The Rabbi With a Bible

Rabbi Isaac Lichtenstein was an influential Hungarian Jew of the nineteenth century. He is remembered for exposing, in his latter years, the harsh roots of superstition flourishing in the Jewish heart against the New Testament. In so doing, he earned a place in the lore, legends, and memory of the Jewish people. After his conversion, to what is now known as Messianic Judaism, he said many times to friends and family alike, "I once thought the New Testament to be impure, a source of pride, of overwhelming selfishness, of hatred, and of the worst kind of violence. How wrong I was."

Once during his time of unbelief, he threw to the floor a New Testament when he read the name of Jesus as the Messiah on a page. Thirty years later, during the agitation against the Jews, he learned that the teachings of the New Testament forbade anti-Semitism. With interest he searched for his old discarded copy of the Bible, and began to really read it for the first time.

As he turned the pages, he felt himself peculiarly and wonderfully changed in mind and body. A sudden glory and light flashed through his soul, perhaps similar to that which Rabbi Paul had experienced on the road to Damascus. He looked for thorns, but saw only roses. Instead of error he found jewels of wisdom. Instead of hatred, love. Instead of anger, forgiveness. Instead of slavery, freedom. Instead of hatred, harmony. Instead of death, he was offered life and resurrection. He shouted to the rooftops that he had, indeed, found heavenly treasures. Further study in the Scriptures brought him to the knowledge of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.

After his remarkable conversion, his efforts to reach his own people with the Gospel provoked relentless persecution. He lost family. He lost friends. He became a laughing-stock. Yet, for some twenty-odd years, Lichtenstein influenced the Jews on the continent of Europe through the written and spoken ministry of reconciliation.

On his death bed, his room filled with rabbis and orthodox friends and relatives, the rabbi with a Bible raised his body and spoke thus: "Yeshua. I found Yeshua (Jesus). He was the only one who could give me beauty for ashes. If you will look to the Lord Yeshua, Ben Abraham (Son of Abraham), Ben David (Son of David), Ben Adonai (Son of God), you will receive the beauty of forgiveness for the ashes of unrighteousness. Believe in Him, and the thanksgiving of life will be yours for the ashes of death." He opened his Bible to Isaiah 61:10 and read, "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with garments of salvation; He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness." He then closed his eyes forever, in thanksgiving.

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