The Hope of Messiah -- Part 4 of the Tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series


		#4 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series: How God worked through the Old Covenant to prepare the world for Messiah, God's ultimate fulfilment of justice and mercy Old Covenant section ©1997 Tishbyte Publishing Key concepts introduced in this lesson: hope of Messiah *(variations:* hope, hope of the kingdom..., kingdom of God, Messiah etc.) q Under the covenant with Abraham, The people of Israel were to occupy all the territory from the Negev Dessert to the Euphrates river (Gen 15:18-21). We also saw, that it is through Israel that God has the right to deal with all the nations (Gen 12:1-3 ...I will bless those who bless you... & ...In you, all the families shall be blessed...) Whenever Israel is fully occupying her rightful territory, and in right relationship with God, in faith and obedience to the covenant, all the nations of the world will also be in their right place in God’s plan. q Only once in the history of the world has Israel fully occupied the territory promised to Abraham. That was during the reigns of King David and his son, King Solomon. The state of the nation and the world at that time reflects the above principal that blessing comes on and through Israel in-so-much as Israel occupies all the territory promised to her. m II Sam 8:1-14 & I Kings 4:20,21 gives the extent of the territory under Israel’s control during their reigns. m Both David and Solomon were God’s choice for king. Both feared God (although Solomon wavered towards the end), and were used of God to bring God’s blessing on Israel — David, by conquering the territory round about, and Solomon, by building the Temple, and being a channel of wisdom and wealth. m I Kings 10:14-29 & II Chron 9:13-28 describe the extant of Solomon’s wealth. It is said, (vs 23) King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom; and (vs 27) silver became as common in Jerusalem as stones. m II Chronicles 9:22-28 adds that Solomon was very influential, and known for his wisdom, so that kings of the earth sought his presence. (e.g. the Queen of Sheba, II Chron 9:1-12) They all also brought gifts to him. Whereas David’s reign was marked by military victory, Solomon’s reign was distinguished by favour with all the kingdoms of the earth. m The first Temple was planned by David and built by Solomon and was known for it’s magnificence. The site was confirmed by God as being the permanent location of the covenant sanctuary (II Chron 7:12-16) m The peace that reigned at that time, with Israel at the epicentre, would seem to confirm that things were indeed in their proper order, as a result of Israel being in her proper place. *This unique period of history, therefore, was a foretaste of the kingdom of God, and became the point of reference for all the promises concerning Messiah.* q God made some promises both to King David and King Solomon — many of which did not fully come to pass during their immediate dynasty. m II Sam 7:12-16 — God promised to David that He would set up his seed after him, and establish his kingdom. The kingship would never leave David’s family, but David’s throne would be established forever. - This was understood, in the immediate sense, to mean Solomon - However, many aspects of this haven’t fully come to pass yet m I Kings 9:1-9 — God makes a similar promise to Solomon, saying his kingdom would be established forever. t This was understood, then, to mean the immediate dynasty of David (which only lasted for four hundred years, until the Babylonian captivity). t Again, this hasn’t fully come to pass yet. m Psalm 2 — was written to celebrate the coronation of a king of David’s lineage, and was written from prophetic inspiration t vs 8 — God promises the nations and the ends of the earth to be the possession of the king. t vs 9 — The king will break the nations with a rod of iron, and crush them like a potter’s vessel. t vs 10-12 — The kings and peoples of the world are advised to serve the Davidic king, and put their trust in him. t This was never fulfilled completely during the immediate dynasty of King David before the captivity, and has yet to have its complete fulfilment. m Psalm 45 — was written on the occasion of a royal wedding, and also has prophetic implications t vs 6 — The king’s throne (the Hebrew word for God can also mean “king”), would last forever, and his authority is described as “a sceptre of righteousness.” t vs 7,8 — Emphasis is placed on the anointing with oil. Kings were anointed with oil as a sign of their appointment by God (More on this later). t vs 16,17 — The bride is told here that her children will be kings in all the earth, and people will praise her forever and ever. t Nothing like this happened during the Davidic dynasty that immediately followed, which only enjoyed continuous succession for 400 years. m Psalm 72 — is a prayer for King Solomon, and also moves into prophetic declarations t vs 2-4 — The kingdom described will be one of ultimate justice, with compassion on all the needy, and the defeat of the oppressor. t vs 5-7 — This king will be feared throughout all generations, and peace will result from his reign which will last “until the moon is no more.” t Needless to say, no earthly king has ever fulfilled these pronouncements. q The dynasty of David and Solomon lasted about 400 years until the Temple was destroyed, and the whole nation was taken into captivity. The Davidic dynasty was never reestablished. Nor did Israel again occupy all of the land promised to Abraham (even during the Davidic dynasty after the death of Solomon). Nor, since the Babylonian captivity, was there ever again a time when all Israelites return to live in the land promised to them. There have only been partial migrations, with the majority of Israelites still living outside the Holy Land. q After the return from captivity, prophecies concerning the Davidic dynasty began to be interpreted in a different light. m During the Davidic dynasty, when the kings showed promised, it was assumed that God was fulfilling his promises to David through the present king, or one shortly to follow. Psalms and prophecies were uttered, such as those referred to above, which reflected this hope. m When the kings were bad, prophets spoke of another king who would do justice. It was often assumed that these also referred to a king shortly to be born or to ascend the throne. t Isaiah 9:1-7 (8:23-9:6 in some Bibles) is an example. For unto us a