A Jewish Perspective of Blood Atonement
…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” – Hebrews 9:22b
Is it possible to obtain remission of sins without the shedding of blood? How are Jews forgiven for lack of an altar and Temple? What is repentance? What does it mean to be a kingdom of priests?
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[audio:https://truth2u.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Truth2U-Rabbi-Eli-Cohen-A-Jewish-Perspective-of-Sacrifice.mp3|titles=Truth2U – Rabbi Eli Cohen – A Jewish Perspective of Sacrifice]
With respect to Passover, Christianity has made the substitutionary death of Jesus ‘the Passover lamb’, to be the sole basis for an entirely new religion! And here is the harm of such a distortion of the biblical narrative. The ‘Passover lamb’ of Christianity is atonement for sin and has its worshipers passively worshiping the lamb itself because the lamb does the work for them, takes the punishment for them and pays the price of ALL sin for them! Indeed according to Christian theology it is impossible for anybody to actually make themselves acceptable to G-d by their actions[Ezekiel 20:20,21].
In contradistinction, the actions and thoughts behind the actions of the Israelites with respect to (but not only) slaying of the Passover lamb, where saving actions and thoughts by virtue of the Israelites choosing the G-d of Israel over the lamb god of the Egyptians! The Passover Lamb was a sacrifice to show ones’ allegiance to the G-d of Israel! Obedience to the word of G-d is more valuable to G-d than sacrifice[1 Sam 15:22 , Jer 7:23 and Amos 5;25]. And where one does need to bring a sacrifice for sin as commanded in the Torah, a primary prerequisite is teshuva or in the not so accurate English term repentance. Judaism considers the prerequisite teshuva or repentance to achieve atonement and not the idea of a penal human substitutionary atonement which the Jewish scriptures teach against[Deut 12:31]. Without teshuva any sacrifice for sin is worthless otherwise! With the prerequisites of teshuva in place and obedience to the word of G-d being preferable than sacrifice, the sacrificial sacrifice aspect of Torah is placed in its proper context. Without the sacrificial sacrifice aspect of Torah in its proper context, Christianity makes sacrifice for atonement alone the sole basis of its religion without any reference to a personal effort to get closer to G-d. However, with Passover we are talking about something altogether different. Passover is a sacrifice of allegiance not a sacrifice of atonement.
That was a clear presentation. Rabbi Eli showed how Christians can’t claim that Tanach shows there *must* be an ultimate sacrifice of the promised Davidic king (or of anyone) for our sins to be forgiven by God. Repentance was clearly the key in atonement, and for Gentiles that was enough. For Jews, the commanded Temple sacrifices are a part of the covenant, and sometimes they involved blood while at other times they didn’t. Nonetheless, when they Temple was not standing, people could offer “the bulls of their lips” so to speak. So the sacrifices are really an expression of the way that a person is turning back to surrender to God.
Christians might be left a couple of questions. Both the Tanach and the New Testament show that the blood of an animal doesn’t cause forgiveness, of itself. In the Tanach, the offering must accompany a sincere heart. Hebrews 10 in particular suggests that these animal sacrifices were just a shadow of the ‘heavenly sacrifice’ and heavenly Temple yet to be revealed. So: What if all the forgiveness that happened in the period before Jesus, including during the Babylonian exile and for the people who offered flour on the altar, did actually come retrospectively from a sacrifice at Calvary? Rabbi Eli showed that there are no good ‘proof texts’ here, but if someone could accept Christianity for other reasons, maybe the sacrificial system could be later understood as a mirror of and pointer to Jesus. In that case, to walk away from loyalty to Jesus on the basis of this presentation might actually be to shun an incredibly costly gift from God.
Another question might be how God’s justice is actually shown if His kindness isn’t accompanied by a substitution for our punishment. What if the sacrifices, particularly on Yom Kippur, were designed to illustrate this idea for Israel?
In answer to the questions I just posted (above), I’ve found a few important things to consider.
First, as Rabbi Eli said, the faith structure of Judaism as it is lived out is planted in a context of obedience to God’s commandments. He didn’t command the Israelites clearly that the way to atone for their sins would no longer be as He previously showed, but through the death and resurrection of a divine moshiach. Still, couldn’t a future, progressive revelation change their understanding of that? One of the biggest problems with this is the high stakes of the claim. Believers in Yeshua claim that those who do not have faith in him are actually offering their service to God without real faith at all, as if they could attain to righteousness without mercy; that they have zeal without knowledge (Romans 9:32, 10:2). This goes against the heart of the Jewish liturgy. In any case, to say that a Jew is *not* part of the righteous remnant, even though they fit the prophetic descriptions of such a person, is to slander that person without cause. Not only that, but we would be claiming that the community that holds God’s witness is confined to a small circle of believers that someone was Moshiach, while in fact God’s testimony might really be in the midst of a larger group of righteous Jews. So in that case we would be ignoring and mistreating God’s Servant (Israel). Until a *full* case can be made for the claim that forgiveness only comes through Yeshua, it isn’t an acceptable claim to make.
Regarding God’s justice, Isaiah 55:7-9 show that it’s a mystery… we don’t need to understand it… but it is a promise and an invitation. I think that’s all there is to that. He knows how His justice and mercy come to us together, even if we don’t. I think that again, Ezekiel 33:10-16 has something to do with it.
As for your own journey with God, being careful not to reject anything that He has truly commanded simply because you don’t know enough to make such a decision… I would say, cling to Him and wait for Him. I believe it’s okay to be quiet and wait for as long as it takes to be sure that you are following Him alone. Even though we only know so little about Him and His ways, He hears prayers, and He makes ways *clear* for His people (Psalm 84).
Thank you much for these interviews Jono. Please thank Rabbi Eli for me as well. Both of these interviews have helped much since I do not come from the Judaistic perspective.
If its possible, would you and Rabbi Eli think about doing another interview concerning the authority of the oral law compared to the written law from Rabbi Eli’s perspective?
Again, thank you both for sharing information. Learning more and more on this journey.
