Jesus is at the center of everything in the Bible. He’s the Creator of the Universe and all things in it. He gave Adam and Eve the one rule that they should not break. He was a friend to Abraham and gave the Law to Moses. And, He paid for all of our sins, from Adam to the last soul saved, on a cruel cross because He loved us. And, when Israel is Redeemed, it will be through the New Covenant that He made with us almost two thousand years ago.
(We will talk about the New Covenant given to us and soon to Israel.)
We see the moment of their recognition that Jesus was and is their Savior, here:
Zechariah 12:7-14 When They Consider That Jesus Was Their Savior
https://israelsaved.com/zechariah-127-14-when-they-consider-that-jesus-was-their-savior/
In Zechariah 12, the nations have gathered together to take Jerusalem from Israel, from the Jews. But, God gives the people of Jerusalem the ability to fight, so much so that the weakest will be as mighty as David. It goes on to say that the alufim (aluf means general or chief, alufim is plural) of Judah will be emboldened by the success of the people of Jerusalem.
Furthermore, God says in verse four:
4 In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.
Those of you who have read my book Ezekiel’s Fire, know exactly what this is, and how God does this. We will also talk about that when we get to the section of verses describing Ezekiel’s Fire. This also sounds exactly like the coming of Gog and Magog, but from a different perspective. And yes, we will talk about Gog and Magog later, also. Because God describes the redemption of Israel when this massive army comes and is destroyed. I pinned down the timing of that event in When Gog Comes. And yes, the redemption of Israel also occurs in passage above.
This means that Zechariah 12 is talking about Gog and Magog. But, just as Isaiah said this in 28:13:
But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Well, God has laid a trap for the scornful in verse 10, and I have seen many trapped by this verse because they are unwilling to believe that Israel will be saved long before the Great Tribulation. They would lose too much to accept this And, to tell you the truth, you don’t really need to know Hebrew to figure out verse 10. But first, let’s give the verse:
10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
First of all, that is clearly the salvation of Israel. There can be no question of that, and most won’t challenge that interpretation of this verse. The problem comes arrives here:
they shall look upon me whom they have pierced
That’s clearly Jesus, right?
So, does Jesus show Himself in the sky so that they can see Him?
And, since many of you are ready to nod your heads that this is the case, let me tell you that this is NOT what happens and tell you why:
The word for ‘look’ is not ‘see’.
Here’s the Hebrew word that means ‘they shall look’: הביטו (hee-bee-too)
It means far more than just seeing. In fact, it doesn’t actually mean seeing at all. It means consider. Here are a number of examples of how translators have used that word in its numerous verb forms, and I give links to the interlinear and highlight the same word in each verse below:
Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
– Psalms 13:3 (KJV)
And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.
– Isaiah 5:12 (KJV)
For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
– Isaiah 18:4 (KJV)
Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.
– Isaiah 51:2 (KJV)
That one is especially interesting since the almost exact verb form is used in Isaiah 51:2 as in Zechariah 12:10:
הביטו (ha-bee-too)
And, remember Isaiah 51:2. We will talk more about that verse later.
But, I’m going to keep giving you verses, since this is vital for you to understand.
All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile.
– Lamentations 1:11 (KJV)
Notice how that verse makes a distinction between consider הביטה (ha-beet) and see ראה (r’ah).
Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, and children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?
– Lamentations 2:20 (KJV)
Notice that Lamentations does the same thing again. The word for behold is see (ראה) and the word for consider is (הביטה).
Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
– Habakkuk 1:5 (KJV)
Habakkuk also does the same as Jeremiah in Lamentations. He says Behold ye ( ראו; see, command form, 2nd person) and regard (הביטו; consider, command form, 2nd person).
There are a lot more examples that you can consider here for the this word that James Strong labelled H5027:
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5027/kjv/wlc/0-1/
Now, you’ll notice that James Strong claims that root is נבט, and he claims that the pronunciation of that word is Nah-bat. His pronunciation is definitely incorrect, and the word נבט actually means to sprout or to bud in my rather hefty Hebrew English dictionary. And, I will trust Eliezer ben-Yehuda over James Strong.
Why?
James was a good man with good intentions. And, his Strong’s Concordance was a blessing to the Body of Christ. I have nothing but the highest regard for him and his work. And, it is useful. But, when God said this:
For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent
– Zephaniah 3:9 (KJV)
God did that using a man named Eliezer ben-Yehuda, so I will trust HIS understanding and pronunciation of Hebrew more than James Strong. I do not doubt that God used James Strong, but the hand of God was upon Eliezer ben-Yehuda to make sure that modern Hebrew was a pure language.
We will get to Zephaniah 3, when we talk about Ezekiel’s Fire. And yes, Zephaniah 3 speaks of Gog and Magog and the Redemption of Israel.
Isaiah 51:2 Proves That Zechariah 12:10 Is Not About The Return Of Jesus
Because God used the same language in Isaiah 51:2 that He used in Zechariah 12:10, it proves that Zechariah 12 is NOT the Second Coming. It proves that it is not the Battle of Armageddon.
What it proves is that this is the Coming of Gog and Magog and the Redemption of Israel. Even more important, it also proves that this must happen LONG before the Great Tribulation, but that proof must wait a bit. We need to finish our description of how Jesus will be a part of the Redemption of Israel.
The Seed
Isaiah 65:8-12 The Return of Jacob
https://israelsaved.com/isaiah-65_8-12-the-return-of-jacob/
Now we come to the more mundane passages. In Isaiah 65 we see that God does not destroy the children of Jacob or more specifically Judah, because God has a blessing, a Seed that will com out of Jacob and an Inheritor of His mountains will come out of Judah. Both words, Seed and Inheritor, are singular.
