Father's Day Sermon: Penitential Prayers and Promised Messiah

Prayers of repentance and God’s answers:
A study in Daniel 9

Given by Bob Mendelsohn
Father’s Day: 3 September 2017
LCM Churches, Lane Cove, NSW

Salutation
Thank you Darren, and all the staff, and all the volunteers who make LCM such a great place in Lane Cove, among His people on the North Shore. Thank you for welcoming me again this morning to teach in our congregation’s series on the book of Daniel. I’ve been assigned chapter nine, and I’m grateful to share this with you.[Online folks, the entire text is at the bottom of this blog]

Introduction
In a couple weeks on 20 September, Jewish people worldwide will pray penitential prayers, confessing sins and entering into what is known as the Ten Days of Awe or Ten Days of Repentance with serious considerations of sin. This might make sense to you, here at Lane Cove, that Jewish people should do that, but some of you might know that most Jewish people don’t think much about sin, that is, throughout the year. We give ourselves to good works, to charity, to benefiting the world, but not to our own measure or level of holiness. Sin is a Christian issue, most would aver, but not one with which we have to deal. But this season speaks differently and certainly today’s reading in Daniel 9 screams loudly that this is not the case. In this passage we’ve just heard read it is clear. [If you are listening online, please pause this talk just now and read the whole 27 verses, then come back to hearing what we are saying. Thank you.]

Daniel, as you have been learning here at church, is a noble, great character, the kind of guy you want to have at youth group. The kind of man you want to work with you in the next office. He’s the kind of person you want in your home group. He knew when to speak and when to be silent. He knew that God was able to do amazing things, and yet, even if He didn’t, Daniel was going to trust Him.

So in today’s reading we see Daniel taking on board the sins of the Jewish people so as to bring them to the Almighty and for Him to deal with them in His timing. And we see God’s promise of a Messiah to come, to be the hero/Savior we need to deliver us from the very issues Daniel is confessing.

I. OBSERVATION OF THE TIMES
Before we look at Daniel’s lengthy prayer and God’s answer, let’s note what prompts it. Babylon is now ruled by a king of Median birth, as Jeremiah had promised (51:28). The punishment that Jeremiah threatened (25:12–14) has begun. The restoration of the exiles (Jer 29:10), and the restoration of Jerusalem that Isaiah and Ezekiel promised, ought therefore to be imminent. Thus we can imagine an exilic Daniel noting the passages in Jeremiah 25-29 that spoke of a seventy–year exile and wondering about their fulfilment; Zechariah, after all, did so.

What prompts Daniel’s prayer is observing the situation. When King David raised an army, people came from throughout the land to sign up. Of note were “the sons of Issachar, who were men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do.” (1 Chronicles 12.32) These were people who listened to their prophets and saw the signs of the times. Listen, to make changes, you have to know when change is required. Alarms might be annoying to you when you hear one outside your home, but you can be sure that the alarm is designed to assist, not to annoy. Someone is being burgled, or a smoke alarm notifies us of imminent danger with fire or such. A red light on your car’s dashboard may bother you, but be sure to get to the servo sooner rather than later to see to the problem. Alarms signal problems. Only the foolish dismiss such alarms.

II. PREPARATION FOR PRAYER
That God has spoken through the prophets (Amos 3.7) does not mean that all the believer needs to do today is sit, Fin Review and ABC radio at hand, awaiting the outcomes. The appropriate response to prophecy is prayer. And before Daniel goes to the Temple to pray, before he sends out an email and shows on Instagram his bent knees, he readies himself. He drops everything. He cancels his appointments. He wakes early. And the book says, he ‘gave my attention’ but the Hebrew says he “gave his face” to the Lord. That means he got serious about things. Nothing else mattered. He turned off the TV. Face to face, he stood before God. Five things were used: prayers, supplications, fasting, sackcloth and ashes. Physical reminders of significance. And conversation with the God of the universe. Daniel had seen the signs; he knew the 70 years were up. The kingdom had changed, Darius was now king, the Medes ruled. Now he moves to prayer. And it’s a serious preparation of prayer that begins.