Good morning Menashe! I haven’t even heard this teach, I was about to but decided to read the comments first. I came from Christianity and I started to research the Scriptures (by this I mean the TANACH, the ONLY scriptures) keeping in mind the Historical/Linguistic/Cultural barriers and even started to learn Hebrew and my eyes have been opened, without any agenda or preconception notion of what my Jewish Brothers believe I came to the same conclusion and have been trying to share that knowledge that Passover is a sacrificial meal besides a sign of obedience and allegiance and has NOTHING to do with atoning for sin, and Why on earth would YEHOVAH teach us against sacrificing humans (Deut 12:31) and then turn around and supposedly sacrifice HIS son??? Torah also teaches us that we are to ransom the lives every first born of your sons (Exd13:13; Exd 34:20) with an animal sacrifice NOT with HUMAN sacrifice! Anyway, I thank for your comment and may YEHOVAH BLESS YOU.
hey jono. if possible could you post the links mentioned early in both broadcasts. thanks much.
o.k. now lets have Dr. Michael Brown on to refute some of this….Thank you Jono.
Jesus did not come necessarily for our personal sins but for the sins of a nation scattered because of their disobedience.
But the Father would seek to one day bring us back.
Ezekiel 34:11-12
“For thus saith the YHVH GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.”
“As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.”
Matthew 15:24
“But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the LOST SHEEP of the HOUSE of Israel.”
He taught nothing new.
John 7:16
“Jesus answered them, and said, My DOCTRINE is not mine, but HIS that sent me.”
What was the DOCTRINE?
Proverbs 4:2
“For I give you good DOCTRINE, Forsake ye NOT my TORAH.”
Knowing that the Father was married to his bride (Jeremiah 3:8) and divorced her because of her adultery, His own law states that the bride can never come back. Yet the Father manifest Himself as a man and dies for His bride. We as well die in our sins and are raised in newness of life, the bride is now free from the original husband who found iniquity in her. Deuteronomy 24.
As for Leviticus 5. Jesus/Yeshua said (Mark 14) that His body was the BREAD! Grain makes bread folks. The wine was the blood! Rich or poor, bread and blood. The atonement was covered anyway you look at it.
I know Jews like the Rabbi have a problem with this line of thinking. Even so in these last days I long to be with my brother Judah as Ephraim is in the process of coming home.
Isaiah 11:11-12
“And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”
“The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.”
Halleluyah!
Wow! Once again thank you Jono and Rabbi Eli Cohen for so much enlightening and knowledge. Please DO NOT stop having him in Truth2u.org I do believe that listening to Nehemiah, Yoel and Eli is fulfillment of Zachariah 8:23. I have discover all of what he said on my own which prove to me that I have been in the right track, but obviously you guys have explained it a whole lot better! But I am excited because I have been coming out of Babylonia (Christianity) in the past year and had many questions in my research/investigations of the true Scriptures and needed re-affirmation and I have been crying to YEHOVAH for guidance and knowledge and confirmation of my suspicions and I truly believe that listening to Rabbi Eli has been an answer to my prayers! I am so excited to hear TRUTH w/o an agenda/theology/doctrine 🙂
Yeshua was not a sacrifice for this world but the world to come..clearly stated in Hebrews. All the mention of Lamb of God, etc. are symbolic showing how the Levitical sacrifices have a parallel to Yeshua ..but we all know he wasn’t a lamb. Early Judaism clearly shows the belief in the suffering of the righteous (which is clearly Biblical by the way and that’s why “unbelievers” believe this only refers to Israel instead of Yeshua). Here is just a few of their writings:
Tractate b. Kiddushin 40b: “The Holy One, blessed be He, brings suffering upon the rightwous in this world, in order that they may inherit the future world.” As we see in Job, Jeremiah, Isaiah 53, etc. as well.
They say suffering results from sin; so for whose sin do the righteous suffer? If not for their own then it must be for the sins of others. The wages of sin is death. But if so, for what do the righeous die? For the sin of others. For example(their own writtings):
b.Moed Katan 28a: “Why is the story of Miryam’s death places next to the laws of the red heifer? This is to teach you that just as the red heifer brought atonement, so does the death of the righteous bring atonement. Why is the story of Aaron’s death followed by the story of the transfer of his priestly garments? This is to teach you that just as the priest’s garments were meant to bring atonement, so too the death of the righteous brings atonement.”
Leviticus Rabbah 20:12 Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba said, “The sons of Aaron died on the first of Nisan. Why is their death mentioned in connection with the Day of Atonement? This is to teach you that just as the Day of Atonement brings atonement, so too the death of the righteous brings atonement. And how do we know that the death of the righteous brings atonement? From the fact that it is written (in 2 Samuel 21:14), “And they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan…and after that God responded to the plea for the land”.
In the Talmub, Rabbi Eliezer tells a story in which Yehovah tells the Angel of Death, “Take a great man among them, through whose death many sins can be atoned for them” (b. Berachot 62b)
I will also show an anecdote from Exodus Rabbah in which Moses had just received the designs for the Tabernacle, priesthood, and sacrifices. Moses could see into the future that one day the Temple would be destroyed and the sacrifices would cease.
Exodus Rabbah 35:4: Moses said to God: “Will not the time come when Israel shall have neither Tabernacle nor Temple? What will happen with them then?” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied, ” I will then take one of their righteous men and retain him as a pledge on their behalf, in order that I may pardon all their sins.”
AMEN! Worthy is the lamb!
Jono and Rabbi Cohen thank you so much for providing this discourse. I am just trying to sort all of this out and find the truth. And honestly, trying to separate YHVH’s instructions from the teachings and doctrines of men is very difficult for me. I need all the help I can get.
It seems to me, a simple minded person, that Jesus’ purpose was not just to shed his blood to make atonement for our sins because as Rabbi Cohen said, YHVH’s instructions, his laws, already provided a means for redemption. But the purpose of this redemption was to allow us to have a relationship with YHVH in this life. Whereas Jesus came to make atonement for Adam’s sin that resulted in the loss of eternal life. All the cows, goats, doves, fine flour or prayers could not redeem us from death.
