Daniel - What the Rabbis don't tell you...

I am a Jew. I live my life as a Jew. I keep Shabbat and the Jewish Festivals. I keep Kosher. And I love my people. I also love the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus). When I "came out" to my Rabbi and told him that I believed that Yeshua was our promised Messiah, I was immediately asked to resign as member of the synagogue. I was also stripped of my duties as warden and forbidden to make an alijah (being called up for Torah reading in synagogue) or do 'haghbah' (carry the Torah scroll through the congregation). It broke my heart and was one of the most traumatic periods of my life. Yet, my experience has not been unique; far from it.

You may not be aware that the Talmud forbids Jews to calculate the coming of Messiah, based on the famous Prophecy in Daniel 9. Why is this so? Perhaps you have been struggling yourself with this issue as to whether Yeshua (Jesus) is our promised Moshiach (Messiah)? On the other hand, if you are a gentile, it may be hard for you to understand why this is such a ‘hot potato’ with us Jews. But if you are also a student of Jewish history, then you will be aware of the massacres in London and York (1189 - 1190), the expulsions from Spain in 1492, the massacres during the crusades, the forced baptisms, the pogroms, culminating in the genocide of the holocaust during WW2. The “church” was, throughout this whole period, the main instigator of these crimes. If you have never heard of the ‘blood libel’ trials, you know nothing of the trauma of my people.

One of the greatest ironies of history is that Yeshua (Jesus) was a Jew. He kept Shabbat. He kept Kosher. He debated halacha with the disciples of Shammai and Hillel – in other words, he was a teacher of Torah. All His early followers were Jews. The so-called “New Testament” is a Jewish book. And you might be surprised to learn that the word “church” is nowhere to be found in the Bible. So what about Yeshua (Jesus)? Is He really the Messiah? Is there any way of knowing?

The following article was written by Messianic Jewish Rabbi, Dr Les Aron Gosling and we are publishing it with his kind permission:

Many years ago, I felt the sting of rejection from the synagogue. A close friend of mine had been studying the Scriptures relating to the "end of the world" and had directed some discreet enquiries to the Rabbi. The learned Rabbi had countered with an immediate retaliation from the Talmud: "Cursed are the bones of him who calculates the time of the end." That was the conclusion of the conversation and my friend was ever after held in a measure of suspicion.

When my mate relayed what had occurred in the office of the Rabbi, I saw it as a challenge to find out why Jews were forbidden to make attempted calculations, especially as they related to the prophecies of Daniel. To my mind, it didn't make much sense that God would leave His servant Daniel with all sorts of prophetic indicators that marked the EndTime, including actual numerical factors that could be (presumably) easily enough "worked out," and then not be allowed to access and calculate that same information.

So, putting pen to paper I spent a considerable time studying the prophecy of Daniel as it related to the coming of the Messiah. I was astonished at what I discovered. The Messiah had already come and His name was Yeshua. There was a TIMETABLE. That timetable was irrevocably in place. The Messiah HAD TO ARRIVE WITHIN THE EXACT TIME-FRAME given in Daniel's prophecy. Any other "Pretender" to the office of Mashiach would either need to arrive at that precise MOMENT in history or be proved FALSE -- a complete impostor, an unqualified charlatan, a consummate fraud. It was that simple. It was also just that important.

I made an appointment to speak with the Rabbi. He had been forewarned and forearmed by my "friend" who wanted to remain in favour with his own friends and relatives in the synagogue. I had a speech prepared. After a cordial invite to come in to the office and sit down I got as far as "Dear Rabbi, I have been studying Daniel's prophecies about the coming of the Mashiach and........" when he cut me off in mid-sentence and repeated the Talmudic ediction which he had already delivered to my friend: "Cursed are the bones of him who calculates the time of the end." Then his eyes narrowed and his frown cut deep into his already wrinkled forehead. "Is this about Jesus?"

I took a deep breath and replied with a rabbinic argumentative "edge," "I do not think it reasonable that any of us should hide behind ancient rabbinical utterances which no longer permit us the privilege to think! Thinking is what makes us human beings unique, above the animal kingdom, for we are all made in the Image of HaShem!"

