WHY THE ROMANS?

With Passover and Ressurection Day (Easter) in less than two weeks, one might wonder about the timing of events in the Bible. Why did Jesus show up when he did? Why not when the Greeks or Babylonians ruled the world?

The life of Yeshua retraces many of the Jewish holidays. But why did his ministry start and end when it did, during the Roman occupation.

Jesus could have come at any point in time from Creation. But he didn't! Yeshua was born, lived, died and was resurrected during Roman rule and during Passover.  

Passover and Resurrection happened during the same time 1400 years apart.   What can we make of that from a Judeo Christian perspective? Pure coincidence? Of course not!

Roman rule lead to the destruction of the temple, the renaming of Israel, and the diaspora which leads us to the issues Jews and Israel face today with the Palestinians and Arabs. 

Jesus changed the world, including the basis for the world calendar. Why did He appear in the flesh, reveal himself and conduct his ministry when he did. What is it about the timing of his first coming? Why then, why there? Does it say anything for us today??

The answer to why "there" seems relatively obvious.  Because he was a Jew and he came first for the Jews. If there were no Jews and no Israel, there could be no Yeshua as we know him today. 

If there was no Noach, there would be no Shem. If there was no Shem there would be no Semites. There would be no Abraham, no Isaac to bind on Mount Moriah, and no Jacob. If there was no Jacob there would be no Joseph and no Moses. If there was no Moses there would be no giving of the Word at Sinai and no Joshua to bring them into the Land which God promised to Abraham. 

If God had not led the Children of Israel out of Egypt and brought them to the Land when he did there would be no David to buy the threshing floor from Amunah. There would be no Israel and no temple in history as we know it.

If there was no temple there would be no King Hezekiah. The Assyrians, who Jonah was sent to, repented and then showed up at the walls of his temple 100 years latter only to face destruction in one night at the hands of one angel. If the Assyrians had succeeded there would be no Jerusalem to be conquered by the Babylonians as Jeremiah warned. Then we would have no Daniel, who prophecied the Greeks, and Romans. If there were no Romans, there would be no crucifixion. No crucifixion, no Jesus as foretold by Isaiah and other prophets. 

The God who ordered the Universe, put history in such an order than it brought the world to the last letter in the Hebrew Alpha-beyt, the Tav -- the symbol of the cross. All the Jewish people suffered under the Romans. But one in a Asa aaaqqaqaqqa Sq q "marks" that time.

The prophet Daniel in the lion's den.

 Aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet. God gave us a Pe, a mouth, to praise him. He put his words in Moses mouth at 80 years old.  God gave us the 7th letter, Zayin, a sword to destroy Haman in the Story of Esther. He gave us the 70th letter too, the Ayin -- eyes to see to read the "seventy sevens prophecy of Daniel" who predicted the day Yeshua would come riding into Jerusalem on a donkey to willingly die on a cross, the last Hebrew letter, the Tav, in order to fulfill prophecy and Rise from the dead to fulfill His purpose. 

The Infinite God wove all this together. It is all one story hidden in 22 Hebrew letters and numbers. A story that lead to the diaspora and the dead bones. 

This story takes us up to recent history with the rebirth of Israel and the return of Jews, as the prophets foretold. A story that includes the rebirth of the fig tree (Israel) that Yeshua himself said would mark the start of the end-days and the promise of his return. 

From the beginning, history lead to the Roman cross. The Maccabees, of Hanukkah fame, helped establish the Romans in Israel when they made a treaty with the Roman Republic to dixcourage the Greeks, who desecrated thecop 12-Year-Old temple, from returning. The Roman's brought with them the crucifixion.  It took Judah's hammer to drive the Roman Vav.  It took Hannah's tears to tear the veil.  

Roman oppression lead to the Roman wars and the destruction of the temple as Jesus predicted 40 years after his crucifixion. Followed by a false Messiah who brought the total destruction of Jerusalem. The Tav, the cross, marked time. 

