“From the time the dream of separation first entered into the mind, the Father created its correction. And that correction is being played out in the field of space and time. That which was called the Torah was, indeed, written by prophets, if you will — mystics would be another word; or how about channels? — who received guidance to tell stories, some of which, by the way, are fictional, and yet, carry what you call a mythical element. They are fiction, not as a lie, but as stories designed to prompt the soul to remember the Truth. All of this is to say that it was already known by the Lineage that a day would come within this Family called the Jewish nation, that a certain one would be born who is like the fruit of the fruit. There is some of Moses, some of Ezekiel, some of every prophet within me, as that strand of Light, emanating from Abba, culminated in the expression of the life of Jeshua ben Joseph, mirroring the Truth of every soul back to Itself, even though it was so deeply asleep. That is what I meant when I said I was merely a prototype for what is to come, and what I meant when I said, “Greater works than these will you do.” For there is great power — exponential power — when there are ten Christs as opposed to one, or fifty thousand Christs as opposed to ten. That’s what’s coming on your planet — a planet of Christs.” - Way of Mastery, Q&A

Prophecies of a Savior

In the Jewish prophetic and apocalyptic tradition, several key figures gave voice to the hope of a coming savior, messiah, or “anointed one.” These prophecies were later interpreted by early Christians and mystics as pointing toward Yeshua as the fulfillment of the whole spiritual lineage. 

Prophecy of a savior in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament).

• Micah 5:2 prophesies that the ruler of Israel will come from Bethlehem,
• Jeremiah 31:31-32 mentions the coming of a new covenant, which would be fulfilled through Jesus' sacrifice.

Isaiah

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel ('God with us')” - Isaiah 7:14

Isaiah 9:6, which foretells that a child will be born who will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace".

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given… and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace… of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

Isaiah 9:6–7

Isaiah 61:1-2 describes the Messiah as one who would bring good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, and proclaim liberty to the captives.

Isaiah 11:1–2

“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him…”

Isaiah 42:1

“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.”

Isaiah 53 (The Suffering Servant) This entire chapter is read as a mystical prophecy of the crucified Christ.

“He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief… Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows… he was pierced for our transgressions… and by his wounds we are healed.”

Jeremiah

(7th–6th century BCE)

Jeremiah 23:5–6

“Behold, the days are coming… when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king… and this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’”

Jeremiah 31:31–33

“Behold, the days are coming… when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel… I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

Ezekiel

(Exilic prophet, 6th century BCE)

Ezekiel 34:23–24

“I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them… and I, the Lord, will be their God.”

Ezekiel 36:26

“I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.”

Ezekiel’s vision of the “Son of Man”, wheels within wheels, and the divine chariot (Merkabah) were all reinterpreted by early mystics as pointing toward a messianic, mystical revelation.

Daniel

(6th century BCE)

Daniel 7:13–14

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like a Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven… and to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom… his dominion is an everlasting dominion.”

This is directly echoed in Yeshua’s own usage of the phrase “Son of Man”

Micah

(8th century BCE)

Micah 5:2

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah… from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient days.”

Malachi

(5th century BCE)

Malachi 3:1

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple…”

Malachi 4:2

“But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.”

Psalms

Psalm 2:7

“The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’”

Psalm 22 (A prophetic lament of the Passion)

“They pierce my hands and my feet… they divide my garments among them…”

Psalm 110:1

“The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.’”

Dead Sea Scrolls & the Teacher of Righteousness

The Essenes, authors of the Qumran scrolls, spoke of two messianic figures:

• A Messiah of Aaron (priestly, spiritual)
• A Messiah of Israel (royal, kingly)

They also awaited a Teacher of Righteousness who would reveal the true understanding of the Torah and initiate the Sons of Light. Yeshua was interpreted as fulfilling both roles—priest and king, initiator and redeemer.

Jewish Messianic Prophecies & Yeshua

The Messianic Prophecies Key Messianic Prophecies:

1. Lineage of David:
• The Messiah would be born of the line of King David (2 Samuel 7:12–16).
• Jesus’ genealogy, as recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, ties him directly to David’s royal lineage.
2. Born of a Virgin:
• “The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
• Christians interpret this as a prophecy of Jesus’ miraculous birth.
3. Immanuel means “God with us” in Hebrew, derived from the words ‘Immanu’ (with us) and ‘El’ (God).
4. Suffering Servant:
• The Messiah is portrayed as a suffering figure who bears the sins of humanity (Isaiah 53).
• This aligns with Jesus’ crucifixion and the Christian understanding of atonement.
5. Ruler of Peace:
• The Messiah would establish an eternal kingdom of peace and justice (Isaiah 9:6–7).
• Jesus’ teachings on the kingdom of heaven fulfill this vision spiritually.
6. Light to the Nations:
• The Messiah would bring salvation not only to Israel but to all people (Isaiah 49:6). The Role of the Prophets:

Figures like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel spoke of a future anointed one who would fulfill God’s ultimate plan.

• Their writings laid the spiritual and mythological groundwork for the Messiah’s arrival.

1. The Messiah as a Descendant of David 2 Samuel 7:12-13 "When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever."

• This passage is often seen as a promise that the Messiah would come from the lineage of King David and establish an eternal kingdom. Jeremiah 23:5-6 "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely."
• A "righteous Branch" from David symbolizes a messianic king who will restore justice and bring salvation.

1. The Messiah as a King of Peace Isaiah 9:6-7 "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore."

• This is a key prophecy pointing to a divine ruler who will bring everlasting peace and justice.

1. The Suffering Servant Isaiah 53:3-5 "He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed."

• This passage is central to Christian interpretations of Jesus as the Messiah, portraying him as a suffering servant who bears humanity’s sins.

