Yahushua is our greatest Gift and the greatest One Who has ever walked this earth.
He became our greatest gift, because He, Who is our Creator and the Creator of all worlds and all things in the universe (John 1: 1-3), laid aside His glory as our Elohim and came to this earth in human form (Hebrews 10:5), where He suffered and died for the entire human race, so that He could redeem and buy us back to Himself.
THE REASON YAHUSHUA CAME TO THIS WORLD
The question is: Why did Yahushua, our Creator, have to give up His throne in Heaven and to come to this world and suffer and die for the human race? To answer this question, we will have to go back to the very beginning of time, six thousand years ago when this world was first created. Yahweh, our Elohim, made a perfect world which He gave to the man, Adam, for him to be the custodian and for him, his off-springs and descendants throughout the ages of time to enjoy. Yahweh also gave to Adam his wife, Eve, whom He created from one of Adam’s ribs (Genesis
“16 . . . Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die”.
Adam obeyed Yahweh's command, which was also the test he was given to prove whether or not he would be obedient to his Elohim. One day, however, as Adam and Eve were walking through the garden of Eden, they came to “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. In that tree was an enemy, Satan, who was disguised as a serpent. Yahweh had cast Satan and the angels, who sided with him when he rebelled and made war in Heaven, into outer darkness (Revelation 12:7-9,12).
Although Satan had been cast into outer darkness, he came to this world which Yahweh had not long created and given to the man, Adam, and his wife, Eve.
THE ENTRANCE OF SIN
Satan knew that Adam and Eve were young and inexperienced and that they had not passed the test Yahweh had given them. That test was that they were not eat from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. Satan, a spirit being, had nowhere of his own that he could call home. He was experienced, cunning and very crafty. Therefore, he took on the disguise of a serpent and waited in “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” until Adam and Eve came by. Satan then quickly engaged Eve into a dialog about Yahweh's command concerning not eating from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. The following is the account of what took place:
“1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which [Adonai Yahweh] the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath [Yahweh] God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, [Yahweh] God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 for [Yahweh] God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat”.
Adam was told by Yahweh that if he ate the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden or touch it, the sentence would be death. Soon after Adam and Eve had eaten from that tree, they received the greatest shock they had experienced since they were created because their disobedience led to the following:
“And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons”. Genesis 3:7.
They were now in shame as their eyes were opened and they began to know the difference between good and evil as Satan, in the form of a serpent, had told them. They realised they had sinned and fallen out of favour with their Elohim. The wisdom they had gained was such that they became ashamed and afraid due to their nakedness and the changes which had suddenly come upon them. They feared meeting with their loving Elohim and thus hid themselves.
That evening after Adam and Eve sinned, Yahweh came down from Heaven as was His custom but the young couple were in hiding. Although Yahweh (Who is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent) knew what they had done, He went in search of them and called them by name. Concerning the account of what took place that evening after the Man and the Woman sinned, we read in Genesis 3: 8-13:
"8 And they heard the voice of [ Adonai Yahweh] the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of [ Adonai Yahweh] the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And t[ Adonai Yahweh] he Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 And [ Adonai Yahweh] the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done?
And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat".
THE SENTENCE FOR SIN
Yahweh had specifically told Adam that death would be the sentence if he ate from “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. The sentence had to be carried out because Yahweh does not altar the word that goes out of His mouth ( Psalm 89:34). The first on whom sentence was passed was the serpent because it had allowed Satan to use its body whereby he deceived Eve. To the serpent, Yahweh said:
“. . . Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life”. Genesis 3: 14.
Then to the woman, Eve, Yahweh said:
"16 . . . I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee".
Genesis 3: 16
Yahweh also spoke to Adam and said:
"17 …. Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return".
Although Adam and Eve did not die on that same day that they sinned, the time came when their first son, Abel, died at the hand of his brother (Genesis 4:8). In time Adam and Eve also died. Death from that time has been the human lot. The blight of sin led to death for all living creatures, as well as plant life because all came under the sentence of death brought on by man’s disobedience.