Where have we heard this before?
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
– Galatians 3:16-19 (KJV)
So, this is proof that Isaiah is talking about Jesus. But, this passage does something else. It says this about the mountains of God in Israel:
“mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there“
And, in verse 65:10, God says that Sharon will be a fold of flocks:
“for my people that have sought me”
That’s actually a little distressing since that means that all the urban areas of the Sharon Plain will be destroyed. It’s one of the most heavily urban areas of Israel.
Then, God speaks to the Israel of Isaiah’s time that He is going to slaughter them. But, as He said in verse 16, He will leave enough of Jacob and Judah so that His Seed and His Inheritor will come forth – Jesus. And then, the people who seek the Seed and the Inheritor will be blessed.
However, only the third of the people in the Land of Israel who call upon the Lord, will be saved. And, every time that I think of how many Israelis will die, my heart aches. And, it aches even more when I think of the billions who will die. But that is a discussion for another time.
The Savior Comes
Isaiah 61:1-3 The Savior Comes
https://israelsaved.com/isaiah-61_1-3-the-savior-comes/
Jesus quoted this in Luke 4:
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
– Luke 4:17-21 (KJV)
But, notice where He stopped in Isaiah 61, and this is interesting:
…and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
The question is this, “Why did Jesus not include the part about vengeance?”
This is important because there are two possibilities:
The Vengeance of AD70
The Vengeance upon the nations at the Redemption of Israel, in the Last Days.
I am biased towards the second option because of what verse three says. Verse three hasn’t happened yet.
By the way, for Jesus to look and find that specific passage would have been awe inspiring for everyone listening. There were no chapters and verses at the time of Jesus. So, he had to really know where and what He was looking for.
The Bible was not divided into chapters until 1227 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton. Rabbi Nathan divided the Hebrew scriptures into verse in 1448, and Stephanus did the New Testament in 1555.
This is also why some of the chapter divisions and even verse divisions are deeply incorrect. However, they’ve been generally useful, so we keep them – warts and all.
Israel Shall Know God
Isaiah 52:1-6 Israel Shall Know God
https://israelsaved.com/isaiah-52_1-6-israel-shall-know-god/
This verse specifically tells us that they will know the name of Jesus:
6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.
Isaiah 52 is about the coming of Jesus and how fantastic Jesus will be to His people and what the world would see. Then, we see the suffering Messiah in 52:14 but Isaiah 53 really shows us the great sacrifice that He made for us.
We rejoice in that Jesus saved us, but that salvation hasn’t come to Israel yet. But, Isaiah 52 says that it will.
Light To The Gentiles
Isaiah 49:1-7 Light to the Gentiles
https://israelsaved.com/isaiah-49_1-7-light-to-the-gentiles/
There are people who claim that the one being spoken of in this passage, the one who brings the Light to the Gentiles and is the Salvation of Jacob. Please never do that. It’s blasphemy.
This is about Jesus, the fact that Jesus was and is a light to us, and the one who will save the Children of Jacob.
Oh, and that reminds me. Notice that Jacob was not a follower of God until God changed his name to Israel. And, I think that this is often an extra emphasis that the Israel of today is not saved.
The Mercy of God
Isaiah 63:7-14 The Mercy of God
https://israelsaved.com/isaiah-63_7-14-the-mercy-of-god/
Notice this powerful phrase that we all hold dear to our hearts because it shows that Jesus was afflicted in our afflictions:
“In all their affliction he was afflicted,”
Now, notice the context of that verse:
7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.
8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.
9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
This means that the pre-incarnate Christ was their Savior and bore their afflictions.
Now, did He do this on the Cross?
Yes, definitely. There can be no doubt that every sin committed by Adam up unto the last soul saved will have had their sins and afflictions borne by Jesus on the Cross. But, there’s more to that.
When we suffer, our Lord suffers with us. He walks with us through that Valley of the Shadow Death. He helps us step forward when the best that have is to just stand – if even that. As I write this with shaky hands and barely enough strength from the cancer and the medication I take for it… I walk that Valley and there are times when I can barely just stand – like today. But, it has been four years, two books (soon to be four) and five websites.
I could not have done it, if Christ hadn’t walked with me through it and the Holy Spirit giving me the words and our Father granting me the time. How much time won’t matter when my job is done.
Jacob Redeemed
Jeremiah 33:14-18 Jacob Redeemed
https://israelsaved.com/jeremiah-33_14-18-jacob-redeemed/
This is the future Redemption of Israel, before the Great Tribulation. But wait, it says this.
18 Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.
How can this be, when Jesus was the final sacrifice?
Jesus paid for all of our sins!
How is it possible that there would be sacrifices?
Well, there won’t be. Carefully read that verse again. The Children of Levi will survive, and have survived, to the Last Days. They will reach the time of when Israel is saved.
Do you remember what Isaiah 28 said about knowledge being here a little, there a little, that scorners would be destroyed?
Well let’s look at that again:
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14 Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
– Isaiah 28:12-14 (KJV)
That’s right. Those who trip over verse 18 are the scorners that God has meant to go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
We have a foundational precept that everything stands on, and that is the finished work of the Cross. If you do not believe that Christ paid for every sin from Adam to the last soul saved, then you have lost your way and need to return to the right path.
Do not join the scorners who believe that Temple sacrifices will return.