Daniel 9:26 And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
The Book of Daniel prophesied in this passage, that the Messiah will come and be cut off, and then the city of Jerusalem and the sanctuary (the temple) will be destroyed. The city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman army led by Titus in 70 AD. Consequently the Messiah of Israel, whoever he is, had to have come before the year 70 AD. There is only one person whose identity and life perfectly fits the description and timing contained in this prophecy; no one else even comes close. This same Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), ride a donkey into Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9) and die for the sins of the world (Isaiah 53). He fulfilled at least 100 other prophecies at His first coming. He is Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth.
But for nearly 2,000 years most of Yeshua's own Jewish people have been searching and waiting in vain for their Messiah, blind to His true identity and first appearing.
Now we who do know Him might look with condescension on our Jewish neighbors, but we ought to be careful that we're not making the same mistake in a way; waiting for a fulfillment or a promise that has already come, and missing it because of blindness, jealousy, worldliness or pride. Yeshua is our fulfillment in life; having received Him and known Him, have we still missed that reality?
Don't forget to center your life and your hope on Him. He is the Way, the Truth, and the LIFE! With so much work to be done, let's make sure our lives are centered!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]A National Geographic article published a few years describing a real celestial event which took place at the time of the birth of Jesus reminded me of Risto Santala’s explanation in his book, “The Messiah in the New Testament in the Light of Rabbinical Writings”. He wrote about a conjunction of major planets that took place which could have led the wise men from the east, to Israel.
The Shema is recited every Shabbat in Israel and throughout the world: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.” The emphasis is on hearing—not just with our ears but our hearts. That same emphasis runs through the Gospels, where Yeshua (Jesus) repeatedly says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” This isn’t just a phrase; it’s a life-changing command.
Many families across the U.S. are gathering today to celebrate “Thanksgiving.” But let’s take a moment to turn our hearts to the ultimate source of thanksgiving: God Himself. Psalm 100 is often called the “Psalm of Thanksgiving,” and it’s a perfect guide for how we should approach God—not just during Thanksgiving but every day.
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While I was in the States, I read several stories about Ronald Reagan that made me appreciate him as a person and as a leader. But one amusing story really caught my attention and made me smile. When he was a young man, Reagan worked at a radio station and sometimes played records of sermons. His shift at the station was a one-man operation and so, on occasion, Ron would set the record playing and then sneak out for a cup of coffee. One day he got a call while he was at the coffee shop from the station’s owner, ordering him back to the station, and then … he received his termination notice. He’d returned to the station finding the record skipping at a particular point in the sermon…
Having spent over 20 years living in Israel’s Negev Desert, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of salt in maintaining proper hydration. “What in the world does salt have to do with grace and truth?”, you ask. Well, I’ll tell you.