THE PLAN TO REDEEM MANKIND
Before Yahweh made the world, He had put in place the Plan to rescue mankind from the curse of sin because He is omniscient and knew that man would sin. Yahweh, the First Person of the Godhead, decided that He would play the role of a Father. Yahweh, the Second Person in the Godhead, decided He would come to this world in human form (under the name of Yahweh Shua, Yahweh is our Saviour (Matthew 1:21) ) and pay the price for the salvation of the human race. The Ruach Ha Kodesh, the Holy Spirit, would also play a vital role in the plan of our redemption. He would take on the role to overshadow a virgin young lady and plant the holy Seed in her womb, so that the Saviour would come into this world in human flesh. Speaking about that Plan that was made for our redemption, Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1: 18-20:
"18 forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 but with the precious blood of [Mashiach] Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you".
Yahweh was not ignorant as to Satan’s plan to deceive and take control of this world. Therefore, there in the garden of Eden, He spoke directly to Satan, who had taken on the disguise of the serpent, and said:
“and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel”. Genesis 3:15.
That was a prophecy which declared war on Satan and made it known to him that he would not have it all his own way. There would now be war between Satan and the woman and between her Seed, Yahushua, Who would come and fight against him by suffering for the human race and then giving His life for them upon the Cross. Thereby He would purchase the salvation of the entire human race. By the death Yahushua would die, Satan would “bruise” His heel, while He, Yahushua, would bruise Satan’s head by His death. Thus He would mete out the death sentence to Satan, which would one day put an end to his reign of evil, wickedness, terror, sin and death in this world.
Sin brought separation between the human race and a loving, holy and righteous Elohim so that there was no longer the face to face contact as it were with Adam and Eve before they sinned. Adam and Eve had to leave their garden home with all its comforts and beauty and had to go and make a life for themselves. Adam had to eat bread by the sweat of his brow as he battled with the thorns, thistles and the hard ground. Eve had to bring forth her children in great sorrow. Six thousand years later, the man’s lot remains one that he has to provide for his family amidst toil and labour (for the majority of men) and women continue to bear children in great sorrow (except in cases where medical intervention may dictate otherwise).
MAN'S PART IN HIS REDEMPTION
In spite of the separation which sin caused, Elohim did not abandon the human race. From the time Adam and Eve sinned, they had to begin to sacrifice lambs, sheep, goats and cattle, pigeons and turtle doves as sin offerings to Yahweh to atone for their sins (Genesis 4:4; Leviticus 5; Hebrews 9:11-14). The shedding of the blood of those animals which lasted for four thousand years, pointed to the sacrifice Yahushua would make for the human race as He would give His life as the Lamb of Yahweh for the entire human race (John 1:29).
The sacrificing of animals and birds and the shedding of their blood for the sins of the people continued up to the time of Noah, two thousand years later. By then the sins of the people was so great that Yahweh repented that He had made man upon the earth. So great were the sins of the people that Yahweh sent a global flood and destroyed all life upon the land and in the air, which had not taken refuge in the ark which He told Noah to build for those who would enter its safety and protection (Genesis 6-8).
PROPHECIES RELATING TO YAHUSHUA, OUR SAVIOUR
The animal sacrifice continued for another two thousand years until Yahushua came and gave His life for the sins of the world. The Plan of redemption for the human race was ever before our Elohim and was kept alive through His various prophets who spoke about the Redeemer, Yahweh Shua, Who would come to this world. The first prophecy was that of Genesis 3:15, where Yahweh told Satan back in the garden of Eden:
“and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel”. Genesis 3:15.
Among the many other prophecies concerning our Saviour, Yahushua, and His redemptive work, are:
Isaiah 9: 6.7:
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty [Elohim] God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of [Yahweh] the Lord of hosts will perform this”.
Isaiah 7:14:
“Therefore [Yahweh] the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel”.
