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Commentary:

Commentary:

This passages speaks of an enmity between the serpent, who has just led Adam and Eve into sin, and a mysterious woman and her seed, who will bruise the serpent's head. Both the Targum Jonathan and the Jerusalem Targum associate this passage with the days of the Messiah who will come and make peace between men at the end of days:

This passage prophesies that a descendant of "the woman" (named [[Eve]] later in the chapter) will crush the head of the serpent, who has just led Adam and Eve into sin. Both the Targum Jonathan and the Jerusalem Targum associate this passage with the days of the Messiah who will come and make peace between men at the end of days:

“And they [the sons of the woman] will finally make peace in the days of the Messiah-King.” (Gen 3:15, Targum Jonathan)

“And they [the sons of the woman] will finally make peace in the days of the Messiah-King.” (Gen 3:15, Targum Jonathan)

“They will make peace in the end, at the close of the end of the days, in the days of the Messiah King.” (Gen 3:15, Jerusalem Targum)

“They will make peace in the end, at the close of the end of the days, in the days of the Messiah King.” (Gen 3:15, Jerusalem Targum)  

At first sight this prophesy about the Messiah who is the "seed of the woman" seems meaningless - for is not everyone born of a woman? At the same time, the idea also sounds odd because one's seed usually comes from the father. Thus the passage possibly hints at the fact that the one who will bruise the head of the serpent will receive his human "seed" from his mother rather than from his father. Jesus, "born of a woman" (the virgin Mary) without human father, was indeed the "seed of the woman" who came to defeat the ancient serpent (1 Jo 3:8, Rev 19:19-21) and establish peace between Jews and Gentiles, as described in the book of Ephesians. Chapter 12 of the book of Revelation in particular gives us a vivid picture of the woman, her seed the Messiah, and their battle against the serpent:

 

At first sight this prophesy that Messiah will be the "seed of the woman" seems meaningless - everyone is born of a woman, and everyone is also born of a man. Thus, the passage possibly hints at the fact that the One Who will bruise the head of the serpent will have no human father. Thus Jesus was "born of a woman" who was a virgin, [[Mary]], with no human father.  It was He who defeated the ancient serpent (1 John 3:8, Rev 12, Rev 19:19-21) and established peace between Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 2:14-18).

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Commentary:

Commentary:

God promised to Abraham that his seed would be a worldwide blessing and his descendants would become extremely numerous. The midrash tells us how the seed of Abraham will greatly multiply in the days of the Messiah, who will himself be a descendant of Abraham:

God promised to Abraham that his seed would be a worldwide blessing and his descendants would become extremely numerous. The midrash likewise says, “In the days of the Messiah, Israel will be compared to the sand of the sea.”  (Bamidbar Rabbah 2) (cf. Santala, 41). Jesus, of course, was a descendant of Abraham. Through Jesus, the promises made to Abraham were extended to all nations; through him, millions of Christians have come to know the God of Israel and have received the spiritual blessings that He promised to Abraham.  

 

“In the days of the Messiah, Israel will be compared to the sand of the sea.”  (Bamidbar Rabbah 2) (cf. Santala, 41)   

Jesus, of course, was a descendant of Abraham. Through Jesus, the promises made to Abraham were extended to all nations; through him, millions of Christians have come to know the God of Israel and have received the spiritual blessings that He promised to Abraham.  

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OT Prophecy:

OT Prophecy:

   

   

{{Bible quote|I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel… Out of Jacob One shall have dominion, and destroy the remains of the city.|book=Numbers|chap=24|verses=17-19}}

{{Bible quote|I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel... Out of Jacob One shall have dominion, and destroy the remains of the city.|book=Numbers|chap=24|verses=17-19}}

   

   

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Commentary:

The Aramaic Targums of this passage confirm that the "Star of Jacob" will be the Messiah:  

The Aramaic Targums of this passage confirm that the "Star of Jacob" will be the Messiah:  

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but he is not near; when a king shall arise out of Jacob and be anointed the Messiah out of Israel, He will slay the princes of Moab, and reign over all the children of men; (Num 24:17, Targum Onkelos)

{{quotebox|I see him, but not now; I behold him, but he is not near; when a king shall arise out of Jacob and be anointed the Messiah out of Israel, He will slay the princes of Moab, and reign over all the children of men; (Num 24:17, Targum Onkelos)

 

..but when a mighty king of the house of Jacob shall reign, and shall be anointed Messiah, wielding the mighty scepter of Israel, He will slay the princes of Moab.... (Num 24:17, Targum Jonathan)  }}

..but when a mighty king of the house of Jacob shall reign, and shall be anointed Messiah, wielding the mighty scepter of Israel, He will slay the princes of Moab.... (Num 24:17, Targum Jonathan)   

