Why didn’t the Jews recognize their Messiah?

The Jewish people have awaited their Messiah with anticipation and deep yearning. They have earnestly studied many of the messianic prophecies, so why didn’t they recognize their Messiah, Jesus Christ, when he arrived 2000 years ago?

Long before the time that Jesus Christ arrived, God was angry with His chosen people (the Jews) because they had turned away from Him. Since they had chosen to close their eyes and hardened their hearts against the Lord, He chose to close their eyes and harden their hearts so that they would not recognize their Messiah.

By doing this, God provided an opportunity for the Gentiles to receive forgiveness and be brought into His kingdom. One day, God will open the eyes of the Jewish people and they will recognize their Messiah.

Their Eyes were Closed & Hearts were Hard

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? (Isaiah 53: 1)

⁹He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ ¹⁰Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (Isaiah 6: 9-10)

³⁷Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. ³⁸This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” ³⁹For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: ⁴⁰“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.” ⁴¹Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him. (John 12: 37-41)

⁴¹As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it ⁴²and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (Luke 19: 41-44)

There were consequences for the hard hearts of the Jewish people. The truth was hidden from them. They missed out on many blessings and they experienced many hardships. But God did not abandon his chosen people. God’s covenant with the Jewish people is eternal. God’s love endures.

The Mystery of the Jewish Messiah

The Jewish people had been taught to expect the Messiah to arrive in power and to rule forever as the King of Kings. But because their eyes were blind and their ears were closed, they didn’t understand all the prophesies about the Messiah. In particular, they didn’t realize that the prophesies of the Jewish Messiah would be fulfilled in two stages.

The 1st Fulfillment

First, the Messiah would willingly leave the glory of His throne in heaven and come to earth in humility and abject poverty. He would personally experience our challenges, including our physical and emotional pain. He would experience our challenges and temptations – but He would not sin. He would demonstrate to us how God wants us to live.

As the Lamb of God, Jesus would lovingly lay down His life to pay the ultimate price of our sins (death) so that we may be fully reconciled to God. All of this was completed by Jesus Christ more than two thousand years ago.

The Final Fulfillment

Next, the Messiah will return to claim his right to rule forever. When the Messiah returns, it will be in the great glory and power that the Jewish people are expecting. At that time, they will recognize their Messiah.

They will Recognize the One they Pierced

They will look upon the one whom they pierced. They will be deeply saddened when they realize what they had done to Him:

¹⁰“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. ¹¹On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. (Zechariah 12: 9-11)

Jesus has Forgiven those who Pierced Him

Jesus Christ (Yeshua) was pierced when he was nailed to a cross. He willingly paid the price for our sins so that we could be forgiven and reconciled to God. And yet, while hanging there in excruciating agony, he lovingly forgave those who crucified him and asked the heavenly Father to forgive them:

³⁴Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23: 34)

Jesus Loves the Jews

³⁷“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. ³⁸Look, your house is left to you desolate. ³⁹For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Matthew 23: 37-39)

Jesus longed to gather the Jewish people to him but they were not ready to receive him. One day, they will say of him: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Jesus was Jewish. He loved the Jewish people even when they rejected him. He still loves them. One day, they will realize who Jesus is and they will love him too.

Jesus also Loves the Gentiles

For now, God has provided an opportunity for the Gentiles to receive salvation through Christ and become children of God:

⁶“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, ⁷to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. (Isaiah 42: 6-7)Christ

⁶He says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49: 6)

¹⁸Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”(Matthew 28: 18-20)

All Israel Will Be Saved

Once the full number of Gentiles have come to the Lord, God will deliver the Jewish people. All Israel will be saved.

²⁵I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, ²⁶and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. ²⁷And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” (Romans 11: 25-27)

God’s Covenants are Eternal & Irrevocable

The Gentiles have NOT replaced the Jewish people. God’s covenant is eternal and irrevocable. The Jewish people will always be God’s chosen people and the apple of His eye.

²⁸As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, ²⁹for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. ³⁰Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience,³¹so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. ³²For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. (Romans 11: 28-32)

One Day God will Open Their Eyes

In God’s perfect timing, He will open the eyes of the Jewish people so that they will know the truth about their Messiah:

⁵Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. (Isaiah 35: 5)

A Special Blessing in the Jewish People

The Jewish people are God’s chosen people. God will bless those who bless them and God will curse those who curse them:

³I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse…(Genesis 12: 3)

All the people of the earth were blessed through the Jewish people because God sent his Son, Jesus Christ (Yeshua), to be born in the lineage of King David:

…and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12: 3)

4 Responses to "Why didn’t the Jews recognize their Messiah?"

Ron Hrubes says:

March 26, 2021 at 4:06 pm

I don’t believe that God still holds the Jews as his sacred people. When Jesus came he opened the Kingdom of God to all people.And tore the Veil separating God from the people of the world. In the New Testament it says God loves all equally there are no one group better then another. This is my belief Jesus is my Lord and Savior and through him I will have eternal life. Praise be to Jesus Christ Amen

Reply
1. FAQ EndTimes.com says:
  
  March 28, 2021 at 2:04 am
  
  Dear Brother in Christ,
  
  Both Jew and Christian are important to God. Each is chosen but in a different way. And the Holy Bible has several scriptures which confirm that God still has loving plans for the Jewish people.
  