And what did the Rabbi do? Was he impressed by my ability to put forth a formidable case filled with subtle implications? Not at all. He forthrightly forbade me to "play around" with Daniel's prophetic calculations. If I did not respect his wishes in this matter I would be forthrightly "turfed" out. The rest is history. Years later, I discovered the same formula used by my Rabbi utilised to enormous advantage in certain "Christian" ministries. Fear, superstition and ignorance RULES wherever religious men gather together.

Make no mistake! The Jewish Talmud (the collected sayings of mere mortals) is vaunted to be in many ways "above" the revealed will of Almighty God! Its voice of Rabbinic authority takes a major precedence over the Torah of Moses -- the most HOLY DIVISION of the Hebrew Scriptures. It is written, "My son, be more careful in the observance of the words of the Scribes than in the words of the Torah" (Erubin 21b).

Brazen, but entirely true.

Rav Shmuel ben Nachmani had said in the name of Rav Yonason: "May the spirit of those who calculate the end expire. For, they say, 'Since the predetermined time has arrived, and he [Mashiach] has yet to come, he will never come!'" (Sanhedrin 97b). Again, "Whoever forecasts the date of Mashiach's arrival has no place in the World-to-Come" (Maseches Derech Eretz 11).

What did Daniel write that has caused such fear, trepidation and terror (and other hostile reactions) amongst Rabbis and their Talmudic students? Consider:

"Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city until the measure of transgression is filled, and that of sin is complete, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in eternal righteousness, and prophetic vision ratified, and to anoint the most Holy of Holies. You must know and understand, that from the going forth of the word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and sixty two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in times of distress. And after those sixty two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself [alternative Hebrew rendering: "the Messiah will disappear and vanish"]: and the army of a leader that shall come will destroy the city and the sanctuary; and its end will come through a flood, and until the end of the war desolation is decreed. And he shall make [or, confirm] a firm covenant with many during one week: and in the middle of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the meal offering to cease. At the corner [of the altar] will be an appalling [overspreading] abomination until the decreed destruction will be poured down upon the appalling thing" (Daniel 9.24-27 Tentative BRI Version, Hebrew).

This is the closest possible rendering of the Hebrew text in question.

We shall examine this prophecy in a moment. But first let me state categorically, that many Jews are ignorant of the fact that despite the edict against calculating the Danielic EndTime, some prominent Rabbis actually made some valiant attempts at arriving at a conclusive date for the coming of the Mashiach. How did they justify their actions? Simple. They just interpreted the edict differently. And, who could argue with their ingenuity?

Abarbanel (15th century Spain) said it was quite permissible to calculate the intended arrival date of the Messiah as long as the calculations weren't based on astrology (Maayeni HaYeshuah 1.2).

Nachmanides (RAMBAN; 13th century) claimed the prohibition only applied to generations that lived in centuries past, and that because he considered the redemptive eve of the final generation was fast approaching there was no longer any need of further refusal to make calculations regarding Daniel (Sefer HaGeulah, Ma'amer 4).

Judaism continues to deny that Yeshua the Nazarene fulfilled the 300+ prophecies as identifying signs of the Messiah. Judaism continues to be extremely volatile when it comes to any Jew converting to Yeshua. It seems you can be a devotee of Krishna, or follow the teachings of the Buddha, or even be an outright atheist like the excommunicated Henry Kissinger, and be still listed in volumes written by Jews (and also appear on Internet sites) as being decidedly "Jewish." Indeed, you can even be a murderous gangster of the style of Louis "Lepke" Buchalter and Meyer Lansky and still be awarded as being "Jewish."

But if you are a Jew and you believe that Yeshua the Nazarene IS the Messiah you will no longer exist as a Jew. It will be as though you never existed at all. Small wonder there are a number of closet believers among Rabbis. They have seen with their own eyes what happens to their colleagues who accept the claims of Yeshua! They lose everything -- including their very identity.

The great Jewish scholar and philosopher, Moses Maimonides -- RAMBAM, not to be confused with another Rabbi, Ramban -- recognised that the major reason Jews were rejecting Yeshua was because he taught that the Torah is now abolished. There was no way in the mind of this great Middle Ages Jewish sage and codifier that "Jesus" could be the Messiah.

