God has not always hidden himself from His people. How did the Jews miss God coming as their Messiah Yeshua? Could we fail to perceive Him in our day?
The Jews misinterpreted the law of Moses in light of the Messiah; they misinterpreted the prophecies which foretold Messiah’s coming; they were distracted with hardship of Roman occupation; their leadership was divided and corrupt, and they rejected the revival John the Baptist brought with baptism.
Those who make religion out of scriptures through legalism and works have missed grace and reliance upon the one and only Savior, Yeshua Messiah. Scripture clearly explains that God seeks relationship with His people and all relationships require mutual outreach from each party. God went beyond all standards of cultivating, maintaining and restoring relationship with Israel, considering their refusal to enter the promised land, making a golden calf right before receiving the Ten commandments, rejecting God for a King like the heathen nations, and frequently committing Idolatry.
The Hebrew scriptures include over three hundred prophetic scriptures with specific details of the promised Messiah. The Jewish leadership went to great lengths to ignore, misinterpret and distort these prophecies each fulfilled by Yeshua. The most obvious were the numerous miracles Yeshua performed, including healing a man born blind and raising Lazarus from the dead. The details of His birth in Bethlehem, of the tribe of Judah, coming from exile in Egypt, and most importantly His resurrection from death on a Roman cross were evidence to the Jewish leaders who paid witnesses to spread a lie to cover it up.
The Roman occupation created a harsh environment in Israel during the time of Yeshua’s arrival. The people were crying out to God for relief, but lacked faith and looked only at physical circumstances. They couldn’t see or hear their Savior as they wanted a military victory over Rome, rather than God’s solution coming through Messiah.
The Jewish leadership was divided between Sadducees, who rejected spiritual realities and Pharisees who were legalistic to a fault, both consumed with pride, power and control. They were corrupt willing to lie, offer bribes, even kill their opponents. Finally, John the Baptist brought forth a massive revival with baptism representing repentance from sin and desire for righteous living before God. This widespread spiritual revival set Israel’s attention upon God’s solution for Israel, her long awaited Messiah. While some did accept Yeshua, the majority rejected Him as did their leaders.
Of course, God had other plans including salvation of all who believe from the nations. Before we think we are better than the Jews, consider that we could be caught in the same traps of misinterpreting scripture, ignoring end-time prophecy, forgetting grace in legalism, looking for a life of ease, following corrupt leaders, and rejecting the revival all around us. Yeshua is coming a second time will you recognize and accept Him?
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