Apologetics: Is Yeshua The Messiah?

“Is Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah?” If He is the Messiah, this has the most profound implications for each individual, and also for the entire human race. To answer that question, first we need to answer some preliminary questions: Is there a God who sent the Messiah? How can we know anything authoritative about God and the Messiah?

IS THERE A GOD WHO SENT THE MESSIAH?

The Argument From Intelligent Design

Creation declares that there is compelling evidence that God exists: The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge (Psalm 19:1-2). That which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse (Romans 1:19-20).

There is no excuse for ignorance about God because there is sufficient evidence all around us. Just as we infer an intelligent designer for any product in which we discern evidence of purposeful adaption to some end, so too the universe is full of purposeful design, order and regularity in the "laws of nature" that operate by precise mathematical formulas, which tells us that there is an intelligent Designer.

If you were walking on a path through a forest and saw a beautiful watch on the path that was in working order and keeping accurate time, would you assume that it came together over millions of years by chance processes? Since the watch gives evidence of intelligent design, you would correctly assume that a watchmaker purposely made it. If a visitor from outside the universe visited Earth, he would likewise correctly assume that there was a Creator. Since the universe is more complex than anything made by man, it must have a Designer who is greater than man.

Kerby Anderson, the President of Probe Ministries, writes in a recent letter: There are “new advances in the area of intelligent design. Astronomers are discovering that we have a ‘just right’ universe. The discoveries remind me of the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. One chair was too big, one was too small, and one was ‘just right.’ Scientists have begun to uncover evidence that the universe is ‘just right.’ They have found 29 fine-tuned parameters to the universe which are ‘just right.’ These would include such things as the constants in equations for gravity, electromagnetism, strong and weak nuclear forces, and even the ratio of proton to electron mass. If any of these parameters were just a little off, the universe as we know it wouldn’t exist!

They have also discovered another 51 fine-tuned parameters for our galaxy, solar system, and planet. These would include: the distance from the sun, the size, temperature, and type of the sun, the Earth’s size, axial tilt, rotation speed and moon. They have even discovered the importance of planets like Jupiter and Saturn in our solar system. Of course, the probability of all these parameters coming together by chance is astronomical. Scientists calculating these probabilities are coming to the stark conclusion that the presence of any life in the universe is a highly improbable event.

Scientists are also making similar discoveries in the area of biology. Much of this has been documented in a book by Michael Behe entitled Darwin’s Black Box. Michael Behe (who is a biochemistry professor at Lehigh University) introduced the concept of ‘irreducible complexity.’ He says that something is irreducibly complex if it is composed of two or more necessary parts. If you remove one part, function is not just impaired but destroyed. The example Behe uses is the mousetrap. A mousetrap is irreducibly complex. It consists of a hammer, catch, spring, platform and holding bar. Remove one part of the mousetrap and it no longer functions. Thus, a mousetrap cannot be formed through natural selection.

In The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin said, ‘If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down. But I can find no such case.’ Michael Behe believes he has found many such cases. He has identified approximately 1000 molecular motors within a cell which are like his mousetrap illustration. They are irreducibly complex and present a significant challenge to the theory of evolution. Behe argues that in Darwin’s day, the cell was a mysterious black box. But the last forty years of research in molecular and cell biology have opened that box. Example after example of complex molecular machines have been discovered that invalidate the theory of natural selection as a mechanism for the evolution of life.”

For a donation of any size, Probe Ministries is willing to send a CD of a presentation by Dr. Ray Bohlin on the Intelligent Design movement. The CD contains an audio presentation and his PowerPoint slides. Contact Probe Ministries, 1900 Firman Drive, Suite 100, Richardson TX 75081; phone number 972-480-0204; www.probe.org.

The Argument From Morality, Conscience, And Belief In God

Human beings are inherently moral. I don’t mean that human beings are inherently good, but rather that human beings intuitively have an idea of what is good or right that seems to be independent of us. We live in a moral universe. If we violate these laws or morality we suffer. Where did this sense of right and wrong come from? Only from the values learned from the societies in which we live? Also, there is a universal belief in God or gods in every society among mankind. Even after seventy years of atheistic communism belief in God in the former Soviet Union couldn't be stamped out.

Where does this intuitive knowledge of God come from? Where does man's conscience come from? Isn't it logical to think that there is a Supreme Being who is moral, who created this moral order, and gave us conscience and an intuitive awareness of Himself? Rabbi Paul asserts: When the Gentiles who do not have the Torah, do instinctively the things of the Torah, these, not having the Torah, are a Torah to themselves, in that they show the work of the Torah written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternatively accusing them or else defending them (Romans 2:14-15).

The Argument From Existence And Personality

The universe exists. It is not personal: it has no mind, will, nor emotion. Either the universe always existed, or it had a beginning. The discoveries of modern science are indicating that the universe isn't eternal, but in fact had a point of beginning. Either we believe that an impersonal, non-intelligent universe always existed, or it created itself out of nothing (which is logically inconsistent, since by definition it’s impossible for anything to create itself out of nothing, since nothing can’t produce something), or a personal God created the universe. Since there is mind, will, emotion and personality in the universe, in the form of human beings, doesn’t it make more sense that “in the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth?”