Isaiah 60: 1-3:
The Spirit of [Yahweh Elohim] the Lord God is upon me; because [Adonai] the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of [Yahweh]the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our [Elohim] God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of [Adonai] the Lord, that he might be glorified.
Isaiah 53:
“2 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.
3 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.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of [Elohim] God, and afflicted.
5 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.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
10 Yet it pleased [Yahweh] the Lord 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 [Adonai] the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 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.
12 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”.
All the prophecies about Yahushua, our Saviour, were fulfilled according to Yahweh's Word, including the prophecies which are mentioned above. It was important that all the prophecies were fulfilled otherwise Yahushua would not have been the true Mashiach (Messiah).
YAHUSHUA CAME INTO THE WORLD
At Yahweh's appointed time, four thousand years after sin came into the world, the Ruach Ha Kodesh overshadowed a virgin young lady by the name of Miriam, whom we know as Mary, and planted in her womb the holy Seed, so that she conceived the holy Child, Yahushua. At the time of her conception, Mary was engaged to be married. Yahweh spoke to her husband in a dream and told him that the conception was by the Ruach Ha Kodesh. Yahweh instructed Joseph about the Child to the born and made him His earthly guardian (Matthew
Nine months after the conception of the virgin, Mary, she gave birth to Yahushua, or Yahweh Shua, Who came to save us from our sins. No human blood or human DNA was in the body of Yahushua because He was not the biological son of any man. He came into the world as the Son of Yahweh, to save the world and to destroy the works of Satan. Thus in John 3: 16.17, we read:
"16 For [Yahweh] God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son [Yahushua], that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For [Yahweh] God sent not his Son [Yahushua] into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved".
We are also told in 1 John 3:8:
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of [Yahweh] God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil”.
While in this world, Yahushua, laid aside His divinity and lived as a normal human being. He went through infancy, childhood, youth and adulthood. He suffered pains and hardships, felt emotions and shed tears, needed food, water and rest and encountered every human need. He worked with His hands as a Carpenter for His living and to help His family. He was tempted as we are tempted but at a much greater level because Satan knew Him and wanted to destroy Him while He was in human flesh. We can however say, Praise Yahweh because in spite of all that Satan brought against our loving Saviour, Yahushua, He did not sin as we are told in Hebrews 4:15:
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
THE MINISTRY OF YAHUSHUA
At the age of 30 years, Yahushua began His Ministry to show His love, mercy, compassion and to teach about the
“. . .Behold the Lamb of [Yahweh] God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
John 1:29
John did not want to baptise sinless Yahushua, but Yahushua insisted that he did by saying:
“Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness”. Matthew 3:15.
Although Yahushua was sinless, He permitted John to baptise Him, thus setting us an example that we should do likewise when we accept Him as our Saviour.
Following His baptism, Yahushua went into the wilderness where He spent forty days and forty nights as He communed with His Father, Yahweh, and with the Ruach Ha Kodesh. During that time He prepared for the great and awesome work which was before Him for the next three and a half years. While in the wilderness, He ate and drank nothing and at the end of that period He was very weak and hungry. It was in that state that Satan went and tempted Yahushua with food, presumptuousness and material goods (the things which human beings crave for). Satan hoped that Yahushua would do as he wished and succumb to sin, whereby he would gain full control over Yahushua, Himself, and over this world. Thus the Plan of redemption would fail and there would be no hope for mankind. Satan failed on every point of his temptation and had to go way in shame (Matthew 4: 1-11). Thus Yahushua said:
“. . . the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. John 14:30:
At the end of that forty days of fasting and praying and holding communion with Yahweh, His Father, and the Ruach Ha Kodesh; Yahushua returned to public life to begin His Ministry under the anointing of the Ruach Ha Kodesh because He had laid aside His divinity and had no power of His own. Concerning His work and anointing, Yahushua read the prophecy concerning Himself from the Book of Isaiah:
“18 The Spirit of [Yahweh] the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 to preach the acceptable year of [Adonai] the Lord”. Luke 4: 16-19
Yahushua then began His work of Ministry and as He did He made the announcement in Matthew 4: 17:
“Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”.