child is born was taken to be a prediction of the birth of King Hezekiah. However, unlike the prediction, his kingdom did come to an end. Neither was the yoke of the enemy (Assyria) completely broken. However, Hezekiah partially fulfilled this by a miraculous defeat of Assyria when Jerusalem was besieged under his administration. t Other examples include Isaiah 7:10-14 and Isaiah 11:1. m Many of the prophets themselves foresaw a period of exile, which Moses, also, had foretold; if the people of Israel did not continue in faith and obedience, but left the ways of God, and worshipped idols (Deut 28:64-30:10). t Some, like Isaiah foresaw the end of the Davidic dynasty as they knew it, and a period in which the house of Jesse (David’s father) would be reduced as a tree, to nothing more than a stump. Isaiah 11:1-12 foresees this, but that out of the dry stump, would spring a shoot that would be the revival of David’s kingdom. t In the same passage we see a colourful description of the kingdom of God, which the prophets hoped for: The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. t A recurring phrase is, ...the earth will be full of [the knowledge of] [the glory of] the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9; Numbers 14:21; Habakkuk 2:14). t Again, it was thought that this would take place shortly after the Babylonian exile. t A General return of the entire remnant dispersed worldwide was prophesied (Deut 30:1-10; Jer 29:14; Isa 43:5,6). This has not been completely fulfilled yet — neither through the return from Babylonian captivity, nor, as yet, through the current Zionist movement. m The future scenario also included a new Temple, which would replace Solomon’s Temple: t I Kings 9:6-9 — God warned Solomon that if he or his descendants turned from following Him, not walking in faith and obedience, the Temple would be destroyed. t Jer 7:4-14 — Jeremiah, who prophesied to the very generation that was sent into exile, echoed the warning that the Temple would be destroyed because of sin and injustice. t The Temple of Solomon was indeed destroyed by the Babylonian army, as they stormed Jerusalem, and took almost the entire population into captivity. t Ezekiel, who began prophesying just before, and then during the first part of the exile, also prophesied about the Temple. v ch 8-10 — Ezekiel is given a vision of the gross sin taking place even within the precincts of the Temple. He then watches, as the presence of God departs from the Temple. v 25:15-27 — Through the death of Ezekiel’s wife, and God’s command not to mourn for her, the message is that the Temple is shortly to be destroyed, but no one is to mourn, as the glory and presence of God have already departed. v ch 40-47 — Ezekiel has a very vivid and detailed vision of the future Temple. Judging by the description, this Temple has yet to be built. t Other prophecies concerning the Temple include: Haggai 2:6-9; Zechariah 1:12-17; Daniel 9:24-27 t The 2nd Temple fell short even of Solomon’s standards; and King Herod’s renovations, later, were also not according to either Solomon’s nor Ezekiel’s specifications. This, plus the corrupt High Priestly system, prompted many, from 1st century BC to 1st century AD, to look for a third Temple which they expected to be a part of the kingdom of Messiah. Thus, Jesus’s proclamation, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19), was as good as saying, “I am Messiah.” m The gentile nations will be included in the future kingdom. t Amos 9:11,12 — Some gentiles will be called by God’s Name. t Zech 14:16 — All peoples that survive the war of Israel’s deliverance will come to worship God at the feast of Tabernacles. m The hope of the kingdom of God on earth also included the resurrection of the dead. t The clearest passage is Daniel 12:1-3. t Because this book wasn’t written until as late as the Babylonian Captivity (and its authenticity, as inspired scripture, was in doubt in the minds of some), and there are no direct references to the resurrection in the Torah or Prophets, some groups, such as the Sadducees and the Samaritans doubted the resurrection. The Pharisees, however kept the hope alive both by means of Oral Torah, and by pointing out indirect references in the Written Torah, as Jesus also did (Matthew 22:23-33). (Since then, Daniel has been unanimously accepted as being a part of the cannon of scripture by both the Jewish community and the early Christians. The other prophecies have been verified as having come to pass, and being in line with the Torah.) t Other writings not included in the cannon of scripture, also reflect the hope of the resurrection, such as a passage in the book of Enoch. Whether or not the Book of Enoch was wholly written by Enoch before the flood can be debated. At least the manuscript didn’t come to the attention of the Jews until probably about 2nd or 3rd century BC. However, part of this passage is also quoted by Jude in the New Testament: I Enoch 1:8,9 — “And there shall be a judgment upon all, (including) the righteous. And to all the righteous he will grant peace. He will preserve the elect, and the kindness shall be upon them. They shall all belong to God and they shall prosper and be blessed; and the light of God shall shine unto them. Behold, he will arrive with ten million of the holy ones in order to execute judgment upon all. He will destroy the wicked ones and censure all flesh on account of everything that they have done, that which the sinners and the wicked ones committed against him.” m After the Babylonian captivity, it was quite obvious to all, that all the earlier prophecies had a more far reaching implication than the natural succession of kings of the Davidic dynasty — especially when new prophecies continued to come forth through prophets like Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. m Several things must be remembered when trying to understand prophecy (this also applies to personal prophecy and revelation): 1 Very rarely is there ever a timetable given as to exactly when the prophecy will be fulfilled (we will later look at a couple of exceptions to this). Most prophets thought their prophecies were to be fulfilled immediately 2 Many prophecies have a dual application — to something in current history, and a second application in the future. Sometimes, this is because similar spiritual principals are involved in both instances. Often, that spiritual principal can also be derived from the passage and applied no mater what the period. 