Pascal's Wager

Being an atheist is logically inconsistent. How could a human being ever know with 100 percent certainty that there was no God? What if God was beyond the universe and chose not to reveal Himself? One would have to be knowledgeable about the entire universe and beyond it to have any credibility when making such a claim. It is “the fool who has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” The fool may have a Ph.D., but if he denies the existence of God, when there is so much evidence for His existence, knowing that human beings have such limited knowledge of the universe, and with so much to lose if he is wrong, he is displaying ultimate stupidity. Pascal reasoned that we should treat the issue of the existence of God like we would betting on a game. When the odds that God exists or does not exist are even, then the smart man will gamble that God exists. This is a bet that all men must make - the game is in progress and a bet must be laid. Since the odds are even, reason is not violated by either choice. Since there are reasons for both choices, reason cannot determine which bet to make. Therefore the choice should be made pragmatically, based in terms of maximizing one's happiness. If one wagers that God exists and He does, then one has gained eternal life and infinite happiness. If He does not exist, you have lost nothing. On the other hand, if one wagers that God does not exist and He does in fact exist, then you have suffered infinite loss. If He does not exist, then you have gained nothing. Therefore the only prudent choice is to believe that God exists, and start searching for Him. Therefore the intelligent, wise, rational individual is open to the possibility that God exists, and begin to seek for Him. God promised the Jewish people, “you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

THE BIBLE IS THE AUTHORITATIVE SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE MESSIAH

The Tenach [composed of the Torah, N’vee-eem (Prophets) and the K’tuveem (Writings)] tells us who the Messiah is. In ancient Israel, prophets, priests and kings were anointed with oil as a symbol of being qualified to assume their office. The Messiah is the Anointed One, the ultimate prophet, priest and king that God promised to send, who would rule over us with justice and righteousness, bringing peace and restoration to Israel, the nations, and even nature itself. The Brit Chadasha (the New Testament Scriptures) reveal that Yeshua is in fact the Messiah.

HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THE BIBLE IS TRUE?

	It’s one of the few books that makes the claim to be the Word of God. The phrases, “Thus says the Lord,” or “the Word of the Lord” are used hundreds of times. It claims to be the uniquely inspired communication from our Creator to us: All Scripture is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16).
	The amazing unity of the Bible: it is unique. It was written by forty authors from different backgrounds over 1500 years and yet reads like it was written by one author.
	People have heard that the text of the Bible has been corrupted over the centuries, but the Hebrew Scriptures have been meticulously transmitted, as the Dead Sea Scrolls demonstrate. Thousands of New Testament documents, some of them written very early, in the First and Second Centuries, show that the text of the Bible has not been corrupted, but have been faithfully transmitted.
	Recent discoveries demonstrate that the Scriptures are accurate historically. Great archeologists believe that the Bible is historically accurate. “William Albright, who was the world’s foremost biblical archeologist, writes: “We can already say emphatically that there is no longer any solid basis for dating any book of the New Testament after about 80 A.D.” (From More Than A Carpenter, pages 42-43). “William Ramsay is regarded as one of the greatest archeologists ever to have lived. Although initially skeptical about the accuracy of the Book of Acts, after some research he became aware of the meticulous accuracy of its historical details, and his attitude changed. He concluded that ‘Luke is a historian of the first rank... this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians’” (From More Than A Carpenter, pages 43-44).
	The Bible reflects accurate scientific knowledge of the universe. “Some examples: the Earth is round (Isaiah 40:22); the Earth is suspended in space without support (Job 26:7); the stars are countless (Genesis 15:15); the water cycle, sea currents (Psalm 8:8); living things reproduce after their kind; many insights into health, hygiene, diet, physiology (such as the importance of blood, e.g., Leviticus 17:11, the eighth day after birth being high in blood coagulant); the first and second laws of thermodynamics (Isaiah 51:6).” From page 18 of The Revised and Expanded Answers Book, edited by Don Batten, Master Books, 1990.
	The Bible describes reality better than any other philosophy or religion or worldview: It tells us why the universe has laws, design, order, complexity, simplicity, elegance, and beauty: because there is a Great Designer. It tells us why there is beauty, love, wisdom, justice, truth and personality: these are not the results of chance processes, and random activity, but they come from God who has these attributes. It tells us why there is evil, suffering, death, injustice in the world: it’s due to mankind’s sin and resultant alienation from God. It tells us that life is ultimately meaningful, full of purpose and eternal significance. Our lives are not the result of the chance coalition of impersonal atoms that ultimately mean nothing. But, someone observed that if a person believes that the universe comes from a Big Bang, which took place some 20 billion years ago, and that we are the result of billions of years of time and chance; that we evolved from an amino acid primordial soup, then we amazingly grew into a simple cell which learned how to reproduce itself; then we developed into a bacteria, or a one-celled animal, then a slug or a fish, then an amphibian, then a lizard, then a small mammal-like rodent, then we further evolved into monkeys and ape-like men, and then finally into Homo-sapiens (which means "wise man" - which is an ironic name for anyone who believes you can go “from goo to you by means of the zoo!”); if a person believes that this universe will continue for billions of years, and then experience either a gradual heat death, ultimate entropy, so that there is no activity, or that the universe will start contracting, and all the galaxies will begin to reverse themselves, and everything will return to its beginning point - one singularity, where perhaps it will form another Big-Bang; if a person believes he is ultimately nothing more than glorified slime mold, an advanced sea slug, a meaningless bit of temporary matter, and that when we die we die, because there is no after-life, no God, and therefore no moral or spiritual absolutes, no “thou shalt nots,” no Day of Judgment when each human being will give an account of his actions to His Creator, a person will do and justify almost anything, and his life will ultimately be meaningless. With a worldview like this, no wonder there are so much unhappiness, despair, so many suicides, so much mental illness, and growing drug abuse and alcoholism.
	The Bible has affected the world more than any other book ever written. It's the most widely published book ever written. It speaks authoritatively on morals, law, politics, literature, art and science.
	The Bible is unique in its ability to tell the future. The Koran doesn't predict the future, and as far as I know, the Hindu or the Buddhist books don't. The Bible is the only religious book that accurately predicts the future, years, centuries and even millennia, in advance. In fact God claims, I am Adonai (the Lord), that is my Name; I will not give My glory to another nor my praise to graven images. Behold the former things have come to pass, now I declare new things; before they spring forth I proclaim them to you (Isaiah 42:8-9, see also Isaiah 44:6-8). The Lord claims to tell us the future ahead of time for the express purpose of demonstrating that He is the true God, so that we will believe in Him. The Bible’s ability to predict future events lets us know that God, who is not limited by time, was in communication with Israel’s prophets, with Yeshua and His Emissaries.

