How can you believe the Bible is true, when it was just written by man?
First of all, the Bible is the all time best seller for a reason; from a literary point of view (I was in a PhD program in English before the Lord lead me to Computer Science), it's the greatest book of ever written, setting the highest standards of inspiration for poetry, wisdom literature, prophetic material and history. Archeology has demonstrated its historical accuracy (as opposed to the mythology and hero-worship of other literature of ancient times). Scores of prophecies have already been fulfilled (such as the prophetic judgments on the nations surrounding Israel, and finally Israel and Judah, but unlike the nations, the return of the Jewish people, not just once, but twice--see for example Isaiah 11). And the moral and spiritual depth of the Bible is so profound that millions of people have been able to put their trust in what they teaches and live radically changed lives with conviction and integrity.
How can you say you are Jewish and believe in Jesus?
Yeshua (his Hebrew name) was a Jew and all his disciples were Jews. The idea that of Messiah (Mashiach) is Jewish, based on the writings of the Jewish prophets. Yeshua fulfilled scores of prophecies about the Messiah arriving at just the right place (born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), appearing in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1) and time (Daniel 9:24-26 specifies his appearance around 30 CE, before the second destruction of the Temple sanctuary), healing the sick, blind and crippled, and giving hope to the outcasts, teaching the moral intent of Scripture with great wisdom and authority, and finally suffering and dying to take away the transgressions of our people, then rising again from the dead (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53). All these things are profoundly Jewish and go to the core of the purpose of the Jewish people, to be a light to the nations. Yeshua is the light; that's why hundreds of millions from the nations have put their trust in him. Why shouldn't Jews put their trust in one of their own?
If Jesus is the Messiah, why don’t the non messianic Rabbi’s believe it?
Many Rabbis and Jewish authorities have believed in Yeshua, for example Daniel Zion, the Chief Rabbi of Bulgaria through World War II who worked to save thousands of our people from the holocaust and went on to become the Chief Rabbi of Jaffa, among many others). As for those who don't, in some cases, it's because they haven't seroiusly studied the Messianic claims of Yeshua; in other cases, they are afraid of rejection from their peers (many Rabbis who have believed who been cast out of the ministries); and in some cases, they are too proud to admit that they and other Rabbis might have missed the truth. Each one is responsible for the light of truth he has received.
I am Jewish, aren’t all my sins forgiven at Yom Kippur?
No, Leviticus 16 spells out the sacrifices required for atonement on Yom Kippur. Those sacrifices have not possible without the Temple. God requires both full repentance and something of great value--innocent blood--to make atonement for our sins. Orthodox Jews sometimes swing a chicken over their heads and pray, but God's requirements have not changed. According to Isaiah 53, the Messiah would come as a suffering servant to make atonement for all our sins; all our transgressions have been laid upon him, for all who truly repent and put their trust in him.
Aren't messianic synagogues just churches dressed up in Jewish window dressings?
Have you been to one? Check out our web site and watch the video. We worship on Shabbat and observe the biblical festivals; we read from the Torah and pray traditional prayers; we pray Israel and support it with donations and tours, and many of our own make aliyah. Of course, we also acknowledge the authority of the New Covenant which Messiah Yeshua and his Jewish disciples handed down to us, and like them (and David and the prophets before them), we believe in the presence and gifts of the Holy Spirit among us.
If I don’t believe the way you believe, am I going to hell?
Ultimately, God is the judge. But don't kid yourself, God will judge every one of us (see Daniel 12:1-2), and none of us can stand on our own merits, since all of us have broken His commandments. We all need the atonement that Messiah has provided to reconcile us to God.
Judaism believes in one God, what is this 3 gods business all about?
Messianic believers, and all Bible-believers are monothestic. That's why we recite the Shema every Shabbat (and every day). But monotheism means that there the God who revealed himself at Sinai, and through the prophets and the Messiah, is the only God. It does not rule out God revealing himself to us in many different ways. So he revealed himself to Moses as an angel in a burning bush, to Jacob at the top of a stairway to heaven, to Abraham in human form along with two angels that he sent on down to Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18). The Hebrew Bible makes it clear that God is our Father, that the Spirit of God (Ruach Elohim) is God, and that the Messiah is divine (for only God can save us, not a mere human) and to be worshipped in the presence of the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:13-14). These are three important way God reveals Himself to us. Yet there is just one God.
Since you say the Messiah came - where is the peace?
First of all, Yeshua promised he would return, and then he will fulfill the remaining prophecies, including peace among nations.
But before Messiah can establish his kingdom on earth, he must full have citizens. No one can be a citizen of the Messianic kingdom if he is unwilling to follow Messiah, because of pride and sin. So first Messiah came to make atonement for our sins, and to demonstrate the humility and sacrifice that we all need if we are going to truly love God with all our heart, soul and strength, and love our neighbors as ourselves. For those who have put their trust in Messiah Yeshua, he has given shalom in our hearts and grace to forgive and love others as He does.
How could God have allowed the Holocaust?
God has given all humanity and Israel in particular a choice. He urges us to choose life, and experience his blessings. But if we instead choose to go our own ways, the result is death and cursings. Through Moses, God warned our people what would happen if we kept choosing to go our own way rather than the life-giving way He revealed to us in Scripture and through Messiah. Because our ancestors kept disobeying and going after other gods and transgressing his commandments, God allowed Israel to be thrown out of the land with great destruction and death. Once we were no longer in the land, we were at the mercy of the nations, and the nations have also made plenty of bad choices. The blame for the holocaust does not belong to God; it belongs to Nazis who hated our people and to all those who abetted them.
I am looking for a Rabbi that will perform a wedding for my spouse and I. One of us is Jewish and one of us is not. Do you do this?
Yes, I have presided over many interfaith marriages. I would first want you to help you prepare for a successful marriage (after the beautiful Jewish wedding). So let's get together.
We are an interfaith Jewish/Gentile couple with children and have many issues because we are interfaith. Would you be willing to meet with us and/or do you have any good resource material suggestions?
Yes, please check out our web site, www.beitsimcha.org/interfaith http://www.beitsimcha.org/interfaith , and contact us to learn more about what we have to offer to interfaith couples.
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