3 Many prophecies are fulfilled gradually over a span of time — i.e. the return from Babylonian captivity only began 70 years after the destruction of Jerusalem and the first Temple. The Israelites didn’t completely return at that time. They are still in the process of returning even to this day. 4 Some prophecies are conditional — i.e. Jonah prophesied the destruction of Nineveh in 40 days, but because the Ninevites repented before God, that destruction was delayed. However, those based on an unconditional covenant, such as God made with Abraham, and made with David (with merit to David’s faithfulness), are definitely to be fulfilled. Some prophecies could have been fulfilled by the kings to whom they were prophesied, had they fulfilled certain conditions, but await a second application, which is definite. 5 Rarely is prophecy ever given for the sole purpose of informing people of future events. Rather, it is an instrument of God’s covenant with man, whereby God can legally speak things into existence, or speak forth their destruction (Jer 1:9,10) so as to fulfill his plan for justice and mercy on the earth. q The concept of Messiah m “Messiah” literally means “anointed one.” The word is used in reference to the High Priest, who was consecrated for service by application of oil; and for kings, such as Saul, and David, who were likewise anointed. m Oil is often used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, so that one who is anointed, is expected to move and work with His supernatural power. m It gradually came to be understood that, what all the unfulfilled prophecies had in common, was the description of an individual, to be born of the lineage of David, who would be anointed by God to deliver Israel from her enemies, and establish the kingdom of God on the earth which would fulfill all of the promises made to David and Solomon, and their dynasty. Because he was seen as a successor to King David, he is referred to as Messiah, or the anointed one. (In Greek the word was translated, Christos, from which we derive the title, Christ.) m Psalm 18:50 is quoted with a commentary in the Midrash Rabbah (to counter an opinion that David himself would rise up and become the promised Messiah): “Great deliverance giveth He to His King, and showeth loving kindness to His anointed (Hebrew: “Messiah”), to David and to his seed, forevermore;” — it is not written here, “to David” but “to David AND to his seed” (Lament R 1:51). q All the above represents the expectation of the Jewish people in first centuries BC and AD. In addition to what we have seen, the following things can be also known about Messiah from studying the prophets: m Messiah would become a man: Isaiah 9:6 (9:5 in some Bibles) m Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, Judah: Micah 5:2,4,5 m Messiah would be born of a virgin: Isaiah 7:14 m Messiah would spend a part of his early childhood in Egypt, and be called therefrom (thus identifying with the people of Israel): Hosea 11:1 m Messiah would be called a Nazarene: Isaiah 11:1 (the word “branch” in Hebrew, can also be read “Nazarene” if left without the vowels — a common rabbinical practice for gaining added shades of meaning to a passage) m Messiah would come into Jerusalem riding on a colt: Zechariah 9:9 m Messiah would be an exalted individual, higher than Abraham, Moses and David (see Midrash to Isaiah 53:12); and even considered to be divine: t David, in his Psalms referred to Him as his Lord, even though he would be a descendant: Psalm 110:1 t Jer 23:6 — Some early rabbis suggested that Messiah’s name would be “YHVH” based on this verse. t Early rabbinical sources indicate that Messiah was chosen before the world began (Babylonian Talmud: Pes.54a). Pesikta Rab 152b says, “From the beginning of the creation of the world King Messiah was born, for he entered the mind (of God) before even the world was created.” t Micah 5:2 “...whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” t The plain meaning of Isaiah 9:6 (9:5 in some Bibles) indicates that one of Messiah’s titles is “Mighty God”. t Daniel 7:13,14 — An individual, identified as the “Son of Man,” is described as a glorious being, along side the “Ancient of Days.” t Messiah is called God’s Son: Psalm 2:7,12; II Sam 7:12-16; Prov 3:4 m Messiah would be anointed for earthly ministry: t Isaiah 61:1-3; 11:1-4 t The following passage is found in a manuscript believed to date from 2nd or 3rd century BC: Testament of Levi 18:2,3,11-13 — And then the Lord will raise up a new priest to whom all the words of the Lord will be revealed. He shall effect the judgment of truth over the earth for many days. And his star (see Num 24:17) shall rise in heaven like a king; kindling the light of knowledge as day is illumined by the sun. And he shall be extolled by the whole inhabited world...And he shall open the gates of paradise; he shall remove the sword that has threatened since Adam, and he will grant to the saints to eat of the tree of life. The spirit of holiness shall be upon them. And Beliar (Satan) shall be bound by him. And he shall grant to his children the authority to trample on wicked spirits. And the Lord will rejoice in his children; he will be well pleased by his beloved ones forever. m Messiah would be betrayed: Psalm 41:9; Zech 11:12,13 m Messiah would also fill the role of a “suffering servant”: t Isaiah 52:13-53:12 — Even though there are some that say that Judaism doesn’t recognise this as a Messianic passage, the Targum of Jonathan, and all other Jewish commentators until approximately AD 550 interpret this passage as referring to Messiah. The following is from the Musaph prayer for the Day of Atonement, which alludes to Isaiah 53 in reference to Messiah.: Messiah...hath borne the yoke of your iniquities and our transgressions and is wounded because of our transgressions. He beareth our sins on his shoulder, that he may find pardon for our iniquities. We shall be healed by his wounds... t Zechariah 12:10 — This passage influenced some early rabbis to conclude that there would be two Messiahs - one who would suffer and die, called Messiah ben Joseph and another who would reign as king, called Messiah ben David. In actuality, both roles were fulfilled by one Messiah. t Psalm 22 m Messiah would rise up after being dead three days: t Psalm 16:10 — “You will not leave my soul in Sheol (Hell) nor will You allow your Holy One to see corruption;” — indicating physical resurrection. t Psalm 22:21,22 — The whole Psalm describes the suffering and death of Messiah. The