I am not sure how I got to this title but I will go with it any way. While it might seem strange why I would focus on the Jewish Bible, consider this. If you took the “good book” and open it to Genesis read a bit and then opened the Jewish Bible, Tanakh, read it a bit, it would almost be like looking in a mirror.  Oh there will be some different words here and there and there is only one Bible which has been translated into over 2000 languages. Currently, there are more than 40 different versions in English, from the King James Version, which was published in 1611 and is still going strong, to modern versions, some of them very simplified. (English.https://www.quora.com/How-many-different-types-of-Bibles-are-there-How-are-they-written)

I was drawn to this subject by the differences of the day that plague us in increasing fervor in the church today. There are so many issues that divide us because of societal pressures and the church’s struggle to remain relevant in the lives of its people. Both the OT and the NT are of one God but there is a natural tendency to view each differently and negate one to a lesser role.  Bible translation began about 2000 years ago. It connects us with our heritage and our inheritance, we are after all the adopted children of God through the body and blood of the risen Christ. Now days there is little of the OT in our bible studies in church.The Tanakh , the result of the coming together of a number of Jewish scholars and rabbis from the three largest branches of organized Jewish life in America, resulted in bringing together the three main translations of the Jewish bible. Started in 1955 the ongoing translation was published in  three main stages. The Torah in 1962, The Prophets, (Nevi’im) in 1978 and The Writings (Kethuvim) 1982, all three with applicable revisions were brought together in English in the form of today’s Tanakh. What drew me to the Jewish Bible was the sudden realization that this great written treasure of God’s mercy and redemption was not due to random events of history but rather the will of God and his desire to reconcile with his people.

(The Scriptural witness to the Son of God, however, did not begin with the New Testament – it first appears in the Old Testament in the abbreviated form of “Son” (with one exception).  While the number of Old Testament references to Son [of God]are nowhere near as numerous as that in the New Testament, they are extremely significant and have helped Christians recognize that Jesus Christ is indeed this Son of God and what the Bible means by this phrase.)   

 http://biblicalmissiology.org/2013/02/11/son-of-god-in-the-old-testament/ 

For it is written:

But the LORD will still give you proof. A virgin is pregnant; she will have a son and will name him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

A child is born to us!

A son is given to us!

And he will be our ruler.

He will be called, “Wonderful Counselor,”

“Mighty God,” “Eternal Father,”

“Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

New Testament writing: 

Galatians 3:28-29 King James Version (KJV)

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

I find peace, continuity, certainty, promise and redemption in the scriptures. There is one God, one salvation and one savior before whom all people will stand to be judged by the only judge that matters. We as mortals may find many things that divide us but old things prepare us for the wonders of new things. All things are of God…..Amen

Come back next week, God bless.

Life is Good

jk