserved.  Used by permission.