In this Jewish testimonial video, Sharon Gabizon shares how, through Yeshua’s love, she was able to conquer her fear of death, and cast aside her doubts.
Sharon grew up in a household that followed tradition above everything else, where everything the rabbis said was considered good, Jews who didn’t do too many bad things would be fine, that all Jews would go to heaven, and that Hell didn’t really exist. When she was young, she would often ponder in her bed where she would be going, if there was any truth to heaven, and if hell was more real then the teachings led on. She grew to fear death and the concept of the afterlife, and every question she had regarding it would be answered in the same traditional way; “What do the Rabbis say about it?”
One day, she found herself at a hangout spot in her University, where she saw two guys talking around a table. She joined them, and the three had a conversation about everything from psychology to life in general. But then, the calmer, more collected of the two, a Jewish man named Jack, turned to her and said very gently, “You know, if you don’t believe in Jesus Christ, you’re going to Hell.” She was told to stay away from men like him by her mother, and yet, just a year and a half later, she married Jack.
“Every once in a while, Jack would tell me about Jesus and about Paul, and I would say to him, ‘you can tell me anything you want about the Bible, but don’t mention Jesus and don’t mention Paul.”
Every morning, Sharon would turn on the radio in her car and listen to radio preachers speak about Jesus, astonished at how knowledgeable they were about the scripture she grew up with.
“How is it that they know more about my God than I do? How is it that they could quote scripture and use scripture and speak about sin and righteousness and blood atonement; these are concepts that Jews should be speaking about.”
There was a certain truth behind their words that she couldn’t place, and had to uncover more. She listened to one program, Chuck Swindoll, talk about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and how there was a certain “generational lying” that took place between them all. She came to realize that everyone sins, Jews and gentiles alike.
“To hear this man speak about Jews and their need for a Savior, their need for coverage for their sin was great, because God is a just God, we have all sinned, and we all need the Savior, we all need that covering from God. “
Upon the realization of that truth, she broke down into tears, and began to read the Scriptures. Upon reading through the Psalms, she could almost hear David’s cry in his heart as he said, “Lord, I love you and I love your Law.”
“How does the King of Israel love God like that and love his law? I want to love like that. Is it possible to love God outside of the rules and regulations? I wanted to know him.”
As the week went on, the struggle within her grew, she wanted to be absolutely sure that Jesus was the Messiah, that she didn’t want to make a mistake. Until one afternoon, coming home from picking up her kids from school, she had reached a point where she couldn’t take the indecision. She went up to her dim room, closed the door, and fell on her knees in prayer.
“Jesus, if you are the Messiah, reveal yourself to me right now, I need a sign.”
A very faint light seemed to rise inside her room, and as it did, every mental burden Sharon had whirling within her head was lifted. From that point onward, she experienced a period of continuous joy within her.
“I came outside and I saw the trees for the first time, that there was truly a creator. Now I know with certainly where I am going, I know that He has a house prepared for me.”
Scripture tells us that the love of Yeshua casts out all fears, and Sharon’s fear of death was relieved, as through forgiveness and belief in the Messiah, all sins are forgiven.