  The covenant that God made with Abraham and the Jewish people is an everlasting covenant (Genesis 12: 2-3) (Genesis 17). God’s promises are irrevocable (Romans 11: 28-32). God has not permanently turned His face away from the Jewish people.
  
  Gentiles were grafted into the olive tree (Romans 11: 25) and allowed to share in the promises that God offered Abraham (Isaiah 42: 6-7) (Isaiah 49: 6). But the Gentiles did not replace the Jews (Romans 11). Believers are different but equal in Christ (Galatians 3: 27-29).
  
  Christians who truly follow Jesus Christ are a “chosen” people but they are chosen individually and then become a group of chosen people (Matthew 22: 14) (Colossians 3: 12-13) (1 Peter 2: 9-10).
  
  Jews are a “chosen” group of people because of their Abraham/Isaac/Jacob heritage (Deuteronomy 7: 6, 14: 2). As God’s chosen people (under the covenant He made with them), the Jewish people are expected to obey the covenant that they made with God (Leviticus 25-26).
  
  True Jews keep the covenant that their ancestors made with God. False Jews may claim to be from the seed of Abraham but they are not keeping God’s covenant and they are worshiping different gods (Ezekiel 8: 10-18) (John 8: 43-45) (Revelation 3: 9).
  
  Jewish people who have not accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are still bound by the covenant that their ancestors made with God. True followers of Jesus Christ (regardless of whether they were formerly Jew or Gentile) are not under the law (Matthew 5: 17) (Romans 6: 14) but they are still to trust and obey God.
  
  When Jesus came, He was sent first to the Jews (Matthew 15: 24). When the Jewish leaders rejected Him, it became possible for Gentiles to be received into the kingdom of God (Psalm 118: 22) (Matthew 21: 42). Salvation through Jesus Christ became available to all people (Isaiah 49: 6).
  
  Time of the Gentiles:
  
  We are currently in the “time of the Gentiles,” during which time, the eyes and ears of most Jewish people are still closed (Isaiah 6: 9-10) (Luke 19: 41-44) (John 12: 37-41). But as a people, Jewish eyes and ears will be opened when the time of the Gentiles is over (Isaiah 35: 5) (¬Zechariah 12: 9-11) (Luke 21: 24).
  
  The time of the Gentiles will end when Jesus Christ gathers His bride (faithful followers). This event happens after the time of Great Tribulation (Matthew 24: 29-31) but before the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 17: 14) (Revelation 19: 7-21).
  
  God has not forgotten the Jewish people. He has a plan for their redemption. And He will supernaturally protect a remnant of Jewish people during the 3-1/2 years of Great Tribulation (Revelation 12: 13-17).
  
  The 144,000:
  
  After the Great Tribulation and just before God pours out His wrath onto the world, God’s Holy Spirit will seal 144,000 Jewish men: 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel (Revelation 7: 1-8). They are virgins and have lived blamelessly (Revelation 14: 1-5).
  
  The 144,000 Jewish men will testify to each of their tribes about Jesus being the Jewish Messiah. They prepare the Jewish people to recognize their Messiah (Jesus Christ) before He arrives just in time to save the Jewish remnant from annihilation at the battle of Armageddon.
  
  Rewards in Heaven:
  
  Jesus is the only way into heaven but each person can receive rewards in heaven, based on what they did on earth (Matthew 6: 19-20). Some of the rewards are specifically for Jewish people and some are for Jewish/Gentile Christians. For example:
  
  The 12 gates in the New Jerusalem will be named after the 12 tribes of the sons of Israel (Jacob) (Revelation 21: 12).
  
  The 12 foundations in the New Jerusalem will be named after the 12 apostles (Revelation 21: 14).
  
  The 144,000 Jewish men are a special kind of “first fruits” (Revelation 14: 4) and will have a special place in heaven (Revelation 14: 3).
  
  Christians who are martyred for their testimony of Jesus will have a special place in heaven (Revelation 7: 9-17).
  
  There will be a great multitude of people in heaven. They celebrate the marriage of the Lamb (Revelation 19: 6-9).
  
  In Conclusion:
  
  God does distinguish between Jew and Gentile – even though both are loved. Some have very different purposes on earth and different rewards in heaven.
  
  The Jewish people still (and always will) have a special place in God’s heart. Christians also have a special place in God’s heart. Both are special to God in different ways. And no one gets to the Father in heaven except through His Son: Jesus Christ (John 14: 6).
  
  God bless you!
  