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Commentary:

This passage informs us that a mysterious "Shiloh" will arise from the tribe of Judah and will rule his people. Yet how do we know that this refers to the Messiah? The targumim, the midrash, and the Talmud all reveal that this "Shiloh" is in fact the name of the Messiah, who will come from the tribe of Judah:  

This passage informs us that a mysterious "Shiloh" will arise from the tribe of Judah and will rule the people. The targumim, the midrash, and the Talmud unanimously confirm that this "Shiloh" is in fact Messiah, who will come from the tribe of Judah:  

The transmission of dominion shall not cease from the house of Judah, nor the scribe from his children's children, forever, until the Messiah comes, to whom the Kingdom belongs, and whom nations will obey. (Gen 49:10-12, Targum Onqelos)

{{quotebox|The transmission of dominion shall not cease from the house of Judah, nor the scribe from his children's children, forever, until the Messiah comes, to whom the Kingdom belongs, and whom nations will obey. (Gen 49:10-12, Targum Onqelos)

Kings and rulers shall not cease from the house of Judah, nor scribes who teach the Torah from his seed, until the time when the King Messiah shall come, the youngest of his sons, and because of him nations shall melt away....How beautiful is the King Messiah who is destined to arise from the house of Judah...How beautiful are the eyes of King Messiah, as pure wine! (Gen 49.10-12, Targum Jonathan)

Kings and rulers shall not cease from the house of Judah, nor scribes who teach the Torah from his seed, until the time when the King Messiah shall come, the youngest of his sons, and because of him nations shall melt away....How beautiful is the King Messiah who is destined to arise from the house of Judah...How beautiful are the eyes of King Messiah, as pure wine! (Gen 49.10-12, Targum Jonathan)

The sceptre will not depart from Judah... until Shilo (‘he’) come, this is the Messiah-King... 'Judah's sceptre' means the Great Synagogue, the Sanhedrin, which was struck and which collapsed... until Shilo come. (Bereshit Rabbah 98) (cf. Santala, p. 50)

The sceptre will not depart from Judah... until Shilo (‘he’) come, this is the Messiah-King... 'Judah's sceptre' means the Great Synagogue, the Sanhedrin, which was struck and which collapsed... until Shilo come. (Bereshit Rabbah 98) (cf. Santala, p. 50)

What is the name of the Messiah-King?... The LORD (YHWH - יהוה) is his name, because Jer. 23:6 says, 'This is the name by which he will be called: the LORD our Righteousness (יהוה צדקנו)... SHILOH is his name, because it is written in Gen. 49:10, 'until Shiloh comes'... (Lamentations Rabbah 1:16 (on Lam. 1:15-17); see also Sanhedrin 98b)

What is the name of the Messiah-King?... The LORD (YHWH - יהוה) is his name, because Jer. 23:6 says, 'This is the name by which he will be called: the LORD our Righteousness (יהוה צדקנו)... SHILOH is his name, because it is written in Gen. 49:10, 'until Shiloh comes'... (Lamentations Rabbah 1:16 (on Lam. 1:15-17); see also Sanhedrin 98b)}}

Jesus fulfilled this prophecy, being of the tribe of Judah. In addition, the prophecy and its midrash inform us about the time of the Messiah's coming. They reveal that the tribe of Judah must retain its identity and genealogy until the coming of the Messiah, after which the scepter (the rule) would depart from that tribe. Indeed, the Jews preserved their genealogies up to the time of Jesus but lost them soon after, in 70 A.D., when the Temple was destroyed. Rabbi Rahmon interpreted this national calamity as the loss of the sceptre of Judah spoken of in Genesis 49, and he expressed distress at the fact that the Messiah should have appeared before that time:

Jesus fulfilled this prophecy, being of the tribe of Judah. In addition, the prophecy and its midrash inform us about the time of the Messiah's coming. They reveal that the tribe of Judah must retain its identity and genealogy until the coming of the Messiah, after which the scepter (the rule) would depart from that tribe. Indeed, the Jews preserved their genealogies up to the time of Jesus but lost them soon after, in 70 A.D., when the Temple was destroyed. Rabbi Rahmon interpreted this national calamity as the loss of the sceptre of Judah spoken of in Genesis 49, and he expressed distress at the fact that the Messiah should have appeared before that time:

The Talmud records how after a time of 2,000 years of Torah should have come the time of the Messiah for 2,000 years, but somehow something went wrong:

The Talmud records how after a time of 2,000 years of Torah should have come the time of the Messiah for 2,000 years, but somehow something went wrong:

"The tradition of Elijah teaches that the world is to exist for six thousand years; in the first two thousand desolation; in the next two thousand the Torah will flourish and the next two thousand are the days of the Messiah but on account of our sins, which were great, things turned out as they did." (Sanhedrin 97a)   

{{quotebox|The tradition of Elijah teaches that the world is to exist for six thousand years; in the first two thousand desolation; in the next two thousand the Torah will flourish and the next two thousand are the days of the Messiah but on account of our sins, which were great, things turned out as they did. (Sanhedrin 97a)  }}

According to Jewish tradition, the world was created in 3761 BC.  The 2,000 years of desolation should have lasted until approximately 1761 BC, at which time would have begun the age of the Torah (according to conservative biblical chronology, the Exodus and giving of the Torah occurred around 1445 BC, which is relatively close). Then, after 2,000 years of Torah, the age of the Messiah should have begun around 239 AD and lasted until 2239 AD.  According to the Talmud, therefore, the Messiah should have come already; indeed we are even nearing the end of the Messianic age according to the talmudic calculations!

According to the main Jewish chronological authority, Rabbi Jose ben-Halafta, the world was created in 3761 BC; by Archbishop [[James Ussher]]'s more accurate reckoning, it was created in 4004 BC.  The 2,000 years of desolation should have lasted until 1761 BC by ben-Halafta or 2004 BC by Ussher, at which time would have begun the age of the Torah (according to conservative biblical chronology, the Exodus and giving of the Torah occurred around 1445 BC, which is relatively close). Then, after 2,000 years of Torah, the age of the Messiah should have begun around 239 AD by ben-Halafta or 4 BC by Ussher ([[Jesus Christ]] was born 4-6 BC) and will last until 2239 AD by ben-Halafta or 1996 AD by Ussher.  According to the Talmud, therefore, the Messiah should have come already; indeed, the Messianic age either will end soon or has already ended!

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Thus Jesus came during the Roman empire, as the prophet Daniel predicted.

Thus Jesus came during the Roman empire, as the prophet Daniel predicted.

===The Messiah will be cut off 483 years after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem===

===The Messiah will be killed circa 32 AD===

OT Prophecy:

OT Prophecy:

{{quotebox|During the last forty years before the destruction of the Temple the lot did not come up in the right hand; nor did the crimson-coloured strap become white, nor did its westernmost lamp shine; and the doors of the sanctuary opened themselves  Then Rabbi Johanan Ben Zakkai rebuked them, saying, ‘Temple, why dost thou grieve so?  I know this about thee, that thou shalt be destroyed.” (Yoma 39b) (cf. Santala, p. 105)<ref>See also http://custance.org/old/seed/references.html</ref> }}

{{quotebox|During the last forty years before the destruction of the Temple the lot did not come up in the right hand; nor did the crimson-coloured strap become white, nor did its westernmost lamp shine; and the doors of the sanctuary opened themselves  Then Rabbi Johanan Ben Zakkai rebuked them, saying, ‘Temple, why dost thou grieve so?  I know this about thee, that thou shalt be destroyed.” (Yoma 39b) (cf. Santala, p. 105)<ref>See also http://custance.org/old/seed/references.html</ref> }}

It is remarkable that such dramatic changes in the Temple service mysteriously occurred right around the time of Jesus' crucifixion!  

It is remarkable that God dramatically stopped favoring the Temple services right around the time of Jesus' crucifixion!  

Moreover, probably to cover up this prophecy inarguably pointing to the time of Jesus, the Jewish rabbi Jose ben-Halafta mutilated the Persian chronology in his history of the world, the [[Seder Olam Rabbah]].  By his chronology, 483 years after Artaxerxes' decree was not 32 AD but c. 132 AD - pointing to the false Messiah [[Bar Kokhba]], whom Jose's mentor [[Akiba]] had recognized as Messiah.<ref>Larry and Marion Pierce.  Afterward to [[James Ussher]]'s ''Annals of the World''.  Published 2007, Master Books</ref>

Moreover, probably to cover up this prophecy inarguably pointing to the time of Jesus, the Jewish rabbi Jose ben-Halafta mutilated the Persian chronology in his history of the world, the [[Seder Olam Rabbah]].  By his chronology, 483 years after Artaxerxes' decree was not 32 AD but c. 132 AD - pointing to the false Messiah [[Bar Kokhba]], whom Jose's mentor [[Akiba]] had recognized as Messiah.  Even modern Jewish authorities admit that his chronology is inexplicably wrong; however, they do not begin to venture a reason. <ref>Larry and Marion Pierce.  Afterward to [[James Ussher]]'s ''Annals of the World''.  Published 2007, Master Books</ref>

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