FULFILLED PROPHECY ABOUT ISRAEL

	God created the Jewish people for a special reason. For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the people who are on the face of the Earth (Deuteronomy 7:6). The Jewish people were chosen to know the one true and living God, so that we would be His witnesses to a world that had fallen away from the living God, so that the nations might be restored to a right relationship with God. You are My witnesses, declares Adonai (the Lord) and My servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. I, even I am the Lord; and there is no savior beside Me (Isaiah 43:10-11). From Israel came the Torah and the Prophets, Moses and the Ten Commandments, the Emissaries (Apostles) and the New Testament, and the greatest blessing and revelation of all - Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God and the Savior of the world.
	Along with our chosen peoplehood came a chosen Land, the Land of Israel, which happens to be centrally and strategically located in the middle of Africa, Asia and Europe. But due to our lack of faithfulness, the Jewish people would be exiled from the Land of Israel. Life in the Diaspora among the nations would be very difficult and precarious, but we would survive (Deuteronomy 28:15-68, Leviticus 26:31-45). Moses predicted that both a time of obedience and blessing would come upon the Jewish people, and then a period of disobedience and exile - the last 2000 years. Then, spiritual restoration to God and physical restoration to the Land of Israel would follow (see Deuteronomy 30:1-5).
	Just before the Messiah's return, the Jewish people would be regathered from all the nations and established in our ancient land (Psalm 69:35-36, Isaiah 11:11-12, Isaiah 43:1-8, Isaiah 49:8-13, Jeremiah 31:10-11, Zechariah 10:6-12, Ezekiel 36:24-32, Ezekiel 37:21-22).
	The prophetic Word of God foretold that our return to our ancient homeland would provoke a reaction from Israel's surrounding neighbors. They would claim that the Land of Israel belong to them, and seek to drive the Jews into the Sea (see Ezekiel 36:1-12). This would cause Israel to be a difficult situation for the surrounding nations, a “cup that causes reeling” and a “heavy stone.” The conflict will be internationalized and an army made up of a coalition of united nations will invade Israel, but the invading army will be destroyed (see Zechariah 12:1-10).
	Israel's cities would be rebuilt and the land would experience an agricultural miracle (Isaiah 27:6, 41:18-20; Amos 9:13-15; Ezekiel 36:8-15, 24-28, 33-38) The desert would rejoice and blossom as a rose (Isaiah 35:1-2). The Earth will be transformed into a new Garden of Eden (Isaiah 11:6-10).
	All nations will worship the God of Israel in the renewed city of Jerusalem, where Messiah Yeshua will be ruling with peace and justice (Isaiah 2:1-4, Isaiah 11:1-9) Zechariah 8:2-3, 14:16).

WHY PEOPLE DON’T BELIEVE IN THE BIBLE

They’ve been told that the theory of evolution is fact, and that the Earth is billions of years old, while the Bible tells us that God created the universe and the Earth relatively recently, only some 6,000 to 10,000 years ago.