Writing in 12th-century Egypt, Maimonides summed up his teaching about "Jesus":

"Jesus of Nazareth," he proclaims, in his Letter to Yemen, "...impelled people to believe that he was a prophet sent by God to clarify perplexities in the Torah, and that he was the Messiah that was predicted by each and every seer. He interpreted the Torah and its precepts in such a fashion as to lead to their total ANNULMENT, to the ABOLITION of all its commandments and to the VIOLATION of its prohibitions. The sages, of blessed memory, having become aware of his plans before his reputation spread among our people, meted out fitting punishment to him."

He also wrote, "As for Jeshua of Nazareth, who claimed to be the anointed one and was killed by the [Jewish] court, Daniel had already prophesied about him, thus: 'And the children of your people's rebels shall raise themselves to set up prophecy and will stumble.' Can there be a bigger stumbling block than this? All the Prophets said that the Anointed One saves Israel and rescues them, gathers their strayed ones and strengthens their mitzvot whereas this one caused the loss of Israel by sword, and to scatter their remnant and humiliate them, and to change the Torah and to cause most of the world to erroneously worship a god besides the Lord. But the human mind has no power to reach the thoughts of the Creator, for His thoughts and ways are unlike ours. All these matters of Jeshua of Nazareth and of the Ishmaelite who stood up after him [Mohammed] are only intended to pave the way for the Anointed King, and to mend the entire world to worship God together, thus: 'For then I shall turn a clear tongue to the nations to call all in the Name of the Lord and to worship him with one shoulder.' How is this? The entire world has become filled with the issues of the Anointed One and of the Torah and the Laws, and these issues had spread out unto faraway islands and among many nations uncircumcised in the heart, and they discuss these issues and the Torah's laws. These say: 'These Laws were true but are already defunct in these days, and do not rule for the following generations'; whereas the other ones say: 'There are secret layers in them and they are not to be treated literally, and the Messiah had come and revealed their secret meanings.' But when the Anointed King will truly rise and succeed and will be raised and uplifted, they all immediately turn about and know that their fathers inherited falsehood, and their prophets and ancestors led them astray."

Maimonides, Judaism's most esteemed halachic (legal) authority, made a monumental error. That error had to do with the fact that he took one look at the religion supposedly founded by "Jesus Christ of Nazareth" and said, "Well, if THAT is the religion of the Messiah, he and his church can drop dead!" The religion of "Jesus," he thought, was the Roman Catholic Church, replete with Mary worship, and other degrading pagan beliefs and practices and anti-Torah views of life. Then of course there were the Crusades (and I don't mean Billy Graham-style "crusades" either).

But we know Yeshua did NOT "do away" with his Father's Torah, nor did he change the "customs of the fathers." The Messiah WAS expected to make the Torah MORE BINDING, and he did so. The Messiah WAS expected to modify certain regulations, and usher in NEW regulations, and he did so. The Messiah WAS expected to bring the Gentiles into Covenant relationship with Israel's God, and he did so. But this was a Yeshua Maimonides knew nothing about! Holding the memory of the blessed sage in paramount importance, and revering everything he wrote as if it were from (and by) the finger of God Himself, all forms of Judaism treasure the opinions of Maimonides and thus reject Yeshua, even those sectarians who recognise that Yeshua possessed immense power.

Admits an Orthodox Jew in the classic work of Mintz, "We believe that Jesus was taken away from the Jews. HE WAS A GREAT POWER, he could have been a Talmudic scholar or a Tzaddik [a righteous Jewish saint] but he was drawn to the other side of the fence" (Jerome Mintz, Legends of the Hasidim, 1968, 140).

Since the pagan cross-bearing Roman Catholic Church had rejected God's Torah, "graced" the sacred Hebrew Scriptures as nothing more than an "Old" Testament replacing it with a "New" streamlined salvific edition of Scripture, and claimed in its exalted, bejewelled, tiara-wearing Papacy to represent "Christ," Maimonides repudiated Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah to come.

The miracle is, however, that Rabbis are still coming to Yeshua -- are still being drawn to the Messiah. AND, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THE MODERN RABBIS CAN DO TO PREVENT IT.