This kingdom of heaven to which He referred, was the kingdom of grace which He brought to this world, one in which He healed all manner of diseases, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb: cast out devils and demons, did many more mighty miracles and taught the people. His work was one of great compassion. Thus in Acts 10: 38, it is recorded:
“ How [Yahweh] God anointed [Yahushua] Jesus of Nazareth with the [Ruach Ha Kodesh] Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for [Elohim] God was with him”.
THE KINGDOM OF GRACE WHICH YAHUSHUA BROUGHT
The works Yahushua did while He was here upon earth, He has left for His followers to do because we are still in the kingdom of grace. Among His instructions to His followers are:
Matthew 10: 1, 7, 8:
1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. . . 7And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Mark 16:15-18:
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover”.
YAHUSHUA'S COMBAT WITH SATAN TO REDEEM THE HUMAN RACE
Yahushua worked diligently for three and a half years. During that time Satan worked through many of the leading Jews, including the high priest, to entrap Yahushua in order to put Him to death. Yahushua knew their plans but no one could lay a hand on Him before the appointed time. At the end of that three and a half years, His work on earth had come to an end and it was time to face Satan in open combat as He fought the battle for the redemption of the human race. The account of His suffering, death and resurrection are recorded in Matthew 26 -28; Mark 14-16; Luke 22-24; John 18-20).
It was not an easy battle which Yahushua had to fight with Satan in order to purchase our salvation. His was not a battle of swords and shields, horses and chariots and a great army of soldiers. It was one in which He stood alone while Satan working through his emissaries, attacked His Person. He was ferociously and savagely beaten, lied upon, mocked, humiliated, tortured, spat upon, slapped in the face, His beard plucked out; a crown of thorn rammed upon His head as He was shunted from one judgment hall to another as the high priest and others sought the order to have Him crucified. In love and humility Yahushua bore all His sufferings without saying a word.
His persecutors obtained the death sentence for Him, following which they placed a very heavy wooden cross upon His back, which was raw from the savage beatings. This heavy, rough wooden cross He was made to carry to the place of crucifixion. The suffering was very great and His weakened, tortured body fell beneath the cross but each time He fell, He got up again and struggled to carry it to the pace of crucifixion. Each step was getting hardier and harder as He struggled and fell under the heavy weight. Eventually there was a man from
At the place of crucifixion whereas others were tied to the cross, Yahushua was nailed through His hands and feet to the cross. The cross was then rammed into the ground in the upright position. The thrust in the ground caused every sinew and every nerve in our Saviour’s body to scream out in pain!! The sight of Him upon the cross was an awful one. It was such that Yahweh sent darkness for three hours from 12
While Yahushua was upon the cross the mockings, the jeerings and the insults continued. Amidst it all, Satan used everything at his disposal in his attempt to cause Yahushua to sin so that he could gain the victory over the human race. While Satan waited to see if he could succeed, Yahushua cried out:
“It is finished”. John 19:30.
After Yahushua had said these last words: “It is finished", recorded in John 19:30, He bowed His head and gave up the ghost. At the moment of His death there was an earthquake which caused all who were looking on to tremble, including Satan, who knew he had lost the battle. With the death of Yahushua, the victory for the human race was won and the prophecy that Satan’s head would be bruised was fulfilled (Genesis
At the moment of Yahushua’s death, the inner curtain of the tabernacle which separated the holy place from the
Tradition has it that at the time of Yahushua’s death, the lamb that was about to be slaughtered as a sin offering escaped from the priest. This, too, was significant because Yahushua’s death brought an end to all animal sacrifices which were done to make atonement for sin because Yahushua, the TRUE LAMB, Who takes away the sins of the world had been slain once and for all times.