phrase, “You have answered me,” and the following lines, indicate the resurrection. t Isaiah 53:10-12 — The chapter in Isaiah describing the torment of the “suffering servant” end in these verses, indicating that the suffering and death culminated in resurrection, and victory, whereby Messiah shall divide the spoil with the strong, after having poured out his soul unto death. t Hosea 6:2 — On the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight. The pronouns, “us” and “we” indicate Messiah’s identifying with the people of Israel. m Messiah would be rejected by the leadership of Israel before he is finally accepted: Psalm 118:19-26 t vs 22 — ...the stone that the builders rejected became the chief cornerstone. t vs 26 — Israel’s leadership will welcome Messiah, from the “House of God” (the Temple), saying, Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord. t Zech 12:10 m The time of Messiah’s arrival: t Daniel 9:24-27 — Daniel was given, in a vision, a timetable (the exception to the above guideline) whereby to expect Messiah’s arrival. “Week” indicates a period of 7 years, as described in Lev 35:1-11. The following table can be seen: 7 weeks 49 years — 445-396 bc — from Artazerxes’s decree until the covenant was renewed in Jerusalem 62 weeks 434 years — 396 bc-32 ad — from the dedication of the second Temple to the death of Messiah 1 week 7 years — yet to be fulfilled t Babylonian Talmud: Sanhedrin 97a — “It was taught in the School of Elijah, The world will endure six thousand years — two thousand years in chaos, two thousand with Torah, and two thousand years will be the days of the Messiah.” v It is calculated that from creation to God’s revelation to Abraham was 2000 years, and from then until 1st century AD was another 2000 years. The third 2000 year period is almost up! v Another part of this same passage of Talmud refers to yet a seventh 1000 year period following this, which is interpreted as a 1000 year Sabbath, or Millennium. v A comparison of Psalm 90:4 and Hosea 4:2 are also discussed by the rabbis, in this passage. Y This would infer a 2000 year period in which the land is desolate Y This can now be said to have been true of the land of Israel. The third 1000 year period of Hosea 4:2, would coincide with the Sabbath rest. Y In this way, Messiah’s death followed by resurrection on the third day is in identification with Israel’s death and revival as a nation. v The following quotation is from Jerome, 4th century AD, regarding Papias and Irenaeus, pupils of Apostle John: Jerome de vir. illust. 18 — This (Papias) is said to have promulgated the Jewish tradition of a Millennium, and he is followed by Irenaeus, Apollinarius and the others, who say that after the resurrection, the Lord will reign in the flesh with the saints. Jerome, himself, believed in the idea that the Millennium (Rev 20:4) was only a spiritual state, and not a literal time period — a belief that had become prevallent during his time. However, since Papias was a pupil of John, and very likely penned the Gospel of John at his dictation, he would have certainly understood how John interpreted his own reference to the Millennium in the book of Revelation. m Most of the above scriptures describing Messiah were known to the Jewish people, although they were unable to understand how it was all to come together before it actually happened. q Because of all of the above points, and the situation the Jews found themselves in during the first centuries BC and AD, expectation was very high regarding the imminence of the kingdom of God on earth. m The nation of Israel was under repressive foreign domination by Rome, in contrast to what they knew were their national rights under the covenant. m The puppet king, Herod the Great, was only half Jewish, and half Edomite. Even though he renovated the Temple, his reign was very oppressive (e.g. - Matt 2:16-18). His successors were also not worthy leaders. m The Temple, even though it had been very richly decorated, it also was under the control of unworthy leaders. The High Priests, though descendants of Aaron, were however not descended through Zaddok, the first High Priest of Solomon’s Temple, who was revealed to be God’s chosen of all the families descended from Aaron. In fact, the Roman Governor was the one who granted the appointment to the highest bidder. The appointment also included civil power, which the Pharisees and other groups didn’t see as rightfully belonging to the office of High Priest. Most of the High Priests, moreover, were adherents of the Sadducee party, who didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead, nor in spirit beings. Often, they deliberately altered the sacrificial practices so as to only comply with the letter of the Written Torah, but not with what the Pharisees and other groups believed was the original intent preserved through the years through tradition. According to the historian, Josephus; the High Priests often abused their office, and even oppressed the common people. Tithes and first-fruits were collect in the same manner as taxes. For animal sacrifice, only the high priced hybrid animals sold on the temple precinct could be used — not ones brought from home — thus profiting the High Priest’s coffers; hence, Jesus’s clearing of the temple, saying they had turned it into a den of thieves (Matt21:12, 13). The Pharisees, even though violently opposed to the Sadducees, never-the-less, respected the High Priest’s office (see Paul’s attitude reflected in Acts 23:1-9). Other groups, such as the Essenes, excluded themselves from the Temple system and lived in monastic communities. They all expected that Messiah would build a new Temple and appoint a new administration that would run according to righteous standards. m The people were taxed heavily by all of the above three institutions, so that they groaned under their burden. Many people were dispossessed of their land and livelihood because of the burden, and many of these took to wandering the countryside as bandits. The revolutionary party of the Zealots came about in this fashion. The country-side therefore was no longer a safe place to live or travel; and Judea (as the province was called) became a hot-bed of revolution. m All of these above national hardships were understood by many as “birth-pains”, which were a prelude to the “birth” of the kingdom of God. Many, indeed were expectantly awaiting the coming of Messiah, such as Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25-38). Next Lesson Lesson Index

