An Orthodox Jew Discovers Yeshua in Israel, as Miracles Begin Unfolding in His Life

Mark Ellis : Jan 18, 2016
God Reports

"I fell on my knees and prayed directly to God for the first time in my life..."

He grew up in the former Soviet Union, but at 17 his Jewish family fled the crumbling communist system and immigrated to Israel. (Photo via God Reports)

"When I first came to Israel, I fell in love with the country," says Neriyah Arabov. "The first thing that touched my heart was the amazing sense of patriotism in everyone that I met," he told Chosen People Ministries.

At first he didn't fully understand why his family moved to Israel. But as God's plan unfolded in his life, he began to see their relocation as part of God's plan for "restoring His people."

In the former Soviet Union, he was the only Jewish student in his Uzbeki school. "My name–Neriyah–stuck out starkly amongst the Mashas, Sashas and Pashas. I was different in many other respects," he recounts.

"My skin was darker than that of my classmates, and I was not allowed to eat outside my home because our family kept kosher."

He rejoiced in one thing after his arrival in Israel, that he "would never again be called a dirty Jew by my countrymen. I was no longer persecuted on account of my race and beliefs."

When he joined the Israel Defense Forces, his connection to the Israeli people deepened. After he finished his service and found work at the Tel Aviv municipality he met a Russian man who shared with him the surprising news that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel.

"At that point in my life, I considered myself an orthodox Jew," he notes. "I was curious that he seemed to know the Bible better than I did. I was religious. I would go to synagogue. I wore a kippa, prayed all the prayers, however, in my heart I didn't even really believe God existed.

"In our conversations, however, I realized that I did not really know the Bible. I started reading it more in order to prove to my new friend that he was mistaken about Jesus.

But when Neriyah began to read the Bible, something unexpected happened. In the Book of Isaiah, the 53rd chapter had a profound impact on his thinking. "It was clear to me the prophets were talking about Yeshua, but I was afraid to admit it." (Photo via God Reports)

He thought that if he followed Jesus, he would be rejected by his Jewish friends—"like I was rejected at school where I grew up."

But the more he read God's Word, the more his resistance faded. "Upon reading the Bible, my heart melted. I realized that I am a sinner, unworthy of God's grace and goodness, and that I was the one who was mistaken–not my friend."

One day as he read his Bible, he asked God to show him the truth about a personal matter that no one else knew anything about.

He was shocked when God answered his prayer. Still resistant, he thought it must be a coincidence.

Then God answered a second prayer and revealed...

Continue reading here about Neriyah's health crisis and the miraculous answer to prayer that God brought him.