Daniel stated unequivocally -- with such clarity as to preclude any misunderstanding -- that Messiah would APPEAR HERE ON EARTH after a period of "69 weeks." When we grasp that there is a prophetic factor to be incorporated into these equations, of a "day standing for a year" in Ezekielian terms (Ezekiel 4.6; this also seems to have Torah approval in Numbers 14.34), we are left with a period of 483 years (69x7). This 483 year period was to be counted as commencing with a decree to "restore and rebuild Jerusalem." When that period would end, Messiah would appear!

Clear enough. Apparently. But really, to be entirely honest, this text is the beginning of troubles -- literally! In what year was this command or decree given? How is this to be interpreted? After all,

There was a command by Jeremiah in 596 BCE (some say in 598 BCE) in which he prophesied that Judah would return to Jerusalem (See Jeremiah 29.10).

There was the command by Cyrus in his 1st year as king over Babylon in 538 BCE (some say in 536 BCE and others, 539 BCE) in which specific reference is made to Jerusalem being rebuilt (See 2 Chronicles 36.22-23; Isaiah 44.28).

There was the command given to Nehemiah in the 20th year of the Persian king Artaxerxes, 445/44 BCE, when the king ordered the rebuilding of Jerusalem (See Nehemiah 2.1-8).

There was the command to rebuild the Temple given in the second year of Darius, 519/18 BCE, to confirm the original decree of Cyrus (See Haggai 1; Zechariah 1.1-6).

There was the command to beautify the Temple in the seventh year of Artaxerxes in 457 BCE which can also be construed as having some relevance (See Ezra 7.1-11).

Jeremiah also made a second prophecy involving a command to restore the city in 605 BCE. Was it this one? (See Jeremiah 25.11).

Some scholars have even found commands in the first year of Darius the Mede in 539 BCE, in the second year of Darius Nothus in 423 BCE, the second year of Artaxerxes Longimanus in 462 BCE, the tenth year of the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus or the earlier date of his second edict on the ground of his co-regency with his father Xerxes in 454 BCE, and, the second year of the reign of Xerxes in 483 BCE.

These commands span some 150 years! Which command is intended? Daniel did not say!

There is even the possibility that Daniel is referring to a command still future to rebuild Jerusalem to God's specifications at the end of the age. In fact, the Ottoman emperor Suleimon the Magnificent uttered a decree to do just such a thing in 1537 CE. Not only was Jerusalem to be rebuilt, but also its walls were to be restored. It takes little acumen to appreciate that the full scope of the 70 weeks or 490 years added to this date brings us to 2027/2028 CE which is a most significant date as far as all BRI students should be (by now) well aware. But again, Daniel has not made it clear!

Now, some of these dates bring us to 27 CE -- the date of the mikveh (baptism) of Yeshua. Another date will bring us to 30 CE -- the date of the crucifixion of Yeshua. And other dates will bring us into the era of the Fifth Procuratorship of Judaea -- the age in which Yeshua walked the Earth.

Whatever the case, the dating is fixed and focused by Daniel on the time of Yeshua the Nazarene, no matter how we may wish to "hedge" and "oh" and "ah" about the issue.

THE ISSUE IS YESHUA, make NO mistake.

The Rabbis KNOW this and MAKE Yeshua an "issue" indeed!

Daniel went on to tell us that certain events would correspond to the coming of the Messiah.

[1] The "measure of transgression" would be "filled" and the issue of "sin is completed." In other words Messiah would DO something to ERADICATE the record of transgression, or sin -- the time would come when God would no longer hold sins against men. Transgressions and sins would have reached the place where they would be considered by God as "filled" -- full to the top to be dealt with. There was no doubt in the minds of the original Messianic Jewish (and Gentile) believers that the time had come when God was no longer counting men's transgressions against them. The record exists from the days of Shaul the personal emissary of Messiah. Read it in your own first century record:

"God was IN Messiah, conciliating the world to Himself, NOT IMPUTING THEIR TRESPASSES TO THEM, and has committed to us the word of conciliation. Now then, we are Ambassadors for Mashiach, as though God did beseech by us; we pray in Messiah's place, Be you conciliated to God" (2 Corinthians 5.19,20).

