Question by mouthbreather77: Is the Israeli ambassador to the U.S. wrong? Did you see him on ABC World News Tonight last night?
The story was about the alliance between Israelis and the evangelical Christians because they believe the end of the world has begun. The Israeli ambassador said that Jews don’t have to believe in Jesus until the Messianic age. He said Jews will ask the Messiah “are you coming or returning?” and that “until then we don’t know whether the world will be Christian or Jewish”.
Best answer:
Answer by Daniel ben Yeshia
Both believe in a Messiah.
I even had a friend who recently returned from Jerusalem and was praying at the Kotel (Wailing Wall) who said he overheard another man pray “O L-rd, send Messiah now! O Messiah come quickly, even if you are Jesus”. Obviously, he doesn’t speak for the majority of Judaism, nevertheless the feeling is there.
Judaism believes in 2 Messiahs. The first is Messiah ben Joseph (Messiah the son of Joseph) who would be like Joseph in Egypt, but would be killed. Joseph, if you recall was hidden from his brothers, they thought he was Tzafnaspenach, an Egyptian. And yet, even when his identity was hidden from them, he still saved them from the 7 years of famine. (Compare to the Christians 7 years of Tribulation.) The revelation that this pagan was not a pagan and was actually their brother didn’t come until the 2nd year of that time of tribulation and famine.
The other Messiah is Messiah ben David who reigns over all the earth in the time of Geulah (Redemption). Judaism teaches that Messiah ben David comes just after the battle in which Messiah ben Joseph is killed.
So the main difference is that 2000 years ago there were some Jews who believed that Yeshua (Iesus in Greek) was Messiah ben Joseph and that he would return one day as Messiah ben David – 2 Messiahs in 1 person. The rest of Judaism believes in 2 different Messiahs that are 2 different persons. The exception to this being a small subset of the Chabad Lubavitch movement who believes that their last Rebbe died as Messiah ben Joseph and will one day return as Messiah ben David. Some of them even claim that the Rebbe was “the L-rd incarnate”! That becomes scary similar to Christian belief.
The nature of Messiah is revealed in Torah and the Prophets. Both Christians and Jews are waiting for Messiah to come and reign. The main difference that I see is that the Jesus of Christianity they say came to do away with the law (the Torah), while the Messiah of Judaism will be one who upholds the Torah and establishes it. So Christians are expecting to follow after a ruler that is a man of lawlessness. (Which, oddly enough, is a description their Bible uses for the “Anti-Christ”.) So Christians are likely to be decieved in the time of trouble that preceeds the arrival of Messiah and will follow after a false leader.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Realize that the old testament is written about the Jewish nation waiting for the coming of the messiah. The new testament is written about the Jewish nations leaders rejecting Jesus as the Messiah but this opened the door for all the Gentiles to become Christians. So we do recognize the Israelites and their search for the Messiah.
You wrote [emphasis mine] “The Israeli ambassador said that Jews don’t have to believe in JESUS until the Messianic age.”
Jews will never accept Jesus as their messiah because he failed to fulfill the messianic prophecies.
Anyone who knows about Jesus Christ needs to accept him as their savior in order to be saved.
The Jews certainly know about Jesus.
If they think they have some extra flexibility in the matter, because they are the chosen people, they are very likely to be wrong.
I say very likely, only because Jesus will judge them, not me.
Somebody needs to talk some sense into this guy, and the rest of his largely apostate nation.
Christians are called to evangelize Jews, Gentiles, Pagans, every non-Christian, so they might be saved.
I don’t know who said what but I do know about John Hagee’s concern about Israel and the implications of the Mid-Eastern crisis ….Do not be confused Pastor Hagee has not predicted the coming of Messiah . He and his followers are supporters of Israel …Remember this , No one knows the hour of the return of the Lord not even the son (CHRIST )…This is all God’s timing , what you need to know is that if you accept Jesus as your savior, and read the Word of God (study ) attend a Bible Based church and ask for the forgiveness of your sins, you will be saved ..that is not a one way ticket , you Have to walk the walk , leave old ways ,sometimes friends and things you once found pleasurable but that would bring you condemnation.Its a long row to how , but to be a Child of God is to be of an elite group who are not singled out but for their love of Christ and their willingness to tell others about how Christ is working in your life…..There is life in Christ , He takes you as you are , you don’t have to be rich, have a cool car, wear prada or gucci ….None of the things of the world mean anything to Him …..
Don’t worry about the Jews they ARE Gods people despite anythng the world says ….God will fight for them .. Their battles have been many in the history of their people and yet they survive….God takes care of his own …don;t worry about the end times or when it will happen .JUST BE READY, …..seek out a Bible Based church and attend services .Read and study ….In His Grip always
Israel is content to use whatever means necessary to continue fueling their war machine. Even though the wacky evangelicals are anti-semetic and want to see Israel destroyed in a paroxsym of violence as part of their script for the end of the world, Israel is perfectly happy to accept their money and political muscle as long as it allows Israel to continue bombing the rest of the middle east into nothingness.
What a match made in hell!
They can probably repent later on but waiting isnt helping cuz theres too much fighting. Why put it off? Noone can be saved without the real true Lord. They wont admit that its Jesus.
Once you have your Messiah here to interogate, then, and only then will you know for sure… Yes he was right.
mouthbreather:theyre speeding up the next holocaust,they think they can get the USA to nuke em!In Canada,we re trying to keep up with the US and when enuff get killed,we go wupp ass,the Canadians had the best and biggest in ww2,but went all liberal,Im gonna smoke a J,and call my buddy 2day,he is killing rags and has never been happier,and gets paid too!