Jewish Expectations of a Messiah

JEWISH EXPECTATIONS OF THE MESSIAH

An organization known as Jews for Judaism has produced several videos designed to aid their Jewish membership to counteract Christian missionaries. One of their videos consists of a short synopsis concerning their qualifications for a Messiah using Old Testament Scriptures to support six presented reasons why Jesus cannot currently be their Messiah.  The speaker states that their (Jewish) Messiah is not an “installment plan”. He will not appear once in history and then return, a second time, 2000 plus years later and finish the promises of God to the Judeans that were not accomplished during the first appearance.

The first listed criteria for their Messiah is: “the ingathering of all Israeli exiles”. The return of all Israelites to the promised land can be found in several scriptural passages and Deuteronomy 30:3 is the first passage listed by the speaker.

That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. (Deuteronomy 30:3 KJV)

The above Deuteronomy Scripture is relatively straightforward with no secondary  artifacts around it. The second example from Isaiah 11:11-12 is not an isolated event, but is in conjunction with other concepts.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. (Isaiah 11:11 KJV)

Verse 11 is part of a chapter primarily dealing with the millennial kingdom. The book of the Revelation states that all Israelites will be returned to the land promised to Abraham which is the message of Isaiah 11:11. However, prior to that verse is a description of the animal life during the millennium. It describes a wolf and lamb dwelling together and a lion eating straw like an ox.  This will never happen prior to the return of Jesus.

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.(Isaiah 11:6-8 KJV)

2)  The second criteria involves a rebuilt temple replete with an operational sacrificial system. This could probably be produced at any time, with or without a Messiah, if the Muslim dome of the rock structure could mysteriously disappear. The first Scripture reference listed below is found in Isaiah 2:2.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. (Isaiah 2:2 KJV)

Notice that the beginning of the verse states that this event will come to pass in the last days specifically the millennial era.

Another reference is Zechariah 14:20-21 which discusses sacrifices being given in the house of the Lord.

In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’S house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 14:20-21 KJV)

In an earlier part of the chapter, verses two through four, is a description of the final battle between God and the forces of the antichrist. It further states that the feet of the Lord will stand on the Mount of olives and it shall split into two pieces with a big valley between them.  This will not happen until the return of Jesus.

For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:2-4 KJV)

Other references given are:  Isaiah 56:6-7, 60:7, 66:20; Ezekiel 37:26-27; Malachi 3:4.

3)  Criteria number three is worldwide peace. The first reference given is Micah 4:1-4. Another scriptural example is Isaiah 2:1-4 which was also given for the rebuilt Temple criteria. Note that both of these references state that these things will come to pass during the last days, and again, specifically during the millennial era.

But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. (Micah 4:1-4 KJV)

Other supplied references are Hosea 2:20 and Isaiah 60:18.

4)  The fourth criteria is that all Judeans will embrace the Torah and observe God’s commandments. Of course they should be doing that now, but apparently there is a need for someone to force them and give them no choice.  The first reference, Ezekiel 3724, states that David will be their king. They must consider that the name, David, is symbolic of a Judah representative and not a literal resurrection of the actual David the king, which will happen just prior to the wrath of God.

And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.  (Ezekiel 37:24 KJV)

Other references include: Deuteronomy 30:8; Jeremiah 31:32; Ezekiel 11:19-20, 36:26-27.

5)  Criteria number five is that all people (ethnic groups), worldwide, worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.  (Zechariah 8:23 KJV)

And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. (Zechariah 14:9 KJV)

Note that Zechariah 14 was also referenced above for the ‘rebuilt temple’ criteria and contains the prophecy of the splitting of the mount of Olives by the feet of the Messiah (Jesus, at His return).

I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.  (Isaiah 45:23 KJV)

Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.  (Ezekiel 38:23 KJV)

Other references include:  Zechariah 3:9, 14:16; Isaiah 66:23; Jeremiah 31:33; Psalm 86:9; Zephaniah 3:9.

6) The sixth and last criteria, of this video, states that the Messiah must be from the tribe of Judah and be a direct descendant of kings David and Solomon.  Genesis 49:10 states that the Messiah (Shiloh) will come from the tribe of Judah.  1 Chronicles 22:9-10 is a prophecy given to David that he would have a son named Solomon and that his kingdom of Israel would be forever.

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.  (Genesis 49:10 KJV)

Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever. (1 Chronicles 22:9-10 KJV)

The gospels of Matthew and Luke portray both Mary and Joseph as being of the lineage of Judah.  Jews for Judaism claim the gospels have no evidence that Jesus had the pedigree from Judah through David and Solomon and that the gospels actually claim that Jesus did not have a birth father of the tribe of Judah (I suppose the Holy Spirit doesn’t count) because pedigree is determined through father to son.

And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls.  (Numbers 1:18 KJV)