Adam and Eve had a perfect life. God provided everything they needed. He only gave them one commandment…“but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” Gen 2:17 Adam and Eve had a choice and they chose to disobey God. The penalty was a loss of eternal life for themselves and all of their offspring. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—” Romans 5:12
To redeem man from death, it would require a new Adam, one who was without sin, one who would choose to be obedient to God even to suffering and death. “For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive” 1 Corinthians 15:21-22
What am I missing?
Thanks for having this guest on your show again…as I am learning more about the sacrificial system, this episode really helped me to cement in my mind some Scriptures pertaining to this and although I am firmly convinced Yeshua is without a doubt the Messiah, the Son of YHVH, I learned so much from this interview…for example, it never dawned on me before the implications about how a poor person could bring flour instead of an animal for an offering for the forgiveness of sins (along with a repentant heart)…I had read over and over that verse and it never occurred to me…What one of your listeners pointed out in one of the above comments makes a lot of sense to me about how Yeshua’s body represented the flour atonement and the his blood the blood atonement offering…i feel like there is a strong thematic connection with what tony robinson teaches about in the story of joseph when he is in prison and is surrounded by the chief baker (bread/representing Yeshua’s body) and the chief cupholder (wine/representing His blood) and the baker dies and the cupbearer lives and all this happens in three days (the main sign Yeshua pointed to)… I really feel there is truth in the New Testament but not necessarily all found in one document (i feel that some things could have been added to it later by “church” officials later on to promote a certain agenda (an example is that different versions can have some things different in it – such as the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew versus the Greek version…I am not sure that there is one version that hasn’t been tampered with by groups either for or against Yeshua but I do believe that the truth is sprinkled throughout the various gospels and I definitely feel that paul’s letters are a witness against him (although i know my view is in the extreme minority)…sorry about the long comment, like i have already stated i really learned a lot and it was definitely worthwhile for me to listen to this episode…
I just read my previous comment and noticed that I should have clarified that I meant paul’s writings are a witness against paul (i put him and i realized after i already posted it that it kind of looked like I was saying a witness against Yeshua but I meant a witness against paul…i feel like paul was who Yeshua was warning us against in the story of the wheat and the tares…i hope i didn’t go off topic too much in my comments, as, at least in my mind, they are all related to this topic but if I did go off topic too much then feel free not to post my comments 🙂
Thanks for the information, Jono! I especially appreciated the time spent discussing the biblical view of repentance. “The value of a commandment of God” was also enlightening! Thanks again!
Not to be snark, but it never ceases to amaze me when the Tanach’s position is shown to clearly contradict the NT on any given topic, yet christians continue to try and weasel jesus into the picture. Rabbi Eli beautifully demonstrated concisely and clearly that the NT flat out wrong in it’s interpretation of blood sacrifice in light of Tanach. The previous comment concerning Joseph and the baker and trying to connect it to jesus somehow is one of the most creative twists I have ever heard of. I would advise christians to be honest with themselves and realize that what the NT is saying about the Tanach is simply wrong. This establishes a lack of credibility for the NT. If you want to use “other sources” to try and “prove” jesus as Messiah, then you aren’t talking about the Jewish Messiah anymore. The criteria for the Jewish Messiah comes from the Tanach and the Tanach alone. It has nothing to do with original sin or any other foreign doctrine presented in the NT. Please take a step back and look at the Messiah through the lens of the Tanach alone. Shalom and G-d bless!
I beautifully demonstrated the “ancient” Jews concepts of atonement by death of the righteous. These are NOT Christian concepts and doctrine. Clearly, it is shown that they understood this concept! What I find fascinating is how people who say they go by the oral law deny their fathers believes in what they actually write! Either it is inspired or it’s not! I do not believe in the oral law; only use it as to see the history and context and how the Rabbis understood scriptures (which given credit to the Christian view)..one may deny it if they want but it’s clearly there! Even if one doesn’t go by the oral law (as me) you can still see how our fathers held these scriptures pertaining to Messiah. If you choose deny their beliefs so be it but they are clearly there for reference.
Also, there is no contradiction. Hebrews 9:22 clearly states “and ALMOST all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”
If you go to vs. 16-17 you see this is in reference to the “testor” of the covenant..for where a testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the testor. for a testament is of force after men are dead…
This is the covenant that has been presented to us for the world to come. The blood of the prior covenant was the sprinkling of blood from bulls,etc. which Moses made with Israel. There was NO grain in the confirmation of this covenant. The sacrifices were to obey the covenant but not the covenant itself. 🙂
Fantastic. You frame the argument so well, ive been thinking many of the things you said for a while now… Thank you for speaking so clearly on these critical issues my brothers!!! Gr8 stuff!
Krisi, with all do respect and love in YEHOVAH, just because you used some ratical/mystical explanation of the atonement of sin through the death of a rightious person that comes from the thoughts/believe of some Rabbis in the past and put it together in the Talmud that doesn’t meant it is true. You know as well as I do that Yehovah said “dot not add not substract from the words I give you” therefore talmud is nothing but the interpratations of MAN and not Yehovah (no offence Jew brothers) TANACH is the word of God and Talmud is the word of Man. Remember TANACH is the account of about 4,000 years of TRUTH, NT. is only 40 years of teaching of Paul (70% of the NT) and (30%) of other people!, How can the TANACH be wrong and only the word of MAN (PAUL and the rest of them) be right? HIS word is clear as for a children to hearit every 7th year and understand it, we don’t need the mystical explanation of the NT to understand and change 4,000 years of recorded facts and HIS WORD. I beg of thee, fast and pray and read the scriptures without any preconception notion of Christianity and ask Yehovah to uncover your eyes that you may see. I believed in Jesus untill 6 moths ago, and had doubts of Him as Messiah for years, and I don’t practice Judaism so don’t think that this is influence by any means by a Jew or Judaism but by Yehovahs’ word. Peace be upon you and yours!