Yahushua meekly went through the terrible suffering, torture and death out of His great love for the entire human race. Thus His life and what He did for us, the human race, is summed up in Philippians 2:
"5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in [Yahushua Ha Mashiach] Christ Jesus: 6 who, being in the form of [Elohim] God, thought it not robbery to be equal with [Yahweh] God: 7 but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore [Yahweh] God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 and that every tongue should confess that [Yahushua Ha Mashiach] Jesus Christ is [Adon] Lord, to the glory of [Yahweh] God the Father".
At the death of Yahushua, Satan thought he had control over His lifeless body. To ensure keeping Him in the tomb where His body rested, Satan worked through the high priest and Pharisees to seal and guard the tomb. Thus they went to Pilate and requested a seal to be placed around the entrance of His tomb and for a watch of Roman soldiers to guard the tomb. They used the excuse (out of fear) that they needed these safeguards in place, lest Yahushua’s disciples would come and steal His body. All their requests were granted. Thus the seal was placed around the entrance of the tomb and hardened Roman Soldiers were placed to guard the tomb around the clock. However, in spite of all the safeguards in place, early on the first day of the week, an angel came down from heaven and the soldiers all fell as dead men. The angel rendered the seal on the tomb useless and rolled away the stone that was at the entrance of the tomb (Matthew 28: 1-4).
Once that mighty angel removed the stone from the entrance of the sepulchre, Elohim Yahweh called Yahushua back to life and He came forth from the grave victorious over death and the grave. This was in direct fulfilment of His word that He had power to lay down His life and power to take it up again (John
SATAN'S GREAT LIE TO DENY THE RESURRECTION OF YAHUSHUA
The resurrection of Yahushua, brought great fright, confusion, dismay and embarrassment among the soldiers who were guarding His tomb. They went into the city fearing for their lives because they had no power to prevent the spectacular event of Yahushua being raised from the dead. Upon learning what transpired, the soldiers were paid large sums by the chief priests to lie upon themselves that while they slept, Yahushua’s disciples came and stole His body. The soldiers gladly took the money and lied as they were told (Matthew 28:11-15). Today, that lie is still being told by most Jews, who continue to reject their Mashiach and King, Yahushua. Sadly, because of that wicked lie, the majority of Jews continue to look for another Messiah to come and deliver them.
EVIDENCES OF YAHUSHUA'S RESURRECTION
In spite of the lie that Yahushua’s disciples came and stole His body while the soldiers slept and which continues among many Jews until this day, the evidences of His resurrection bear witness that Yahushua Mashiach rose from the tomb. His resurrection was not kept as a secret because He appeared to many, first of whom was Mary Magdalene. On the morning of His resurrection He appeared to her before He returned to His Father, Yahweh, in Heaven to personally report to Him that His mission of redeeming the human race had been accomplished (John 20: 11-17).
The evidences of Yahushua’s resurrection from the dead continued that very evening after His return from Heaven. On that evening He joined two men on the
On that night Yahushua met with the disciples in a home and revealed Himself to them. They were afraid because they thought they were seeing His ghost, but Yahushua assured them that it was He, Himself. He encouraged them to touch and handle him and prove that He is real because a spirit does not have flesh and blood as He had. The disciples were still shocked and so Yahushua asked them for something to eat, which was something a spirit does not do (John 2019-21; Luke 24: 36-48).
Yahushua appeared to the disciples several times during the forty days He remained in this world following His resurrection. On one occasion He prepared a meal for them and worked a miracle on their behalf by giving them a large draught of fish after they had toiled all night and caught nothing (John 21: 4-14). Yahushua also appeared to up to five hundred of His disciples at one time (1 Corinthians 15: 5-8). He instructed and encouraged His disciples (Matthew 28: 19, 20; Mark
Since Yahushua’s return Heaven, He has appeared to many people in this world, including Saul of Tarsus who persecuted His followers (Acts 9: 1-6). Over the centuries since His resurrection and ascension to Heaven, Yahushua has appeared to many in this world and ministered to them. During those visits He has healed people on their sick beds or death beds; comforted people, gave them food, instructed them or delivered them from serious accidents or impossible situations and worked miracles on their behalf. Today He continues to do the same.