The Romans played a significant role in the spread of Judeo-Christian beliefs through several mechanisms:

• Roman Roads and Infrastructure: The extensive network of Roman roads and the relative safety of travel within the empire allowed missionaries like Paul to travel widely, spreading Christianity to major cities such as Ephesus, Corinth, and Rome itself.
• Jewish Diaspora: Jewish communities dispersed throughout the Roman Empire (the Diaspora) provided a foundation for early Christian missionaries. They often began preaching in synagogues, converting some Jews and using these communities as springboards to reach Gentiles.
• Hellenistic Influence: The Roman Empire's integration of Greek culture facilitated the spread of ideas. Early Christians used Greek, a common language in the eastern empire, to communicate their message effectively across diverse populations.
• Urban Centers: The Roman Empire's large urban populations, particularly among the poor and marginalized, were receptive to Christianity's message of hope and eternal life. Missionaries targeted these groups in cities like Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome.
• Legalization and State Support: Over time, Christianity gained state support. Emperor Constantine's Edict of Milan (313 CE) legalized Christianity, and it later became the official religion of the empire under Emperor Theodosius I in 380 CE.

These factors combined to make the Roman Empire a fertile ground for the rapid spread of Judeo-Christian beliefs.

As much as Jews hate the Apostle Paul and the Romans, there is no denying their role is spreading the Hebrew scriptures and replacing pagan idol worship with Monotheism and a belief in the God of Israel.  

To understand why Yeshua waited for the Romans, one has to know and understand the Hebrew Scriptures.  One has to understand prophecy. One has to appreciate why even during Rabbi Yeshua's short 3 year ministry, it wasn't time until it was time. 

We need eyes to see what Nicodemus knew when he came to Jesus in the night and what he kept on his mind after that night in John 3. We need a heart that understands why Jesus loved the "rich young ruler." Is he the one who went to Pilot and provided a tomb? 

As I see it, we needed to understand the different purposes of night & day, the 12 tribes & the 12 apostles. 

To truly and fully understand the crucifixion, where we get the word excruciating from, as the scriptures described, we needed our present day technical knowledge of what is revealed on the linen clothes that the Apostles John and Peter saw in the empty tomb as spoken of in John 20. To appreciate the power of the Light, that Moses saw; that knocked Apostle Paul to ground and blinded him for 3 days; and the Light of the transfiguration, we needed present day technology to calculate the miraculous light that revealed Yeshua's image on the linen clothes.  

The linen clothes and the Sudarium face cloth were rolled up and kept separate from when it was originally removed from Jesus's head so he could be prepared for burial by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, two rich Jewish leaders were witnesses to his death. Those two artifacts have been digitally brought together in our time, for the first time since they were in the tomb, to prove who the man in the tomb was and what he suffered so that he might perfect our faith. 

Jesus gave the Pharisees one sign, the "sign of Jonah" which has been amazingly preserved for 2000 years as God said to Daniel. Yeshua used the Roman crucifixion to write a testimony of his love in his blood. 

Daniel 12.4 (NIV) -- But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.

"SEE YAH!"

Yah-El (יָהּ־אֵל) is a Hebrew poetic combination meaning "Yah is God."

In Hebrew, the hard 'J' is pronounced 'Ya." For example, the name Jacob in Hebrew is יַעֲקֹב (Ya'akov) and it begins with Ya. 

The Hebrew word for "salvation" or "deliverance" is yeshu'ah (יְשׁוּעָה). It is derived from the root word Yasha (יָשַׁע), meaning "to rescue" or "to save." Yasha begins with "Ya."

The name YHWH (יהוה), often rendered as Yahweh, or pronounce "Yahova" begins with "Ya" (יָהּ). YA is a shortened form of the divine name. "Ya" represents the personal and intimate aspect of God's name.

The abbreviation, "Yah" (יָהּ), is frequently used in Hebrew scripture, especially in poetic contexts, such as in Psalms. We are  familiar with the phrase Hallelujah (הַלְלוּיָהּ), meaning "Praise Yah."Some highly significant biblcal Hebrew words/names begin with Yah (יָהּ).

• Yeshayahu (Isaiah) – "Salvation of Yah."
• Eliyahu (Elijah) – "My God is Yah."

This next example is a stretch just for fun, pun intended. 

Edwin S. Lowe was born 1910 in Poland. He was the eldest son of a Polish Orthodox rabbi.  Lowe started a game board business before WWII. He aquireed the game Yah-tzee from an anonymous Canadian before WWII. It's origins are shrouded in mystery. 

Yah-tzee is a game played with pur (פּוּר), which means "throwing of the dice" or "casting lots." "Purim" is the plural of Pur. The holiday Purim is famously celebrated with playing games. Heaven knows the Jews were praying for a Purim like miracle in the years Yah-tzee was created. Haman and the Jews fate was set based on the throwing of Pur, dice. 

The 2nd syllable, "tzee" sounds a bit like the Hebrew letter Tzade.  

