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Rabbi
Asher Levy I was a Jewish Rabbi for 35 years.
Born in Yugoslavia, I was brought up in a very orthodox Jewish
home. I was taught to say formal
prayers and wear phylacteries as prescribed for every pious Jew (Deuteronomy 6:
8; 11: 18). At the age of 15 I went to the theological school for
Rabbis where I studied the Old Testament and Talmudic commentaries and six
years later I was ordained as Rabbi in Romania. Afterwards I served in
Belgium, England and California.
Outwardly I was happy and successful in my ministry but in my heart I was
restless and discontented because I suffered much as a result of the
emptiness of life in general. Six years ago I met a Jewish man with whom I
discussed this matter. I did not know that he was a believer in Jesus
Christ. His advice was: "Read Isaiah 53." I then read
this well-known chapter concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which says that He was
wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities. I
felt urged further to examine the Hebrew Scriptures and found these words
written by the same prophet: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is
given: and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be
no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to
establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. “The
zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this (Isaiah 9:6, 7). I also
read: Hear ye now, O House of David; is it a
small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold a virgin shall
conceive and bear a son. and shall call his name
Immanuel (Isaiah 7 :13, 14). "Immanuel" means
"God with us”.
This proved to me that Jesus was and is the Messiah in Whom all the
prophecies were fulfilled. Meanwhile I had found a clear portrait of
the Messiah in a small book which I had the privilege of getting into my
hands. It was my first introduction to the New Testament. I started
reading it like any other book, from the beginning: “The book of the
generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David son of Abraham," and
found to my amazement that I was reading a Jewish book about a Jew. By
reading it carefully I came to the conclusion that Jesus Christ was a Jew of
the race of Abraham and David; that He was born of a Jewish virgin in the
Jewish town of Bethlehem; of a Jewish tribe, the tribe of Judah.
Because He knew the Law and the Prophets I followed Him on His journeys
through the Holy Land, listened to His beautiful sayings and teaching,
observed and admired His compassion and healings. It became my spiritual
food. His promise of forgiveness of sins and eternal life lo those who
believe in Him. drew me till I trusted Him as my
Messiah and my personal savior.
I want to confirm the fact that my heart does not condemn me for my new
belief, because I feel that I am still a Jew and shall always be a Jew.
I have not renounced our inheritance of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Like
Paul I can say after my acceptance of Christ as my Savior: Are they
Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are
they the seed of Abraham? So am I. (I Corinthians 11:22) Thus I repeat with pride the word of Romans 1:16:
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto
salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first. and
also to the Greek.
The brilliant example of the great apostle Paul influenced me very much and
gave me the courage to accept the Lord Jesus as my personal Savior.
Paul first was a zealous persecutor of Christ and then became His most
faithful follower. He was a disciple of that great doctor of the Law, Raban Gamaliel, at whose feet he sat. It is believed that
Raban Gamaliel became a follower of Christ before
Paul did. The Bible tells us that some wanted to kill Peter and the other
apostles because they were preaching Christ so boldly. Then stood there
up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the Law, had a
reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a
little space; and said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves
what you intend to do as touching these men. . . And now I say unto
you, refrain from these men and let them alone, for if this counsel or
this work be of men it will come to naught, but if it be of God, ye cannot
overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God (Acts
5:34, 35, 38, 39).
It is two thousand years since the lowly Galilean, Jesus, traversed the hills
and dales of Palestine, and He is still Master of the world. His Gospel
is still preached. and Christ's name as Messiah of
Israel is still proclaimed. And His message is still repeated
everywhere: For God so loved. the world, that He gave
his only begotten Son. that whosoever believeth in
Him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3:16.
Hear, O Israel! For further information contact: To Return To:
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