Yahushua is the only one Who has power over death and the grave. He is the only One Who was raised from the dead and for almost 2000 years continues to work on behalf of His children in this world. Today His empty tomb in Jerusalem is a constant reminder that Yahushua Ha Mashiach, our Saviour and Redeemer, is alive and has the power over sin and death because He won the victory by shedding His precious blood for us, the human race.
Yahushua did not have to remain in this world for forty days following His Resurrection because He had suffered and died, whereby He paid the price for our redemption with His own precious blood. He could have remained in Heaven after His return on the morning of resurrection. However, He chose to return to this world that very evening and remain here for a further forty days. He did this to prove that He is alive and that He is a real human being because He chose to retain His human form. He chose to spend some of His time with His disciples and to appear to many to prove that He was indeed risen from the dead and thus disclaim the lies of the Roman soldiers and the Jews that His disciples came and stole His body from the tomb.
Yahushua chose to come back to this world, so that He could encourage His disciples and all who would follow Him that He is indeed the Mashiach and that He rose from the dead. His resurrection proves that His followers who died before His return to this world, would also be resurrected, because He is the first fruit of them that slept (1 Corinthians 15:20). Yahushua also chose to return to this world so that He could encourage His disciples who were distraught, frightened and discouraged at His death. Likewise, He did not want to leave them without a human leader to continue the work of grace, love and compassion which He had begun. The person whom He appointed and placed His mantle and His Name upon was Peter, who had denied Him during His trial (Mark 14: 66-72; John
YAHUSHUA'S ASCENSION TO HEAVEN AND THE CERTAINITY THAT HE WILL RETURN
At the end of the forty days as Yahushua remained in this world following His resurrection, as He was walking and talking with His disciples, He was taken up into Heaven in visible human form. He was accompanied by the angels who came and accompanied Him back to Glory. These angels appeared as a cloud to the disciples who were with Him at His ascension. The disciples were very surprised by the ascension of Yahushua, with Whom they had been for three and half years and Who had been with them several times after His resurrection. In their astonishment they stood gazing at the sight as He ascended. As they were gazing up into Heaven as He ascended, two of the angels from the escorting party remained behind and spoke to the disciples to reassure them before they re- joined the rest of the angelic host. They said to the disciples:
“Ye men of
Yes! This is part of the Good News!! The very Good News!! YAHUSHUA WILL RETURN ONE DAY TO THIS WORLD FOR HIS CHILDREN!! By His grace He will return with great power and glory for them (Luke 9:26).
The signs Yahushua gave in Matthew 24, Luke 21 and other Scriptures, concerning the signs which would precede His return and show that His coming is near, have almost all been fulfilled. WE ARE LIVING IN THAT TIME- THE TIME OF THE END!! Thus He admonishes us to be always ready as He tells us in Matthew 24: 44:
“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh”.
TIME TO REFLECT ON WHAT YAHUSHUA HAS DONE FOR THE HUMAN RACE
Yahushua, our Creator and King of Glory came to this world as a human Baby and grew up like any other person. He lived and worked like others for His livelihood but He had come to this world for a specific purpose. Thus at the appointed time He began His Ministry to bless mankind through His work of love, mercy and compassion. He had not only come to bless the human race by the things He did but most importantly, He had come to give His own life for them in order that He would pay the price for our sins. That time came three and half years after He began His ministry.
