In Jewish thought, the terms “redemption, “saviour and “redeemer” means something different than in Replacement Theology Christianity. They have a concept in Christianity, and also in those who have come out of Christianity, including the Hebrew Roots Movement, Messianic Judaism and Two-House Movement, that these terms mean what Cristianity has taught them. They see Yeshua as a “personal” Redeemer and Saviour, and the redemption is from sin, for the most part.
In Hebrew thought, it is not so much “personal” as it is a “national” redemption and the fullness of the “Promise of the Messianic Kingdom.” It is the basis for our understanding of the Basar (“good news, glad tidings, translated as “gospel”). For more on the Basar, go to the teaching “The Basar” on this website). That is not to say the individual, spiritual aspect of these words are not valid, as we shall see. In the Authorized Daily Prayer Book by Joseph Hertz, p. 113, it says, “The term “Kingdom of Heaven” is less expressive of an accomplished fact, than of an undefined and indefinable ideal. It can be viewed from two aspects: the visible and the invisible Kingdom. In the idea of the visible Kingdom of Heaven were included national ideas: the restoration of Israel was a vital prelude to the establishment of God’s Kingship on earth. It was ethical: God’s Kingdom meant the reign of righteousness. The reign was also universal: ‘and the Lord shall be King over all the earth.’ As for the invisible Kingdom, that is mainly spiritual, expressive of a certain attitude in mind. Thus, the communion with God by means of prayer through the removal of all intruding elements between man and his maker, and through the implicit acceptance of God’s unity, as well as unconditional surrender of mind and heart to his holy will, this is what is understood by accepting the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven.”
In Jewish thought, the idea of a “personal” redemption or saviour was a secondary issue and may not have been accepted in the same way it is today. Nicodemus, a teacher in Israel, seemed to not understand what Yeshua was getting at when he said “You must be born again.” The concept is found in the Torah, but the “national” idea’s of redemption was well known (Matt 24.1-3; Acts 1.3-8). Obviously, personal repentance is related to personal “salvation” and “redemption.” However, the idea of a national redemption “saviour” and “redeemer” was emphasized. Now, in the Jewish mind, when one dies they go to Sheol to await the national redemption. In the Christian mind, when one dies they go to heaven in a personal redemption. Which one is correct? Both are. There is a personal redemption, saviour and redeemer. But, there is a national redemption, saviour and redeemer.
The Scriptures refer to this national concept in many cases with the coming of the Messiah. He then brings in the Messianic age. In the Gospels (Basorim), Yeshua has difficulty in getting the people to understand what he is saying. It wasn’t a matter of doing it incorrectly, but the mindset was toward a national, rather than a personal redemption. Yeshua, on the other hand, was speaking of both at the same time. To have that understanding as you read the Gospels will have a bearing on how you understand what is being said.
So, we have the concept of the “Two Redemption’s” as we have said. They are the Egyptian and the Messianic Redemption. We have already gone over the fact that the Egyptian Redemption started with the death of Jacob. But, we would even put it back further to when Joseph went into Egypt. It was a “time of Jacob’s trouble” in a small sense, and it was a “birth pain” that brought Joseph to Egypt. He was hated by his brothers, cast into a pit, taken out and sold and his brothers never knew what ever happened. His father thought he was dead, and his brothers thought so, too. Remember, they put him in pit but a Midianite trader pulled him out without the brothers knowing about it. The Midianite sold him to the Egyptian traders. The brothers came back to the pit and Joseph was missing. They never knew what happened, so they made up the story about Joseph being killed by animals. In this story we have the death, burial and resurrection of the Messiah.
So, the Egyptian redemption started when Joseph went into slavery. He will suffer, and so does Jacob, who grieves for his beloved son. Joseph has favor with God, but he is falsely accused and put into prison. We have a picture of the Messiah in his first coming. He comes to the world (Egypt), has favor with God, is falsely accused and put into prison. We have the Suffering Messiah, called “Mashiach Ben Yosef” or “Messiah Ben Joseph.”