I don’t know how you pray. Some close their eyes. Some bow their heads or bend their knees. Some sing. They say, “He who sings, prays twice.” Whatever you do to pray, getting into a new position, or into a new chair, lighting a candle or wearing special accoutrements …whatever you can do to prepare, do it. Knowing that the bent knee doesn’t impress God. The scent of the candle does not notify Him that He needs to turn and listen more closely. All of the preparation is for us, for our ‘giving our face’ to the Lord. His hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear too dull that he cannot hear. Our prayerfulness is about our rigorous honesty with Him.

III. PRAYERS FOR SELF/ FOR THE PEOPLE
This set of confessional prayers in chapter nine of Daniel are similar to the Selichot, the penitential prayers said on the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah in the modern Jewish religion, that will be the 16th September this year. Most Jewish gatherings, certainly prayer meetings, happen in the daytime, but the Selichot prayers are offered around midnight. They are prayers and responses, sometimes sung in chorus, or merely uttered by individuals to get God’s attention, to remind Him to be merciful, to remind ourselves that we have sinned. The Hebrew word, “Selichot” means “sorries” and the root of that word is used in our text today at least two times.

The Midrash relates that King David was anguished when he foresaw the destruction of the Holy Temple hundreds of years in the future, along with the cessation of the offering of the sacrifices. “How will the Jews atone for their sins?” he wondered.

G‑d replied: “When suffering will befall the Jews because of their sins, they should gather before Me in complete unity. Together they shall confess their sins and recite the order of the Selichot, and I will answer their prayers.”

That’s how the rabbis dealt with their losses, and the obvious problem of the lack of blood sacrifices. I appreciate their challenge and their conclusion, but their answer is dead wrong. We do have to look at current settings and make determinations about our lives and our religion. To be sure. Daniel certainly did just that as he observed the times.

The answer to the situation of our losses, however, is not to commend ourselves. We have no good works in ourselves, we admit on Rosh Hashanah. So why do we count our prayers as ‘good enough?’ In verse 18, Daniel says, “we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion.“ The only way to be sure of God’s answers is not to commend ourselves. Israel (and dare I say Sydney Anglicans) has never been worthy of high praise from heaven. Every prophet in the Bible has nailed our people again and again with words of rebuke, our disregard of the Almighty, our failure to live justly in the land or outside the land. Our sins are ever before Him. What can we do? Perform good deeds? As if that would be enough?

Look, if you kill a guy and go to court, saying in your defense that you will do better next time, that’s a good resolve but the issue is the murder, not the future goodness you might demonstrate.

Our prayers of repentance bring God’s answer, if we are counting on His compassion. Even our prayers are not enough; God alone is our salvation.

a. Prayer begins with Praise
Daniel prayed for himself, he prayed for Israel, he prayed that God would exalt Himself in our midst. In verse 4 Daniel starts with prayer the way prayer should always begin, “God, you are…” Prayer begins with acknowledging who God is. Nehemiah began his prayer with the same words. (9.13) Joel uses this same phrase. (2.13) These are the words of God to Moses in Exodus 34 “Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.” (v. 6) Even Jonah prayed this prayer with anger, saying something like, ‘God, I knew you were like this…that’s why I didn’t want you to send me to Nineveh…’ (4.2-3) Prayer begins with preparations of self and then in verbiage with praise for who God is. Tell God who He is. It’s a reminder to ourselves; it’s a reminder to the Almighty.

b. Prayer of intercession continues with confession of sins
Verse 5: We have sinned.

Who sinned? Daniel said, “we have.” In reality, they have. But owning our national or civic or family sins.. that’s the mark of a saint. Corporate identification by a man of God for the people of God. This is a mark of humility which was evidenced in his sackcloth and ashes prep work. These are the words of a man who wants the work of God in his own days. And the list of sins is comprehensive.

We have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances. Moreover, we have not listened” …unfaithful deeds which they have committed against You. Open shame belongs to us.” so the curse has been poured out on us.