In Yah-tzee their are 13 scoring categories. 13 is the gematria value for the Hebrew word for LOVE. 

See, YA!

Epilogue: 

Did you know Bingo was first called "Beano?"

Lowe is also famous for the game "Bingo." Bingo may not be inherently religious, but Bingo's role in supporting faith-based communities has given it a unique place in religious history. Lowe's game business was bought out by game maker Milton Bradley, which was famous for "The Game of Life" and many others.

For more about Edwin Lowe's life, check out this article in Jewish "Tablet Magazine" --Making millions on the roll of dice. The real story of the Jewish game entrepreneur. 

Is Yeshua in the Tenach?

1400

With Passover 13 days away and "Resurrection Day" (Easter) 8 days after that, I thought I'd write (think) about the connections between the two.

The events these holidays retell happened at the same time approximately 1400 א׳ת years apart, and yet the scriptures suggest to me that they are only 3 days apart. 

Exodus 11:4-6 (NIV) -- So Moses said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. 

Matthew 27.50-51 (NIV) -- when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split

With the Passover the chosen nation of Israel starts the Exodus journey. Jews rejoice during the Passover Seder when we find the piece of broken off matzah that was hidden at start of Seder, known as the Afikoman. 

Afikoman is a piece of matzah hidden and eaten at the end of the Seder to recall the Paschal sacrifice. It means "dessert" in Aramaic.

The first Christians had a Passover supper too, but they rejoiced because of what the Jewish Apostles Peter and John found thŕee days after the Passover.

John 20:6-8 -- Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 

THE NAME

In Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses foretold: "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him." At the end of the Torah, in Deuteronomy 34:9-11 -- Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses. Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt

At the time of Passover in Egypt, the Children of Israel prayed to be free. The yearned for salvation from slavery and Pharaoh's oppression. 1400 א׳ת years later in Jerusalem, the tribes of Israel prayed to be free from Roman oppression.  Again they were yearning for salvation. 

Yeshu'ah is the Hebrew word for salvation.  Jesus's name meaning "God is salvation."  "Salvation," is a shortened form of Yehoshua (Joshua) who brought the Children of Israel into the Promised Land.

In the Gospel of John, Yeshu'ah said the Hebrew scriptures spoke of him. Speaking for Jesus, the Apostle John 5:39 wrote -- "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is they that bear witness about me."

With the help of AI, I have consolidated a list of verses from the Hebrew scriptures in the Tenach (Old Testament) with the word "salvation" in them. Then I substituted the Hebrew phonetic word "Yeshu'ah."

Genesis:

1. Genesis 49:18 – "I have waited for thy yeshu'ah, O LORD."

Exodus:

2. Exodus 14:13 – "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the yeshu'ah of the LORD..."

3. Exodus 15:2 – "The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my yeshu'ah..."

2 Samuel:

4. 2 Samuel 22:3 – "The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my yeshu'ah..."

5. 2 Samuel 22:36 – "Thou hast also given me the shield of thy yeshu'ah..."

6. 2 Samuel 22:47 – "The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my yeshu'ah."

7. 2 Samuel 23:5 – "...for this is all my yeshu'ah, and all my desire..."

1 Chronicles:

8. 1 Chronicles 16:23 – "Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; show forth from day to day his yeshu'ah."

9. 1 Chronicles 16:35 – "And say ye, Save us, O God of our yeshu'ah..."

Job:

10. Job 13:16 – "He also shall be my yeshu'ah..."

Psalms: (King David (14) spoke often of salvation.) 

