YOU ARE CALLED

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Dear friend, b’shalom. Your people were called by G-d to be a kingdom of priests and holy nation (Exodus 19:6), his witnesses to the nations (Isaiah 43:10), a light to the Gentiles (Isaiah 49:6) and a blessing to the whole world (Genesis 12:3; 22:18). The evidence that G-d has a special plan for your nation is evident throughout the Tanach,. G-d has committed Himself to be involved in the history and life of this nation. G-d has bound Himself to your nation with an everlasting covenant He made with your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Whether you are aware of it or not, G-d is has been involved with this nation since its creation and will continue to be involved until the day when all the promises He made to you through the prophets will be fulfilled. The most important promise G-d made is the coming of the Messiah, to save mankind from his sin.


God’s Plan of Salvation
Let us go all the way back to Genesis chapter 3, where we learn about the disobedience and fall of man. After Adam and Eve sinned, G-d gave the first promise of the Messiah while cursing the snake, (Genesis 3:14-15). Then he killed an animal and made for them "garments of skins" (Genesis. 3:21). Adam and Eve’s own method of covering themselves with fig leaves was not sufficient. Man cannot cover himself. G-d must provide the covering. In order to make them garments of skins, G-d had to slay an innocent animal or animals. G-d here, among other things, was teaching that innocent blood had to be shed for the atoning of sin. G-d’s plan of salvation involves the death of an innocent substitute. Sin deserves and demands judgment and death. An animal was killed instead of Adam and Eve.
“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life” Leviticus 17:11
All of these offerings and sacrifices were a picture of G-d’s provision for man’s salvation. G-d was giving the children of Israel a picture of the sinless Substitute who would someday come.


G-d’s Promise of a Savior
The nation of Israel holds G-d’s promises of the coming Messiah. He had to be a descendant of Abraham. G-d told Abraham that by him all the families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis. 12:3). Since all people on earth are sinners (Psalm 14:2-3), all people deserve G-d’s curse, not G-d’s blessing. Only those who have been saved from their sins can be blessed of G-d (Psalms 32). As a result the promise of blessing for the families of the earth must include salvation for the families of the earth and this salvation would come through the seed of Abraham. The Messiah must be of the line of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and from the line of Judah according to Psalms 2.
In Isaiah 11:1 we learn that the Messiah, G-d’s great King, must come from Jesse, therefore from the line of David (Jesse was David's father). The covenant G-d made with David (2 Samuel 7) confirms that this great King must come from the line of King David. He was to be born in Bethlehem of Ephrat (Micah 5:2), of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14).
In Isaiah 9:5 (9:6 in most English versions) the male child who is born is called the "the Mighty God" and "peaceable ruler." He will trace His human descent from David. To summarize his birth: It must be in Bethlehem of Judah. It must be a miracle birth, by way of a virgin. The One born will be "the Mighty God" but will trace His human lineage through David.

The Death of Messiah
Does the Messiah have to die? The “seed of the woman” mentioned in Genesis Three is the first prophesy that Messiah was to die." The seed of the woman will have his heel bruised. This implies that the Messiah must suffer.
My friend, it is understood understand that some orthodox Jews teach that chapter 9 is a passage which today many are told not to read. The reason is because of verse 26. There we are told that the Messiah will be CUT OFF. He is not cut off for any crime which He had done, but He is cut off for the sake of others. He died, not for Himself, but for others, as their Substitute. This is why the common English version says, "Messiah will be cut off, but not for Himself." A careful study of this amazing prophesy, will even show us when the Messiah was to suffer a violent death. But why did he have to die? I know that this concept might trouble you, but the Isaiah 53 tells us why. When He was to come, Messiah was to be despised and rejected, hated and be put to death.
Dear friend, the Jews did not kill the Messiah; according to the prophet it was G-d himself. Yes, the Messiah was smitten by G-d. A holy G-d must judge sin and punish sin. When the Messiah took our sins upon Himself, He was judged and punished by G-d. We are the ones who should have been punished, but He was punished in our place. He died as our Substitute, as our perfect Sacrifice. He took upon Himself the punishment we deserved. He was judged in our place. We are the guilty ones who deserve death, but He died instead of us. The Tanach teaches that we are all sinners and there is no one that does good (Psalm 14:3). We are all condemned to die. But the good news is that Yeshua died for ALL of us. We are all guilty, but He bore the guilt of us all. All of our sins were laid on the Messiah. He who was sinless, was treated as a sinner for us. As our Substitute He took our sins upon Himself.
He did not die for a few, He died for the many. The One died for all. He poured out His soul unto death. He bore our guilt and was punished for our sins. Sin demands death (see Gen. 2:17 in the Torah and Ezek. 18:4). Yeshua died instead of us and paid the death penalty in full. The LORD, who is the righteous Judge of all the earth, is now completely satisfied that sin’s penalty has been paid. Because of what the Messiah did for us, the LORD is able to provide for us complete forgiveness of sins: "For I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more" (Jeremiah 31:34 and see Psalm 103:10-12).


What Must You Do?
Believe, my friend, believe. Believe all that is written in the Tanach, all that G-d told us about the Messiah. Do not harden your heart to what is written. Put your faith in Yeshua for the forgiveness of your sins. Remember, you are one of the chosen ones. You can reign with Messiah after He returns to vindicate your nation and deliver you from all of your enemies with His great might and power. Just say, “Yeshua, I need You to save me from my sins. I believe you died for my sins. Forgive me for my rebellion. Help me to understand who you are. Give me eternal life so I can reign with you and serve you in your holy temple on our beloved Mount Zion, amen”.