A CURIOUS RABBI'S SON


The World, the Word & You! Broadcast
Commentary by Dennis L. Finnan

On today's broadcast, I'd like to comment on an amazing paradox! It is perhaps one of mankind's deepest areas of misery and conflict, as well as a source of joy and peace. What is this paradox? It is the subject of religion. Regardless of which religion anyone may embrace, every faith is "an absolute," upon which each of us basis our life and living. Yet, one of the ironies in the history of the two greatest religions founded upon the same God and principle, is the strained relationship between the Jewish people and the Christian Church. In a moment after our first musical pause, I'll return to present a Judeo/Christian happening in history, that changed the world for thousands upon thousands of people. Stay tuned.

When we speak of religion, especially the Jewish and Christian faith, we must of course realize there is much in common between them. For instance, in the beginning era of the first century, when the Christian faith was born - the overwhelming majority of believers were dedicated Bible-believing, God fearing -- repentant Jews! Why even the founder of the Christian faith, Jesus Christ Himself, although the infinite God/Man, was Himself born a Jew. Moreover, so were some of the greatest apostles and prophets upon which the Christian faith was founded. Men like Paul of Tarsus, was a Jewish Pharisee, then we think of the apostles Peter, James, and John, all of them Jewish men. In truth, we see the strong Hebrew background that produced Christianity, as we know it to this day.

Yet, in spite of this, there is an almost unbridgeable chasm between the Jew and the Christian existing for almost two thousand years! When you read the New Testament, especially the Book of Acts, one finds out how the Christian faith soon moved away from a predominantly Jewish background. In Acts chapter two, the Spirit of God reports how the Christian church was born, out of a Jewish prayer and worship meeting. We read in,

Acts 2 (NIV) "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them… 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say … 21 everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 22 "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know… 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear… 36 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Many in the crowds that day believed, and upon understanding and believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, these Jewish believers saw in Jesus the absolute and unmistakable fulfillment of Jewish prophecy, concerning the coming of the Messiah. For the Old Testament foretold of His promised entry into humanity's stream. This Messiah, the Bible says would come and save the Jews from their sins. However, the prophecies, as they talked about saving Israel, always included the Gentile world of humanity too. For instance in the Bible we are told:

Genesis 12:1-3 (NIV) "The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.""

You see friends, God organized and preserved Abraham's descendants for His ultimate purpose ¾ to reconcile a lost world to Himself. Yes, God chose a man, one single man, Abraham, through whom God would bring to pass this marvelous work of love and grace. It was prophesied that through Abraham's children, God would bring and preserve His wonderful life saving and life changing Word. Through Abraham children, God would example what it meant to have an intimate loving relationship, with a holy just God. A relationship that would bring great inner and external blessings, so much so, that it would cause the mouths of the unsaved nations around her, to hunger after, and desire - the same forgiveness and grace God extended to Israel.

But most amazing of all, God chose to use Abraham's children, to bless the world in bringing -- the Messiah, the Savior, the Lamb of God who would forever cleanse mankind from its sin and destruction, that awaits all the rebellious children of Adam.

Indeed, the people of Israel are a marvelous wonder of God. In fact, every human being should be eternally grateful for their love of Jehovah God, for His Word, and for His purposes down through the centuries preserved through them. Are you aware, that two of God's greatest plans for humanity have already been competed? The first is the fact that today we have the "finished work" called the Word of God ¾ all because of the faithfulness of Israel to zealously preserve it for us in obedience to God.

Secondly, our humanity has experienced the entrance of the Savior, the second person of the Triune God revealed in Scripture, who has Himself brought all men into a position to receive His absolute forgiveness and corresponding gift of Eternal Life. Yes, God the eternal Word and Only Begotten Son became a man by miracle of the Virgin Birth, and entered our world as human flesh and became the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ, who died for all man's sins. So Scripture states in,

John 1:14 (NIV) "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Now, because of these two wondrous miracles, the miracle of Preservation of His Word and Creation of the Messiah come in human form, I personally want to take a moment and express my gratitude to our great God and the ancient people of Israel, whom I love unendingly for being the instrument of providing both for us ¾ which together has brought about my being blessed of God , as promised to Abraham long ago. Alas, such a story has not a happy ending. For when the promised, prophesied Messiah came - we read in,

John 1:9-10 (NIV) "The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him."

Wonderfully, the Church was born through the fact that many faithful Jews did recognize "Jeshua" as their Messiah. They saw in their Scriptures that only Jesus of Nazareth could be that promised One. For instance, The Bible clearly predicted that their Messiah to come, would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Scripture also predicted the manner of His birth - he would be born a miracle child, having no earthly father in origin, only the seed of God fused into the seed of a virgin woman. This was precisely predicted in (Isa. 7:14), and fulfilled -- in Jesus Christ!

Isaiah 7:14 (NIV) "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."

