I’ve been thinking about Shema: "Sh'ma Isroel, Adonai Eloheynu, Adonai, Echod." – “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.”Which brought to mind the writings of Dr. Max Wertheimer, former Rabbi of Temple Israel in Dayton, Ohio. I’ve enjoyed reading and re-reading his “How a Rabbi Found Peace” at http://www.menorah.org/rabbimaxwertheimer.html.
I like what he had to say about the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. After questions arose in his mind, he decided to re-read Isaiah from the beginning. He got to 6:9 before stopping, being confronted with the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. Just as Christianity rises or falls upon the acceptance of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with the Son being the Messiah, Judaism stands on “the Lord is one.” Dr. Wertheimer’s article continued.
"Upon that word "Echod" (one) the entire philosophy of Judaism is based. I had been taught by the rabbis that echod means absolute unity. I began to study that word and found to my amazement it was used of Adam and Eve, who became one. It was used again when the spies returned from Canaan with a cluster of' grapes (Eshol Echod). It was used again when the "men of Judah" stood up as one man" (Ish Echod). Suddenly I was struck with the error I had believed and proclaimed all through my ministry. Echod cannot mean absolute unity, but a composite unity."
Menorah.org also has a PDF (http://www.menorah.org/54ReasonsWhyYeshuaIsTheMessiah.pdf) showing 54 Bible prophecies and their fulfillment. If you look them up, note some differences between verse numbering. The wording within the verses are the same.
It was on this site that my attention was caught by another verse in Isaiah:
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2 KJV)
I, too, need to spend more time studying, not just reading, Isaiah. For in this simple verse I see a promise fulfilled by the birth of God the Son, where truly the Lord Jehovah, who is my strength and the songs in my heart, He also became my salvation through Jesus Christ.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:1-5 KJV)
Grammy thanks for the excellent study and sharing it. I tried to click on the link for PDF one but it closed my window :)
ReplyDeleteBut the first link works great! Thanks for the link!
Hello!
ReplyDeleteYou refered to a pdf file with 54 reasons “why Yeshua is the Messiah”.
I want to comment.
[To separate,]The historical Mashiakh [“Messiah”] was a Ribi named Yehoshua.
His authentic teachings were written down by his apprentice student Matityahu and were later redacted into the “gospel of Matthew”.
Yeshayahu [“Isaiah”] 9:5-6 (6-7 in a Christian mistranslation) writes about the kingdom. The verses implies that the followers of the Mashiakh (“Messiah”) will keep mishpat. This implies that the followers of the Messiah must keep the directives in the Torah. To follow Ribi Yehoshua by keeping the directives of the Torah is building the kingdom of the Creator. This also implies that not following the Torah are not following the Mashiakh. “The gospels” are incompatible with this prophecy of the Mashiakh.
To be a follower of the historical Ribi Yehoshua one must be one of his Netzarim-followers – only through www.netzarim.co.il (the only authentic Netzarim).
Relating to the Creator exactly in the same way Ribi Yehoshua did – i.e. observing the Creators directives in the Torah – leads oneself into an intimate relationship with the Creator, which is very meaningful!
Anders Branderud