Thanks Kelvin! I do not believe in the oral law either I only use those writings because many of the people who claim man can not atone deny this is even possible; however, it is in their own writings in which they say they go by. Also, it shows how Judaism has changed over time. Todays Judaism is not as it was in the past and it shows how Rabbis UNDERSTOOD the scriptures in which Christians equate to relate to the suffering servant as Messiah in fact did relate to the Messiah. However, since denying Yeshua as Messiah these views have changed and it is taught that it is not a concept and never was; people get mislead by this and I only wish to show both sides that YES it is indeed a concept and was once held by Judaism themselves with the same understanding in the “old testament” referring to Messiah! People come to seek truth and I just think it should be both sides..when understanding Christianity beliefs have many things wrong we turn to Judaism and only receive TODAYS beliefs and I don’t think it is fair. History and context shows CLEAR evidence that Yeshua is indeed scriptual to be Messiah. Thank you again for your concern. My concern is for others and I pray for you too.
I am confused. As a gentile I only get the book of Jonah? I thought that as a stranger I was ”allowed” the Tanak as well? Am I not allowed to be grafted in? And why does he only use the word Jews instead of Hebrews or Israelite? I thought that there were twelve tribes and Jews was the tribe of Judah? Can anyone help?
Thank you Krisi! 🙂 I understand where are you coming from with the Oral Law stuff, good point! But I think as you said it; that the fact that Judaism has changed is actually a good thing, also remember that just as we have many denominations in Christianity, there a many in Judaism so not all Jews abide by the Oral Torah! Thanks for your prayers, and May YEHOVAH bless you and guard you.
I think we all need to keep in mind that it is YHWH that gives the blindness to the Jews for a time and it is He that will take it away when the time is right. They are only doing what He wills for them at this time. Some of them are starting to see the Messiah as we who believe in the Messiah begin to find our Hebrew roots and get rid of our Pagan problems. We have to get out of our religious erros and into Truth in order to provoke them to Jealousy in Truth. It is then that they will also come back and we will all be ONE.
Also wanted to give some other references that need to be considered. Mat 26:28, Mk 14:24, Rom 3:25, 5:9, Eph 1:7, Col 1:14 & 20, Heb 9:22, 13:12, 1Pet 1:2, 1Jn 1:17, 2:2, Rev 1:5.
In other words you would have to believe that the entire new testament is a lie and do some major twisting to Leviticus to believe Blood Atonement is not required.
Great interview, Jono! Hope you continue to have the rabbi on, I’m learning so much from him and I agree with him on most everything. Don’t let the religious border patrol stop you from sharing the truth!
Josee, anyone who follows Yehovah is part of Israel..even in the Judaism those who are “converted” (with certain procedures..circumscion, etc) become a “Jew”. And yes, there is a dispursion of Israel throughout the world..but as Nehemia Gordon goes to great lengths about all those who join “levite” themselves (as in Isaiah 56) and take hold of the covenant Yehovah accepts.
LaurieJo,
Thanks! It’s interesting that the one who made that connection about that same Spirit from Gen. 1:2 being the same Spirit which will rest upon Messiah (in Isaiah 11:1-2) is in the Jewish writings of Midrash Rabbah 🙂
From my understanding Yeshua of the NT writings was not offered up as a sacrifice but was executed for a crime as a result of false witnesses testifying against him.
The question I have is how does the House of Israel overcome the “sin” of idolatry that caused them to become divorced by their Maker? Because in the Torah a Man (God) may not remarry a divorced wife (Israel) who has been defiled.
And is there a distinction between Israel being divorced and not Judah in terms of redemption?
Jer 3:1 …saying: If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, may he return unto her again? Will not that land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; and wouldest thou yet return to Me? saith the LORD.
Jer 3:8 And I saw, when, forasmuch as backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorcement, that yet treacherous Judah her sister feared not; but she also went and played the harlot;
Deu 24:4 her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD; and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
Hos 6:10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; there harlotry is found in Ephraim, Israel is defiled.
Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
Heb 9:16 For where a testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him that made it.
Thank you Rabbi Eli and you Jono for this discussion. You have given all of us much to think about concerning the Truth contained in the Tanakh. May both of you and your families continue to be blessed by YHVH. Please continue this conversation as regularly as you are able.
Another inspiring program. Thank you both.
I was raised in a Christian home and have lived 60 years believing things I was told without testing them with God’s Word. About 1 yr ago I came to the realization that the Jesus of the NT was a Jewish Rabbi who went to synagogue, kept the Feasts and followed the Law. The Scripture he used when he taught his followers was the Tanach. (NT was not even written) What would Jesus say about the teachings of modern Christianity? I was faced with a challenge… if I could not verify what I believed through the Tanach then what I believed was not what Jesus taught. It was at this time I became convicted to set the NT aside and study the Tanach to find the truth of what Jesus taught. After all, if my goal was to live according to the teaching of Jesus why did I need the NT? Jesus didn’t use it. It has been quite a journey, but very rewarding. I am beginning to understand the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Creator of the Universe. The God who gives us freedom to choose Him or reject Him. It is simple… choose to come into covenant with Him and obey all His Laws, Statutes and Commandments and be blessed. How awesome! Another thing I did was attend classes on the history of Judaism starting with Genesis 1. What I have learned has helped me understand the God of Israel and has put the last 2,000 years into better perspective. The problem with most Christians is they accept what is told them without doing their own honest study. Anti semitism has influenced Christianity in a profound way and most Christians today do not have a clue about Judaism or it’s history. I know, I was one!
We should only have one agenda when we study, TRUTH. I continue to ask YHVH to give me wisdom, understanding and insight that only come from Him. It takes time.
Rabbi Cohen clearly explained what the Tanach teaches that God requires of us to receive forgiveness when we sin. I just read all of Micah 6. God presents His case against His people to the mountains and hills. He goes on to ask what wrong has He done to Israel, His people. Micah responds in verse 6 asking with what shall I approach God, burnt offerings, shall I give my first-born for my sins? Verse 8 is a verse often quoted out of context but it is the answer. “He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: Only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk modestly with your God. Then will your name achieve wisdom.” (JPS)
Shalom,
Karen
I’ve listened to both of these podcosts 5 times now and truly enjoy the challenges!
As I have come out of one “tradition” that insisted I could not question, that claimed questioning was tantamount to betrayal of “God”, and prompted such deep anger when I “dared” to question anyway, I have a deep appreciation for you Jono, and ALL of your guests, as they ENCOURAGE us to question, to seek, to wrestle, and to OWN YHVH’s Truth for ourselves.