Additionally, the Bible predicted the Messiah would come through the bloodline of the Tribe of Judah, and through King David. Therefore the uncorrupted genealogical records had to be checked before anyone could verify his ancestry. This amazing fact, proves any claim to Messiahship would have had to occur before 70 A.D. For at that time, all the records of the genealogy of Israel were forever destroyed. But thanks be to God, Christ came before then and had absolute proof of the credentials of His lineage for fulfillment of prophecy. However, in addition to His miraculous and registered birth, the Bible also predicted in great detail the outcome of His life and even his death experience. It states in Scripture that the Messiah would undergo a rejection by the very people He came to first save. In Isaiah it says

Isaiah 53:3 (NIV) "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not."

Isaiah 53:5 (NIV) "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."

In addition, it speaks of the exact manner of suffering and death the Messiah would undergo at the hands of those He came to save. Again we read,

Isaiah 53:5,7-12 (NIV) "5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities. 7…he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied ; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

What glorious truth! God's infallible, fully inerrant Word, predicted hundreds of years before Christ came - His authority and claim for the throne of Heaven. Yet, our Jewish friends and their forefathers rejected their Messiah as a nation, because they had not carefully read their very own Scripture.

However, God always works good out of evil and sin. For out of Israel's national and temporary rejection, the Christian faith and Church was born through faithful Jews who did believe and receive Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Lord. Since that time, God moved out through the first Church established in Jerusalem, founded in Acts chapters 2-4, and called on the rest of the world to receive the blessing promised to them through Abraham's descendants.

So today the Church, although predominantly Gentile, has many, many Jewish believers who generally like to call themselves MESSIANIC JEWS. Now, it's a broad term, but it simply identifies,

" faithful Jewish men and women who have taken the time to read their Bibles and discover that their Jewish ancestor Jesus of Nazareth indeed was and is their chosen Messiah. And after receiving Him into their hearts by repentance, prayer and a dedicated life of good works and righteousness lived according to the Word of God - they now await the 2nd Coming, also promised of their Messiah."

This Second Coming of course, is to set up His literal kingdom and to fulfill God's promises to Abraham in that everlasting covenant God made with Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 12:1-3). Now I've said all that, to prepare you to listen to a story I want to share with you --a most interesting story of a Curious Rabbi's Son.

A little over a century ago there was a thirteen year old Jewish boy in Poland who was deeply interested in his heritage and faith. His father was a rabbi, who loved the Word of God and his calling. One day the father invited a group of Jewish leaders in his home for a discussion and fellowship. Young Solomon Ginsberg, now of age, sat breathlessly near them enjoying their company and their wisdom. On the table next to Solomon, was a worn copy of the TENACH, [Jewish Bible]. Solomon casually lifted it and it amazingly fell open to the book of Isaiah chapter 53. There in the margin some words seemed to be scribbled. Young Ginsberg read the words. It said " To whom does the prophet refer in this chapter?" Innocently, Solomon was intrigued after reading Isaiah 53. He interrupted his father a Jewish Rabbi, and asked him to explain the words in the margin. His father went silent. So Solomon repeated the question written down, thinking he hadn't heard. Suddenly his father lunged toward him and angrily slapped his face and slammed the book closed! Young Solomon was dumbfounded and hurt, but never forgot that incident.

Well things didn't go well for Solomon after that. Under his Jewish heritage, a marriage was arranged for him which he forthrightly refused. So much so, that he ran away from home to live with his uncle in England. Solomon worked for his uncle and grew to early manhood. One afternoon while walking on White Chapel Street, a Jewish Christian missionary stopped him and said: "Are you Jewish?" Solomon proudly replied "yes!" " Good", the man said. "I want to invite you to some meetings tonight at Mildmay Mission House. I'll be speaking from the Book of Isaiah, chapter 53." At the sound of that text, a light went on inside, and Solomon's heart leaped - he instantly remembered the "unanswered question" he gave his father some years ago, that created such a stir. Well, Solomon wouldn't miss that night for anything - so he went and attended.

During the preaching, the missionary reverently spoke that this prophecy showed proof that the promised Messiah of the Jews, was to come first and to suffer and die, before He came to triumphantly rule and reign on behalf of Israel. After the message, the missionary approached Solomon Ginsberg and asked him "can you believe this?" Solomon was uneasy and disturbed deep inside. Finally he said "I, I don't know. You see my father is a Rabbi." Well the preacher said, "why don't you read the New Testament and then ask yourself - is Jesus of Nazareth the promised Messiah as predicted in Isaiah 53?" Taking the challenge, he said "all right," so Solomon received a copy of the New Testament to read for himself.

Solomon went home and opened the book. Upon reading it, he couldn't put the book down. Something inside him was crying out to know the truth concerning God's promises to him and his people.

So Solomon read through the entire New Testament that night. However it was at Matthew 27:25, he was stopped cold. The Bible said concerning the Jews response to the death of Jesus - " His blood be on us, and on our children." Young Ginsberg's heart jumped a beat and trembled. It was dawning on him that his very own people, had rejected the true Messiah!

Yes, Ginsberg, a son of Israel was coming to real Bible faith, and the consequences of it were almost beyond acceptance. He knew if he embraced Jesus Christ as His Messiah, his family would cut him off forever and disown him. So for the next three months Solomon was a most miserable person. He couldn't turn his back on the Messiah who cried out to Him from the Scriptures and His heart. Yet, he couldn't face losing his family he loved - what a predicament! In all it brought nothing but misery for Solomon.

