Let me conclude by reiterating something from the introduction. I am a Gentile and not a Messianic Jew. What I have learned about the Jewish aspects of the Messiah has been through research. I’ve tried to paint the best Biblical picture I can with the knowledge I have and by referencing over 300 verses and passages to support the various daily topics.
For further study, I highly recommend finding a believer from a Jewish background, whether in person or through the media, and hear what they have to say. Their faith journey makes them a more compelling teacher than what I have attempted to do through this devotional. My goal is to encourage a desire to learn more in this area, not be an authority on it.
In particular, I would encourage studying on your own or through the teaching of someone knowledgeable in the area of the Hebrew language. In this devotional, I didn’t really scratch the surface on this aspect, but it is rather fascinating. God’s story for the Jewish people and for all of humanity is better appreciated through understanding Hebrew. Certainly, Greek is a more complex language than Hebrew and will help with further understanding of the New Testament.
Here are some other resources you may find helpful:
- Consult an exhaustive concordance or expository dictionary to help with some initial understanding of the Hebrew and Greek words in a particular Bible verse
- My father, Dr. J.L. Williams, has written a study guide called “Understanding Your Hebrew Roots”, which is available for free on his website, www.jlwilliams.org
- Our staff reads a free devotional each weekday morning from Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, called “Sapphires”. I am amazed at how God uses him to share the Messianic Jewish perspective to Christians. His website is www.hopeoftheworld.org
- Feed the Hunger also partners with Messianic Jews in Jerusalem, Shmuel and Pamela Suran of Chazon Yerushalayim. Their website is www.jerusalemvision.com. A piece of Pamela’s beautiful artwork is on the inside back cover of this devotional. You can view her artwork at www.pamelasuran.com
As I close, may our hope for the Jewish people of today be the same as the Apostle Paul’s in Romans 10:1: “Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved”. And may our prayer for all lost people be that they come to grasp the unshakeable truth in Galatians 3:26–29:
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”