#4 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series:
How God worked through the Old Covenant to prepare the world for Messiah,
God's ultimate fulfilment of justice and mercy

Old Covenant section

Key concepts introduced in this lesson: hope of Messiah (variations: hope, hope of the kingdom..., kingdom of God, Messiah etc.)

q Under the covenant with Abraham, The people of Israel were to occupy all the territory from the Negev Dessert to the Euphrates river (Gen 15:18-21). We also saw, that it is through Israel that God has the right to deal with all the nations (Gen 12:1-3 ...I will bless those who bless you... & ...In you, all the families shall be blessed...) Whenever Israel is fully occupying her rightful territory, and in right relationship with God, in faith and obedience to the covenant, all the nations of the world will also be in their right place in God’s plan.

q Only once in the history of the world has Israel fully occupied the territory promised to Abraham. That was during the reigns of King David and his son, King Solomon. The state of the nation and the world at that time reflects the above principal that blessing comes on and through Israel in-so-much as Israel occupies all the territory promised to her.

m II Sam 8:1-14 & I Kings 4:20,21 gives the extent of the territory under Israel’s control during their reigns.

m Both David and Solomon were God’s choice for king. Both feared God (although Solomon wavered towards the end), and were used of God to bring God’s blessing on Israel — David, by conquering the territory round about, and Solomon, by building the Temple, and being a channel of wisdom and wealth.

m I Kings 10:14-29 & II Chron 9:13-28 describe the extant of Solomon’s wealth. It is said, (vs 23) King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom; and (vs 27) silver became as common in Jerusalem as stones.

m II Chronicles 9:22-28 adds that Solomon was very influential, and known for his wisdom, so that kings of the earth sought his presence. (e.g. the Queen of Sheba, II Chron 9:1-12) They all also brought gifts to him. Whereas David’s reign was marked by military victory, Solomon’s reign was distinguished by favour with all the kingdoms of the earth.

m The first Temple was planned by David and built by Solomon and was known for it’s magnificence. The site was confirmed by God as being the permanent location of the covenant sanctuary (II Chron 7:12-16)

m The peace that reigned at that time, with Israel at the epicentre, would seem to confirm that things were indeed in their proper order, as a result of Israel being in her proper place. This unique period of history, therefore, was a foretaste of the kingdom of God, and became the point of reference for all the promises concerning Messiah.

q God made some promises both to King David and King Solomon — many of which did not fully come to pass during their immediate dynasty.

m II Sam 7:12-16 — God promised to David that He would set up his seed after him, and establish his kingdom. The kingship would never leave David’s family, but David’s throne would be established forever. - This was understood, in the immediate sense, to mean Solomon - However, many aspects of this haven’t fully come to pass yet

m I Kings 9:1-9 — God makes a similar promise to Solomon, saying his kingdom would be established forever.

t This was understood, then, to mean the immediate dynasty of David (which only lasted for four hundred years, until the Babylonian captivity).

t Again, this hasn’t fully come to pass yet.

m Psalm 2 — was written to celebrate the coronation of a king of David’s lineage, and was written from prophetic inspiration

t vs 8 — God promises the nations and the ends of the earth to be the possession of the king.

t vs 9 — The king will break the nations with a rod of iron, and crush them like a potter’s vessel.

t vs 10-12 — The kings and peoples of the world are advised to serve the Davidic king, and put their trust in him.

t This was never fulfilled completely during the immediate dynasty of King David before the captivity, and has yet to have its complete fulfilment.

m Psalm 45 — was written on the occasion of a royal wedding, and also has prophetic implications

t vs 6 — The king’s throne (the Hebrew word for God can also mean “king”), would last forever, and his authority is described as “a sceptre of righteousness.”

t vs 7,8 — Emphasis is placed on the anointing with oil. Kings were anointed with oil as a sign of their appointment by God (More on this later).

t vs 16,17 — The bride is told here that her children will be kings in all the earth, and people will praise her forever and ever.

t Nothing like this happened during the Davidic dynasty that immediately followed, which only enjoyed continuous succession for 400 years.

m Psalm 72 — is a prayer for King Solomon, and also moves into prophetic declarations

t vs 2-4 — The kingdom described will be one of ultimate justice, with compassion on all the needy, and the defeat of the oppressor.

t vs 5-7 — This king will be feared throughout all generations, and peace will result from his reign which will last “until the moon is no more.”

t Needless to say, no earthly king has ever fulfilled these pronouncements.

q The dynasty of David and Solomon lasted about 400 years until the Temple was destroyed, and the whole nation was taken into captivity. The Davidic dynasty was never reestablished. Nor did Israel again occupy all of the land promised to Abraham (even during the Davidic dynasty after the death of Solomon). Nor, since the Babylonian captivity, was there ever again a time when all Israelites return to live in the land promised to them. There have only been partial migrations, with the majority of Israelites still living outside the Holy Land.

q After the return from captivity, prophecies concerning the Davidic dynasty began to be interpreted in a different light.

m During the Davidic dynasty, when the kings showed promised, it was assumed that God was fulfilling his promises to David through the present king, or one shortly to follow. Psalms and prophecies were uttered, such as those referred to above, which reflected this hope.

m When the kings were bad, prophets spoke of another king who would do justice. It was often assumed that these also referred to a king shortly to be born or to ascend the throne.

t Isaiah 9:1-7 (8:23-9:6 in some Bibles) is an example. For unto us a child is born was taken to be a prediction of the birth of King Hezekiah. However, unlike the prediction, his kingdom did come to an end. Neither was the yoke of the enemy (Assyria) completely broken. However, Hezekiah partially fulfilled this by a miraculous defeat of Assyria when Jerusalem was besieged under his administration.

