The Good News from the Hebrew Scriptures

A Summary Outline

Jim Sibley – Coordinator of Jewish Ministries NAMB-SBC

 

1.      Man’s Greatest Problem is the Problem of Sin

a.       The Universality of Sin: Psalm 14:2-3; Ecclesiastes 7:20

                                       i.      According to the Hebrew Scriptures, am I a sinner?

                                     ii.      According to the Hebrew Scriptures, are you a sinner?

b.      The Alienation of Sin: Isaiah 59:1-2

                                       i.      Of course you’re Jewish and you’ll continue to be Jewish regardless of your belief in Messiah.

                                     ii.      The question is, “What kind of a Jew are you?”

1.      David, Israel’s greatest king acknowledged that he was a sinner just as the Scriptures we just read expressed: Psalm 51.

2.      You do not have to die a sinner. You can have the same relationship with God that Abraham had!

2.      The Need for a Substitutionary Blood Atonement

a.       The Absolute Requirement according to Jewish Law: Leviticus 17:11

b.      The Immediate Problem:

                                       i.      There is no Temple

                                     ii.      There is no Altar

                                    iii.      There is no Royal Priesthood

                                   iv.      There is no Sacrifice

c.       The Rabbinic Response

                                       i.      Repentance

                                     ii.      Prayer

                                    iii.      Good Deeds take the place of blood sacrifice

1.      The rabbis’ point to Scripture taken out of context to deny God ever intended to desire sacrifice.

2.      The Counsel at Yavneh (Jamnia) ruled that sacrifice was no longer required.

3.      Many observant Jewish people also point to periods in Jewish history where sacrifice was not offered – this however was always when the Jewish people were in a state of rebellion and apostasy.

d.      A More Profound Problem:

                                       i.      Animals were never meant to atone for the sin of mankind.

                                     ii.      Man is created in the image of God.

                                    iii.      The sacrificial system was only a temporary system

1.      Illustration of credit card

a.       You have a balance that you make minimum monthly payments

b.      Yet you maintain a balance

c.       You are fulfilling the monthly obligation, but you have not paid your debt in full!

3.      The Messiah as the Ultimate Sacrifice for Sin

a.       The Atonement of the Messiah: Isaiah 53:4-6. The atonement of lambs and goats pointed to the full and perfect sacrifice offered in the death of Messiah.

b.      The Identity of the Messiah:

                                       i.      Born in Bethlehem: Micah 5:2 (Micah 5:1 in Hebrew Bible)

                                     ii.      Would be sacrificed before destruction of Second Temple in A.D. 70: Daniel 9:26

                                    iii.      Illustration of Joseph in Egypt

1.      He was unrecognizable to his brothers because he was dressed and lived like an Egyptian.

2.      Messiah is difficult for Jewish people to see because He has been removed from His first century Jewish context.

4.      Faith in God’s Provision for Sin

a.       The Result of Abraham’s Faith was Righteousness! Genesis 15:6

b.      The Result of the Israelites’ Faith was Life! Numbers 21:9

c.       The Result of Anyone’s Faith in God’s Provision for Sin is Salvation! Joel 2:32 (Joel 3:5 in Hebrew Bible)