1. The Messiah’s Birth Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

• "Immanuel," meaning "God with us," is seen by Christians as a prophecy of Jesus' miraculous birth. Micah 5:2 "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days."
• This prophecy names Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah, connecting it to Jesus' nativity.

1. The Messiah as a Light to the Nations Isaiah 42:1-4 "Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law."

• This passage depicts the Messiah as a servant of God who brings justice and guidance to all nations. Isaiah 49:6 "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."
• This verse expands the Messiah’s mission to encompass the salvation of all humanity.

1. The Messiah’s Universal Kingdom Zechariah 9:9-10 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth."

• This passage describes the Messiah as a humble king who brings peace to all nations, fulfilled in Christian tradition during Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

1. The Messiah’s Eternal Reign Daniel 7:13-14 "I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed."

• The "Son of Man" is a messianic figure granted eternal dominion, interpreted by Christians as a prophecy of Jesus’ divine kingship.

Jewish Rejection of their Messiah

I believe that Jesus was this messiah that the Jews were waiting for. How did they miss him? Why didn't they accept him and his teachings as their greatest son? What happened within the Jewish religion at the time of Jesuses life and immediately after his death and thereafter?

Expectations of the Messiah At the time of Jesus, Jewish Messianic expectations were diverse but often focused on certain themes that Jesus did not fulfill in the way many anticipated:

The Davidic King

• Many Jews expected a political Messiah who would restore the kingdom of Israel, defeat the Roman occupiers, and reign as a king like David.
• Jesus, however, preached a spiritual kingdom, famously saying, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). This did not align with the expectation of a Messiah who would bring political liberation and establish earthly sovereignty. The Conquering Hero

The Messiah was often envisioned as a triumphant figure who would bring about an era of peace and justice (Isaiah 9:6–7, Zechariah 9:9–10). Jesus’ suffering, crucifixion, and apparent defeat were seen by many as incompatible with these expectations.

• The concept of a suffering Messiah (Isaiah 53) was not universally accepted or understood at the time. The Restorer of the Law

Some Jews expected the Messiah to reaffirm strict adherence to the Mosaic Law. Jesus, while deeply connected to Jewish law, challenged many traditional interpretations, prioritizing love and mercy over legalism (Mark 2:27, Matthew 23).

• His radical reinterpretations and challenges to religious authorities alienated many Jewish leaders.

Tensions with Religious Authorities Conflict with the Pharisees and Sadducees

• Pharisees: As interpreters of the Law, they saw Jesus’ teachings (e.g., healing on the Sabbath, associating with sinners) as subversive and a threat to their authority.
• Sadducees: As Temple priests aligned with Roman power, they likely saw Jesus as a political and social threat, especially after his dramatic cleansing of the Temple (Matthew 21:12–13). Blasphemy Accusations
• Jesus’ claim to divinity, especially statements like "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58), were seen by some as blasphemous, violating Jewish monotheism.
• His association with God as "Father" and implications of being the Son of God were controversial and alienating to many.

Social and Political Context Roman Occupation

• The Jews lived under Roman rule, which was oppressive and often brutal. Many hoped the Messiah would overthrow Rome.
• Jesus’ message of "turn the other cheek" (Matthew 5:39) and his lack of political rebellion disappointed those seeking immediate liberation. Fear of Rebellion
• Jewish leaders may have seen Jesus as a destabilizing figure whose popularity could provoke Roman retaliation, endangering the entire Jewish community.
• The crucifixion itself, carried out by the Romans, highlights their fear of Jesus as a potential revolutionary.

After Jesus’ Death: The Jewish Response The Early Christian Movement

• After Jesus’ crucifixion, his followers began proclaiming his resurrection and divinity, identifying him as the Messiah who fulfilled Jewish prophecy.
• This movement, initially centered in Jerusalem, was led by figures like Peter, James (the brother of Jesus), and later Paul, who expanded the message to Gentiles. Jewish Rejection of Jesus as Messiah
• Many Jews could not reconcile Jesus’ death by crucifixion—a punishment reserved for criminals and rebels—with the concept of a victorious, anointed king.
• The Christian claim that Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecies often required reinterpretations of scripture that were not universally accepted by Jews. The Temple’s Destruction (70 CE)
• The destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans profoundly reshaped Judaism, leading to the dominance of Rabbinic Judaism, which focused on Torah study and synagogue worship.
• Early Christianity, by then a separate movement, diverged further from mainstream Judaism, especially as it incorporated Gentiles and moved away from strict adherence to Jewish law.

Long-Term Developments The Parting of the Ways

• Over time, Christianity became increasingly distinct from Judaism, especially as Gentile converts outnumbered Jewish believers.
• The Council of Jerusalem (circa 50 CE) decided that Gentile Christians did not need to follow Jewish laws like circumcision, further alienating Jewish communities. Jewish Christians and the Nazarenes
• Some Jews did accept Jesus as the Messiah, forming early Jewish-Christian sects like the Nazarenes and the Ebionites.
• These groups, however, dwindled as Christianity became predominantly Gentile and incorporated non-Jewish theological frameworks.

Mystical and Esoteric Perspectives A Cosmic Plan

• From a mystical perspective, the Jewish tradition served as a foundation for the coming of the Messiah. The Torah, prophets, and covenants prepared humanity for the advent of Christ consciousness.
• The rejection of Jesus by many Jews could be seen as part of the divine plan, allowing Christianity to spread to the Gentiles and fulfill the prophecy of being a “light to the nations” (Isaiah 49:6).

Dual Mystical Streams

• Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah) and Christian mysticism share deep roots but evolved along separate paths. Both explore the idea of restoring divine unity, with Jesus representing a realized embodiment of the divine in Christian thought.