t Other examples include Isaiah 7:10-14 and Isaiah 11:1.

m Many of the prophets themselves foresaw a period of exile, which Moses, also, had foretold; if the people of Israel did not continue in faith and obedience, but left the ways of God, and worshipped idols (Deut 28:64-30:10).

t Some, like Isaiah foresaw the end of the Davidic dynasty as they knew it, and a period in which the house of Jesse (David’s father) would be reduced as a tree, to nothing more than a stump. Isaiah 11:1-12 foresees this, but that out of the dry stump, would spring a shoot that would be the revival of David’s kingdom.

t In the same passage we see a colourful description of the kingdom of God, which the prophets hoped for: The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.

t A recurring phrase is, ...the earth will be full of [the knowledge of] [the glory of] the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9; Numbers 14:21; Habakkuk 2:14).

t Again, it was thought that this would take place shortly after the Babylonian exile.

t A General return of the entire remnant dispersed worldwide was prophesied (Deut 30:1-10; Jer 29:14; Isa 43:5,6). This has not been completely fulfilled yet — neither through the return from Babylonian captivity, nor, as yet, through the current Zionist movement.

m The future scenario also included a new Temple, which would replace Solomon’s Temple:

t I Kings 9:6-9 — God warned Solomon that if he or his descendants turned from following Him, not walking in faith and obedience, the Temple would be destroyed.

t Jer 7:4-14 — Jeremiah, who prophesied to the very generation that was sent into exile, echoed the warning that the Temple would be destroyed because of sin and injustice.

t The Temple of Solomon was indeed destroyed by the Babylonian army, as they stormed Jerusalem, and took almost the entire population into captivity.

t Ezekiel, who began prophesying just before, and then during the first part of the exile, also prophesied about the Temple.

v ch 8-10 — Ezekiel is given a vision of the gross sin taking place even within the precincts of the Temple. He then watches, as the presence of God departs from the Temple.

v 25:15-27 — Through the death of Ezekiel’s wife, and God’s command not to mourn for her, the message is that the Temple is shortly to be destroyed, but no one is to mourn, as the glory and presence of God have already departed.

v ch 40-47 — Ezekiel has a very vivid and detailed vision of the future Temple. Judging by the description, this Temple has yet to be built.

t Other prophecies concerning the Temple include: Haggai 2:6-9; Zechariah 1:12-17; Daniel 9:24-27

t The 2nd Temple fell short even of Solomon’s standards; and King Herod’s renovations, later, were also not according to either Solomon’s nor Ezekiel’s specifications. This, plus the corrupt High Priestly system, prompted many, from 1st century BC to 1st century AD, to look for a third Temple which they expected to be a part of the kingdom of Messiah. Thus, Jesus’s proclamation, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19), was as good as saying, “I am Messiah.”

m The gentile nations will be included in the future kingdom.

t Amos 9:11,12 — Some gentiles will be called by God’s Name.

t Zech 14:16 — All peoples that survive the war of Israel’s deliverance will come to worship God at the feast of Tabernacles.

m The hope of the kingdom of God on earth also included the resurrection of the dead.

t The clearest passage is Daniel 12:1-3.

t Because this book wasn’t written until as late as the Babylonian Captivity (and its authenticity, as inspired scripture, was in doubt in the minds of some), and there are no direct references to the resurrection in the Torah or Prophets, some groups, such as the Sadducees and the Samaritans doubted the resurrection. The Pharisees, however kept the hope alive both by means of Oral Torah, and by pointing out indirect references in the Written Torah, as Jesus also did (Matthew 22:23-33). (Since then, Daniel has been unanimously accepted as being a part of the cannon of scripture by both the Jewish community and the early Christians. The other prophecies have been verified as having come to pass, and being in line with the Torah.)

t Other writings not included in the cannon of scripture, also reflect the hope of the resurrection, such as a passage in the book of Enoch. Whether or not the Book of Enoch was wholly written by Enoch before the flood can be debated. At least the manuscript didn’t come to the attention of the Jews until probably about 2nd or 3rd century BC. However, part of this passage is also quoted by Jude in the New Testament:

I Enoch 1:8,9 — “And there shall be a judgment upon all, (including) the righteous. And to all the righteous he will grant peace. He will preserve the elect, and the kindness shall be upon them. They shall all belong to God and they shall prosper and be blessed; and the light of God shall shine unto them. Behold, he will arrive with ten million of the holy ones in order to execute judgment upon all. He will destroy the wicked ones and censure all flesh on account of everything that they have done, that which the sinners and the wicked ones committed against him.”

m After the Babylonian captivity, it was quite obvious to all, that all the earlier prophecies had a more far reaching implication than the natural succession of kings of the Davidic dynasty — especially when new prophecies continued to come forth through prophets like Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.

m Several things must be remembered when trying to understand prophecy (this also applies to personal prophecy and revelation):

1 Very rarely is there ever a timetable given as to exactly when the prophecy will be fulfilled (we will later look at a couple of exceptions to this). Most prophets thought their prophecies were to be fulfilled immediately

2 Many prophecies have a dual application — to something in current history, and a second application in the future. Sometimes, this is because similar spiritual principals are involved in both instances. Often, that spiritual principal can also be derived from the passage and applied no mater what the period.

3 Many prophecies are fulfilled gradually over a span of time — i.e. the return from Babylonian captivity only began 70 years after the destruction of Jerusalem and the first Temple. The Israelites didn’t completely return at that time. They are still in the process of returning even to this day.

