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JESUS: MESSIAH OR SAVIOR? 

Many Christians have constructed a catch 22 concerning Jesus as Messiah.  The catch 22 is this:

"Jesus came to be Messiah but because the Jews rejected Him as Messiah He had to go to the cross, hence the Jews are the Christ Killers."  

Fact: According to Webster's Dictionary the word "Messiah" means "the expected king who delivers from oppressors."  A Messiah is one who rules and reigns over a given people. 

Fact: The God of the Bible is absolutely sovereign!  That means He is in control of everything in heaven and on earth all the time.  If God is not sovereign; He can't be God.   

Question: What was God's Sovereign will for Jesus Christ from the foundations of the earth?  

Revelation 13:8 reads that Jesus Christ was the "Lamb of God slain from the foundations of the world."  This verse says it was God's Sovereign plan for Jesus to die as Savior before the world was created in Genesis 1:1. 

Most people confuse the role of "Messiah" and "Savior."  To be Messiah you must live.  To rule and reign you must live.  Jesus came to die and be the Savior of every person on earth.  

THERE IS NO DUAL COVENANT!  The Bible says, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). 

Jesus Himself stated in Mark 14:8, Luke 24:46 and Mark 10:33-34 that He had come to die for the sins of the world as Savior.  Again, you must live to be Messiah.  You cannot be both Messiah and Savior!   

John the Baptist introduced Jesus as the "Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).  The only thing a lamb can do is to be slaughtered as a sin offering.  

Fact: Jesus claimed to be Savior several times in the Bible.  He never claimed to be Messiah to the Jewish people.  In John 4 Jesus told the woman at the well, a Gentile, who He was, knowing the Jews and Samaritans had nothing to do with each other.  I go into this in great detail in my latest book, "In Defense of Israel."   

Fact: Jesus repeatedly in His ministry told His Disciples and followers to "tell no one" about His supernatural accomplishments.  If Jesus wanted to be Messiah by popular demand, He would have wanted His supernatural exploits to be told by everyone to spread His popularity.   

Sixty-four times in the four Gospels Jesus instructed those who were excited about His being the Messiah to "tell no one."  He refused the role.  He never promised to be Messiah.  The Jews did not reject Jesus as Messiah; it was Jesus who refused to be the reigning Messiah because it was God's Sovereign will for Him to die on the cross.   

Fact: Bible proof that Jesus did not come to be Messiah is found in Matthew 26:26-30 where Jesus, a Jewish Rabbi, was celebrating Passover with His 12 Disciples in what Christians call "The Lord's Supper."  

In the Passover there are five cups of wine that Jesus and His Disciples would drink together.  These five cups have been and still are celebrated by observant Jews who keep the Passover.  

The fifth cup is the Messiah's Cup.  Luke 26:28, Jesus claims to be the Savior of the world by saying, "For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sin."  

In the next verse, Luke 26:29, Jesus rejects the Messiah's Cup saying, "But I say unto you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom."  

Jesus rejected the Messiah's Cup because He knew He was about to die.  He promised His Disciples that He would drink the Messiah's Cup when He returns to earth the second time as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.   

Fact: If an Almighty and Sovereign God sent His Son into the world the first time to be Messiah...God failed!  The truth is, God cannot fail...never.

Jesus was sent to the earth the first time to die as the Lamb of God. 

I trust this simple explanation will clarify any concerns you might have concerning Jesus the Messiah and Jesus the Savior.  Let us prepare for the soon coming of King Jesus, our Deliverer and Lord of Lords.  It will be very soon!