Around the time of the Maccabees (165 BC), we have the rise of the fourth kingdom of Daniel’s vision, the Roman Empire (Dan 11.30). As a result, the people believed that the Mashiach Ben David would come and deliver the people, after the Mashiach Ben Yosef died. So we have the concept of the Two Messiah’s. Messiah Ben David is the “conquering king” Messiah. In Gen 49.22-24, we have a prophecy given to Joseph. He will be a “fruitful bough” that is well-watered and goes over the wall (prosperous). The archers make him a target, but his “bow remained firm.” He is persecuted but his virtue and grace overcome them. Then it says in verse 24, “From there is the shepherd” of Israel. He is sent to shepherd his people. This is temporary because Judah will eventually take his place. The second part of verse 24 says, “the stone of Israel.” The word for stone is “even.” In Hebrew, it is written with an aleph, beit, nun. If you put the aleph and the beit together, it is the word “Av” or “father.” If you put the beit and nun together, it is the word “ben” for son. Thisteaches that the aleph/beit (father) and the beit/nun (son) are one.
So, we have a shepherd (ro’eh) and the stone (even). Let’s go back to Gen 28.10-19 for more information on this. Jacob is fleeing from Esau. He decides to rest and is on Mount Moriah in verse 11, and the term “the/that place” (ha Makom) is used three times in that verse. He has a dream of angels ascending and descending on a ladder, and realizes that the place where he was was very special. This is an idiom for the Lord and for the Temple. Jacob (Israel) rests on a “stone.” He see’s a “ladder” with angels ascending and descending on it. John 1.51 identifies this “ladder” as Yeshua. Jacob says that this “place” was “awesome” and the “gate (door) of Heaven.” He then took the stone he rested on and “anointed” it (Mashiach=”anointed”). He calls the place “Bethel (Beit El=”house of God). So, there is a picture of this “stone” of Messiah Ben Joseph in Gen 49.24. It also says in Gen 28.11 that “the sun had set.” This alludes to Mal 4.2 where the Messiah is called the “sun of righteousness.” Psa 19.4-5 says that the sun is like a “bridegroom.” So, we are getting a profile from these verses and words of what the Jewish people saw in the Messiah.
The idea of a “suffering Messiah” will be built upon Gen 49.22-24. These will be amplified in other passages called “the Suffering Servant passages” in Isaiah 40 through 66. We have another string of passages we want to put in with this in Zech 12.10 through 13.3. Just like Joseph, initially the Messiah will suffer, but then it culminates with great victory and spiritual heights. The people were instructed to look at the Egyptian Passover for a pattern of the Messianic Redemption.
Now, why did the Jewish people go to Germany? The greatest part of the Jewish population was in Poland and Russia. Because of persecution, they migrated to Germany. They had the “galut mentality” and assimilated, thinking they could be good “Germans” and like everybody else. They could give up the Torah and “blend in.” Those that wanted to retain their Jewish identity could do it without the fullness of the Torah. This gave birth to Reform Judaism. This was one of the causes for the Holocaust. The Jewish people thought that Germany was a place of “enlightenment” and thought this was their home, the “land of promise.” But, the Lord used the very people who the Jews thought were so “enlightened” to come against them. In the United States, the same pattern will be soon repeated.
At first, being in America was a blessing for the Jews. But, things are changing. Violent acts are increasing against the Jewish people in America and a new anti-semitism is rising. At the time of this writing, many Jewish cemeteries are being desecrated in America. Most people are unaware of all this because the news networks don’t really cover all of it. We have a picture of this in the Scriptures. Jacob went to Paddan-Aram, the “east” in the area of Babylon. It was a blessing at first. He gets married, has many children and he is gainfully employed in the family business and becomes wealthy. But in Gen 31.1 it says that Laban’s sons (his cousins) say that “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s and from what belonged to our father he has made all this wealth” (the Jews have stolen our money..sound familiar). An early form of “anti-semitism” rises up and Jacob is forced to go back the the land of Canaan. This will happen again. The “east” is the Babylon area, and the land of Babylon is a picture of the United States. Jews will flee the United States right before the Birth Pains begin and go back to Israel (Micah 4.10). For deeper information on this, see our teaching “Is America Babylon” on this site.
The point is this, first we will have Joseph, but a second character will emerge named Moses the Deliverer. Likewise, first we will have Yeshua as a “Suffering Servant” but a second character will emerge, also Yeshua, as the Deliverer. However, as he told John while he was in prison in Matt 11.1-6, Yeshua will fulfill both roles, the Suffering Servant Messiah Ben Joseph and the Conquering King Messiah Ben David. In Part 3, we will pick up here.
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