No hive mind for me! I plan to question for the rest of my days! ^_^
Blessings and Best,
LDK.
Krisi, nice try but your NT still doesn’t get it quite right. You emphasize the word “ALMOST” in Hebrews 9:22, but fail to realize the extreme statement at the end: “and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.” This statement is FALSE and it is this misconception that christianity is founded upon. Also, Hebrew 10:4 makes another inaccurate statement: “4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin.” This attempts to discredit the function of the Levitical priesthood as having any affect on atonement. Malachi chapters 2 and 3 show that on the contrary, the Levitical priesthood did indeed atone for sin via the sacrificial system (Malachi 2:4-7) and will be restored to its former glory in the Messianic age. (Malachi 3:3-4)
I find it amusing that you bring up Oral Law when I haven’t used any Oral Law to assert my claims concerning blood sacrifice. My source is the Tanach. You on the other hand, claim that you do not believe in the Oral Law, yet you take the Oral Law out of context to try and “prove” jesus as Messiah. You’re the one pulling outside sources to try and make your case for jesus. (Out of context mind you.) I know jesus not to be the Messiah and my source is the Tanach and the Tanach alone. Shalom and G-d bless.
Another good show. Thanks!
Hi Yehuda! I only used oral law (not pertaining to you) but to the Orthodox Rabbis who claim they hold it mandatory to understand the scriptures but yet claim other than what they actually say.
As for my stance on the Levitical priesthood, I never said it was done away with..if you read my other posts I thought I made it clear that as long as we are in this world there will be Levitical priesthood and sacrifices (when we have a temple)..and I also know during the Messianic age these will continue including the Levitical priests! Hebrews shows Yeshua is NOT a priest on this earth as he is from the tribe of Judah.
So are you saying that since the blood of bull and goats is what takes away sin then we have no forgiveness for sin since there is not a temple? I can clearly state that the blood of bull and goats never took away sin (it was the commandment for certain sins); however, how could there be a grain offering for sin IF it had to be blood of bull and goats? You contradicted yourself.
However, you might think I’m contradicting myself but I’m not. The blood of bull and goats is for this earth (even during messianic age when Yeshua is here)!! The blood of the new covenant in which our heart is cicumsized and we all know Yehovah and need no one to teach us is the promised new covenant which pertains to the world to come..the new heaven and new earth…and without accepting it you will not be able to enter(according to scripture). I’ve tried explaining Hebrews (but its hard not speaking lol)..it’s stating that the “old” covenant (in which we are still under) began with the sprinkling of the bull and goats (instituting the covenant which Israel came into when they stated all that Yehovah says we will do)..it was instituted WITH BLOOD..without BLOOD the covenant was not valid. The new covenant has been instituted with BLOOD (the testor being Yeshua) and we enter in if we choose. And I can testify that Yeshua is in fact the one in which Yehovah used to bring me back to him..there is no other Messiah for me..Yeshua did his job..how can that be denied?? Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins because you CAN NOT be in covenant with Yehovah (old or new)..absolutely NOTHING to do with the sacrifical system which was established (the covenant and commandments are related but seperate).
Krisi, you are interpreting scripture in light of the erroneous statement made in Hebrews 8:13 “”13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.”
Is this how Jeremiah saw the New Covenant to be? Going straight to the source, lets go toe Jeremiah 31:30
“30. Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, and I will form a covenant with the **house of Israel and with the house of Judah,** a new covenant.
31. Not like the covenant that I formed with **their forefathers on the day I took them by the hand to take them out of the land of Egypt,** that they broke My covenant, although I was a lord over them, says the Lord.
32. For this is the covenant that I will form **with the house of Israel** after those days, says the Lord: I will place **My law** in their midst and **I will inscribe it upon their hearts,** and I will be their God and they shall be My people.
33. And no longer shall one teach his neighbor or [shall] one [teach] his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know Me from their smallest to their greatest, says the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will no longer remember.”
From what I can tell, the passage says that the New Covenant will be made with the House of Israel and the House of Judah. This says nothing about the gentiles. I am aware that the NT attempts to reconcile this by saying that the gentiles were “grafted in” via Jesus. However, Jeremiah 31:31 explicitly states “Not like the covenant that I formed with **THEIR FOREFATHERS** on the day I took them by the hand to take them out of the **LAND OF EGYPT,** that they broke my covenant.” I don’t understand how this New Covenant could be with the gentiles because G-d did not make a covenant with the forefathers of the gentiles. Thus, this New Covenant will be made with people who are under the Mosaic covenant.
Verse 32 says ” I will place **My law** in their midst and **I will inscribe it upon their hearts,** What does it mean for G-d to inscribe His law upon the hearts of the house of Israel? This is explained in verse 33.
33. And no longer shall one teach his neighbor or [shall] one [teach] his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know Me from their smallest to their greatest, says the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will no longer remember.
This “New” covenant does not change the Mosaic covenant. What is “New” about this covenant is that *G-d Himself* will put the law on all of the hearts of the house of Israel so that we will not have to TEACH the law to each other. You see, under the Mosaic covenant, we are required to teach the law to each other. I believe Deuteronomy 6:6-7 demonstrates this most clearly.
“6. And these words, which I command you this day, **shall be upon your heart.**
7. **And you shall TEACH** them to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.”
It is important to note that even the Mosaic covenant was a covenant of the heart. The New Covenant is not different from the Mosaic covenant in this respect. Rather, as Jeremiah 31:33 explains, what makes the New Covenant “new” is the mode of transmission: G-d Himself will put the law directly on our hearts so that we will not have to TEACH the law to each other. The law itself does not change. I see this as a future prophesy that has not come to fruition yet. Deut. 30 is the source of the New Covenant in the Torah and, of course, it is consistent with all that I have said above.
6. And the Lord, your God, will circumcise your heart AND heart of your offspring, [so that you may] love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, for the sake of your life.
See the difference? Deut. 6:6-7 tells us to teach the Law to each other and Deut 30:6, speaking of the New Covenant, tell us that G-d will make it so we will not have to teach each other the Law, just as Jeremiah says. The very fact that we are having this discussion proves that no one is under the New Covenant yet. Shalom and G-d bless.