As a result of all this sin, shame, even open shame is ours by right. By the way, “open” is the word for ‘face’ again. Shame in our face. Shame on our face, like a cream pie in an old sight gag, but this time, it’s mud and grime, and wickedness all over us. This, Daniel says, is the curse which has been poured out on us. We cannot hide it.

Prayer began with situational setting, then moved into praise and then confession of sins.
Daniel litanizes God’s righteousness and His right to do whatever He wants. He has declared His will in His word, so, Daniel alleges, please be consistent as you have been. And in the midst of this massive confessional, again Daniel reminds both himself and God that “To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness”

This is consistent with God in the Scriptures, he says. in
v. 11: oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him.;
v. 12: He has confirmed His words which He had spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us
v. 13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us.”

c. Intercession required identification.
For truly intercessional prayers, the identification with the people is required of the intercessor. It’s not a “God bless those guys” type of prayer. It’s a God, help us! The use of the first person plural is uncomfortable for some. It is for me. When I see people sinning, what does that have to do with me? But the corporate nature of our community, of our nation, of our country, of Israel.. it’s not to be missed. The Enlightenment and our tall fences outside our houses made us think we were islands, all alone, but the reality is that we are in this thing together.

How many times do you share what you believe with people and they answer you with “I don’t need church. I can pray on my own at home.” And to be fair, that has a good amount of truth in it. But what they don’t see is that we together are the church, and each of us is merely a blade in the lawn of grass, which when a larger foot comes along to trample us, will succeed if we are not joined together in the community. We need one another. We support each other. We hold each other accountable. And when it’s time for prayer, it’s not private. It’s corporate. That’s why we say, “Our Father” and not “My Father who art in heaven.” “Give us this day our daily bread.” Get it?

So when Daniel prays about Israel’s sins, he lists himself as a member of the needy community. We have sinned. We have failed. We are wrong. God have mercy.

Verse 20, he confesses his own sins, and the sins of Israel. That’s honorable. That’s how this intercession works.

IV. GABRIEL SHOWS UP: PROMISES MESSIAH
The final section of chapter nine may well be said to be God’s answer to Daniel’s prayers. By the way, many rabbis won’t let their students read the end of this chapter until they are 30 years old. You will see why in a moment. The chapter ends with a description of some more messianic credentials.

As this angel explains, there are some numbers, or years, some famous personages and events, and some radical fixes that are going to take place.

The problems Daniel talked of in his prayer are going to be met with a divine answer. Even as Isaiah has said, “The Lord Himself” will do something. Here we see three things that will hallmark the answer to Daniel’s prayers.

1) Messiah will die The death of Messiah was startling to me to read about in 1971. I had been raised an Orthodox Jew in the US, in Kansas City. There I learned about Messiah and about our religion. But I never knew Messiah would have pain and suffering in his own life. I knew we Jews were to suffer, and by that we would bring good to the world. I knew Messiah would conquer evil, but that he would suffer and die? Totally new to me.

Had I read the sources I would have learned that Rashi, the famous medieval rabbi, one of the top 5 rabbis of all times, taught Messiah would die and his son or grandson would take over. In 1994 a rabbi died in New York. Not surprising, since there are 2 million Jewish people who live in the environs of that great city. But this rabbi, Menachem Schneerson was different. Some had touted him to be the messiah. Some to this day continue to say that about him.

When he died that summer of 1994, tens of thousands of Jews gathered from around the world there in New York City to honour him but beyond that, to await his imminent resurrection. The rabbis teach that the spirit of a man hovers over a corpse for three days, but on the fourth day it departs. The rabbis and those who claimed Schneerson, The Rebbe, was the messiah were not surprised by his passing. But after he didn’t rise from the dead by the fourth day, they left his gravesite. Verse 26 says “Messiah will be cut off.” Cut off from what? Like Isaiah said, “cut off from the land of the living.” In other words, He would die.