Evidences For A Young Universe

	The Influx of minerals and elements into the oceans. We have a good idea of how much minerals and elements flow into the world’s oceans each year. If the oceans were 2 billion years old, they should have been saturated with salt and other minerals long ago. Of course, they are not! Chemical Element Years to Accumulate in the Oceans from River Inflow Silicon 8,000 Copper 50,000 Gold 560,000 Mercury 42,000 Nickel 18,000 Lead 2,000
	Accumulation of bottom sediments on the oceans yields a maximum of 30 million years.
	The Decay of the Earth’s Magnetic Field: the strength of the magnetic field has been carefully measured for 135 years, and its strength has been decaying exponentially with a most probable half-life of 1400 years. Only 7000 years ago, it would have been 32 times as strong, which is about the maximum possible for life as we know it to exist on Earth. See Scientific Creationism, pages 131 to 170, for the above.
	The Shrinking Sun: Recent measurements indicate that the size of the Sun is shrinking. At the present rate of shrinkage, one million years ago the Sun’s size would have been so large the radiation coming from it would have made life on Earth impossible. See The Evidence for Creation, pages 24-45.
	Erosion of the Continents: given the present rate of erosion, the continents could be completely eroded to sea level within 14 million years, less than one-half of one percent proposed by the theory of evolution. See The Evidence for Creation, pages 24-45.
	Oil and Gas Deposits: there is extremely high pressure associated with oil and gas deposits beneath the Earth’s surface. Many of these deposits are surrounded by porous material that would allow the dissipation of the pressures over millions of years. See The Evidence for Creation, pages 24-45.
	The Mississippi River Delta: Approximately 300 million cubic yards of sediment are deposited into the Gulf of Mexico each year. By carefully studying the volume and rate of accumulation of the Mississippi River Delta, the age of the Delta is no more than 4,000 years old. From The Collapse of Evolution, by Scott Huse, Baker Books, 1983, page 40.
	The Rotation of the Earth: the rotation of the Earth is gradually slowing due to the gravitational drag of the sun, moon and other factors. If the Earth is billions of years old, and it has been slowing down uniformly, then its present rotation should be zero. From The Collapse of Evolution, by Scott Huse, Baker Books, 1983, page 41.

Evidences For A Worldwide Flood

The Bible tells us that there was a worldwide flood some 5000 years ago that dramatically changed the Earth’s climate and geography. There are flood stories in dozens of cultures, from all over the world. Of course, the Bible’s version is the accurate one. Sedimentary rock covers most of the Earth, with billions of fossils in that sedimentary rock all over the Earth, indicating a sudden death by drowning and rapid burial on a world-wide basis. Coal and oil deposits, sometimes several miles under sedimentary rock, indicate that huge amounts of animal life, marine life and vegetable matter were rapidly buried.

