The Jews’ rejection of Messiah YAHSHUA was so deeply rooted in their hearts, that they desired Him dead. The religious authorities of the country often spoke of a way to rid of Him. They were so hung up on their hatred and envy of YAHSHUA, that their eyes were blind to see and their ears dumb to hear. Miracles, upon miracles, had been performed before their own eyes. Words from YAHSHUA’S teachings also revealed Who He was. Sadly, however, the evidence of who YAHSHUA was, provoked them to jealousy and envy and hatred instead, positioning Him under the devil’s power and possessed by demons. The crossroads they had taken at the moment they rejected Messiah, was one to lead them to destruction and curses. Whoever has heard of a mother nation betraying her own Son to the enemy, demanding the cruelest way of death, a death their own law did not allow? The consequential decision the Jews made in those days did not disappear after YAHSHUA’S death. The Jewish nation, without knowing it, was shining the light on who was to be the antichrist of the latter days. The choice they made at their crossroad was and is not without long-term consequences.
Pilate was not stupid but was ignorant of the Jewish religious ways. He cowardly was a pleaser of people, afraid of what the Jewish nation could do, if he went the way he believed. He came up with a choice and offered them, wanting to release YAHSHUA, knowing that the Jews had handed YAHSHUA to him out of envy. The crossroad Pilate presented to them was: choose between the two whom you desire to live: YAHSHUA or Barabbas. Their choice was Barabbas all three times Pilate gave them the choice. They audibly turned against their Messiah, telling Pilate to crucify Him. Israel’s anti-Messiah attitude will culminate at the appointed time, when a Roman born Jew will rise as the antichrist. Their deep hatred for their Messiah will cause them to substitute Him for a false one, who will act under the authority of the devil for seven years. Judas, representing the nation, was called the son of perdition, even before he had betrayed the Lord YAHSHUA. In my understanding and estimation, he could well have been from the tribe of Dan. Of Dan’s tribe was said by his father Jacob: Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent, by the way, a horned snake in the path, that bites at the horse’s heels so that his rider falls backward. I wait for Your salvation, O Lord (Genesis 49:17-18). Paralleling this passage with that of Genesis 3:15: Speaking to the serpent, God said, And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her Offspring; He will bruise and tread your head underfoot, and you will lie in wait and bruise His heel. What nation has been more anti-YAHSHUA then the Jewish nation to the point of wanting Him to be crucified? None that I know of. Their hatred goes deeply into the space of time since YAHSHUA came to earth as their Messiah. They are still waiting for a messiah besides the true One. Obviously, they are coming with their own messiah, one that they will appoint and accept and the nations with them, as YAHSHUA foretold them: I have come in My Father’s name and with His power, and you did not receive Me; but if another (Messiah) comes in his own name and his own power and with no other authority but himself, you will receive him and give him your approval (John 5:43). Amazing prophetic words of YAHSHUA!
In His priestly prayer, YAHSHUA prayed, Those You have given Me I guarded and protected, and not one of them has perished or is lost except the son of perdition [Judas Iscariot- the one who is now doomed to destruction, destined to be lost], that the Scripture might be fulfilled (John 17:12b). Did not I choose you, the Twelve? (YAHSHUA asked) [yet] one of you is a devil. He was speaking of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for he was about to betray Him (John 6:71). Judas represented the nation’s hatred and rejection for their Messiah. YAHSHUA plainly declared to them that they were of the devil- their father (John 8:44), while they accused Him of being under the power of or possessed by a demon (John 8: 48,52). YAHSHUA then pronounced eternal condemnation against them: Everyone who makes a statement or speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him (Luke 12: 10). That is why I told you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins (John 8:24). The nation of Israel committed the unpardoned sin against the Holy Spirit of God. For those, there will be no forgiveness ever. If they continue on the road of rejection of their Messiah YAHSHUA- the Son of God, they will arrive at the road of destruction at their own choice.
