Waiting for the Messiah

They are still waiting for the Messiah. I'm talking about the religious or observant Jews who diligently study the Torah (the five books of Moses or the first five books of the Christian bible) , the Prophets, the Writings (Psalms, Proverbs) and their oral traditions, commentaries and interpretations of the many Mosaic laws. For them, salvation is by living a life of religious duties and good deeds, of keeping the laws of G-d (as the name of God is too holy to be spelled out). Like the Muslims, they are concerned with questions on daily conduct like, can an observant Jew use a camera or play musical instruments on Shabbat (or the Sabbath, the day of rest)? But of course, the laws of the Jews and those of the Muslims are worlds apart, as the former have the incomparable 10 commandments.

I lived in the world of the Hasidic American Jews for a few days as I read Chaim Potok's My Name is Asher Lev and its sequel The Gift of Asher Lev in quick succession. A master story teller, like an artist, Potok draws you into that world as he paints with words the story of the conflict of a boy then a man born with the gift of art in a culture that frowns upon the profession, traditions and craft of a painter, the idea of making images being inimical to the second commandment according to their strict interpretation. Drawing nudes? Unacceptable! Painting the scene of ultimate suffering and sacrifice, the crucifixion? Anathema. Especially when they believe that it was that man on the cross who has brought them so much persecution and pain from his followers, the Christians. It is sad but true that many misguided deluded people have done that in the name of Christ through history and even now, blaming the Jews for killing Jesus.

But according to the Bible, Jesus voluntarily laid down his life for all mankind. Indeed He declared many times before the cross that He had come purposely to die to bear our sins so that all man may be reconciled with God (Mark 10:45; John 10:11,17,18). So it was not the Jews nor the Romans who are guilty of crucifying the Son of God, but it was everyone of us who had ever sinned. As He hung on the cross, He prayed for those who were participating and watching His execution: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34). His first believers, disciples and witnesses to His resurrection were His own countrymen and people, the Jews who then spread His good news of pardon from sin and eternal life to the rest of the world, the Gentiles.

The Messiah has come as promised in the Torah, the Prophets and the Writings, but, sadly, the majority of His people did not recognise or receive Him. As John the Apostle and one of the original 12 disciples wrote: He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognise Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. (John 1:10,11)

Why? Why did they not recognise Him? Perhaps because He was not what they had expected, a king powerful and glorious overcoming evil and his enemies and inaugurating a reign of peace and prosperity as an earthly king would. But as Jesus had told Pilate, His kingdom is not of this world. (John 18:36) And He never promised a new world after His first coming, only after His second. "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John16:33)

The question is: Are you still waiting, hoping, and longing for a Messiah, the Promised One, the Chosen One, a Saviour, one who will make all the difference in the world to your life? Or do you know that He has come and He is here indeed and you can trust in Him and follow His way? It is the difference between light and darkness, day and night, death and life, despair and hope.

The sad thing is that the Jews read only the their scriptures, which they do assiduously, but they refuse to look into the New Testament, especially the Gospels. The sequel, the fulfilment, the culmination, is already here, but they are still stuck in the first part of the story, the promise, and still yearning and hoping. He has come and He is already here: He has died and He has risen again and He lives for evermore!

The woman (at Jacob's well) said to Jesus, "I know that Messiah (called Christ) is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us." Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am He." (John 4:25,26)