Arguments Against Evolution

	There should be millions of intermediate changes in animals, but they are never found. Specimens are found fully developed, not in transitional form.
	Dating methods use circular reasoning or may start with assumptions that may not be true (like Carbon 14 dating, Potassium-Argon and Uranium-Lead methods - see Scientific Creationism, pages 131-149). For example, how old is a particular rock layer? Supposedly, we can tell by certain key fossils. And how do we tell how old certain fossils are? By where they appear in certain rock layers! It’s circular reasoning.
	Evolution goes against the First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics: “The First Law of Thermodynamics is also known as the Law of Energy Conservation. It states that energy can be changed from one form to another, but it can neither be created nor destroyed. There is absolutely nothing in the present economy of natural law that could possibly account for its own origin. The scientific fact is in direct conflict with the basic concept of naturalistic, innovative evolution. The present structure of the universe is one of conservation, no innovation as required by the theory of evolution.” “The Second Law of Thermodynamics is known as the Law of Energy Decay. Every system if left to its own devices tends to move from order to disorder. In other words, the universe is proceeding in a downward, degenerating direction of decreasing organization... Given enough time, all of the energy of the universe will have died what is commonly referred to as a heat-death... Evolution required billions of years of constant violations of the Second Law of Thermodynamics if it is to be considered even remotely feasible! Those who believe in the Bible understand the Second Law of Thermodynamics to be a result of the curse placed on creation due to the Fall of man (see Genesis 3:17-19). We also believe that creation will ultimately be released from this bondage to decay and corruption (see Romans 8:18-23).” From The Collapse of Evolution, by Scott Huse, Baker Books, 1983, pages 75-78.
	Neither “Natural Selection” nor “Mutations” add any genetic information to an organism. Mutations merely mix up or diminish the usefulness of the information that already exists in the DNA.
	We don’t see any species evolving. We see the extinction of many species, which is what we would expect from a world that is fallen, and operating by the law of entropy. We don’t see evolution taking place, merely adaptation. Darwin’s finches probably came from one original pair. Over time they adapted to different environments, and a number of sub-species developed, each subspecies ending up with less generic information than the originators. The same holds true with dogs. Starting with one pair rich in genetic material, small breeds, like the Jack Russell Terrier that I have, or large breeds, like Great Danes, can come. Each is still a dog, but it has less genetic information that its originators.
	There are thousands of reputable scientists who believe in it, including the founders of most of the branches of science! (see Men of Science, Men of God), Henry Morris, Master Books, 1982.
	The Bible records that miracles are real but rare: they happened only a few times in history: at the time of Creation, the Fall when the Earth was cursed, at the Flood, during the Exodus, during the times of Elijah and Elisha, and during the time of Yeshua. Miracles are treated circumspectly. Miracles are consistent with a God who can make the universe out of nothing. If a miracle took place, how would you know if you weren’t there to witness it? And say were an eyewitness to a miracle? How would you prove it? What would happen if you were taking a philosophy course with 25 other students, and suddenly, a giant, seven-foot chicken appeared out of thin air, and flapped its giant wings, and the professor rose from the ground, and floated in the air for a minute? Then the giant chicken flapped its wings again, and the professor descended back to the floor, and the giant seven foot chicken disappeared. What evidence would remain? How would anyone know 20 years from now? The only way to transmit this kind of information would be by means of eyewitness testimony. The Bible gives us reliable, eyewitness testimony about miracles.
	They have been told that “you can’t prove it scientifically.” But we prove historical events differently from repeatable, controlled and verifiable experiments in a laboratory. We must use legal-historical proofs to show that events in history took place. How do we know Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo? That Julius Caesar invaded Britain? That Columbus discovered America? A verdict is reached on the basis of the weight of the evidence, based on testimony and exhibits, so that the conclusions drawn are beyond a reasonable doubt.
	Indications that the universe is not purely mechanistic and material: It is subtle and complex, almost miraculous! For example, this podium looks solid, dull, inactive, but the reality is that it is an absolutely amazing thing! It is composed of trillions upon trillions of atoms, and each atom is composed of protons, neutrons and electrons, themselves composed of many sub-atomic particles. Electrons are particles with a negative electric charge that are whizzing around the positively charged core at a fantastic speed. If we could slow down these electrons, and take out all the space between the electrons and the core of neutrons and protons, the atom would be much so much smaller, probably less than the size of a pin head! What is the matter that makes up the universe? It is basically energy moving close to the speed of light. Matter seems to me to be more like “thought with power.” Isn’t that more in keeping with a dynamic, supernatural worldview, a worldview that acknowledges “and God said... and there was,” rather than a mechanistic, materialistic, anti-supernatural one?
	One reason why most people don’t believe the Bible is because everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. Most human beings prefer to continue doing what is wrong, because changing can be painful. It’s like the man who has been held in complete darkness for a long time, and suddenly comes out into a bright, sunny day, and his eyes hurt. Coming to the Light means exposure, and most people dislike being exposed. Coming to the Light means admitting that you have been involved in darkness. It means exposing your bad attitudes, wrong practices, false beliefs, that many of the things you have been doing, and the attitudes that you have maintained, and the beliefs you have held, and the practices you have been engaged in doing, are wrong. That’s painful, and most humans beings won’t do it. Most human beings hate the Light. The truth is too good, too demanding to live up to. It’s more comfortable, more soothing to self, more convenient, and easier on their pride, to avoid the Light. Not only do most hate the Light, but sadly, they love the darkness. They want to continue doing what they are doing, when they are doing, how they are doing it, with whom and to whom they are doing it. They dislike the Bible’s restrictions. Its morality limits what they can do. They dislike its message, that God is in control, that He sets our moral and ethical standards, and one day He will call them to account, and judge if they have measured up to His standards. But fallen human nature likes to call the shots, to be in control, bow to no one, to be master of their destiny, to do it their way, to be as God. We reject the Bible because we have an anti-God bias deep within us. After Adam and Eve sinned, and God appeared in the Garden of Eden, they ran away from God, and hid in the trees. Our natural orientation is to avoid God. We are uncomfortable approaching God. He makes us aware of our failings. He confronts us with our unwillingness or inability to live by His standards.

WHY DO WE NEED THE MESSIAH?

We are fallen, sinful, alienated from God, who is Ha Makor, the Source of life, joy, peace, being, existence and meaning. Since we are alienated from God, who is the Source, we are also alienated from life (we will die), from ourselves (unhappiness, mental, emotional illnesses, despair, suicide, depression, drug and alcohol abuse), from each other (crimes, injustice, inhumanity, wars, genocide) from nature (destruction of the environment).

We may sense this alienation but not know the reason for it. The Holy Scriptures give us the reason. Very early in human history, our first parents rebelled against God, and sin and death took control of humanity. Instead of drawing nearer to God, Adam and Eve ran away from HaMakor - the Source of blessing, happiness and life. The entire world was cursed, along with all mankind; Adam and Eve were exiled from the Garden of Eden, and forbidden to eat from the Tree of Life. The whole world remains dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). The whole world is perishing, decaying and headed for destruction like a rotten piece of fruit (John 3:16). Only by having faith in Yeshua are we reconciled to God, and restored to true life.

