REVEALING JESUS AS MESSIAH

A Portrait of the Messiah and His People

Stuart D Sacks

Christian Focus

© Stuart D. Sacks

ISBN 1-85792-311-1

Published in 1998 by Christian Focus Publications Ltd

Geanies House, Fearn, Ross-shire

IV20 1TW, Scotland, Great Britain

Cover design by Donna Macleod

CONTENTS

Preface

1. The times and heart of Isaiah

2. Preparing for the Servant

3. Behold My Servant, whom I uphold (Isaiah 42:1–4)

4. A Covenant to the People … A Light to the Gentiles (42:5–7)

5. Listen to Me … Before I was born Yahweh called Me (49:1–7)

6. The Sovereign Lord has opened My ears, and I have not been rebellious (50:4–9)

7. Behold, My Servant (52:13–15)

8. Who has believed our message? (53:1–3)

9. Truly He took up our infirmities (53:4–6)

10. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter (53:7–9)

11. He will see his offspring (53:9–12)

12. Freedom for the captives (61:1–2)

13. Realising our true identity

Preface*

It’s been nearly forty years since I studied and worshipped in what was one of my home town’s oldest structures, Beth Emeth Synagogue.1 Located in the heart of the inner city, I drove by it recently to observe the massive red-stoned building, now abandoned and boarded up. I thought back to the many Sabbaths spent there, remembering bits and pieces of liturgy and textbooks. I could still recall the old rabbi’s voice with its carefully measured cadences and occasional drone-like character. Somehow his thoughts always seemed a bit too erudite for someone of my tender years. My fondest memory of him was the evening he prayed with me. I had been a troublesome teenager and had managed to run afoul of the law. I sought out the rabbi and we prayed that God would get me on the right path and help me turn away from anything evil.

Finding the power to lead a godly life was somewhat more problematic.

Although there were no more conflicts with the police, there was an inner conflict yet to be resolved: my conscience was devoid of peace. Many years would pass before I turned to the pages of Scripture and learned of Him who was pierced for my transgressions and crushed for my iniquities, whose punishment procured my peace.

A chief obstacle to my belief in Jesus (the New Testament’s equivalent to Joshua) was what seemed to be its ‘unJewishness’. In the twelfth century ad, the Jewish scholar Maimonedes wrote thirteen principles to help characterize the essence of Judaism. The third of these statements declares that God is incorporeal. ...