Goodman

PHOTO

My story isn't very earthshaking, or spectacular. I was brought up as a Reform Jew. I had to keep kosher in the house, but could do as I pleased outside the house.

As an adult, while I was a buyer and executive for a large retail corporation, I had to travel. When in New York, I was confronted with the name, Jesus. It turned me off when I heard it or saw it on tee shirts worn by people standing on street corners. I kept reflecting back on my childhood, when I had been picked on, beaten up, and I was called "Christ-killer", "dirty Jew", and "murderer of the Messiah."

Later in life, my faithful wife dragged me to Bible studies, where I learned many things about the Old Covenant (Jewish Bible). Wow! Oy vey! (Oh, my!) Was I ever shocked at what I heard!!

I learned there were over 300 prophecies pointing to Jesus as the Messiah, written by 40 authors (probably 39 were Jewish), written over a period of about 1600 years. However, I was skeptical when I heard Jesus was born of a virgin. Are they Meshiginas (crazy people)?

Then I read the words from the Jewish prophet written 700 years before the Messiah, in Isaiah 7:14, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." In Micah 5:2, I read that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Genesis 49:10 told me the Messiah would be from the tribe of Judah. Psalm 22 gave a detailed explanation of somebody dying on a cross, and Isaiah 53 explained the Suffering Servant. Both Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 had to be talking about Jesus as the Messiah. I read Daniel 9:26 that told me the Messiah had to be born before 70 A.D. when the Temple and the Jewish records were destroyed. As a result of this destruction, no Jewish person knows today for sure from which tribe they come.

Isaiah 9:6 is the most beautiful verse. It says that the Messiah's Name would be called Wonderful Counselor (What a Mediator and Lawyer!), Mighty God (Wow! This means God, like Immanuel in Isaiah 7:14 means "God with Us"), Everlasting Father (a father to watch over us) and The Prince of Peace (The first time the Messiah came, He brought a peace that passes all understanding, and hope for the future. When He comes the second time, He will bring universal peace.).

All this time, I thought I was a good person. I did good deeds, was compassionate, and took good care of my mother in a Jewish nursing home. I thought those good deeds would take me to heaven.

Then, I was shocked to read in Psalm 14:3, in the Old Covenant, that I was a sinner. "There is none that doeth good, no, not one." In Psalm 99:9, I read that God is Holy, "for the LORD our God is Holy." In Isaiah 59:2, I learned that as a sinner, my sins separated me from the Holy God. "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God." Sin means to miss the mark. Isaiah 64:6 said that my all righteous deeds were as filthy rags. In Exodus 34:7, I learned that even though God is a God of love, He is also a God of justice and judgment who will not let the guilty go unpunished. I was in big trouble! But, there was Good News coming. Isaiah 53:4-6 said the Messiah died for me and for you, so we could have peace and communion with God. The Messiah shed His blood to wipe out my sins so I could have a relationship with Holy God. Without faith in the Messiah and what He accomplished with His blood, I would remain separated from God.

The Bible and the Spirit of God showed me how to have the eternal life written about in Daniel 12:2. On May 8, 1983, on Mother's Day, I received Jesus as my Savior and Lord.

I now forgive my faithful wife for hiding notes with Scripture verses on them in my socks and underwear when I was traveling for my company. I also forgive her for writing Bible verses on plastic cups, like Matthew 11:28 which says "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." I needed rest, and now I have it.