Very interesting comments and debate going on here. I might have to talk Jono into a truth2u forum.
I notice that different people quote Talmud, Midrash, and other Judaic texts to support their positions in scripture. I also notice that these people are generally not people who accept these texts as authoritative. Finallly it would appear from their quotations that they have never studied Talmud, Midrash or the other Judaic texts that they quote from.
So, the questions for me are, where does one get these quotations from? Do they find them on the internet?
I only ask, because most of you know me to be a strict believer in language and context being the only way that we can understand what we are reading about.
If we all believe that the Tanakh is the source document and evidence for our faith, then I suggest that we stick to that, as did Rabbi Cohen.
Yehuda,
The new covenant is indeed based on the old covenant. I never said it wasn’t. I said our hearts would be circumsized and we wouldn’t teach one another. The one that soon disappears is the one that disappears when heaven and earth pass away. Let me ask you how do you believe the new covenant will be instituted? You can see in Acts that clearly people were still sacrificing and they were believers in Yeshua (acts 21:26 is an example).
Ira, I agree about the forum…I think that would be a great idea! Sorry Jono but thanks for posting our comments 🙂 And no not off the internet! Are you saying I quoted them wrong? You are correct that I haven’t read all of the different sources as I only use them as a reference but I did quote them correctly. I would love for you to do an interview with Ira I would like to know how one goes to Orthodox to Messianic to Karaite (please know I mean NO offense by this..I have been on a long journey myself and many of my beliefs have been changed over time)! I listen to you on Job and see you use oral sources in your interpretations so I think you can agree with me that they are a nice resource and especially in a historic perspective. I will give you an example in my next post.
AHH..I can’t keep up with both posts haha we do need a forum..for my other post please see the other Rabbi Cohen video (I said I’d give an example in my next post but I did it in the other one)
Rabbi Cohen pointed to Matt. 2:15 use of Hosea 11:1 as an incorrect application to the Messiah. When read in context, I agree Hosea 11:1 appears to be talking about the nation of Israel. Could Matt. 2:15 contain a translation error? Is it possible the reference to Hosea 11:1 was added later? Does anyone know if all of the earliest copies of Greek Mathew, as well as Hebrew Mathew, contain this quote from Hosea?
Also, is there any instance in the Tanach where one passage is given a second application in a latter verse? Thanks
First of all, I have no clue where people got the idea that I am a Karaite. I have never stated such, and as a matter of fact, I have stated clearly that I do not label myself.
Since you brought it up Krisi, I am kind of confused when you say that you use them as resources, but have not studied all of them. You are absolutely right that I myself quote Rabbinic sources, however, as you noted I was raised in the Orthodox tradition. So, I have in fact studied these resources. Everyone that listens to me knows that I believe in context. Quoting from Rabbinic sources without context, is no different than quoting from Tanakh out of context.
For instance, one can bring every quote made by one of the sages that Isa 53 is speaking about a messiah there. However, what most people don’t read is that these sages did not see this messiah as divine. They did not see him as coming one time to suffer, and another time to reign. They saw Moshiach Ben Yosef as a warrior who would die in battle.
I want to leave you with a quotation from the Rambam, which clearly shows the difference between Judaism and Christianity on the issue of Messiah
This comes from Hilchos Melachim – Mishneh Torah Chapter 12.
“Some of the Sages say that Eliyahu will appear [immediately] before the coming of Moshiach.
All these and similar matters cannot be [clearly] known by man until they occur, for they are undefined in the words of the prophets. Even the Sages have no established tradition regarding these matters, beyond what is implied by the verses; hence there is a divergence of opinion among them.
In any case, neither the sequence of these events nor their precise details are among the fundamental principles of the faith. One should not occupy himself at length with the aggadot and midrashim that deal with these and similar matters, nor should he deem them of prime importance, for they bring one to neither the awe nor the love [of G-d].
Similarly, one should not try to calculate the appointed time [for the coming of Moshiach]. Our Sages declared: [Sanhedrin 97b] “May the spirits of those who attempt to calculate the final time [of Mashiach’s coming] expire!” Rather, one should await [his coming] and believe in the general conception of the matter, as we have explained.”
Clearly, one can see from this that Judaism has a completely different approach to the issue of Messiah, than does Christianity, Messianic Judaism, and Hebrew Roots.
Regards,
Ira
Krisi I must say you have a solid argument : )
@ Yehuda how can there not be a Oral Torah the scripture clearly states that there will be judges who must judge over issues that are not clear in Torah and that we should obey their judgment …for instance looking at a unmarried ladies nude body, smoking pot. the list is endless,the daily detailed running if the Temple etc the list is endless how do you run Israel without these “Oral Judgments” Impossible! no doubt what the rabbis have given us today is True Oral Torah judgments from righteousness judges mixed with unrighteous judges judgments…….
as for the atonement by blood issue forgiveness is only given when ones heart is circumscribed(no longer stubborn) and one carries out YHVH’S Instructions completely. while a temple stands by sacrifice physically and while it does not by sacrifice spiritually…..sacrifice is always required!
while the scripture says the blood makes atonment I believe that that statment is true but includes much more then meets the eye. As no physical sacrifice would be accepted by YHVH without the flesh being put on the alter to bring blood alone would not lead to atonment but instead condemnation!
obedience is the only key …..when the Temple Stands “obedience” means spiritual teshuva with physical teshuva(return to “the word” contained in the Ark housed in the Temple….going back to The Word(teshuva) is going back to the Temple) and physical sacrifice….unless The King gives special concession…..like in the case that one cannot go to the Temple because it is destroyed or what ever reason that makes it impossible to be at the Temple then spiritual Teshuva and spiritual sacrifice. are acceptable!
to my understanding the laying of hands is transfer of guilt that allows the animal to take the humans place that to me is teaching the acceptability of one life for another? Isa 53?
Krisi, you asked me when I believe the New Covenant will be instigated. I can’t tell you being as I am not G-d, but I do know that no person on the face of this earth is under it yet. The very fact that we are debating this right now is evidence that no one is under the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31:30-33. Verse 33 makes this abundantly clear. And once again, this New Covenant is not made with the gentiles, only those whose forefathers were “Taken out of the land of Egypt” (Basically anyone who is under the Mosaic covenant including converts.) Also the context of Deuteronomy 30 seems to indicate that the New Covenant will be instigated AFTER the exiles return to the land of Israel. Here’s the context.
