Several years ago in 2012, tens of thousands of Jewish people gathered at the NY Giants Met-Life Stadium in Rutherford New Jersey, and other arenas throughout the country to celebrate many years of daily study of the Jewish Talmud.
“Nearly 90,000 Orthodox Jews bowed their heads in communal prayer at MetLife Stadium on Wednesday night to open what rabbis hailed as the largest celebration of Jewish learning since the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 A.D. [NY Times Article By Sharon Otterman, August 1, 2012]
It is important to note here, that the Jewish Orthodox people (and most other Jewish people) do not believe that Jesus is the true, and promised Christ (Messiah). The Bible makes it very clear that there is a spiritual veil which remains upon their hearts which can only be removed, when they turn to Jesus Christ. Listen to these powerful words from the Jewish apostle Paul, a man who had that same spiritual veil removed when he turned to Jesus Christ.
But their MINDS were BLINDED: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. (2 Corinthians 3:14-16)
The Jewish apostle Paul knew exactly what he was talking about, because he had that same “spiritual veil” upon his own heart, up UNTIL the moment when he “turned to the Lord Jesus Christ” for salvation. Paul wrote the following words in that very same letter.
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath BLINDED the MINDS of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
The gospel of JESUS CHRIST is what people need to hear in order to get SAVED. When a person turns to the Lord for salvation, there is a “spiritual veil” which is lifted from the mind (heart), and that is a work of Almighty God himself. That is EXACTLY what happened to me when I got saved. If you have NEVER had that “spiritual veil” lifted from your mind (heart), then YOU are NOT saved at all! Paul said that the “god of this world” has blinded the minds of those which BELIEVE NOT, and you must understand that Paul was talking about Satan (the Devil) when he said that. I had my own mind (heart) blinded by Satan until the moment of my salvation. Satan is an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY mind blinder, and he blinds the minds of both the JEW and the GENTILE! That book contains simple teachings from the Bible, and it is CHOCK FULL of scriptures, so that anyone can KNOW the TRUTH and be set FREE!
The Jewish apostle Paul knew what it was like to be in such deception, and he was very grieved because he knew that those who die without faith in Jesus Christ, would be lost (in Hell) forever. That is why Paul wrote the following words:
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: (Romans 9:3-6)
The Jewish apostle Paul knew that Jesus was in fact the true Christ (Messiah) and the one who was promised to come in the flesh (physical). Paul had such a love for for his fellow Jews that he wished himself accursed, so that his fellow Jews might be saved! So here we are two thousand years later, and nothing has really changed much at all. The Bible makes it clear that Jesus Christ was the promised seed (descendant) of David who would sit on his throne, and that took place when Jesus Christ rose from the dead!
And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. (Acts 13:21-22)
The scriptures promised his own people (Israel) that God would raise up a Saviour unto them and that he would be a descendant of David, and that man was Jesus Christ.
Of this man’s [David’s] seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: (Acts 13:23)
This is not something that is going to take place in the future, but it is something that has already taken place two thousand years ago. To reject Jesus Christ is to reject salvation. Why? Because Jesus Christ was the only sinless man to ever walk this earth, and because he was the promised passover “Lamb of God” who could, and would, atone for our sins. (John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:7, Isaiah 53:1-12) The very proof that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, was his resurrection from the dead. The only hope for Jew or Gentile is to put your faith in the one who rose from the dead, the one who atoned for our stinking sins with his precious blood. (Romans 5:6-9)
When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose. (Acts 13:24-25)
John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus Christ, and he knew that there was coming a person whose sandals he was not even worthy to untie!
For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead: (Acts 13:27-30)
It is so sad that the tens of thousands of Jewish people gathered at Met-Life stadium do not recognize that the very scriptures which they possess, speak of the Messiah Jesus whom they reject! They “knew him not” (that’s Jesus) nor the voices of the prophets (in their own Jewish scriptures), and thus they fulfilled those same scriptures when they desired that he be slain. God always has the last word, and he raised his Son Jesus the Messiah from the dead. Jesus knew that the Old Testament scriptures which included the books of Moses and the prophets, testified and spoke about him, but they were still adamant in their rejection of him. He offered them eternal life, but they refused it then, and most refuse it now!
And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (John 5:37-40)
The offer is still open to ALL people (Jewish or Gentile) who desire to be saved.
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own [the Jewish people], and his own [the Jewish people] received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:10-14)
Jesus also made it very clear that the unbelieving Jews would die in their sins without him:
“Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” (John 8:21-24)
After Jesus was butchered on the bloody cross, he rose from the dead and preached with the same authority that he did before he was killed:
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:15-16)
Could the Lord Jesus Christ have been any clearer in the way he preached? He said that the believer would be SAVED, and that the unbeliever would be DAMNED! He was talking about those who would spend eternity in Heaven, and those who would spend it in Hell. How much POWER and authority does the Lord Jesus Christ have right now?
“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, ALL POWER is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matthew 28:16-18)
Folks do not buy into the modern day lie that there is a temporary postponement right now for the Jewish people, and that God will deal with them AFTER the rapture of the church. That is one of the Satan’s greatest deceptions of all time. The day of salvation is NOW, and the plan of salvation is EXACTLY the same for both the Jews and the Gentiles as it has always been.
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9:27-28)
“Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” (Proverbs 27:1)
Hello Don and and I thank you for your inspiring words my brother in Jesus Christ. I just checked my WordPress site right now at 9:45 PM EDT and I spotted your comment. I just read your comment to my wife Cathy and I also read your previous comment to her also. I thank you for your prayers also. It is totally awesome that you are starting another congregation and that the fire of God is still burning inside your heart at the young age of 85. I previously printed numerous Bible tracts including testimonies and evangelism tracts but I have not done that recently. I have been thinking about doing that again though, and I agree that the truth is needed so that it can be put into people’s hands. Once again I thank you for your kind words and we cherish your prayers also. We will pray for your churches also. Are your churches located in the USA? Thanks for writing brother Don, and be blessed in the Lord!