Jesus Saves

There is one and only one true God of the world. He is the God who revealed Himself through the Jewish people. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He also made an eternal covenant with Abraham that speaks to His whole creation. In it He declared His desire for a relationship with all people through a promised blessing we know in the person of Jesus. He made these communications in a very personal way. Abraham and Moses had personal interactions with the powerful God of our world. 

God desires a personal relationship with each one of us. As awesome and powerful as He is, He comes to us in equally powerful love and intimacy. No other faith or god knows this kind of relationship. He also came to us personally when He sent Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus came to us through a human birth as a child of Mary and Joseph in Israel just over two thousand years ago. The long promised Messiah, Jesus, came in the most humble circumstances. The evidence of God’s desire for intimate and personal connection to all of us. Jesus emptied Himself of all He possessed in Heaven to assume a human body like ours.  

Why did God choose the Jewish people to bring His salvation for all people? He did this for at least two reasons. First, He provided an historical record of His covenant faithfulness. The Bible chronicles genealogical and life experiences of the people's history pointing to Jesus’ coming. He also provides a single people group whose choices and failures are detailed illustrations that picture the same choices and failures we all exhibit. We have no excuse. God cannot be clearer in His demands for His creation. We have all sinned and we all fall short of God’s standards for holiness. 

We have only one hope. We must come to God. The truth is that God actually comes to us first. He loves us so much that He gave His only Son, Jesus, to satisfy God’s holy standard. He even fills the world with evidence of His existence and efforts to draw all people to His offer of salvation. The Jewish people experienced His presence in the most intimate way, yet for the most part rebelled against God. In the Hebrew Bible, Isaiah says, “We all like sheep have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way, so God has laid on Him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all.” 

The entire human existence centers on the one pivotal event most important for all in history. Jesus died on a cross for the sins of all people. He also defeated the death we are all confined to. He walked out of his tomb after three days. He lives so we can all live after death. 

Since Jesus’ death and resurrection, people have created religions of their own thinking. We continue to disobey God by adding our ideas to God’s simple offer of salvation. People want to decide for ourselves what we think God wants from us. Rabbinic Judaism adds human ideas and rejects Jesus. Christians add human effort as well, and each place human authority over God’s authority. The nations of the world have created false gods. We know they are false when they reject the God of Israel. 

God will always draw people back to the simple truth. Listen to Jesus, “I am the Way the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Our world today is running headlong in its rebellious path of destruction in denial of God. We are seeing wars, violence, hatred and evil increasing everywhere. The greater the rebellion, the clearer and brighter the hope of God’s simple message of salvation is in Jesus. Jesus’ light shines greatest in darkness.

The Jewish people were central in God’s revelation of Himself and His offer of relationship with us. The Jewish people and Israel will be central in the culmination of God’s relationship with people here on Earth. God is faithful and will be faithful to all His promises for His people, Israel. His faithfulness extends to all His people throughout the whole world. He is bringing all of us to the point of decision every person must make. What will you do about Jesus? Will you believe in and accept Jesus into your heart? Will you love God as He loves you? Will you turn your life in the new direction and serve God with all your heart?  

When we love God, our hearts are intertwined with hearts of love for the Jewish people. God created love so we could mend barriers with Him and between all others. The antisemitism in our world today is evidence of our hatred for God. If you love God other people will know it in your love for all people, especially the Jewish people. They were the first, ‘God’s people,’ in order to draw all people to God. 

I just made arrangements to be in Jerusalem next fall for the High Holy Days. My deep desire and prayer is that I will see a genuine spiritual movement in God’s people. When the world sees fulfillment of God’s blessings on the Jewish people in their salvation, the world will see the brilliance of God’s glory in it.

Jesus is coming to reveal Himself to His people, Israel. He will save the Jewish people when the people of the whole world will come against them. The Hebrew Bible relates the prophecy in Zechariah 12. They will turn to Jesus. First, in great sorrow for their rejection, and then great joy for their acceptance! Before salvation there is brokenness. Israel will be the picture for the entire world. God will use Israel’s brokenness to draw the world to Himself.  

I can attest from my own experience, when my mind and heart were opened by the Lord to the awareness of God’s love. The awakening is an experience no one can fully describe and must be personally known to appreciate. For one who is Jewish, and has been kept in bondage for centuries in the denial and hatred of Jesus, the awakening will be life transforming. When your Jewish Messiah is finally revealed and embraced there will be joy beyond description.   

I pray daily for the spiritual restoration of Israel. As the Apostle Paul prayed, “My heart’s desire and my prayer to God for Israel is for their salvation.” I also pray for your spiritual restoration with the God who loves and calls to you now. Come to Him so that all will be one in Jesus!