HOW DO WE KNOW THAT YESHUA IS THE MESSIAH?

There are six main lines of evidence: Messianic Prophecies, Yeshua’s Miracles, Yeshua’s Prophecies, Other Evidences, Yeshua’s Resurrection From Death, and Yeshua’s Impact On The World.

Messianic Prophecies

The amazing Messianic prophecies that are found in the Tenach and fulfilled in the New Testament Scriptures demonstrate that the Bible is a supernatural book inspired by God, and that Yeshua is the Messiah.

	Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem and yet originate from the days of eternity (Micah 5:1-2). Yeshua was born in Bethlehem. See Matthew 2:1-6, Luke 2:1-20.
	Messiah had to be a Jewish man, from the tribe of Judah, and from the family of King David (Isaiah 9:7, 11:1-9, Jeremiah 23:5-6). Yeshua was! See Matthew 1:1-17.
	Messiah was to come before 70 AD (Daniel 9:24-27). Yeshua did. See Luke 1:5, 2:1-7.
	Messiah was to enter Jerusalem triumphantly, yet humbly on a donkey, (Zechariah 9:9). Yeshua did. See Matthew 21:1-9, John 12:12-16.
	Messiah was to be initially rejected by the majority of Israel, especially the leaders (Isaiah 53:1-3, Psalm 118:22). Yeshua was. See John 1:11, 12:37-43, Acts 4:1-12. The fact that the majority of Jewish people don't believe in Him is a strong point for the fact that He is the Messiah!
	Messiah was to be tried and condemned even though He was innocent (Isaiah 53:8). Yeshua was. See Matthew 27:1-2, Luke 23:1-25.
	Messiah was to be silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7). Yeshua was. See Matthew 27:12-14, Mark 15:3-4, Luke 23:8-10.
	Messiah was to be beaten and spit upon (Micah 5:1-2, Isaiah 50:6). Yeshua was. See Matthew 26:67, Mark 27:30, Mark 14:65.
	Messiah was to be mocked and taunted (Psalm 22:7-8). Yeshua was. See Matthew 27:39-43, Luke 23:11, 35-36.
	Lots would be cast for Messiah's garments (Psalm 22:18). They were. See Matthew 27:35, Mark 15:24.
	Messiah was to be pierced (Zechariah 12:10). Yeshua was. See John 19:18, 34-37.
	Messiah was to die by crucifixion (Psalm 22:14-17). Yeshua was. See Matthew 27:31, Mark 15:20, 25.
	Messiah was to wrongly suffer with transgressors yet pray for His enemies (Isaiah 53:12). Yeshua did. See Matthew 27:38, Mark 15:27.
	Messiah was to die as an offering for sin (Isaiah 53:5-6, 8, 10-12, Daniel 9:24-27, Zechariah 9:9, 12:10, Psalm 16:10, 22). See John 1:29, 11:49-52, 1 Corinthians 15:53.
	Messiah was to be raised from the dead (Isaiah 53:12, Zechariah 12:10, Daniel 9:24-27, Psalm 16:10, Psalm 22, Psalm 118:22-23). Yeshua was! See Matthew 28:1-10, Acts 2:22-32.
	Messiah was to be God born into humanity (Isaiah 9:6-7, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Psalm 110:1, Proverbs 30:4). Yeshua was and is! See John 1:1, 20:28, Hebrews 1:8.
	The Messiah was going to have a world-wide impact on the Gentile nations (Isaiah 49:6). Yeshua has! "Jesus has become the most popular, the most studied, the most influential figure in the religious history of mankind... No sensible Jew can be indifferent to the fact that a Jew should have had such a tremendous part in the religious education and direction of the human race.... Who can compute all that Jesus has meant to humanity? The love he has inspired, the solace he has given, the good he has engendered, the hope and joy he has kindled - all that is unequaled in human history... Rabbi Hyman Enelow, past president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis

The probabilities that any one human being could fulfill all these are infinitesimally small. Yeshua fulfilled these, and many others, so He must be the Messiah that God promised to send into this world!

YESHUA’S MIRACLES

Few prophets in Israel's long history ever performed miracles - Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, and a few others, but Yeshua's miracles exceeded them all. He turned water into wine, walked on water, healed the sick, cleansed lepers, brought sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, fed five thousand men from a few loaves of bread and some fish, stilled the winds and waves with just a word, and raised the dead. This lets us know that Yeshua is the Messiah sent by God.