5. And the Lord, your God, will bring you to the land which your forefathers possessed, and you [too] will take possession of it, and He will do good to you, and He will make you more numerous than your forefathers. 6. And the Lord, your God, will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, [so that you may] love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, for the sake of your life
If I were to accept “the blood of jesus” as the instigation of the New Covenant, several serious problems arise:
1. As stated before, the New Covenant is to be with those under the Mosaic Covenant only. It is not with the gentiles.
2. Jeremiah 31:33 states that under the New Covenant, all of Israel, from the least to the greatest, will know G-d. I don’t have to tell you that this hasn’t happened yet.
3. The context of Deuteronomy 30:6 seems to imply that the New Covenant will be instigated AFTER the exiles RETURN TO ISRAEL. After the “blood of jesus” was shed, Israel WENT INTO EXILE shortly after.
These are the 3 main reasons, but there are dozens of others. As far as Hebrews 8:13 goes… consider this: G-d made a covenant with Noah. G-d also made a covenant with Abraham. G-d also made a covenant with Moses and the entire Israelite people at Mount Sinai. G-d also made a covenant with Levi/Aaron. G-d also made a covenant with David. Did the Levitical covenant cause the Abrahamic covenant to “disappear”? Did the Davidic covenant cause the Mosaic covenant to “disappear”? No…they did not. So why should the New Covenant cause the Mosaic Covenant to disappear? It won’t. Shalom and G-d bless.
Daniel,
I never once said that I did not believe that there was an Oral Torah. What I said is that concerning the question of “is jesus the Jewish Messiah?” it is not necessary to use the Oral Torah to prove this. Lets be fair here. The writers of the Mishna and the Talmud did not accept jesus as the Messiah. Thus, to use their works to try and “prove” jesus as Messiah is simply faulty logic in its own right. But more importantly, those christians who quote from it obviously don’t believe that the Talmud has authoritative power over the NT. Thus, to try and argue from this standpoint is about as logical as a muslim using the NT to try and “prove” that muhammed was the greatest prophet of all time. The Tanach is a source that both Jews and christians can agree is divinely inspired. This is the common ground. Let’s use it.
You speak of a “spiritual sacrifice” that must be made during times when a Temple does not stand. I agree with you in a metaphorical sense. Rabbi Eli quoted Hosea 14:2-3 which tells us what to do in exilic situations when a Temple does not stand.
2. Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity.3. Take words with yourselves and return to the Lord. Say, “You shall forgive all iniquity and teach us [the] good [way], and let us render [for] bulls [the offering of] our lips.
As Rabbi Eli stated on the program, this is exactly what Daniel did. We continue to offer the “bulls of our lips” to Hashem through our sincere prayer and repentance. But notice something interest…Daniel did this WITHOUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS. Indeed, Daniel’s generation merited the rebuilding of the Holy Temple as a result of their sincere repentance. (The book of Esther is one such example.) So if the “spiritual sacrifice” you are referring to is “the blood of jesus,” I’d have to ask you, what about Daniel? Obviously he didn’t need “the blood of jesus” to stand right before G-d, only sincere repentance. For Daniel was a righteous prophet!
When it comes to atonement, the Tanach is clear. “The blood of jesus” has nothing to do with it. Shalom and G-d bless.
hey jono. love to have reasoned thought and discussion. rabbi eli cohen, an anti-missionary is presenting a specific perspective. i freely admit to my own lacks in knowledge. i listen to learn, think and expand my knowledge. i know you seek to present ‘food for thought/fodder for research’. i respectfully request you invite someone with the opposite conviction…also with the education and literacy to support his/her position (i’d love to hear a reasoned discussion between rabbi cohen and this person.
i know that Dr. Michael Brown is more than capable in this type of presentation but, perhaps you have better knowledge of this caliber of speaker. i include a link for one of his presentations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbY6mDAMC10&feature=bf_prev&list=PL6BDB10EBE2CF7ABF
DVD1-Day1,Part1&2 [54-1hr03min.] ( Dr. Michael Brown )
This is what was on Nehemia’s wall on one of the comments 🙂 so I started listening to it. just a request
Good point Yehuda! +1
Ira +1
Elle: Although Rabbi Eli Cohen is an Orthodox (for I can tell) He is NOT teaching from the Talmud nor with an Orthodax Judaism agenda! if you read the Tanach in its entirity w/o the goggles of Christianism and solely with the Historical/Languistic/Textural/Cultural barriers in mind you will find out that what He is teaching is in accordance with the TRUE only word of YEHOVA The scriptures/old testament/TANACK and there is no Judaism mixed in it. I know because I have been a Christian for nearly 38 years and I started to learn basic biblical hebrew, I stoped litening to Man Made theology/doctrine and I started to Study/Fast/Pray for the past 3 years Old and New Testament and I came to the same conclusion and understanding that Rabbi Eli and some people here have come to, and I am no Scholar. Bringging hard core Christian who is not willing to look at the old testament w/o the preconception notion of Christianity will turn this into a modern day inquisition or hatry of both faith rather than together! I don’t mean to offend you or anybody, but remember YEHOVAH never said in the Tanack that HE was one in the same as His son (any son for that matter), let alone 3! Never said that there will be someone to come to suffer for us and take away our sins, Never said that we will have to worship/acdept and follow noone else other than YEHOVAH! HE never said that if we deny Jesus, Jesus would deny us as Jesus said it in the NT! read Isaiah’s book and you will see that YEHOVAH IS ONE, NO ONE ELSE BESIDE HIM, BEFORE HIM OR AFTER HIM, HE IS OUR SAVIOR AND GOD! so then you can compare 4,000 years of “Thus says YEHOVAH” and only 40 years of NT writtings and Christianity focus of the 40 years rather than the 4,000 years of TEACHING! Sorry if I offend you, no meaning to do so! Love and Peace may be granted to you and yours by YEHOVAH!