Well one day three months later, after hearing another message from the Jewish missionary's teachings - it seemed that God was speaking directly to him from Matthew. 10:37 -for as the missionary mouthed the words, it seem as if Christ Himself was speaking personally to him saying, " He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me." That night, Solomon's indecision was forever slain! Well, when the message was concluded, he arose and publicly cried out " I want to be worthy of Jesus!" And at that moment - as it has for millions of other souls who yield all to the Kingship of Christ - the burden of sin, the load of guilt both seemed to fly away!

But the path of his future was cast too. Solomon Ginsberg went home to his uncle and told him what he learned and what he now believed! As he spoke the words of trusting in JESHUA as HIS MESSIAH, His uncle was pale and walked away from him. That was the last Solomon ever saw of his family - for they actually held a "ceremony of death" on behalf of him. His uncle even discharged him from work, and the rest of the Jewish community refused to hire him ever again. He was now as dead to them.

Now disowned, disinherited, and totally alone - he was able to enter into a fuller fellowship with the Spirit of God that indwelled him, and Who at this moment alone brought him inner joy and a deep desire to share Christ with every other person he knew.

Well, Solomon's Messiah and Savior was not about to abandon him. God went to work for Ginsberg and led him to enroll in the REGIONS BEYOND MISSION COLLEGE, where he graduated in the year 1890. Solomon Ginsberg, a son of Israel, then became a missionary for Christ His Messiah, and went to do pioneer Gospel work in Brazil. There, God led him into the dangerous jungles, and situations where men and wild animals put his life in constant peril. He was persecuted by the Roman Church, stoned by angry mobs and even imprisoned for his missionary efforts to tell others of His Messiah and Lord Jesus Christ. But God was faithful to this young man who was willing to read and come to understand the Word of God His people had faithfully preserved, but never really understood.

Solomon Ginsberg labored on in Brazil for 31 years, serving valiantly, and God honored his work. History records that more than 21,000 people came to know Christ and dedicate their lives to His Messiah, His Lord, His Jewish ancestor and God, Jesus Christ. To this date, many parts of Brazil are solidly Christian, because of one curious rabbi's son.

Yes, God is interested still in redeeming His ancient people Israel, and He will preserve them, even supernaturally for the day - when God will bring in what the Bible calls, "Jacob's trouble" ¾ a time of Great Tribulation when our Creator God will unleash on the earth His wrath against sin and sinners, and His disciplining love upon His ancient people Israel ¾ Why? All to bring them to "look upon whom they have pierced" and to receive from Him their promised blessings to Abraham long ago.

But say friend, whether you are a Jew or Gentile - the same offer and need is there in every heart born of Abraham and Adam too. Right now, many are missing their blessing from God, by ignoring the Bible's Word's of love. All humanity needs to look into the Word of God and find out assuredly, that our Messiah our Savior from our sin can only be found in the man Christ Jesus. He in His glory came to earth to, first suffer and die for our sins. But thanks be to God, He has come! He has died, AND He has atoned - onCe for all and forever for the sins of the whole world.

Now a natural question would be - "does this mean everyone is forgiven?" Hardly. This forgiveness, born on the Cross, can only become ours when we repent of our sinful rejection of God and His Son, and we claim His forgiveness through recognition of His Lordship and right to rule our lives now and for eternity!

Yes Solomon Ginsberg was a son of Abraham, a tender seeking Jew who found his Messiah in Jesus Christ. And, happily millions of other Jews are finding Him today. Say friend what about you? Have you found Christ? The Messiah of old foretold and promised? God said to Abraham, "through you, shall all the families of the earth be blessed." That blessing my friend, will only come when you too reach out and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord, your King and your Savior from your sin. Right now, wherever you are - " believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved from your sins."

Friends, the past few years have seen a number of indications that the Lord is speaking to many Jewish hearts, not to mention Gentiles as well. Right now, even in Israel itself there is a significant number of Jews who have received Christ, and being born again are hungry for their brothers and sisters to know Him too. Although I'm a Gentile, and most likely the majority of our listening audience is too - what a wonderful thing it would be if we who are Gentile believers would faithfully pray to the Lord of the Harvest - that Israel might be saved! We owe and undying gratitude for their ministry that has brought us Jesus Christ, and preserved for us - the wonderful Word of God. May that precious Word and our loving Savior be your guide and stay until He comes again in power and glory.

The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures. A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request. These weekly radio commentaries are not exhaustive studies of any particular subject due to the time limit of broadcasting. Actual broadcasts can be heard in selected areas around the nation, as funding provides. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for over 18 years, and serves as General Director.

These transcripts are available free of charge to all who desire them. Also available are actual radio cassette tapes and printed booklets of each message. A free listing of recent messages is available upon request also.

For further information, reprints, or a listing of all topics, please write to our speaker, Dennis L. Finnan(dennis@wwy.org),or visit our webpage at http://www.wwy.org/