God is moving in dramatic and exciting ways throughout the world. As the world around us grows darker around us in these turbulent Last Days, the light of Yeshua (Jesus) shines even brighter. God is drawing more and more people to Himself, and among them are a growing number of Jewish people.
In Ezekiel 20:34, God says, "I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm….” We are in a privileged time when we’re seeing this gathering happen before our eyes. God is calling His People back – physically to the Land of Israel and spiritually into relationship with Himself through Yeshua the Messiah.
One of the most powerful things on earth is stepping into ministry where God is mightily moving and joining Him in a work of revival He is doing. Romans 1:16 reminds us that the Gospel is for the Jew first, and God is doing a work of global revival among His People, to bring them to faith in Yeshua as the day of His return grows closer and closer. You can be a part of this work in a number of ways. When you support Jewish Voice or go on an outreach with us, you’re a part of this movement of God. When you share your faith in Yeshua with your Jewish friends and acquaintances, you’re a part of it as well.
Below is an excerpt from How to Share Yeshua, a book by Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Bernis.
Sharing the Gospel from the Old Testament
One of the best ways you can talk to Jewish People about Yeshua (Jesus) is to share the Gospel from the Old Testament.
The Old Testament is the story of man’s sin and resulting separation from God. Beginning with the first chapters of Genesis on through to the last sentence in the book of Malachi, it clearly shows our need for a Redeemer and sets the stage for His arrival.
Jesus Himself incorporated this method as He pointed to Old Testament Scriptures to prove He was the Messiah. Some scholars believe He referred to Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 53, Zechariah 12:10 and Malachi 31:1—all Old Testament verses in this passage from Luke’s gospel.
Acts 28:23 tells us that the apostles expounded on the Scriptures to show that Jesus was the promised Messiah. They used Jewish Scriptures to prove that Yeshua was exactly who He claimed to be – and you can do the same with a little study. The Old Testament can be common ground for Christians and Jews who believe the Hebrew Scriptures are the inspired Word of God.
Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, many references to Yeshua can be found: the virgin birth; the rejection by His People; His atoning death on the cross. Just keep in mind, however, that we must not just assume that Jewish People know the Old Testament chapter and verse. Statistics show that most of them don’t, especially not here in America.
Scriptures You Can Use
There are some particular Scriptures that can help open Jewish eyes to the Messiahship of Yeshua. Some of them are listed here.
Daniel 9:26 is a powerful passage. It states, “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary” (Daniel 9:26 NKJV). This places the arrival and death of the Messiah before the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD. As an added bonus, we are told that the Messiah will be cut off, or put to death, but not for His own wrongdoing.
Proverbs 30:4 clearly refers to God and declares He has a Son. “Who has gone up into heaven, and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the palm of His hand? Who has wrapped the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name and what is the name of His son—if you know?” (Proverbs 30:4 TLV).
Then, of course, there is Isaiah 53. The entire passage is a treasure to both Jew and Christian, so rich in its depiction of God’s purpose. God sent Yeshua to pay the price for the entire burden of sin for all mankind— which had separated God from His People. Isaiah saw it all a full eight centuries before the Messiah came, but he saw what was required and realized that God’s plan called for providing a Savior who would willingly sacrifice His life for all.
The psalmist David’s portrayal of the crucifixion in Psalm 22 is another prophecy that is so wonderfully and completely accurate in its detail. Now, granted, David was a psalmist and didn’t consider himself to be a prophet. But in verse one, when he asks why God had forsaken him (David) takes us immediately to Yeshua’s words from the tree of death.
They Don’t Care What You Know, Until . . .
Here’s another great way to reach the Jewish People for Yeshua: Show them His love. I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” This is the absolute truth.
Our Lord’s brother, author of the book of James, addresses this when he writes,
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? —James 2:15-16
The apostle John asks, If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. —1 John 3:17-18
One of the ways we at Jewish Voice Ministries share our faith is by operating medical clinics where we provide, free of charge, essential medicines, eyeglasses, dental care and more. Since 1999, we have taken teams of volunteer professionals from North America and Europe and teamed them up with hundreds of local volunteers to minister to these precious Jewish People in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. We have brought outstanding medical care and the love of Yeshua to hundreds of thousands of people among the scattered Tribes of Israel. To find out more, click here.