30. Psalm 3:8 – "Yeshu'ah belongeth unto the LORD..."

31. Psalm 9:14 – "...I will rejoice in thy yeshu'ah."

32. Psalm 13:5 – "...my heart shall rejoice in thy yeshu'ah."

33. Psalm 18:2 – "...the horn of my yeshu'ah, and my high tower."

34. Psalm 18:35 – "Thou hast also given me the shield of thy yeshu'ah..."

35. Psalm 18:46 – "...and exalted be the God of my yeshu'ah."

36. Psalm 20:5 – "...and in the name of our God we will set up our banners..."

37. Psalm 21:1 – "...and in thy yeshu'ah, how greatly shall he rejoice!"

38. Psalm 21:5 – "His glory is great in thy yeshu'ah..."

39. Psalm 27:1 – "The LORD is my light and my yeshu'ah..."

40. Psalm 35:3 – "...say unto my soul, I am thy yeshu'ah."

41. Psalm 42:5 – "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? ... hope thou in God..."

42. Psalm 42:11 – "Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance..."

43. Psalm 62:1–2 – "...from him cometh my yeshu'ah."

44. Psalm 62:6–7 – "...he is my defence; I shall not be moved..."

45. Psalm 68:19–20 – "...unto God the Lord belong the issues from death."

46. Psalm 70:4 – "...let such as love thy yeshu'ah, say continually, Let God be magnified."

47. Psalm 85:9 – "Surely his yeshu'ah, is nigh them that fear him..."

48. Psalm 98:2–3 – "The LORD hath made known his yeshu'ah,..."

Jonah 2:9 -- But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation (Yeshu'ah) comes from the LORD.’ ”

The Hope (HaTikvah)

Yeshu'ah said in Luke 24:27, after His resurrection, that the scriptures prophecied to His life, ministry, death, and resurrection. Here are some scriptures that are believed to have pointed to Him:

Prophecies About His Birth:

Genesis 3:15 – The promise of a seed who would crush the serpent's head.

Isaiah 7:14 – "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."

Micah 5:2 – The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

Prophecies About His Ministry:

Isaiah 9:6-7 – "For to us a child is born... He will reign on David's throne."

Isaiah 61:1-2 – "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me... to proclaim good news to the poor." (Fulfilled in Luke 4:18-21)

Zechariah 9:9 – Entry into Jerusalem on a donkey.

Prophecies About His Death:

Psalm 22:16-18 – "They pierced my hands and my feet... They divide my garments among them."

Isaiah 53:3-7 – The suffering servant who was "pierced for our transgressions."

Zechariah 12:10 – "They will look on me, the one they have pierced."

Prophecies About His Resurrection:

Psalm 16:10 – "You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead."

Isaiah 53:10-11 – After suffering, He will see the light of life.

The Hebrew prophet Isaiah (Yeshayahu) gave us many Messianic verses. Yeshayahu means "God is salvation": 

Isaiah 7:14 – "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." This foretells Jesus' miraculous birth, fulfilled in Matthew 1:22-23.

Isaiah 9:6-7 – "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given... He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom." This describes Jesus as the divine ruler and eternal King.

Isaiah 11:1-2 – "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse... The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him." This points to Jesus' lineage from David and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 42:1-4 – "Here is my servant... I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations." This highlights Jesus' ministry and gentleness, fulfilled in Matthew 12:18-21.

Isaiah 50:6 – "I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard." This prophecy describes Jesus' suffering during His passion.

Isaiah 53:3-7 – "He was despised and rejected by mankind... He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities." This chapter vividly portrays Jesus as the suffering servant who bore humanity's sins.

Isaiah 61:1-2 – "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me... to proclaim good news to the poor." Jesus directly referenced this prophecy in Luke 4:18-21, identifying Himself as its fulfillment.

Love אַהֲבָה 

Aleph(1) + Hey(5) + Bet(2) + Hey(5) = 13

Jesus's call for selfless love is rooted in Leviticus 19:18 -- You shall neither take revenge from nor bear a grudge against the members of your people; you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹֽה - I am YHVH

Know this about Yeshu'ah's teachings:

In Matthew 5:17, Yeshua declares, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." Yeshu'ah gave only two key commandments that summarize the essence of the Law and the Prophets:

In Matthew 22:37-38, Jesus said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment." This a emphasizes total devotion to God, drawn from Deuteronomy 6:5.

In Matthew 22:39, He added, "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" 

Jesus explained in Matthew 22:40 that "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

Love (13) your God + Love (13) your neighbor

13 + 13 = 26

יְהוָֹֽה

Y(5) + H(5) + V(6) + H(5) = 26

I hope this sheds light on the connection between the two holidays. Draw you own conclusion(s) after you read my Epilogue below.

Chag Passover Samech and Happy Resurrection Day! 

Epilogue:

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) - Entire Chapter 12:

1 And you shall say on that day, "I will thank You, O Lord, for You were wroth with me; may Your wrath turn away and may You comfort me.

2 Here is the God of my salvation, I shall trust and not fear; for the strength and praise of the Eternal the Lord was my salvation."

3 And you shall draw water with joy from the fountains of the salvation.

4 And you shall say on that day, "Thank the Lord, call in His Name, publicize His deeds among the peoples; keep it in remembrance, for His Name is exalted.

5 Sing to the Lord for He has performed mighty deeds; this is known throughout the land.

6 Shout and praise, O dwellers of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.