2) Messiah will die in a certain timeframe
The business of the calculations of the 70 weeks, or 62 weeks, or the 7 weeks, is all a bit confusing. Let me tell you this, there is no agreement among scholars on this one. But looking at the events of verses 25 and 26, there seems to be some marking that might help. Verse 25 says the time clock can begin ticking when you “know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah”. OK, when was this decree? Under Artaxerxes in the year 444 BCE. That’s when the permission was given to the Jewish people to go back and fix the Temple and the City.

And in verse 26 we read the end marker of the time period, “the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the City and the Sanctuary” and we even know what sanctuary we are addressing, from verse 24 “to anoint the Most Holy Place” (kodesh k’doshim). The ending is the destruction of the most holy place for Jewish people (obviously the Temple) and the City (Jerusalem) which will take place in 70 CE.

Looking at those two markers and using ‘weeks’ to mean ‘years” which would be consistent with Daniel’s use the 70 years and the use of a variant of the Hebrew word for ‘weeks’ anyway, then after 483 years between 444 BCE and ending by 70 CE, the Messiah had to die. However we calculate this, and in this book by Moishe Rosen, this prophecy is unpacked in a mere 3 pages with great clarity, we know Messiah will die during what you and I and historians and archaeologists call “The Second Temple period.” And with the weight on the weeks in the end, Messiah will die in what we call “The First Century.” No wonder so many rabbis won’t let their students read this passage until later on in life.

3) Messiah’s death will bring atonement
Finally we get to the purpose of Messiah’s death. It says in verse 24 to “finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness.” The purpose of the death of Messiah is to answer the prayers of Daniel, to fix what is broken in our world. He will heal all the brokenness of lives, of families, of governments. He will put an end to wars and vanities. He will make the wolf lie down with the lamb. He will restore all that is broken in our lives. And set up His Kingdom once and for all. The Forever Father’s Day will be seen as we read last week, “One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed. (7.13-14)

What a day of rejoicing that will be!
What Jesus did in dying for us on the cross, in the First Century, exactly 483 years after the edict to restore Jerusalem, brought victory and salvation, in answer to Daniel’s prayers, in answer to Isaiah’s prayers, and to Hannah’s prayers. Now here’s even better news for most of you-- it’s not only for Jewish people. Messiah died in fulfilment of prophecy. What Jesus did was to bring in a dominion which is “for all the peoples, nations, and men of every language” Even Kiwis. Even Brits. Even those who barrack for the Hawthorn Hawks. Even all you Gentiles.

The scandal of God’s redemption for all people was never hidden from view in the Scriptures, but dismissed by many throughout time. I missed it. Most of my Jewish people miss it. Don’t you miss it. The Word is for all peoples. For your neighbours. For your friends. For those you don’t like.

Let us bring them the Good Word of the Lord. Let everyone hear. Messiah has come; Messiah died. He rose again. He lives today. And Messiah will come again in glory. Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

What other lessons do we learn for our lives today from Daniel 9?
First, see the situation, whatever that is, at work, at home, in your personal life. Evaluate it on the basis of Scripture, and your own heart. Be honest. Rigorously honest.

Then, Intercede as the situation demands, for others, include yourself, of course, but widen it, to include your community, your church, your family.

Wait for God’s answer, for it will surely come, maybe not as quickly as you request, but be confident, that’s what faith requires.

Finally, celebrate the God who answers in His time. He is worthy of all praise. He has done all things necessary to receive such accolades.

I’m happy to be part of this family of faith for the last 19 years. Patty and I along with our kids moved here in August 1998, and it’s been a good innings. We are honoured to be part of your financial considerations as well, as some of you have been giving to Jews for Jesus for a while, and others are invited to do so today, using that white card, or the tap and go credit card machine I have in the back at the resource table. [If you are listening online, you can give to Jews for Jesus on PayPal or on our website, ]

Please fill out that white card; please extend to us the privilege to share with you again as a result of that filling out the card. So many Jewish people are listening, at our book shop, in their homes, around the globe, in Berlin, Jerusalem, on the streets of Budapest right now, and here in Australia.
Thanks for your prayers for us.
Thanks for interceding for us and along with us, for the Jewish people, during Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and throughout our days, until Messiah returns.
What a day of rejoicing that will be.