4 Some prophecies are conditional — i.e. Jonah prophesied the destruction of Nineveh in 40 days, but because the Ninevites repented before God, that destruction was delayed. However, those based on an unconditional covenant, such as God made with Abraham, and made with David (with merit to David’s faithfulness), are definitely to be fulfilled. Some prophecies could have been fulfilled by the kings to whom they were prophesied, had they fulfilled certain conditions, but await a second application, which is definite.

5 Rarely is prophecy ever given for the sole purpose of informing people of future events. Rather, it is an instrument of God’s covenant with man, whereby God can legally speak things into existence, or speak forth their destruction (Jer 1:9,10) so as to fulfill his plan for justice and mercy on the earth.

q The concept of Messiah

m “Messiah” literally means “anointed one.” The word is used in reference to the High Priest, who was consecrated for service by application of oil; and for kings, such as Saul, and David, who were likewise anointed.

m Oil is often used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, so that one who is anointed, is expected to move and work with His supernatural power.

m It gradually came to be understood that, what all the unfulfilled prophecies had in common, was the description of an individual, to be born of the lineage of David, who would be anointed by God to deliver Israel from her enemies, and establish the kingdom of God on the earth which would fulfill all of the promises made to David and Solomon, and their dynasty. Because he was seen as a successor to King David, he is referred to as Messiah, or the anointed one. (In Greek the word was translated, Christos, from which we derive the title, Christ.)

m Psalm 18:50 is quoted with a commentary in the Midrash Rabbah (to counter an opinion that David himself would rise up and become the promised Messiah): “Great deliverance giveth He to His King, and showeth loving kindness to His anointed (Hebrew: “Messiah”), to David and to his seed, forevermore;” — it is not written here, “to David” but “to David AND to his seed” (Lament R 1:51).

q All the above represents the expectation of the Jewish people in first centuries BC and AD. In addition to what we have seen, the following things can be also known about Messiah from studying the prophets:

m Messiah would become a man: Isaiah 9:6 (9:5 in some Bibles)

m Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, Judah: Micah 5:2,4,5

m Messiah would be born of a virgin: Isaiah 7:14

m Messiah would spend a part of his early childhood in Egypt, and be called therefrom (thus identifying with the people of Israel): Hosea 11:1

m Messiah would be called a Nazarene: Isaiah 11:1 (the word “branch” in Hebrew, can also be read “Nazarene” if left without the vowels — a common rabbinical practice for gaining added shades of meaning to a passage)

m Messiah would come into Jerusalem riding on a colt: Zechariah 9:9

m Messiah would be an exalted individual, higher than Abraham, Moses and David (see Midrash to Isaiah 53:12); and even considered to be divine:

t David, in his Psalms referred to Him as his Lord, even though he would be a descendant: Psalm 110:1

t Jer 23:6 — Some early rabbis suggested that Messiah’s name would be “YHVH” based on this verse.

t Early rabbinical sources indicate that Messiah was chosen before the world began (Babylonian Talmud: Pes.54a). Pesikta Rab 152b says, “From the beginning of the creation of the world King Messiah was born, for he entered the mind (of God) before even the world was created.”

t Micah 5:2 “...whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

t The plain meaning of Isaiah 9:6 (9:5 in some Bibles) indicates that one of Messiah’s titles is “Mighty God”.

t Daniel 7:13,14 — An individual, identified as the “Son of Man,” is described as a glorious being, along side the “Ancient of Days.”

t Messiah is called God’s Son: Psalm 2:7,12; II Sam 7:12-16; Prov 3:4

m Messiah would be anointed for earthly ministry:

t Isaiah 61:1-3; 11:1-4

t The following passage is found in a manuscript believed to date from 2nd or 3rd century BC:

Testament of Levi 18:2,3,11-13 — And then the Lord will raise up a new priest to whom all the words of the Lord will be revealed. He shall effect the judgment of truth over the earth for many days. And his star (see Num 24:17) shall rise in heaven like a king; kindling the light of knowledge as day is illumined by the sun. And he shall be extolled by the whole inhabited world...And he shall open the gates of paradise; he shall remove the sword that has threatened since Adam, and he will grant to the saints to eat of the tree of life. The spirit of holiness shall be upon them. And Beliar (Satan) shall be bound by him. And he shall grant to his children the authority to trample on wicked spirits. And the Lord will rejoice in his children; he will be well pleased by his beloved ones forever.

m Messiah would be betrayed: Psalm 41:9; Zech 11:12,13

m Messiah would also fill the role of a “suffering servant”:

t Isaiah 52:13-53:12 — Even though there are some that say that Judaism doesn’t recognise this as a Messianic passage, the Targum of Jonathan, and all other Jewish commentators until approximately AD 550 interpret this passage as referring to Messiah. The following is from the Musaph prayer for the Day of Atonement, which alludes to Isaiah 53 in reference to Messiah.:

Messiah...hath borne the yoke of your iniquities and our transgressions and is wounded because of our transgressions. He beareth our sins on his shoulder, that he may find pardon for our iniquities. We shall be healed by his wounds...

t Zechariah 12:10 — This passage influenced some early rabbis to conclude that there would be two Messiahs - one who would suffer and die, called Messiah ben Joseph and another who would reign as king, called Messiah ben David. In actuality, both roles were fulfilled by one Messiah.

t Psalm 22

m Messiah would rise up after being dead three days:

t Psalm 16:10 — “You will not leave my soul in Sheol (Hell) nor will You allow your Holy One to see corruption;” — indicating physical resurrection.