Ira, I’m sorry if I assumed wrong on (Karaite)..it might have been an assumption (I honestly can’t remember). I heard a piece of recording that you no longer accept Yeshua as Messiah. Sorry if I “labeled” you wrong (sincerly)…I don’t like being labeled either. I choose to say I’m of no denomination 🙂
I agree with you Ira on the fact that some of the things stated in oral writings I would never believe that’s why I don’t take them as inspired (even as some Rabbis contradict on another)..my only point is that it was NOT unheard of the context of one atoning for anothers sins..it was a concept in which modern Judaism disagrees with (and that’s my only point there).
Yehuda, you make me smile 🙂 I’ve tried explaining to you what I mean but I don’t think you understand what I mean. When the covenant was established with Abraham the sign didn’t occur until later. The new covenant has been established with us if we accept it but the sign hasn’t been established yet (though it’s happening now with people turning to Yehovah) it will come into completeness at second coming. And I didn’t ask you when you think it would be instituted I asked how you thought it would be (but I assume your answer would be the same anyway). I say many of us can agree to disagree..I just wanted to provide information to those out there who are wanting the other side with information to back it up..as I know there are people out there with all levels of strength in their faith and some can easily be led astray. I’m not here to try to convince people who don’t want to believe (I believe in Yehovah’s time many will come to knowledge of Yeshua) but in the mean time those who believe in Yeshua stay strong !!
Krisi,
I believe I understand exactly what you mean…It’s just simply that what you say doesn’t have any strong foundation in scripture. Your comparison of the New Covenant to the Abrahamic Covenant is unfair and out of place. The nature of the Abrahmic covenant was something that had to come to fruition in the future. When G-d made His covenant with Abraham and said “your descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky,” of course it was to come true at a future time. Of course they would be slaves in Egypt at a future time. Why would anyone expect a covenant like that to come true immediately? (That would be pretty strange indeed!”
A better comparison would be to that of the Mosaic Covenant. The Mosaic Covenant went into effect IMMEDIATELY AFTER the children of Israel received it. After the Law was given, the Israelite’s lives changed forever. No more could they eat shellfish, weave wool and linen together, work on shabbos, etc.
And to answer your question as to how I think the New Covenant will be, yeah…I’ve pretty much answered that already. Jeremiah 31:33 sums that up pretty well. 🙂 Shalom and G-d bless.
Yehuda
: ) I agree the Oral Torah as we know it would not say Yeshua is Messiah the point was that there is Truth in Oral Torah and that there is evidence that there are teachers in Judaism who agree that a righteous person can atone for other peoples lives that concept is also found in some teachings of the Kabbalah.
If we should not quote from the teachings of our elders to support beliefs because error may be present in their commentary then how would we learn or teach? All things man has put his hand to has been corrupted! I have read many claim the Torah texts are not 100% pure as well, would we stop quoting Torah?
I agree all doctrine must come from the Tanakh Paul taught me that 2 Tim 3:14-16
can I share a interesting observation…
if our father Abraham obeyed all YHVH’s instructions Gen 26:5 how come he only received righteousness when he believed in “the seed/son” promised to Chavah? then why did YHVH our heavenly father make Abraham or earthly father take the promised seed/son and sacrifice him? I agree YHVH stopped him but would you agree that Abraham(father) killed Isaac(son) in the spirit? there is no idol word in scripture would you agree on at least one of the 4 levels of interpretation we were being shown something or is it just a story?
lastly
how does a husband YHVH make a renewed covenant(re-marry) with two unfaithful wives which according to Torah He cannot?
I would like to hear your thoughts
Shalom
Krisi,
As Yehuda already commented on people who do not accept the Oral law as binding, and yet want to use if to prove their point, I will leave it at that.
What I do want to comment on, however, is the fact that the Rabbi’s involved in the codification of the Mishnah & Gemarra did not believe that jesus was the Messiah. So, to somehow think that anything that they wrote would support the NT position is silly.
Often times, organizations like Jews for Jesus in their debates with counter and anti-missionaries will quote the Talmud as well. Yet, their quotations are usually stripped of context. For instance, they will bring up quotations that support the notion that Lev 17:11 is about blood atonement, and that the Rabbi’s agree with this. However, when we look at the context of the tractate it is in fact dealing with the question “What specific error might occur during a sacrificial offering that would cause it to become invalid?”
Another proof brought from Rabbinic text is the concept of two Messiahs. Moshiach Ben Yosef & Moshiach Ben David. Again, the problem is one of context. While there are those Rabbi’s that speak of this, when they speak of Moshiach Ben Yosef, he is to be a flesh and blood warrior that dies on the battle field. This Messiah is not thought to be the same as Moshiach Ben David, nor are there two advents spoken of in any Rabbinic text.
If one reads the quotation above that I posted from Hilchos Melachim related to Rambam and the opinion regarding Moshiach, one learns that Judaism does not rise or fall on the issue of Moshiach. However, one must ask themself if the same can be said of Hebrew Roots, Messianic Judaism, or Christianity.
Blessings,
Ira
Thanks Yehuda! I ask you how you think the ingathering would happen once they have become the number of stars and sand of sea? Overnight? Or as you are seeing now before your eyes..people returning to Torah and to Yehovah because of Yeshua?? 🙂 It need time as well.
I want to clarify I believe Yehovah can do anything overnight as nothing is to hard for Him. However, He wants our hearts and that requires a change of us from within which most definately takes time. First the gospel had to be spread throughout the world (taking time). I also believe as the covenant was made with Abraham; Yehovah said the whole world would be blessed through his seed. Therefore as Romans states in 11:25 that blindness in part happened to Israel until the fullness of Gentiles came in (which allowed all ends of earth to come into covenant and be blessed if they accept it!). Therefore, we see that the blindness is indeed a part of Yehovah’s plan!! vs 32 states God has confined them all in unbelief (which is also translated as “disobedience”) that He may have MERCY on us all!! What I find fascinating is in Exodus 33:19 (as well in NT) is He states I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy..then it is revealed He did this so He can have mercy on us ALL!! How completely amazing is that????!!! I think this is why Yeshua cursed the fig tree (symbolically showing “Israel” would not be being fruitful) for a time!