Daniel stated that the issue of sin was completed. The idea in Hebrew intends a "sealing" -- a removal from the sight and view of God. The expression is derived from the practice of sealing up of those things one puts aside for concealment. When Messiah hung lifeless, his nailed body torn to shreds on the bloodied tree of Golgoleth, Yeshua had become the antitype of the sacrificial offerings of the Jerusalem Sanctuary. It was no longer necessary for the sinner to bring to God a sin offering (John 1.29).

Daniel confesses to God that the sins of Israel were opened and known by everyone. After all, the Jews were in captivity in Babylon because of those same sins. The pagans knew that God had rejected His people for transgressions. "O Lord, according to all your righteousness, I beseech you, let your anger and your fury be turned away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people are become a reproach to all that are about us" (Daniel 9.16).

Its not a matter of how WE may interpret such passages from the first century documents. Its entirely a matter of HOW the FIRST CENTURY MESSIANIC BELIEVERS interpreted such passages. And THEY had no doubt at all that Yeshua was the Messiah. He came precisely when he was expected to come. Tens of thousands of Jews at the time acknowledged him and accepted him. And, further, more Jews over the past 19 years have converted to Mashiach than all the Jews in the past 1900 years.

Daniel is telling us that God dealt with sin at the crucifixion of Yeshua.

[2] "to make reconciliation for iniquity." The Hebrew defines this as a "covering" (kapparah), or a "hiding." To COVER carries the idea of pardon or forgiveness. In other words, the sins of Israel were to be atoned for -- COVERED -- by God. The Messiah would accomplish this intent. The essential idea of divine security is locked within the concept of kapparah (atonement; expiation; propitiation).

For clarification, consider for a moment Noah's Ark which gave divine security to all who were found therein. In fact, that divine security was absolute! And this is what is implied by Moses in the statement that the pitch, or asphalt, "was within and without" (Genesis 6.14). Asphalt is "a spreading covering" that seals. Of course, this is a type of our deliverance (salvation) in Mashiach. We are SAVED to the utmost, and SECURE to the utmost, both "within and without." Salvation is always COMPLETE. Rav Shaul was drawing on the typology of Noah's Ark when he noted that the lives of the Gentile believers at Colossae "[were] HID [as Noah and his family were hid, in the Ark] with Messiah in God" (Colossians 3.3). Our being hidden in the Messianic "Ark" is entirely God's responsibility, hence Moses noted that "God [Himself] shut him [Noah] in" (Genesis 7.16) which Kefa (Peter) recognised in his mention that we "are KEPT by the power of God through faith unto deliverance [salvation] ready to be revealed in the last time [ "the days of Noah" - Yeshua]" (1 Peter 1.5).

In brief, Ka'far is derived from an Arabic root meaning to cover (sin); a similar word was used in the ancient Assyrian tongue.... "kupparu" which meant "to purge away sin." The Hebrew word Kippurim, or the English "atonements," stems from this language use.

Moses' failure in Genesis 6.14 to use the normal and common word for pitch -- ze'tet -- speaks volumes. Ko'fer is the noun form of ka'far. (It is really a mistranslation to use the Latinism, "atonement." When we do this we bow to Rome's "superior interpretive powers of intellect" to inform us of what was really intended by Moses in Jewish thoughtform!) Nowhere else in Hebrew Scripture is ko'fer rendered "pitch." Moses renders the word pitch as ko'fer here for the first time to reveal that we have SHELTER from the storm which results from sin. The entire globe was deluged because of man's hostility to Torah and while the storm fell upon the Ark those who were in that vessel were absolutely SAFE. The fact is Yeshua -- God in flesh -- took the storm of heaven upon Himself so we can have an appropriate shelter in that same God. He directed His anger toward Himself. This is why the Psalmist wrote of Mashiach's predicted sufferings in terms related to the Noachian Deluge: "All Thy waves and Thy billows [as in Noah's Deluge] are gone over Me" (Psalm 42.7).

