God’s purpose in calling Abraham from his idolatrous kindred and bidding him dwell in the land of Canaan was to bring Heaven’s best gifts to all peoples. God told Abraham, “I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing.” Genesis 12:2. Abraham was called to a high honor—that of being the father of the people who for centuries were to be the protectors of the truth of God to the world and the progenitors of the promised Messiah. The Jews are that people. Men had almost

Redemption and Resistance brings together an eminent cast of contributors to provide a state-of-the-art discussion of Messianism as a topic of political and religious commitment and controversy. By surveying this motif over nearly a thousand years with the help of a focused historical and political searchlight, this volume is sure to break fresh ground. It will serve as an attractive contribution to the history of ancient Judaism and Christianity, of the complex and often problematic relationship between them, and of the conflicting loyalties their hopes for redemption created vis-à-vis a public order that was at first pagan and later Christian. Although each chapter is designed to stand on its own as an introduction to the topic at hand, the overall argument unfolds a coherent history. The first two parts, on pre-Christian Jewish and primitive Christian Messianism, set the stage by identifying two entities that in Part III are then addressed in the development of their explicit relationship in a Graeco-Roman world marked by violent persecution of Jewish and Christian hopes and loyalties. The story is then explored beyond the Constantinian turn and its abortive reversal under Julian, to the Christian Empire up to the rise of Islam.

"A prominent American religious leader and renowned Hebrew scholar traces seventeen centuries of Messianic dreams and pretenders among the Jewish people. A new preface to the Beacon edition brings up to date his views since the original publication of the book, and includes his comments on the creation of the state of Israel, seen by many as the fulfillment of the Messianic dream."-Publisher.

The good news (euangelion) of the crucified and risen Messiah was proclaimed first to Jews in Jerusalem, and then to Jews throughout the land of Israel. In Jerusalem Crucified, Jerusalem Risen, Mark Kinzer argues that this initial audience and geographical setting of the euangelion is integral to the eschatological content of the message itself. While the good news is universal in concern and cosmic in scope, it never loses its particular connection to the Jewish people, the city of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel. The crucified Messiah participates in the future exilic suffering of his people, and by his resurrection offers a pledge of Jerusalem's coming redemption. Basing his argument on a reading of the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel of Luke, Kinzer proposes that the biblical message requires its interpreters to reflect theologically on the events of post-biblical history. In this context he considers the early emergence of Rabbinic Judaism and the much later phenomenon of Zionism, offering a theological perspective on these historical developments that is biblically rooted, attentive to both Jewish and Christian tradition, and minimalist in the theological constraints it imposes on the just resolution of political conflict in the Middle East.

This book is the go-to source for introductory information on Messianic Judaism. Editors David Rudolph and Joel Willitts have assembled a thorough examination of the ecclesial context and biblical foundations of the diverse Messianic Jewish movement. Unique among similar works in its Jew-Gentile partnership, this book brings together a team of respected Messianic Jewish and Gentile Christian scholars, including Mark Kinzer, Richard Bauckham, Markus Bockmuehl, Craig Keener, Darrell Bock, Scott Hafemann, Daniel Harrington, R. Kendall Soulen, Douglas Harink and others. Opening essays, written by Messianic Jewish scholars and synagogue leaders, provide a window into the on-the-ground reality of the Messianic Jewish community and reveal the challenges, questions and issues with which Messianic Jews grapple. The following predominantly Gentile Christian discussion explores a number of biblical and theological issues that inform our understanding of the Messianic Jewish ecclesial context. Here is a balanced and accessible introduction to the diverse Messianic Jewish movement that both Gentile Christian and Messianic Jewish readers will find informative and fascinating.

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Messiah in the Feasts of Israel is a fantastic book that explains the feasts, festivals, and holy days of the Bible. From the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Day of Atonement, to the symbolism of Pentecost, Firstfruits, and more, this Christian overview gives insights on how God's redemptive plan is unveiled through the Old Testament feasts, and how their symbolism is fulfilled in the Messiah. Messiah in the Feasts of Israel also discusses the prophetic purposes of the feasts of Israel from a Christian viewpoint. It explains how the Jewish feasts are symbolic of Jesus as the great high priest and perfect sacrificial lamb. Each Feast and Holy Day of the Bible Explained Hundreds of years before Jesus' birth, specific feasts were set up by God to prepare the way for the coming Messiah. Enjoy having key information on each feast at your fingertips, including: Quick overview on its background and customs.Symbolic meaning, showing how it points to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.Prophetic importance, including its Old Testament reference and New Testament fulfillment.Present-day application (includes questions that are perfect for individual or group use.) Find out how Jesus used the feasts of Israel to reveal his identity. Messiah in the Feasts of Israel will enrich your understanding of Jesus by explaining the customs and practices of New Testament times. It will help you imagine the crowds in Jerusalem during Jesus' time, especially during the pilgrimage feasts that brought all Jewish men to the Temple. Learn About All 9 Feasts of the Bible: SabbathThe Feast of PassoverFirst fruitsThe Feast of PentecostRosh Hashanah (The Feast of Trumpets)Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement)The Feast of BoothsHanukkah (The Feast of Dedication)Purim Best for individual use, discipleship, small group or Sunday school class, Christian school, homeschoolers, new believers' class, support groups, prayer circles, church libraries, and more!

This book is a history, an indictment, a lament, and an appeal, focusing on the messianic trend in Lubavitch hasidism. It records the shattering of one of Judaism's core beliefs and the remarkable equanimity with which the standard-bearers of Orthodoxy have allowed it to happen. This is a development of striking importance for the history of religions, and it is an earthquake in the history of Judaism. David Berger describes the unfolding of this historic phenomenon and proposes a strategy to contain it.

A lively exploration of Jewish ideas and beliefs. "Anyone who seeks to know what Judaism is really all about will be in his debt" (David Wolpe, author of Why Be Jewish?). In this fresh and lucid study, Ariel presents the fundamentals of Jewish thought on the profound issues of God, human destiny, good and evil, Torah, and messianism, guiding the reader toward a definition of the beliefs that shape Jewish identity. This lively exploration of Jewish ideas and beliefs provides a rationale and stimulus for anyone seeking to understand or reconnect to the rich and diverse spiritual tradition of Judaism.

An academic study that suggests the Old Testament was written to be read as a work that reveals direct messianic prophecies.