YESHUA’S PROPHECIES

	Yeshua predicted His own death, along with many of its details and amazingly, His own resurrection (John 2:19, 3:14, Matthew 20: 17-19).
	Yeshua predicted that the Second Temple would be destroyed to such an extent that not one stone would be left on top of another (Matthew 24:1-2). When the troops of Roman General Titus broke through the walls and destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD, the Temple was sacked, and subsequently disassembled stone by stone. The inside of the Temple had been with overlaid with gold, and a fire in the Temple caused the gold to melt. The Romans took every stone apart to retrieve as much gold as possible. Thus Yeshua's prophecy was fulfilled concerning the destruction of the Temple, even to the detail of every stone being taken down.
	Yeshua predicted due to our lack of belief that He was the Messiah, and our rejection of Him, Jerusalem would be destroyed, we would be exiled among the nations, but eventually, we would return to Israel (Luke 21:23-24). This prophecy began in 70 AD when Jerusalem was destroyed, and then again in 135 AD, when the Jewish people revolted a second time against the Roman empire. We were scattered to the nations, and lost control of Jerusalem. There were always some Jewish people who remained in the land of Israel over the past 2000 years, but starting in the 1880's, this prophesied regathering of Jewish people to Israel picked up speed. Now there is a reborn nation of Israel, with Jerusalem as its capital, with more than 4.5 million Jewish people regathered from more than 70 countries, just as Yeshua predicted.
	Yeshua predicted that His words would endure forever, and that His movement would succeed despite all opposition (Matthew 16:18, 24:35).

OTHER EVIDENCES

An evidence that Yeshua is the Messiah comes from the Talmud, in Yoma 39 A and B: “The Talmud records that four ominous events occurred approximately forty years before the destruction of the Temple. Those four events were to warn the rabbis of the Temple’s impending doom. According to Jewish tradition, all four of these signs came to pass. The four signs were: The lot for the Lord’s goat did not come up in the right hand of the High Priest. The scarlet cord tied to the door of the Temple on the Day of Atonement stopped turning white after the scapegoat had been cast over the precipice. The westernmost light on the Temple candelabra would not burn. The Temple doors would open by themselves. The rabbis saw this as an ominous fulfillment of Zechariah 11:1, ‘Open your doors, O Lebanon, that fire may devour your cedars.’ The opening of the doors to let in the consuming fire foretold the destruction of the Temple itself by fire.” (From pages 104-105 of The Fall Feasts of Israel, by Mitch and Zhava Glaser, Moody Press, 1987.

The New Testament records that at the moment of Yeshua’s death, the huge, thick veil in the Temple was torn from top to bottom. There was also an eclipse, and an earthquake (Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:44-45).

EVIDENCES FOR YESHUA’S RESURRECTION

Taken from The Resurrection Factor by Josh McDowell

Preliminary Observations

1. Yeshua’s Resurrection forms the basis for the Messianic Faith: The Resurrection of Yeshua is the central fact which validates the rest of the New Testament. There is no way to overemphasize its importance. Messianic Judaism and Christianity stand or fall with the Resurrection of Yeshua.
2. The Reliability of the New Testament: Scholarly evidence exists in abundance to document that the New Testament can survive the most severe scrutiny by modern archeology. There is better manuscript evidence for the accuracy of the New Testament than for any other ancient text. There are 24,000 New Testament manuscripts versus 700 manuscripts for the Iliad.
3. The Possibility of the Supernatural: Many have ruled out the Resurrection on the basis of presuppositions. They presume that miracles can't happen, which is not good methodology.
4. The followers of Yeshua were neither ignorant nor naive: They were practical men raised in a tough environment and knew the difference between fact and fable. Israelis were schooled to believe in historical events like the Exodus. Greeks believed in myths.
5. The Scientific Method isn't Applicable: It can't be used in investigating the Resurrection because this method can only be used to validate phenomena which can be repeated in observable, testable fashion. The same criteria must be applied when investigating the Resurrection as are applied to any other event in history. By those standards the case for the Resurrection is extremely strong. We investigate the Resurrection by the criteria of history, not science.
6. The Testimony of History: Dr. Simon Greenleaf, Professor of Law at Harvard, wrote a book on called A Treatise on the Laws of Evidence around 1842. He was one of the greatest authorities on evidences in law. That book is still considered to be an authoritative book on evidences in law. Dr. Greenleaf was a religious skeptic. He was challenged by a student to use his knowledge of evidences and apply it to the Resurrection of Yeshua. Dr. Greenleaf did so, and He concluded that the Resurrection of Yeshua is one of the best established facts of ancient history, and that there is more evidence for the historical fact of Yeshua's resurrection than for almost any other event in human history. Dr. Greenleaf became a committed Christian.

The Evidence That Yeshua Was Dead And That His Body Was Secured From Theft And Tampering

1. Yeshua's Trials: Yeshua underwent not one, not two, but six trials between His Last Supper and the Cross.
   
   Trial # 1 Before Annas John 18:12-23
   Trial # 2 Before Caiphas John 18:24-27, Matt 26:57
   Trial # 3 Before Sanhedrin Matthew 27:1-2, 26:59
   Trial # 4 Before Pilate Matthew 27:1-2, 11-14
   Trial # 5 Before Herod Luke 23:4-12
   Trial # 6 Before Pilate again Luke 23:11-25
   
   Those involved in prosecuting Him at those trials had heavily vested interests in making sure that the execution was carried out successfully.
   