Originally, the word ko'fer in Hebrew meant the price of a life. Significantly, ko'fer is used in Jewish Scriptures in association with the idea of ransom (Exodus 21.30; Numbers 35.31,32 Hebrew); pitch or asphalt, as a covering; also, the henna plant (which us utilised for its dye: here in Australia, and presumably elsewhere in the civilised world "Henna" remains the Jewish brand-name of a hair dye). Ka'fer means to cover, purge, cover over (as with pitch). In strict Hebrew, ko'fer means to COVER or to MAKE COVERING in a concrete judicial sense AND to EXPIATE or MAKE EXPIATION in a figurative judicial sense. Moses uses it in Genesis 6.14 in a concrete, non-judicial sense. However, we can draw appropriate illustrations from it (hence his inspired use of a term other than ze'tet). He's in fact making a point as we can all see quite plainly. As a covering, ko'fer protects from the eyes.

But whose eyes? Obviously the eyes of God (Proverbs 20.8): the covering formed a merciful shield from God's glare (His searching justice which is always rooted in His loving Grace). Hence the motif of "finding Grace in the eyes of God." And Daniel tells us that we are now SAFE from the glare of the righteous eyes of HaShem! We are SAFE because we are COVERED from any evidence of SIN. Our transgressions, sins, and iniquities are COVERED, SEALED up. God no longer looks at them. They don't exist. "Reconciliation for iniquity" occurred in the crucified body of flesh of the Messiah 2000 years ago.
There is a third blessing contained in the Danielic prophecy.

[3] "to bring in eternal righteousness." God's JUSTICE prevailed in the Work of Yeshua the Messiah. That "righteousness" or "justice" would be ETERNAL as to its implications and considerations. It was not to be in any way temporary. When Yeshua came to Earth he did so not just in order to deal with sin as such, that is to blot it out, but to implement a larger, greater, broader, more superb and GRAND plan -- nothing less than to reconcile man to God. To achieve this, Yeshua had to provide a SEVERE RIGHTEOUSNESS that would be acceptable to God the Father, and he had to do this on humankind's behalf. He had to thus represent Man to God. The Messianic Teaching located in the Messianic Scriptures is plain about our irrevocable STANDING in the sight of God. We are righteous because of what Messiah has accomplished on our behalf. We are NOT righteous because of anything we can do on our own behalf, or on someone else's behalf. We are righteous, and just, only and always because of the integral character of the Messiah and that character as openly evidenced, exposed and communicated IN THE CRUCIFIXION.

[4] "to ratify the prophetic vision." To "ratify" means to make valid and binding by a formal legal act. If this was not accomplished by the legal crucifixion, pray tell what was? God the Father ratified -- approved and confirmed -- the awesome act of SACRIFICE concerning which all the prophets looked. In that ONE ACT of crucifixion -- that legal document and ALL that went with it -- Messiah legally CONCILIATED GOD TO THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE AND THE UNIVERSE TO GOD. And BRI's representatives -- our talmidim -- are eagerly spreading the WORD (Gospel) of the "prophetic vision" of the crucified God-Man, Yeshua -- the Architect [Logos/Mem'ra] of the Universe "IN whom dwells all things."

Finally, [5] "to anoint the most Holy of Holies." It is unquestioned that the phrase here refers to the Sanctuary and specifically to the Chamber where God dwelt between the arched overspreading wings of the Cherubim upon the Mercy Seat, the Ark of the Covenant. After all, this vision under discussion is the vision Daniel received from Gabriel recorded in Daniel 8 and especially to verses 13,14,26.

Still, I'd like my talmidim to appreciate something else about this prophetic scenario -- another point of view which very few believers have ever understood. You see, few realise what was meant by the record that when Yeshua came to Earth, as a little baby, Miriam (whom the Gospel writer explicitly states had Temple connections) wrapped him up "in swaddling clothes." All children who have been to Sunday School and participated in Xmas plays are aware of the story about the "swaddling clothes." But WHAT WERE the "swaddling clothes"?

The angelic powers that openly displayed their armed might (Greek) at the birth of the Messiah in Beit Lechem, told terrified shepherds that they would find the Son of God lying in a manger, as a baby wrapped in "swaddling clothes." We find the account in Luke 2.12. It was to be a "SIGN" to them of the troubling authenticity of the awesome event. But today most of us have lost the significance of it.