Shalom.
For those online, if you want to join us for Rosh Hashanah in Bondi Junction, register here using “Free ticket” button. We are happy to host you. Thursday 21 September. 11 a.m.


Text of Daniel 9 for those without it:
Dan. 9.1 ¶ In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans —
Dan. 9.2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
Dan. 9.3 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
Dan. 9.4 And I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,
Dan. 9.5 we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly, and b rebelled, even turning aside from Thy commandments and ordinances.
Dan. 9.6 “Moreover, we have not listened to Thy servants the prophets, who spoke in Thy name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land.
Dan. 9.7 “Righteousness belongs to Thee, O Lord, but to us open shame, as it is this day — to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which Thou hast driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against Thee.
Dan. 9.8 “Open shame belongs to us, O Lord, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against Thee.
Dan. 9.9 “To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, 1for we have rebelled against Him;
Dan. 9.10 nor have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His 1teachings which He set before us through His servants the prophets.
Dan. 9.11 “Indeed all Israel has transgressed Thy law and turned aside, not obeying Thy voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him.
Dan. 9.12 “Thus He has confirmed His words which He had spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us, to bring on us great calamity; for under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what was done to Jerusalem.
Dan. 9.13 “As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Thy truth.
Dan. 9.14 “Therefore, the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.
Dan. 9.15 “And now, O Lord our God, who hast brought Thy people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and hast made a name for Thyself, as it is this day — we have sinned, we have been wicked.
Dan. 9.16 “O Lord, in accordance with all Thy righteous acts, let now Thine anger and Thy wrath turn away from Thy city Jerusalem, Thy holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Thy people have become a reproach to all those around us.
Dan. 9.17 “So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Thy servant and to his supplications, and for Thy sake, O Lord, let Thy face shine on Thy desolate sanctuary.
Dan. 9.18 “O my God, incline Thine ear and hear! Open Thine eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Thy name; for we are not presenting our supplications before Thee on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Thy great compassion.
Dan. 9.19 “O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Thine own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Thy city and Thy people are called by Thy name.”
Dan. 9.20 ¶ Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God,
Dan. 9.21 while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering.
Dan. 9.22 And he gave me instruction and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding.
Dan. 9.23 “At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision.
Dan. 9.24 ¶ “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.
Dan. 9.25 “So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.
Dan. 9.26 “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.
Dan. 9.27 “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

Who is the messiah? Jesus in the Older Testament

This is usually delivered as a public address

Introduction: Comments from text

May you understand more about our Redeemer and Messiah Yeshua. May you have more confidence in His Holy Word, the Bible. And may you care about witnessing to the Jewish people, my people, even more than you do now. 

"And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. While they were talking and discussing, Yeshua Himself approached and began traveling with them. (verse 16) But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad.
 

One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. (verse 21) But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.”  

(verse 25) And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?" Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.  (Luke 24.13-27)

We see from the text a picture of the situation in Jerusalem that first Easter day. There were no lilies or trumpets. There were no Hallelujahs from the people of God. Rather the situation was bleak. Cleopas and his travelling companion (maybe even his wife?) were despondent. They were sad, the Bible says, almost depressed. (In verse 21) They had hoped Jesus would redeem Israel. By redeem, don't think about blood and forgiveness; they meant physical and political redemption. Think Passover and the national deliverance of the Jewish people at once from an oppressor.  They believed that Messiah would remove Rome from the Temple area and allow Jews to worship freely again.  Back in the 1980s the same could have been said about the Russians. Then there were three million Jewish people living in the Former Soviet Union. And when Messiah came, he would help Jewish people be free. Not that we wanted to win a war against Russia or in Bible days to beat up Rome, but that we wanted to be free to live a life without political oppression and with religious freedom. And well, this Jesus, he had not accomplished that political redemption. Hence, their disappointment.

