Exodus -13 - Exod 4:17-23 JESUS AND ISRAEL

There are four purposes to the podcast teaching series on the Torah.  There are two studies, this one on the book of Exodus and a second on the book of Genesis.  The four purposes can be found at this link – click here for the four purposes of this study

A major purpose is to listen to THE VERY WORDS OF GOD when Jesus said …

"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me.”(Joh 5:39)

 

Jesus said this between 24-30 A.D. and in those days there was no New Testament.  So, those first disciples, like the 120 who were on the Mt. of Olives the day Jesus ascended to the Father, all they had was the Hebrew scriptures, the Old Testament (nothing “old” about it), and this is what they used to change the world; they used the Old Testament to proclaim the Gospel, the Kingdom of the Lord, the crucifixion and resurrection of Messiah, they used it to testify about Jesus, who He is and why He came.  Just read what Stephen said before he was murdered in Acts 7 - all his scripture references are from the Hebrew scriptures.  Therefore, if this is the case, we should “see” Jesus in the Old Testament. 

In those days 24-30 A.D. the primary books of the Hebrew scriptures were the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers , and Deuteronomy.  And we ask ourselves the question again and again, how did they “see” Jesus, how did they hear the Torah that testifies of Him?  That is one of the main purposes of this podcast Bible study series. 

In this lesson focusing on Exod. 4:17-23 we read that Israel is God’s son, His first born son.  This is so amazing.  For us this reminds us of another son of God, His ONLY begotten son, Yeshua, our Lord, Jesus.  How are Israel and Yeshua connected?  It is almost as if you can’t take Israel out of Jesus and you can’t take Jesus out of Israel.  They are intimately connected.  Just consider a few verses in Isaiah that talk about Israel. God’s servant that also clearly mean Messiah, Jesus, God’s servant.

 

Isa_41:8  "But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend,

Isa_44:1  "But now listen, O Jacob, My servant, And Israel, whom I have chosen:

Isa_44:21  "Remember these things, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant, O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me.

Isa_45:4  "For the sake of Jacob My servant, And Israel My chosen one, I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor Though you have not known Me.

Isa_49:3  He said to Me, "You are My Servant, Israel, In Whom I will show My glory."

And then we come to Isaiah 53 and we read about the ONE who has the following characteristics …

He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. (Isa 53:3-6)

Is this “servant” of the Lord? Is this Israel?  But wait a minute.  Let’s study Isaiah 53 very closely and we find …

But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. (Isa 53:10-11)

The servant of the Lord is Israel.  The Bible says it.  But, the servant of the Lord is the ONE in Isaiah 53 who is Jesus.  How can Jesus be the servant when the servant is Israel?  How can the servant be Israel when the servant is this suffering one, Jesus?  How can Israel be God’s first born son when God’s ONLY begotten son is Jesus?  It seems that you can’t take Jesus out of Israel nor Israel out of Jesus. 

Come and join us. Be like one of those disciples in 24-30 A.D. who lived by obeying John 8:31-32 and studied Torah to see that all scripture testifies of Jesus.  In this lesson we will again see how the Torah testifies of Yeshua HaMasiach, Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the Christ in these dramatic events of the Exodus.

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - click here for the teacher's background