Listen -- and let the TRUTH OF GOD really sink in at this juncture. It is most exciting. We should all rejoice about this fact.

"Swaddling cloth" is that remnant of cloth which clothed the High Priest and which he wore ONCE A YEAR when he entered into the most sacred portion of the Temple of God in Jerusalem, the HOLY OF HOLIES.

He entered the Holy of Holies only once annually and that was on Yom Kippurim, the Great Fast Day of the Jewish people, the Day of Atonements. Because he was exposed to the Sh'kinah of the LORD God in that tight compartment, and was EXPOSED to God's radiant light, the linen clothing was considered far too SACRED for reuse in common, ordinary, day-to-day usage. So, the priests tore this linen clothing into strips of cloth and then used those same bands to light the magnificent Menorah on Shemini Atzeret, the Last Festival Day of the Jewish calendar as revealed in Leviticus 23. That Last Great Day of the Jewish festival and agricultural cycle pictured the entire salvation plan of God in its consummate conclusion -- a FULL, COMPLETE and TOTAL salvation of ALL living creatures (Sparks of Light) back into the Source of their Origin, the true Living God.

But there was yet another usage for this cloth. And, this is wonderful teaching indeed. The strips of HOLY cloth -- cloth that had been exposed to the GLORY and PRESENCE of Almighty God was used to wrap together the SCROLL OF THE TORAH OF GOD. When a new copy of the Torah had been painstakingly prepared, the older copy of the scroll was wrapped in these strips of HOLY cloth before it was "buried." Here was Yeshua, the Living Torah from Eternity, who shared the very GLORY of God, being wrapped tightly as a baby in bands with the STRIPS OF EXPOSED LINEN CLOTH worn previously as holy garments by the High Priest in the Holy of Holies on the most holy day of the year. The "Living Torah" was found by the shepherds wrapped in highly appropriate swaddling cloth and lying in a manger.
But the incredible story does not end there. No, not at all. Rather, the word "manger" in the Greek language is from a root word which has its equivalent in Hebrew meaning Sukkah (Tabernacle).

Yeshua the Messiah came and "tabernacled" with us according to the emissary John, the priest (John 1.14 Greek). "And the Logos was made flesh and tabernacled among us...." The seventh month, Tishri, in which Yeshua was born, is the month which celebrates the festival of Tabernacles (Sukkot). Once again, the sacred record of the life of Yeshua is revealed to be a tightly woven tapestry showing the intricate supertechnological Creative handiwork of God, the Father.

God signs all His Work.

Yeshua (the anointed One), was destined to die in blood and mucous as he was anointed at his birth with the blood and mucous of Miriam his Mother. Yeshua began his life as he ended it. That he was the expected "anointed One" is the way the Gospels continue to portray him. Even in death, Yeshua is anointed by women with ointments. All of this has immense significance.

There is NO WAY any of us can read Daniel 9.24-27 and NOT SEE YESHUA highlighted throughout the text!

Understand this! Daniel states that after the "69 weeks" the "anointed one [Mashiach] will DISAPPEAR and VANISH." The Jewish teachers (the term "Rabbi" was yet to become an official appellation for the teacher), those who were supposed to be "in the know" about such things, plainly taught that when the Messiah would come he would conquer the world on a white charger, subjugating the hated Romans, humiliating them and driving them back to Italy and out of the Holy Land. He would then proceed to usher in his kingdom and exalt the Jews as the Theocratic Nation under God. All of this would occur at the time the Messiah was expected -- 69 weeks from the going forth of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem!
God said the opposite.

The Messiah ("anointed one") would simply "disappear and vanish" (Jewish Publication Society).

Did Yeshua "disappear and vanish"? According to the record, he did just that! After a period of ministry that was launched at age 30, Yeshua was crucified by Rome for treason. The disciples claimed he rose from the dead and taught his talmidim for a period of 40 days. But then a strange, unexpected thing happened:

"He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud HID him from their sight. They were gazing intently into the sky as he was leaving when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 'Men of the Galil,' they said, 'why do you stand here gazing up into the sky? This same Yeshua, who has been taken from you into the heavens, WILL RETURN IN THE SAME WAY as you have seen him go into the heavens" (Acts 1.9-11).