The situation grew worse as it was now (again in verse 21) “the third day.” According to Jewish folklore, when a person dies, his spirit hovers around his corpse for 3 days, then on 4th day his spirit leaves... the person is officially dead. Maybe that helps you understand why Jesus waited two extra days to heal his friend Lazarus. Or the quote from Psalm 16 in Peter’s sermon on Pentecost.

You might know of the ultra Orthodox Jewish men with sidecurls and hats and long coats. Their rabbi/leader died in 1994 in Brooklyn, New York. He was a rabbi of over 90 years of age. His name was Menachem Schneerson. Some of his followers claimed him to be the messiah-- a claim he never denied. So when he died, tens of thousands of his followers-- from Israel, Australia, South America, all over--gathered and waited by his grave, fully expecting him to rise from the dead. That is, they waited until the 4th day. When he stayed dead, the crowds dissipated.

Those Jewish people in 1994 were right. Messiah would die. They were right that Messiah would rise from the dead. They were wrong though; Messiah was not from Brooklyn. We’ll talk about what they should have known in a few moments.

Finally Yeshua can take it no longer. (verse 25) He interrupts them, calls them "fools" (not Raca or empty-head, but rather 'not seeing things from God's point of view), and he conducts a Bible class with them. This would be an amazing sermon I want to see when I get to heaven.  Imagine Jesus gave his great sermon here, to two people. And only two people. I need to always remember that, to teach well, to the many or to the few. And most of my ministry is to the few. I teach Jewish people in Sydney one by one.

The verse tells us “Beginning with Moses” which means “the five books of Moses” or the first five books of the Bible. “And all the prophets” meaning the rest of the Older Testament. “He explained to them the things concerning Himself.” (verse 27) What might have been included in that sermon? The Bible doesn’t tell us directly, but there was a list of messianic prophecies that were known as the testimonia and later found in recent days in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Using the three recognized sections of Jewish Bible: Law, Prophets, and Writings, let's look at three passages today. First please turn to Genesis chapter 3.

Now while you turn, let me ask if you enjoy jigsaw puzzles? If I understand it correctly, the way to do them is to open the box, dump the pieces onto the table, put all the pieces right-side-up, and then put the box top away. You look finally one last time, and put the box top away. The way to do a puzzle is to put the pieces together one-by-one and watch a picture emerge. I'm going to ask you to do what I ask Jewish people I meet with, to do. Put the box top of your own convictions, what you already believe about Messiah, put it away. And let's let the Bible puzzle pieces come together, and let's be honest with what we see. Is that fair enough?

Torah

First we look at Genesis 3, in the story the Garden of Eden, we read a curse on the Serpent, whom we later know to be Satan, the enemy of God. That curse on him is actually a blessing to the woman and the people who will come. This is found in verse 15. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”

We see 3 puzzle pieces here.

1) The child who will come is the child of the woman.

No big deal right, everyone who is born is born of a woman, right? Not in Judaism. Abraham begat Isaac, (Where was Sarah?). Isaac begat Jacob (Thank you Rebecca). Men have children in Judaism, obviously not biologically, but genealogically. So the Bible could comment on biology by calling the messiah ‘son of man and woman’ or genealogy (‘son of man’), but it doesn't. It starts with an exception. The text doesn't say "virgin birth," but it anticipates it.

2) “Bruise the head of the serpent.” This is a picture of conquest. This is certainly consistent with what I learned about Messiah, when I was a boy in the US. As an Orthodox Jew I always knew the Messiah would conquer. There were two enemies for us when I was a young man. (Russia and Russia). It was after all, the time of the Cold War and Russia was the enemy for US people, and also there were 3 million Jewish people who were not allowed to practice our religion in the Former Soviet Union. Thus Russia was the enemy twice.

When Messiah comes, we learned, Messiah will conquer. Remember the image of taking land, planting the flag for the conquering King. And in Romans 16.20, God will crush Satan under your feet soon.

3) “Bruised in heel.”  Wait a minute! What kind of messiah gets wounded? I always thought the Messiah would conquer. Now the text says he will be wounded.

