Q. I found a Torah-observant assembly, but they reject the Messiah. Can you provide Old Testament passages confirming the Messiah? They use Isaiah 43:11 and similar passages to prove that Yahweh is our only Savior.
A. There are many Old Testament passages that speak to Yahshua the Messiah. Possibly the greatest example is the 53rd chapter of Isaiah: “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of Yahweh revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of Elohim, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Yahweh hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Yahweh shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
While many Jews claim this passage is a reference to the Jewish people collectively, clearly the context is referring to a person who would be rejected and die for the sins of mankind. As the last part of verse 12 states, “…and made intercession for the transgressors.” There are many New Testament passages confirming this prophecy, including: Matthew 8:17; 27:57; Mark 15:28; Luke 22:37; John 1:29; 10:11; Acts 8:32-33; 1 Peter 2:22.
Another passage that clearly confirms Yahshua as the Son of Yahweh is Proverbs 30:4. It states, “Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?”
Based on the context, there is no doubt this is referring to Creation. Not only does it ask what the Father’s name is, but also the Son’s name? If Yahweh had no Son, why would it ask for His name? This unquestionably supports the existence of Yahshua the Messiah. It also confirms that He preexisted with the Father at Creation. Yahshua also testifies to His preexistence in John 17:5: “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” See also John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:15-16.
Below are additional prophecies confirming Yahshua as the Messiah:
Deuteronomy 18:15: “Yahweh thy Elohim will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.”
Acts 7:37: “This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall Yahweh your Elohim raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.”
Psalm 2:7: “I will declare the decree: Yahweh hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”
Acts 13:33: “Yahweh hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Yahshua again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.”
Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore Yahweh himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
Matthew 1:23: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, El with us.”
Micah 5:2: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
Matthew 2:6: “And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.”
Regarding Isaiah 43:11, this cannot be used to write the Messiah out of existence. This passage is simply acknowledging the superiority of Almighty Yahweh. Since all things proceed from Him, including His Son, all credit also returns to Him. It should also be remembered that Yahweh gave His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. “For Yahweh so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” John 3:16. In their unique ways, both the Father and Son can be considered a “Savior.”
As believers we must remain committed to the Messiah. If we neglect Yahshua as the Messiah, we jeopardize our salvation. Consider the below warnings:
John 15:1-6: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”
2John 7-10: “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Yahshua Messiah is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antimessiah. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Messiah, hath not Elohim. He that abideth in the doctrine of Messiah, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him greeting.”
For additional insight, visit our Q&A page.
From where do you get the idea that the logos equals Yahshua the Messiah? The plan of Yahweh is the concept of all eternity; do you really think you can understand Yahweh’s logos?
The first chapter of John clearly identifies Yahshua the Messiah as the Word or logos of Yahweh: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim. The same was in the beginning with Elohim. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”