This is in reply to your email of the 16th April on Isaiah 48:12-13 and 16. And, this is my understanding as it is written in the Tanach (Hebrew Scriptures ):
(1). v 12 – 13 The Prophet Isaiah speaking God’s words—
- calling Jacob as Israel, the name He gave Jacob,
- proclaiming God’s omnipotence
- and declaring that God is the Creator…
- ”My hands founded the earth, and My right hand spread out the heavens..”. The ‘Me” and the “I” is God ,
YHWH. I do not believe this is Yeshua.
v 14 The Prophet Isaiah still speaking—
- and having proclaimed God’s omnipotence,
- is now calling on the idolaters to gather
- and declare that God has made Cyrus,
- the one whom the “LORD loves”
- to carry out His will against the Chaldeans.
(2). v 16 Here the Prophet Isaiah is still speaking—
- and he declares that he had spoken his prophecy regarding Sennacherib’s downfall (chap. 37)
- for all to hear from the very first time it was revealed to him by God.
Isaiah then issues a new prophecy (v 17). The “me” and the “I” is Isaiah the Prophet. Again, not Yeshua.
(3). Now coming to the “Lamb of God who takes the sins of the world” who, according to the Apostolic (New Testament) writers the “lamb” is Yeshua who was offered as a sacrifice for our sins.
As I study the Torah, the sacrifices, as instituted by God, were all animals. I have not come across human sacrifices except those offered to the god Molech and this is condemned by God. I could not understand where the Apostolic writers got this idea that this is acceptable to God. Also, the animals sacrificed were “slaughtered” not “crucified”. How then did the “crucifixion” got into the picture? Yeshua, man, was “crucified” as a sacrifice. Has God changed His mind? God did not even allow Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice (Gen.22). Abraham offered a ram instead for a burnt offering in place of his son.
I thank Adonai Eloheinu for you who have led me to the study of the Tanach (Hebrew Scriptures) and I thank Him for giving me the knowledge and the wisdom at 83 (clear thinking for a bonus!) and a better, clearer understanding of His words. I pray that we will all get there.
By the way, I would like to suggest, if I may, to please check out these websites: Messiahtruth.org and Outreachjudaism.com , two of the websites that would give you the “other side” of the picture.
I would also suggest that you get a good copy of the Hebrew Scriptures. What I have is The Stone Edition, The Tanach, Artscroll Series. It is a translation from Hebrew to English. And, it is not adulterated.
Hag Pesach Sameach!
VAN@S6K