The sufferings which Yahushua endured as well as His brutal death, did not take Him by surprise. He knew all that He would suffer in the battle to redeem mankind. Thus He allowed Himself to be beaten, mocked and tortured as He fought with Satan for the souls of His children, whom He created. Finally He laid down His life for the entire human race, whereby He won the victory over Satan (Mark 14,15)
Death, the enemy of man, had no power over Yahushua, our Creator and Saviour. Three days after His death, He rose victoriously from the Grave and thus conquered death and the grave for all mankind. Yahushua rose from the dead for you and me so that death cannot have the final say over us when we die. At death, it is only our bodies which lie asleep (for those who die before Yahushua's return) until the resurrection morning when death will flee. At that time Yahushua will resurrect the bodies of all those who had accepted Him as their Saviour and place their immortal spirits (spirits and souls) in their new beautiful immortal bodies (1 Corinthians 15: 50-55; 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17).
Yahushua ascended to Heaven where He has prepared beautiful homes for us (John 14: 1-3), and where He is interceding before His Father, Yahweh, on our behalf so that we will be pardoned from our sins and have eternal life with Him. YAHUSHUA HAS PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR SALVATION AND CONTINUES TO PLEAD ON OUR BEHALF. Everything that had to be done to give us eternal life has been done by Him because He is YAHUSHUA, THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD; OUR GREATEST GIFT AND OUR GREAT REDEEMER!!
WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER??
Considering what our Saviour has done for you, What is your answer to the following questions:
- Have you accepted His precious gift, his life for you??
- Are you ready to meet Him and to go home to Glory with Him when He returns, or when you leave this world at death??
Please know and understand that you do not have to pay a penny for your salvation because Yahushua has paid the full price for you at the cost of his own life. This He willingly did to save you from hell when you die and from the lake of fire and brimstone in the final judgment. Please understand also that the
YAHUSHUA IS NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH
Yahushua is not willing that any of us should perish, that is the main reason He came to this world and gave His life for us so that we, too, can have everlasting life with Him. Unlike Satan who has died for no one but who deceives and forces people to follow him, Yahushua does the opposite. He, Who gave His life for us, gives us the choice to choose whom we will serve. Concerning this we read in Deuteronomy 30:19:
“… I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live”.
And in Revelation
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”.
THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!
These are the end times, times leading up to the return of our loving Saviour, Yahushua Ha Mashiach. At any moment the door of mercy could be closed and man's probation could end!! Yahushua is waiting and pleading for the souls of those who have not yet accepted Him as their Saviour because He does not want one soul for whom He died to perish. If you have not accepted Yahushua Ha Mashiach, Who died for you, as your Saviour and you would like to do so (since He does not force anyone to accept Him), and to be ready for His return for you, or to be with Him when you die; please say this prayer and you will immediately become one of His precious children. Should you then leave this world any time from now, you will be ready to be with Him. Now please pray with me this Sinner’s Prayer:
Yahushua, I believe You are the Son of Yahweh (God) and that you left Your throne in Heaven 2000 years ago and came here to this world. I believe You suffered, shed Your blood and died on the Cross of shame for me, paid the price for my sin and redeemed me from the curse of sin and eternal torment in Hell and the lake of fire and brimstone.
I believe Yahweh, the Father, raised You from the dead after three days in the grave. I believe you returned to Heaven, your throne, and that soon You are coming back to this world for Your children.
Yahushua, I confess that I am a sinner in need of Your saving grace. I am sorry for the sins I have committed. Please forgive me. Today, I accept You as my personal Saviour from sin. Please come into my life, cleanse me from all my sins and be the Adonai (Lord) of my life. In Your precious Name Yahushua, I declare that I am born again and have passed from death to eternal life. Please baptise and fill me with the Ruach Ha Kodesh (the Holy Spirit) and please use me for Your service.
Gracious Yahweh, my Father, I pray this prayer in Yahushua’s Name Amen. Amen.
May our loving Elohim bless you and help you to make the right choice. By Yahushua’s grace, it is my prayer that you will be ready to go home to Glory with King Yahushua when He returns, or to go and be with Him should you die before His return because He alone is THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD, OUR GREATEST GIFT AND OUR GREAT REDEEMER.
May the rich blessings of our Elohim be with you. Shalom!
NB: Scriptures used in this Post are taken from the KJV of the Bible.