Pilate was also given more than one chance to turn from the way of crucifying YAHSHUA. The first time happened while he was seated on the judgment bench, when his wife sent him a message, saying, Have nothing to do with that just and upright Man, for I have had a painful experience today in a dream because of Him (John 27: 19). The second time it happened when YAHSHUA confirmed to Pilate that He was the King of the Jews. He said, My kingdom belongs not to this world, If My kingdom were of this world, My followers would have been fighting to keep Me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, My kingdom is not from here; Pilate said to Him, Then You are a King? YAHSHUA answered, You say it! For I am a King. This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth hears and listens to My voice. Pilate said to Him, What is Truth? On saying this he went out to the Jews again and told them, I find no fault in Him (John 18:36-38). Twice Pilate was given the chance while in his crossroad. But Pilate was a coward and fearful of the Jews, although he gave YAHSHUA the verdict, not guilty. In spite of that, beyond my understanding, Pilate made a terrible decision to handle YAHSHUA to the Roman soldiers to be flogged the Roman way, knowing exactly the extent of the damage it would take on the body of that innocent Man. When YAHSHUA came out, bloodied and disfigured, Pilate more alarmed and awestricken and afraid than before, asked Him another question, Where are You from? YAHSHUA kept quiet without answering Pilate. He had already told him enough about Himself as a basis for his decision. When Pilate tried to remind YAHSHUA about the power he had to release Him and power to crucify him, YAHSHUA answered him: You would not have any power or authority whatsoever against Me if it were not given you from above. For this reason, the sin of guilt of the one who delivered Me over to you is greater. Pilate, already filled with fear and anxiety, wanted to release Him. But the screams of the Jews, frightened him of being an enemy of Caesar. Then Pilate wanting to be free of the guilt of that innocent blood brought YAHSHUA out and presented Him to the Jewish nation as their King. The Jews then replied, Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him! Pilate said to them, Crucify your King? The Chief Priests answered; We have no king but Caesar! Pilate then delivered Him to be crucified (John 18). When the Jewish nation affirmed that they had no king, but Caesar, he became powerless, not wanting to refute such a proclamation, he then decided what road to take while leaving his crossroad. He joined the Jewish nation and became their partner in the killing of the Jewish Rejected Messiah.
The nation of Israel made three choices that forever marked their spiritual destiny. They chose a criminal to live, and a wicked king to be their king, and rejected and crucified their Messiah YAHSHUA. Pilate, being warned, ignored the seriousness of his decision to crucify YAHSHUA. Although, the Jewish nation holds greater sin then he does, he is also condemned. They both had the opportunity to say no to the darkness of crucifying the Innocent Man, no to their own condemnation. The Jewish nation’s decision to handle their Messiah to the Romans guaranteed their future judgments. While Pilate washed his hands releasing him from the guilt of YAHSHUA’S blood, the nation of Israel accepted the guilt and passed on to their children. The future of their decisions has been dark and fearful. Here we have the case of two nations raising their hands against the Son of God. One in their anger and hate against Him, the other in their ignorance and cruelty, for whom YAHSHUA prayed, Father Forgive them for they know not what they are doing. While YAHSHUA was on His way to be crucified He prophesized the time of judgment against the Jewish nation: Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming during which they will say, blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the breasts that have never nursed [babies]! Then they will begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us! And to the hills, Cover us! For if they do these things when the timber is green what will happen when it is dry? (Luke 23:27-31).
Pilate’s fate, according to Acts of Pilate, committed suicide, although various Acts of Pilate still exists, no two of them agree. For now, these two nations- Israel and Rome are suspended waiting for the time when both will rise in their fulfillment of prophecy. Here is something for you to think about: the world has become one world order in many ways. Behind the idea stand those who forcefully are encouraging chaos by dismantling governments, creating an atmosphere for the one world order to be implemented. Today, more than ever, the idea has been revealed through what is going on. Do you perceive who is behind this? Here stands the opportunity for all of us who know the Lord YAHSHUA to be ready for His soon appearance. Will you be ready when He comes? (Matt 24:37-47).
Light from the Word 