No wonder Yeshua in Luke 24 tells Cleopas, “ought not the Messiah to have suffered and then entered into his glory?” (verse 26)

Cleopas, didn’t you ever read that? Bob, didn’t you ever read that? Yes, we Jewish people read this passage every September or so in synagogue. But don’t you ever see things that you just don’t see? We’ll talk more about that later.

I was the third of three children in my father’s house. As a result I rarely received new things, but rather ‘hand me downs’ or used items. So when I asked my father when would I receive a new bicycle, he would say, "Yeah, yeah, when messiah comes". So I really hoped for the coming of Messiah.

If I’d read the sources, like Genesis Rabbah, a Talmudic rabbinical interpretation of this passage, I would have seen them quoting Isaiah 53 and the one who would take our punishment, but I didn’t really learn that particularly.

Needless to say, to read here that Messiah would be wounded, that was a surprise.

Do we have enough to conclude what our photo/puzzle is?

Not yet.

Prophets

So let’s turn to Micah 5.

Mic. 5.1 “Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops; They have laid siege against us; With a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek.

Mic. 5.2 “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephratah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”

Here we see three more puzzle pieces.

First, a repeat of the last.  The text tells us that the Judge of Israel will be beaten on the face with a rod. Cleopas, didn’t you ever read that before? Bob, didn’t you ever read that one either? Again I say, we often see things, but don’t really see them. So here again, this wounding of the Messiah was a very big surprise to me, but it’s right there in the text. Ought not the Messiah to suffer?

What if I mention to you the “Fed Ex arrow.” Do you know what I am referencing? Some of you will understand but many will look unsure. Let me show you this. 

 You’ve seen this truck hundreds of times, but do you see the arrow? Now do you see it? All over the sanctuary people are pointing this out to each other. Let’s look even closer. 

See the white arrow between the orange E and orange X?

Do you see what I mean? You have seen this over and over again, but you never saw it. How is that? In the same way, Jewish people have read and re-read these passages in the Hebrew Scriptures and still haven’t seen the One about whom they speak. It takes someone like me to point out the arrow on the FedEx logo to you, and it takes someone like you to point out the Messiah to your Jewish friend. Once you see it, you will never not see it again. I can almost guarantee that some of you will become proselytizers about the arrow to all your friends next time and every time you see the truck go by. And that’s the essence of evangelism, but more on that in a few minutes.

2) Birthplace of Messiah. Bethlehem. How strange a place. It’s too little to be among the Where's Where in Israel. Not significant.

We know it from the Christmas carols that this is the birthplace of

Messiah, but the ancients didn’t know that. Remember the wise men from the east (Matthew 2:1) came to find the one born under the star. They followed the star and found the baby. But on their journey they asked for help in finding him. They came to Jerusalem to ask for the king. Of course, kings are born in capital cities, not in the back woods, like Bethlehem, but in proper main cities. That’s why they traveled to Jerusalem.

So what a surprise it must have been to the magi to hear “go to Bethlehem” because that’s what Micah the prophet declared.

The third puzzle piece is even more of a surprise. The text uses the phrase "from long ago" (Mikedem...which could be translated ‘from the East’). This is not so much geographical east as it is chronological east. And what happens in the east? The sun rises. So this phrase has the meaning of ‘before the sun rises’ in the east, or what we commonly would say “Way back when.” Or in theological terms: ‘eternity past’. And so the question has to be asked, “Who is an eternal being?” Only God. So somehow God takes on flesh and is born in Bethlehem. Any candidates?

Do we have enough info to conclude what our puzzle looks like... not yet.

Writings: The Psalms

Turn with me to Daniel chapter 9. 

Dan. 9.24 ¶ “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.

Dan. 9.25 “So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.

Dan. 9.26 “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.

35 years ago I was a teacher of high school mathematics in Kansas. I tell you that not to seek for tutoring duties, but to tell you that numbers don’t bother me. I understand however, that numbers and math might bother you. But don’t worry, when we discuss the math in this chapter, you will understand very well. Trust me.

