The previous claim was also tied to Y'shayahu / Isaiah chapter 49:6. The verse reads:"It is too light for you to be My servant, to establish the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the besieged of Israel, but I will make you a light of nations, so that My salvation shall be until the end of the earth." When read in context it is clear that G-d is speaking of Isaiah, who from before his birth was selected to be G-d's servant. Isaiah's messages were to return the Jewish people to G-d in Torah observance. In Y'shayahu / Isaiah chapter 49:6. G-d tells Isaiah that his message of solace to the Jews in exile that they will eventually return to Israel and a time of peace (global) -- the messianic era. As Isaiah is G-d's servant and light to Israel, his messages will also be a light to all the nations of the world. The Jewish people, as a nation of priests, will extend Isaiah's messages and visions to the rest of the world. G-d is speaking in this verse. Pay special attention to "I will make you a light of nations" You. This message was given to Isaiah 700 years before Jesus was supposedly born. If this were about the messiah who would be born hundreds of years after Isaiah G-d would have said "him." It does not say "him." G-d says "you." Isaiah's message, which is the message of the Torah and the Jewish nation. Not Jesus. How do we know that this passage is, by extension, the Jewish nation? "Learn and observe [the Torah] for it is your (Torah is our) wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the nations, who will hear of all these laws and proclaim that this is truly a great, wise and understanding nation. (the Jews). " D'varim / Deuteronomy 4:6. In the book of Isaiah itself G-d tells the Jewish people that they are a light to the gentile nations: Y'shayahu / Isaiah 42:5 - 6 "So said G-d the L-rd, the Creator of the heavens and the One Who stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and what springs forth from it, Who gave a soul to the people upon it and a spirit to those who walk thereon. I am the L-rd; I called you with righteousness and I will strengthen your hand; and I formed you, and I made you a covenant for the people, for a light to nations." The Jewish people are a light to the other nations of the world. In the days of the Temples Jews brought 70 sacrifices on Sukkot for the benefit of the 70 nations of the world. G-d made the Jewish people a nation of priests and the Temple was a house for all peoples (not just the Jewish people -- read Solomon's dedication of the first Temple). "And also to the stranger, who (is) not of Your people Israel, but will come from a far country for the sake of Your Name. For they shall hear of Your great Name, and of Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm, and he will come and pray toward this house. You shall hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calls You for, that all peoples of the earth may know Your Name, to fear You, as (do) Your people Israel, and that they may know that Your Name is called upon this house that I have built." M'lachim Alef / 1 Kings 8:41-43. G-d is the G-d of all people. The role of the Jewish people is to be a light to the nations through our observance of His mitzvot and spreading the word (by word and action) of His love for all of mankind. When it came time to sacrifice seventy oxen during the seven days of Succot as an atonement for the seventy nations of the world, they sacrificed thirty-five oxen in behalf of the nations from Ishmael and thirty-five for those from Esau. See Bamidbar / Numbers 12. Isaiah was Jewish. As a prophet he was given messages for the Jewish people and the nations of the world -- he, too, was a light to the entire world. Isaiah was a Jewish prophet bringing a message to the Jewish people and the nations of the world. Isaiah's vision has been partially, but not completely, fulfilled. It will not be realized until the days of the real messiah when the entire world will know there is one G-d. That has not happened yet. There are approximately 2 billion Christians in the world -- but there are over 7 billion human beings alive. Of those 7 billion 1.6 billion are Muslims, 1 billion Hindus, 500 million Buddhists and so on. . . Isaiah's vision of global knowledge of G-d has not yet come to pass. The messiah has not yet arrived. Acts 13:47 may claim "For this is what the L-rd has commanded us: "'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'" It's easy enough to make a claim -- claim to be the President of the United States and see how far your assertion will take you to moving into the White House. Isaiah was G-d’s prophet, bringing a vision of hope, worldwide peace and global knowledge of G-d for all mankind. That day will come, but no matter what the list maker claims or the Christian bible professes-- look around you. It is not yet here.
1 Comment
Frank
5/28/2017 12:15:07 pm
This was another great article to show from Tanach that you can't just make some thing up, your whole study notes on a messiah that is not the true one.
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