t Psalm 22:21,22 — The whole Psalm describes the suffering and death of Messiah. The phrase, “You have answered me,” and the following lines, indicate the resurrection.

t Isaiah 53:10-12 — The chapter in Isaiah describing the torment of the “suffering servant” end in these verses, indicating that the suffering and death culminated in resurrection, and victory, whereby Messiah shall divide the spoil with the strong, after having poured out his soul unto death.

t Hosea 6:2 — On the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight. The pronouns, “us” and “we” indicate Messiah’s identifying with the people of Israel.

m Messiah would be rejected by the leadership of Israel before he is finally accepted: Psalm 118:19-26

t vs 22 — ...the stone that the builders rejected became the chief cornerstone.

t vs 26 — Israel’s leadership will welcome Messiah, from the “House of God” (the Temple), saying, Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord.

t Zech 12:10

m The time of Messiah’s arrival:

t Daniel 9:24-27 — Daniel was given, in a vision, a timetable (the exception to the above guideline) whereby to expect Messiah’s arrival. “Week” indicates a period of 7 years, as described in Lev 35:1-11. The following table can be seen: 7 weeks

49 years — 445-396 bc — from Artazerxes’s decree until the covenant was renewed in Jerusalem

62 weeks 434 years — 396 bc-32 ad — from the dedication of the second Temple to the death of Messiah

1 week 7 years — yet to be fulfilled

t Babylonian Talmud: Sanhedrin 97a — “It was taught in the School of Elijah, The world will endure six thousand years — two thousand years in chaos, two thousand with Torah, and two thousand years will be the days of the Messiah.”

v It is calculated that from creation to God’s revelation to Abraham was 2000 years, and from then until 1st century AD was another 2000 years. The third 2000 year period is almost up!

v Another part of this same passage of Talmud refers to yet a seventh 1000 year period following this, which is interpreted as a 1000 year Sabbath, or Millennium.

v A comparison of Psalm 90:4 and Hosea 4:2 are also discussed by the rabbis, in this passage.

Y This would infer a 2000 year period in which the land is desolate

Y This can now be said to have been true of the land of Israel. The third 1000 year period of Hosea 4:2, would coincide with the Sabbath rest.

Y In this way, Messiah’s death followed by resurrection on the third day is in identification with Israel’s death and revival as a nation.

v The following quotation is from Jerome, 4th century AD, regarding Papias and Irenaeus, pupils of Apostle John:

Jerome de vir. illust. 18 — This (Papias) is said to have promulgated the Jewish tradition of a Millennium, and he is followed by Irenaeus, Apollinarius and the others, who say that after the resurrection, the Lord will reign in the flesh with the saints.

Jerome, himself, believed in the idea that the Millennium (Rev 20:4) was only a spiritual state, and not a literal time period — a belief that had become prevallent during his time. However, since Papias was a pupil of John, and very likely penned the Gospel of John at his dictation, he would have certainly understood how John interpreted his own reference to the Millennium in the book of Revelation.

m Most of the above scriptures describing Messiah were known to the Jewish people, although they were unable to understand how it was all to come together before it actually happened.

q Because of all of the above points, and the situation the Jews found themselves in during the first centuries BC and AD, expectation was very high regarding the imminence of the kingdom of God on earth.

m The nation of Israel was under repressive foreign domination by Rome, in contrast to what they knew were their national rights under the covenant.

m The puppet king, Herod the Great, was only half Jewish, and half Edomite. Even though he renovated the Temple, his reign was very oppressive (e.g. - Matt 2:16-18). His successors were also not worthy leaders.

m The Temple, even though it had been very richly decorated, it also was under the control of unworthy leaders. The High Priests, though descendants of Aaron, were however not descended through Zaddok, the first High Priest of Solomon’s Temple, who was revealed to be God’s chosen of all the families descended from Aaron. In fact, the Roman Governor was the one who granted the appointment to the highest bidder.

The appointment also included civil power, which the Pharisees and other groups didn’t see as rightfully belonging to the office of High Priest.

Most of the High Priests, moreover, were adherents of the Sadducee party, who didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead, nor in spirit beings. Often, they deliberately altered the sacrificial practices so as to only comply with the letter of the Written Torah, but not with what the Pharisees and other groups believed was the original intent preserved through the years through tradition.

According to the historian, Josephus; the High Priests often abused their office, and even oppressed the common people. Tithes and first-fruits were collect in the same manner as taxes. For animal sacrifice, only the high priced hybrid animals sold on the temple precinct could be used — not ones brought from home — thus profiting the High Priest’s coffers; hence, Jesus’s clearing of the temple, saying they had turned it into a den of thieves (Matt21:12, 13).

The Pharisees, even though violently opposed to the Sadducees, never-the-less, respected the High Priest’s office (see Paul’s attitude reflected in Acts 23:1-9). Other groups, such as the Essenes, excluded themselves from the Temple system and lived in monastic communities. They all expected that Messiah would build a new Temple and appoint a new administration that would run according to righteous standards.

m The people were taxed heavily by all of the above three institutions, so that they groaned under their burden. Many people were dispossessed of their land and livelihood because of the burden, and many of these took to wandering the countryside as bandits. The revolutionary party of the Zealots came about in this fashion. The country-side therefore was no longer a safe place to live or travel; and Judea (as the province was called) became a hot-bed of revolution.

m All of these above national hardships were understood by many as “birth-pains”, which were a prelude to the “birth” of the kingdom of God. Many, indeed were expectantly awaiting the coming of Messiah, such as Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25-38).

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