Here we see three more puzzle pieces.

First, Messiah will die.  That’s what the expression "Cut off and have nothing" means. Messiah is wounded, then wounded again, now dead. I never learned that as an Orthodox Jew in my youth. If I'd really read the sources, I would have found Maimonides who said, "messiah will die and his son or grandson will take over." No wonder the Lubavitchers were not surprised when their rabbi Menachem Schneerson died back in New York in 1994. Some rabbis don’t let their students read this section until they are 30 years old.

Ought not the Messiah to suffer?

2) Time of the death of Messiah. This is when the numbers might get a bit confusing to some. The Hebrew word for ‘weeks’ is a variant of the usual word and thus some versions of the Bible translate the word as ‘sevens’ or ‘units of 7.” Thus 69 'weeks' is really 69 'units of 7 things'. So just think 70 x 7 or about 500 things. I don’t mean to make light of the precision of the Bible, in fact, it’s very precise. But I’m trying to help you using approximations and without a blackboard.

Then the text tells us what those things are. They are years. Note the beginning date is 'issue of decree to restore Jerusalem" (v. 25) which happened about 450 BC. Then the closing date is when the 'people of the prince who is to come will “destroy the city (Jerusalem) and the sanctuary (v 26) (Temple)” which is 70 AD. So we have about 500 years. And near the end of the period we see the death of Messiah.  

If you want the precision of the dating pick up this book Y’shua by Moishe Rosen, founder of Jews for Jesus. There we see that Messiah died on a Friday in 30 AD using the dates in this section, but if you miss it, note the big picture, as Messiah died in what we call “The First Century.”

3) Finally, the purpose of the death of Messiah. Verse 24. "to bring in everlasting righteousness ...to forgive...to take away iniquity..." The purpose of the death of messiah was not to give me a bicycle; it was to forgive us our sins, and to make us clean before God.

So, let's look at our puzzle pieces.

We have a messiah, son of a woman not of man and woman, born in Bethlehem, wounded and beaten and dead, who died near the end of the 2nd Temple period, actually in 30 AD, who was eternal, and died for our sins and by that conquered the works of Satan.

Any candidates? Honestly, is your box top away? What picture of Messiah do you see in our texts?

I think there is only one answer. His name is Jesus.

Let's return to Luke and share some final thoughts.

You may ask me, why are you here telling the church all this good information? Why aren’t you telling Jewish people all this?

My answer? I do! This is one of the methods we use in sharing the Good News of Messiah with our Jewish people.

I came here to give you this lesson for several reasons.

First, I want you to trust the Bible that much more. We only looked at a few Bible passages and it’s true and clear. The Bible also tells you about you, about how you and God are to get along together and how you and your life should work. You can trust the Book!

2) Jesus was a great teacher, but Cleopas and mate didn't 'get it' not until 'then their eyes were opened' (.16 'eyes were prevented'. .31 'eyes were opened'). And you didn’t see the FedEx arrow until I showed it to you. So I want you to know that you have to pray for Jewish people to ‘get it’, as mere words cannot convince anyone.

I believe that as the community of faith prays for Jewish people that God listens and answers. I hope our partnership in the Gospel includes this important prayer partnership.

Thirdly. In verse 44 Jesus uses all three sections of Tenach to teach them that he was Messiah (just like we did in our lesson tonight)

You might ask me, if God is responsible for opening the eyes of people, then what role do we have in helping people find God?    To that I say that we have to preach the Gospel to people. Look at the biblical injunction from Jesus himself: (verses 46-47) “AND that repentance'... If you believe in the death of Christ (.46) and the resurrection of Christ (.46), then you have to believe in the proclamation of Christ. (.47) And that message has to go to all people, to the Jew first and also to the Gentiles.

This may be the simplest way to explain our role. God wants us to do the mouth thing; he will do the eye thing. He opens eyes and we open our mouth. We preach and God opens the eyes of Jewish people and all people to his message.