2. The Manner of Yeshua's Death: He was so terribly beaten that He couldn't carry His cross. It involved blows, whipping, crucifixion. His legs were not broken; it wasn't necessary. He was pierced by a spear. Water and blood came out. Death certified by centurion, a man who knew about death (Mark 15:44-46).
3. He was entombed in a solid rock tomb: There were no panels, no way out.
4. First century Jewish Burial Ritual: The body was probably inspected to make sure the individual was dead. In Yeshua's case it was then wrapped in linen and 100 pounds of spices, probably forming a cocoon-like encasement.
5. The Stone at the Mouth of the Tomb: Burial stones weigh commonly around two tons. That will keep anyone in or out.
6. The Roman Security Guard: 4 to 16 trained soldiers. Four shifts, one on, three off (Matthew 28:11, "Some of guard"). The Tomb was guarded continuously.
7. The Roman Seal: Tomb sealed under official authority of Rome to open it or allow it to be opened was to defy Rome and resulted in automatic death penalty. Seal was a type of authentication that guaranteed the body inside was Yeshua.

The Evidence That Something Unprecedented Happened To The Body Of Yeshua

1. The broken Roman seal: The feared power of Rome was ignored by whoever broke open the seal to the tomb.
2. The large stone was moved: A two ton stone was somehow moved away from the mouth of the tomb under Roman guard.
3. The Roman guard went AWOL: A disciplined Roman guard fled their watch and had to be bribed by the authorities to lie about what happened - a lie so flimsy that they wouldn't have concocted it themselves. They would have been killed for sleeping on duty and allowing the disciples to steal the body.
4. The graveclothes: They were undisturbed, but no longer contained a body.
5. The empty tomb: Both Jews and Romans admitted that the tomb was empty (Matthew 27:11-15). Any theory must deal with this fact.
6. The nature of His post-resurrection appearances: Yeshua appeared to a wide variety of witnesses, under widely varying conditions, in widely varying numbers, under circumstances which belie the accusation of mass hallucination. Miriam (John 20:11-18), to the other women (Matthew 28:8-10), to Simon Peter (Luke 24:34), to the two on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), to the Ten (Luke 24:36-43), to all Eleven 8 days later (John 20:24-29), to Seven by the Lake of the Galilee (John 21:1-23), to five hundred at once (1 Corinthians 15:6), to Ya’akov (1 Corinthians 15:7), and finally to Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:1-16).
7. The fact that women saw Him first: due to the low view of women's credibility (they weren't allowed to be witnesses in Jewish courts of law) it makes no sense to believe that the account of women being the first to discover the empty tomb was a contrivance.

Five Theories Used Historically To Suggest The Tomb Wasn't Empty

Any theory which seeks to explain the empty tomb must take into account all the known facts. The evidence must not be forced into conforming to some preconceived conclusion.

1. The Unknown Tomb: Yeshua’s body was cast into some unknown pit by executioners. The fact that the body's whereabouts were unknown made room for the possibility of a resurrection cult. Objections: this disregards New Testament statements about Joseph's tomb, the seal, and the guards. They knew where the right tomb was.
2. The Wrong Tomb: The disciples went to wrong tomb. Objections: the authorities would have later found the right tomb. Disciples found the right tomb with the grave clothes. Roman guards knew which tomb was the right one.
3. The Legend Theory: Stories of Yeshua’s resurrection didn't crop up until years later. Objections: Unbiased scholars say that almost all of the New Testament was written by 64 AD, just a short time after the events took place, which was not enough time for myths or legends to develop. Luke mentions that he based his book on eyewitness testimony. 1 Corinthians was written by Paul around 56 AD, and mentions the Resurrection and the fact that most of the 500 eyewitnesses were still living.
4. Spiritual Resurrection: Yeshua's resurrection was only spiritual - His body decayed in grave. Objections: He ate with them. There was nothing revolutionary about a spiritual resurrection. Still left with the fact of an empty tomb.
5. Hallucination theory: All of Messiah's post resurrection appearances were hallucinatory hoaxes. Objections: Only certain kinds of people have hallucinations, usually a paranoid or a schizophrenic. Hallucinations very individualistic. But these were in public, not private, different numbers, circumstances, times, settings, personalities, to those not expecting a resurrection. Still doesn't explain the empty tomb.

Five Theories Used To Explain An Empty Tomb Not Due To Resurrection

1. Yeshua’s Body was stolen by disciples: Objections: The tomb was guarded by Roman soldiers: The disciples would have to overcome these fighting forces. It’s not likely that the Roman soldiers would have been sleeping, since the death penalty was the punishment. The disciples were discouraged and in hiding. They were in no mood to start fighting Romans soldiers, defying Rome and Jerusalem. Why would grave robbers unwrap the burial clothes and neatly place them to the side? These men were not known as men of deception, lies and hoaxes. They were known instead for their sterling character, not as body snatchers and liars. What possible reward motivated this hoax? What did the disciples have to gain by stealing the body and preaching Yeshua's resurrection?
   
   This wasn't some elaborate swindle that made them all rich. All they got out of it was persecution