FROM JUDAISM TO CHRIST

JOSEPH RABINOWITZ was born on the 3rd September, 1837, in the village of Rosina, in Bessarobia, Russia. His parents were very strict Jews, and carefully brought up their son in the orthodox faith. At the age of ten he was a diligent student of Rabbinical commentaries, and daily committed to memory a chapter of the Hebrew Bible. When manhood was reached he became convinced that the legalism and formalism of Talmudic Judaism was vallueless in helping his coreligionists either temporally or spiritually. At last he abandoned Talmudism and removed to St. Petersburg, where he became correspondent to the most influential Hebrew paper in Russia. In innumerable ways he soughjt to improve the condiion of the Jews. For a time he was hopeful, but as persecution succeeded persecution he lost heart and turned his thoughts toward the re-peopling of Palestine. Eventually he resolved on visiting the land of his fathers, and purchasing a farm to experiment upon. Before he started for Palestine he was advised to procure a copy of the New Testament, so as to enable him to understand more correctly the holy places in and around "the city of the great King." The New Testament was obtained, the journey was performed, and Rabinowitz found himself within the walls of Jerusalem. Day after day he walked about Zion visiting the sacred places, grieved and disappointed at what he saw and heard. One day, whilst sitting on the Mount of Olives gazing on the city beneath, his mind began to ponder and reflect on such quesions as these: "Why this long desolation of the city of David? Why this scattering of my people to the ends of the earth? Why these fresh persecultions breaking forth against us in almost every country of Europe?": Whilst thus occupied he gazed toward the reputed Calvary, the scene of Christ's crucification and death. As he did so the eye of his soul was opened, and by faith he saw Jesus bleeding and DYING IN HIS ROOM AND STEAD. In a moment the blessed truth was revealed to him that Christ was wounded for his transgressions, and bruised for his iniquities ( Isaiah 53: 5) The darkkness that had enshrouded him was dispelled, and the light of the glorious Gospel penetrated his inmost being. "We have rejected our Mesiah! hence our long casting off and dispersion by Jehovah!" said he. There and then he accepted Jesus of Nazarath as his Saviour, and exclaimed: "My Lord and my God!" Taking the New Testament from his pocket, he opened it, and his eye fell on the words, "I am the vine; ye are branches...without Me ye can do nothing" (John 15: 5). 
"I saw it in a twinkling of an eye," said he; "our Jewish bankers with their millions of gold coin do nothing for us; our only hope is in our brother Jesus, whom we crucified, and whom God raised up and set at His own right hand." Joseph Rabinowitz was truly converted to and by God, and from that moment he became a "new creatlure." On his return to Russia he publicly confessed Christ as the Messiah in the synagogues and in the press, and, as was to be expected, not without opposition, persecution, obloquy and insults. A large synagogue was built for him, and week after week he preaches to crowds who assemble to hear his expositions of Scripture. Much of his time is spent in answering letters from exercised Jews, and in dealing with enquirers, who travel hundreds of miles to talk with him about the things of God. In addition to all this, tens of thoousands of Jews read his sermons, which are printed in four different languages; hundreds of Jews have been baptized by him on a profession of faith in Christ, and thousands have been helped in understanding the Scripture. 
How true it is that Jewish bankers, scholars and statesmen are powerless to give rest or peace to the hearts and consciences of their fellow-religionists! They might be able to better their condition for time, but not for etyernity. \"Our only hope is in our brother Jesus, whom we crucified, and whom God raised up and set at His own right hand," said Rabinowitz. The "only hope" for Jew and Gentile, for rich and poor, for educated and ignorant, is the Lord Jeslus Christ. " His name shall be called Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins" Matthew 1: 21). 'Tis Christ alone that can save from sin's penalty, pollution and power. He is able and willing to save the foulest sinner on earth. Through faith in His blessed Gospel the soul is saved from sin and hell and woe. The Gospel of the grace of God is a Gospel of facts, not reasonings. "I declare ulnto you the Gospel which I preached ulnto you,...how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15: 1-4)
"If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jeslus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, THOU SHALT BE SAVED." (Romans 10: 9).
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"Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1: 29)
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The above Gospel message was republished from a 1903 issue of THE GOSPEL HERALD supplied through the kindness of Mrs. E.J. of Orillia and gratefully acknowleged.

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