Orthodox Jewish Salvation During the Pandemic

Shared with us From: Chosen People Ministries Canada

By Christian Media and ChristianWeek | October 23, 2020

A series of missionary reports detailing the spiritual journey of an Orthodox Jewish couple – culminating in their salvation during the Pandemic.

April 2019

Some time ago, I wrote about my good friend, Nathan (all names changed), who had been running away from me and, in reality, from Yeshua (Jesus). Nathan is a board member of an Orthodox synagogue and knows his Bible very well. I had challenged him with Psalm 27: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” The word salvation in Hebrew is Yeshua, Jesus.

The last time we communicated by email, Nathan said, “We need to clear this issue, because your claims make J. [i.e., Jesus] God…I find myself in the uncomfortable position of having to investigate this further.” We have not talked since; he stopped answering my phone calls and emails.

Last Friday morning I went to the supermarket, wanting to beat the Sabbath rush. I rushed to the tomato bin and there were Nathan and his wife, sorting tomatoes.

“Leave some good ones for me,” I muttered.

“Oh, no, not you,” Nathan quipped. We laughed, exchange pleasantries and he walked away.

Rose, Nathan’s wife, matter-of-factly said to me, “What did you do to him? He is avoiding you.” She gently placed her hand on my shoulder and whispered, “You are a very naughty boy. My husband has not been the same since the two of you had that interesting conversation. We talked to a friend who told us it is a problem that raises more questions than it brings solutions. We will have you come for dinner during March break. Got to run. Take care.”

Yesterday I received an email from Rose, confirming the date for dinner. She ended her email with, “Come prepared!”

Please pray for Nathan and Rose. Pray that we will have a meaningful conversation but, most importantly, that they both may have a personal encounter with J., Yeshua.

February 2020

One week after Hanukkah, Nathan (all names changed), the man who chairs the board of an Orthodox synagogue and to whom I have been witnessing, had an emotional crisis that sent him to hospital. After extensive tests, the doctors concluded Nathan was battling severe depression. His wife waited for the December holy days to pass before she shared this information with me.

As we talked on the phone, Rose said, “I never thought considering Yeshua could lead to this! Our life will radically change if we take the bold step of trusting in Him. At this point, it appears we don’t have any alternative. I am desperate and at my wits’ end. I think we have to read that book you told us about, Isaiah 53 Explained.”

“Rose,” I responded, “I understand. You might lose your status at the synagogue. Your closest friends might disappear. Your children will question your decision, as well as your mental stability. Your rabbi might excommunicate you. Everything you have built in the community will be out of reach. It will be painful. But – you will have perfect and eternal peace.

“The writer J. K. Chesterton said: ‘Jesus promised his disciples three things: they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy, and in constant trouble.’ I know that if and when you decide to follow Yeshua, you will become one of His disciples: in trouble, content and fearless.” Then I asked Rose if we could read from Isaiah 12 and, as we read, she brightened.

“Very soon, we will have a long Shabbat dinner and we will explore more about Yeshua,” she said. “How could we miss this treasure in our own scriptures? Oh, my … Isaiah writes … here it is … His name three times!”

Behold, God is my salvation [Yeshua]; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for GOD the LORD is my strength and song; and He is become my salvation [Yeshua]. Therefore with joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation [Yeshua] (Isaiah 12:2-3).

“Rose, I know you won’t do anything without first talking to Nathan. I respect that and I appreciate that you are continuing to investigate. Please do so, but don’t delay. As you can see, Yeshua is in your Hebrew Tanakh (Bible). You will meet Him there, because it is all about Him!”

Keep on praying for Nathan and Rose.

July 2020

My expectation during this time of trial is that the blessings of the Lord continue unhindered in your life. The pandemic has been tough for us – unsettling and yet a time of harvest, as well.

I received a restless phone call from my friend, Rose (all names changed). Breaking the COVID-19 isolation rules, I went to visit Rose’s family. She was elated. The problem: her husband, Nathan, was reluctant to open the Bible, because he was not willing to accept the truth. They had an agreement: Rose was free to pursue and explore her new faith in Jesus the Messiah, but she was not allowed to talk openly about it.

For Rose, it became impossible to remain silent. “The more I read the Bible, the more I find that haunting name, the name that causes division. It brings tears of joy yet, at the same time, tears that pierce the heart. If my dear husband would….” What followed were tears and silence, pain, despair … yet hope.

I picked up Rose’s Bible and began reading Psalm 9. Halfway though, Rose took over and said, “Here it is again. We cannot avoid the truth… Yeshua is the one.” She was referring to verse 14 where it reads: “I will rejoice in thy salvation.” The word salvation in Hebrew is Yeshua.

What Rose and I didn’t notice was that Nathan was listening to our conversation. He is so close to faith, yet so far away.

August 2020

Despite COVID-19, ministry has been awesome!

When a Jewish woman decides to follow Yeshua, she will set her household on fire with a relentless fire from above. Rose (all names changed) was closely following my visits with her husband. Nathan is chairman of an Orthodox Jewish synagogue and has been meeting with me for a number of years. After he read Isaiah 53, he stopped meeting with me because that passage “describes the guy Christians worship.” He was not impressed and argued that God could not be the Suffering Servant.

I decided to change my approach and began searching the scriptures, focusing on God Himself as a personal Saviour. Before meeting with Nathan again, I happened to read Jacob’s words in Genesis 49:18, “I wait for your salvation, O Lord.” I decided to read the same verse in Hebrew, and there it is, “Yeshua-techa” in the present, but as a person. Jacob was waiting for Yeshua, his personal Saviour. Then, for some reason, I decided to listen a song we sing on Saturday night as we close the Sabbath. It is based on Isaiah 12:2 which says, “Behold, God is my salvation…”

When Nathan and I met on Sunday morning, I showed him these scriptures in his Hebrew Bible. He became agitated, asking me to leave and not call him again. However, some days later, Rose called and said, “What did you do to Nathan? He hasn’t been the same since your meeting with him.”

Nathan still didn’t want to see me, but he could not escape his wife. Before long, we were having kosher coffee together and Nathan gave his life to Yeshua! Please pray that the Lord of the Harvest will bring in much more fruit!

September 2020

Recently, I was holding a Bible study with some Orthodox Jews who had been invited by Rose and Nathan to consider the claims of Jesus the Messiah. Everyone was wearing gloves and masks and were well-spaced in a large auditorium. By-law enforcement officers were alerted to the gathering but, when they saw the precautions we’d put in place, said the study could continue. Then, a new believer at the study invited the officers to stay - and they did! Even more, one of the officers was Jewish and, after he heard about Jesus the Messiah, agreed to study the Bible further with another believing member of this Orthodox group. Praise God!

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