The Supreme Iranian Judge: “How do you answer these charges (proselytizing, etc.)? You may speak.”
Your honor and to all the noble people of Iran, for surely this is a noble land from which greats arose from ancient times such as Zorathrustra who brought light of the true God into this world, and God’s truth to men and women, beginning with the truth that God is one, but some men who came after corrupted the original pure revelation into essentially two Gods, a good God and one God.
But for thousands of years, Jews, Christians, and Muslims have been proclaiming the one true God. And so much all these peoples of the faith around the world have in common, whether this one God is called Ahora Mazda (“Wise Lord”), YHWH (the I Am), Elohim, Adonai, Allah, Rahman (Merciful One), for to this one Creator and Sovereign of the Universe, who preserves and sustains all things, belongs all honor, glory, praise, and thanks forever and ever, amen!
The holy Quran and the Hadith speak of the “former prophets” and thus the former Scriptures, for it is through the preserved former Scriptures that we know of their prophecies and ministries. And these Scriptures to which I speak now are the Hebrew Scriptures. These Scriptures refer to His holy’s name most often as YHWH, Elohim, and Adonai. But just as important for us is the revelations of His character in these Scriptures that He is holy, just, righteous, loving, gracious, and merciful. And He is King of the universe and of His Kingdom shall never end but is eternal.
This God in His grace and mercy calls all people to submit to Him, to receive His love and grace and accept the gift of life in His eternal Kingdom. This is certainly good news.
Christians have been sharing this good news for about 2000 years. And Jews have had this good news for about 3000 years, in which God declared they were supposed to be a light to the nations, but many of them through the generations have not been a light, out of their obstinance or complacency.
I have been moved and carried to bring the good news of the Scriptures to others, most often one person at a time, to show them these wonderful passages in the former Scriptures, such as from the great prophet of Isaiah, the Psalms, and the utterances of Solomon that speak of God’s blessed character and His eternal Kingdom in which He desires all peoples, His children, to come to Him and live with Him forever in righteousness and glory.
For example, in the Psalms we read, “For YHWH is righteous, He loves righteousness” (Ps. 11:12). In Ps. 50 we read, “Let the heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge (P. 50:6). In Ps. 97 we read, “…righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne” (P. 97:2). In the great book of Isaiah we read, “The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever” (Is. 32:17). In Psalm 40 we read, “I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness in the great congregation” (Ps. 40:9). And the great Solomon opens up his book of wisdom, the book of Proverbs: “to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive words of understanding, to receive instruction in wisdom, in righteousness, in judgment, and in Equity” (Prov. 1:2-3 NKJV vs. 2, ASV vs. 3). And one more Proverb: “In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death” (Prov. 12:28).
But these same Hebrew Scriptures speak of our unrighteousness and that none of us can obtain the righteousness of God on own own to be saved from death and hell. In Isaiah is says “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags” (Is. 64:6). And in the Psalms is says that “there is no one who does good” (Ps. 14:1d).
So how is it that we obtain the righteousness of God in order to be saved from our sin and to live with God for ever? We need a divine Savior. Let us set aside the debate whether we need a mediator or not. The truth is, we all need a divine Savior. And in the Hebrew Scriptures we find prophecies of God who will send the Savior. In one particular passage we find in Daniel a mysterious verse of one like the Son of Man: “I was watching in the night visions, and behold, [One] like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away…” (Dan. 7:13-14). This divine being, the former Scriptures called the New Testament in the Bible, held most dear by Christians, is Jesus/ Y’Shua, the Christ, Meschiach. He is not a separate god or deity from one God who made all things, but He was and is one with the one God. It is a mystery we cannot explain.
Y’Shua, by His death on the cross as the perfect Lamb of God atoned for the sins of the world and rose from the dead on the third day, grants to all who receive, believe, and submit, His perfect righteousness, a free undeserved gift. That is God’s grace. And millions of people from all tribes, ethnicities, and nations around the world who have received this good news have been filled with joy.
And so returning to Isaiah again, “I will greatly rejoice in YHWH, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has clothed me with the robe of righteousness…For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so YHWH God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations” (Is. 61:10, 11). Amen.
Here is my testimony I submit to you. Do with me as seems good and proper.