Daniel was informed well in advance of this spectacular event -- almost 600 years prior to its occurrence. Yeshua the Messiah literally DISAPPEARED and VANISHED before their very eyes.

The Greek version (LXX) translates the text: "And thou shalt know and understand, that from the going forth of the command for the answer and for the building of Jerusalem UNTIL CHRIST THE PRINCE there shall be seven weeks, and sixty two weeks...and after the sixty two weeks, the ANOINTED ONE shall be destroyed . . ." (Daniel 9.25,26).

The Messiah would be "destroyed" (or, "cut off") according to the Greek text -- and MILLIONS of Jews for two millennia have ignored this plain statement of Scripture. The Hebrew version says he will "disappear and vanish." The Jewish rabbis and the Jewish people are in a classic "Catch-22" and God Almighty has put them there. What a wonderful God! The Rabbis forbid the Jewish people to calculate the "70 weeks" prophecy! Small wonder.

Daniel had prophesied: "There shall be seven weeks and sixty two weeks [483 years to 27 CE]...And AFTER the sixty two weeks Messiah shall be CUT OFF but not for Himself" (Daniel 9.26).

Yeshua submitted to a mikveh (his baptism) in 27 CE. "AFTER" that event, Messiah was to be "cut off" or "destroyed." One must confront the question: How long "AFTER" Messiah was to "come," was He to be "cut off" or "destroyed"? The book of Daniel is ominously silent on the issue.

However, Yeshua confronted the Jewish religious leaders with this little gem: "Destroy [or, "Cut off"] THIS temple, and in three days I will raise it up...But He was speaking of the temple of his body" (John 2.19-21). John recorded this incident faithfully BECAUSE he KNEW upon what prophecy Yeshua was basing this premise: Daniel 9.26. Yeshua was in the grave for a period of three days. There are those who say that this prophecy is to be understood as referring to "three prophetic days" � that is, a period of three years (a day for a year -- Numbers 14.34; Ezekiel 4.4-6) and they may be right. Certainly, 30 CE can be ascertained from one of the "decrees" involving Jerusalem. It again would point to the correctness of Daniel's forecast. After all, Yeshua uttered these words recorded by his cousin, the priestly John, at the very start of his ministry. Three years later was 30 CE.

Some Rabbis today are coming "out of the closet" regarding the person of Yeshua.

One Rabbi who wishes to remain nameless said recently, after a number of arguments against the church (and concerning all of which I am in complete agreement with him), "but I cannot discount 2000 years of history and how the world has literally been centred on this man from Galilee. So if I had to make a choice I would say that he was to be the intended Messiah of Israel but at that time Israel did not warrant the [Messianic] Kingdom and thus her King. But I don't know for sure....But we need to know these events that shaped and withheld the Kingdom of God being materialised on this planet. Time will tell for sure, but an honest evaluation of the facts dictate that dogmatism is not warranted in such a consideration. The jury is still out but we are all entitled to our faith. For me, I personally pray for the coming of the Messiah and will not be surprised at all that when he arrives it will be Yeshua of Nazareth" (emphasis mine).

Maimonides emphasized in his classic Thirteen Principles of Faith: "I believe with perfect faith in the coming of Mashiach, and even though he may tarry, nevertheless, I will wait for him everyday, that he will come" (Principle 12).

None of us have much longer to wait. The BRI is in the forefront of restoring the lost Jewish thoughtform to the biblical revelation, an understanding of which is paramount for the Jewish people to properly recognise and "behold the LORD their God." There are those who have claimed Yeshua as their Lord and Saviour at this time. There are those who still have to "make up" their mind. Time is fast running out. We can adopt a "wait and see" policy if we wish, but a parable given by Yeshua himself in Matthew 25 cautions against such procrastination.

The Lord Yeshua remains the ONLY Messiah ever to come to the Jewish nation at the exact and precise time Daniel had predicted. To think otherwise is fallacious. The proof that Yeshua is the Messiah is established by the Rabbis themselves who forbid the calculation of Daniel's "70 weeks" prophecy.

Baruch HaShem!

Worldwide Copyright Dr Les Aron Gosling