  Reply
Dale says:

June 29, 2022 at 1:45 pm

Brother,
I really enjoyed your article, but when we come to the time of the Gentile, where you say, the time of the Gentiles will end when Jesus Christ gathers His bride (faithful followers). This event happens after the time of Great Tribulation (Matthew 24: 29-31) I am not disputing when, just the fact that the elect are already in heaven and the Bride does not go through the “Great Tribulation”. Matt 24:31 says, “And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of “heaven” to the other.” Notice the Elect are already in Heaven. IMO the rapture is before the Great Tribulation. Do You agree brother? This is just a point, not a dispute, because the article calls out the verse Matt 24:29-31, and several views of pre, mid and post tribulation are out there. As some teachers say, the Lord does not want a battered bride, also various verses stating, He will keep us from the hour of tribulation or judgment, that is coming upon the earth. Also, IMO, by the time the Tribulation period begins, it a new period, the time of Jacob’s trouble, and God is dealing mainly with Israel, so at this point, to me anyway, the time of the Gentiles is over, the Church is raptured and God is dealing with the Jews, and the elect will be returning with Christ at the end of the tribulation period. Thank You for this article.

Reply
1. FAQ EndTimes.com says:
  
  July 3, 2022 at 12:03 am
  
  Brother, thank you for your comments and for being so kind about the areas you disagree. I pray that my response will be received as it is intended: truth spoken in love.
  
  The teachers who say “the Lord does not want a battered bride” are not teaching the doctrine of the Holy Bible. They are tickling the ears of people and telling them what they want to hear instead of preparing them spiritually for what Jesus warned His bride is ahead. As a result, many are at risk of falling away when tribulations increase.
  
  Ask the martyrs in third world countries if they are a battered bride of Christ. When they give their lives to Jesus, they are truly surrendering all. Many believers in western nations have been lulled into complacency with a false sense of security: believing that Jesus would not allow His bride to suffer (instead of trusting Jesus to see them through it).
  
  Jesus told His followers that He was hated/persecuted and that anyone who follows Him will also be hated/persecuted. Jesus’ bride (the church) has been persecuted from the very beginning of following Him (John 15: 18-19) (John 17: 14) (1 John 3: 13) (Matthew 5: 10-12) (Matthew 10: 23) (Matthew 24: 9+).
  
  People are perishing. The fields are ripe but the harvesters are few. And during the great tribulation, anyone who takes the mark of the beast will be damned for all eternity. At a time when the world most needs to hear about salvation in Jesus Christ, would God remove those who would boldly speak the truth?
  
  The Antichrist will be allowed to make war against and overcome Christians (Rev 12: 17) (Rev 13: 7). Many will be taken captive or killed with the sword (Luke 21: 24-28) (Rev 13: 10). Yet, the people who know their God will be strong and do great exploits (Daniel 11: 32).
  
  The Lord can “keep” us from the time of tribulation (Rev 3: 10) in whatever way He chooses – it doesn’t require the rapture to take place at that time. It is also worth noting that this reference is about only 1 of the 7 churches. The other 6 churches will go through the great tribulation.
  
  We are told to pray that we will be counted “worthy” to “escape” the time of trial that will come upon the entire earth (Luke 21: 36). This could apply to any believer (not just the church of Philadelphia). Again, the Lord can accomplish this in whatever way He chooses – we must be careful not to assume it means the rapture.
  
  Matthew 24: 29 says “immediately AFTER the distress of those days” THEN the trumpet is sounded and the elect are gathered (Matthew 24: 31). When it is time to receive incorruptible bodies (the rapture), those who were already in heaven are gathered first, then those who are still alive will meet them (and Jesus) in the air (1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18). The bride will indeed go through the time of Great Tribulation.
  
  In Rev 11: 1-2, John is told to measure the outer courts of the temple and that the gentiles will trample the temple. The time of the gentiles includes the time of Great Tribulation (Luke 21: 24).
  
  The Great Tribulation is Satan’s wrath and his wrath is against both Jew and Christian (Rev 12: 12-17). It is not God’s wrath (Rev 16-19). When the time of tribulation is over, God will begin to pour out His wrath onto the wickedness of the world. God’s people are not appointed to His wrath (He will protect them).
  
  The time of the gentiles is a period in which the eyes and ears of the Jewish people (as a group) are unable to recognize their Messiah because their ancestor’s hearts were hard (Romans 11) (Matthew 13: 15) (Acts 28: 27) (Isaiah 6: 10) (Ezekiel 12: 2). When the time of gentiles is over, God will open the eyes and ears of the Jewish people so that they will be able to recognize their Messiah (when He arrives to save them at the battle of Armageddon). When they look upon the One they pierced, they will mourn (Zechariah 12: 10). But He has already forgiven them (Luke 23: 34).
  
  I truly understand wanting to believe that we won’t have to be here during the time of Great Tribulation. Even if you don’t think that you will be here, I strongly encourage you to draw very close to the Lord as if there was a possibility that we might be here until the day of the Lord (the battle of Armageddon).
  
  “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 19-20)
  
  God bless you!
  
  Reply