TIMING OF THE MESSIAH – PART 2

Sanhedrin 97a-b ‘The world will exist 6000 years.  2000 years of desolation (meaning from Adam to Abraham), 2000 years of the Torah (meaning from Abraham to somewhere around the beginning of the common era), and 2000 years of the Messianic era (roughly the last 2000 years); but because our iniquities were many all this has been lost (i.e. the Messiah did not come at the expected time).’  

MESSIAH SHOULD HAVE COME! RASHI gives an explanation for the non appearance of Messiah by saying:  ’After 2000 years of Torah it was God’s decree that the Messiah would come and the wicked generation would come to an end and the subjugation of Israel would be destroyed. But because our iniquities were many, all this has been lost.’ So according to Rashi, Messiah should have come but did not because of Israel’s sins.

Messiah has come Daniel 9.26 – after 69th week of 70 weeks prophecy, before fall of Temple and Jerusalem in AD 70 Malachi 3.1 – Messenger of the covenant to come suddenly to Temple Haggai 2.9 – Bring greater glory to this Temple Genesis 49.10 – Shiloh / Messiah to come before ‘sceptre departs from Judah.’

At the right time For when we were still without strength, in due time (at the right time) Christ / Messiah died for the ungodly.  … God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Romans 5.6-9

Suffering Servant prophecy fulfilled Behold My Servant ….He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities… All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all…. He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. … When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days.’ Isaiah 52-3.

Messiah to go away and come again I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14.2-3 He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.  Therefore He said: ‘A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.’ Luke 19.11-27

Future prophecy of Messiah Prophecy of Reigning King Messiah to be fulfilled after Second Coming: ‘For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.’ Isaiah 2

Question – which is correct? There is one coming of one Messiah There is one coming of two Messiahs There are two comings of one Messiah

Answer - Judaism There is one Messiah who must complete the Messianic programme (Isaiah 2.1-4) in one go. If he dies before completing it he is not the Messiah. Christian idea of 2nd coming is an attempt to explain the fact that Jesus did not complete Messianic programme when He came first time and needs to have another go. This idea in Judaism deletes the concept of Suffering Servant Messiah of Isaiah 53 from the agenda.

Second Answer – Judaism There are two Messiahs – Messiah Ben Joseph who suffers and dies as Isaiah 53, Zechariah 12.10 indicate. He is followed by Messiah ben David who rules and reigns as David did fulfilling Isaiah 2.1-4

Christian answer Much of the church has more or less deleted the second coming from the agenda. Therefore many Christians look to the first coming of Jesus as the completion of His work and ignore the second coming prophecies. Some are saying Jesus may have been Messiah for his time but now we need a new Messiah / Saviour figure for our time. New Age Messiah.

Biblical answer Jesus is the Messiah who came in fulfilment of prophecy around 2000 years ago. He completed the task of redemption and returned to heaven from where He will come back to fulfil the prophecies of the Reigning King Messiah. Both set of prophecies to be fulfilled literally on this earth and in God’s time.

Sir Isaac Newton 1642-1727 ‘About the time of the end, a body of men will be raised up who will turn their attention to the Prophecies, and insist upon their literal interpretation, in the midst of much clamour and opposition.’

Questions about Second Coming How? Why? When? Where?

What would happen after departure? POSITIVE Pentecost / Holy Spirit to come to indwell believers. John 14.15-18, 16.5-14. Acts 2. True Church to take message of Gospel to ends of earth. Matthew 28.18-20. Church to remember the Lord’s death until He comes again. 1 Corinthians 11.23-26 Jews and Gentiles to find salvation through repentance and faith in Jesus the Messiah. Ephesians 2

What would happen after departure? NEGATIVE Opposition to Gospel and persecution. John 15.18-25. Matthew 24.9 False prophets and false christs. Matthew 24.4-5. Will lead to a false church. Revelation 17 Wars and rumours of wars. Matthew 24.6 Dispersion of Jewish people, Jerusalem ‘trodden down of the Gentiles’ ………… UNTIL! Luke 21.20-24, Daniel 9.26

How long will this period last? But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only Matthew 24.36 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24.42-44. Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”  And He said to them, It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. Acts 1.6-7

The times of restoration That He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,  whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. Acts 3.20-21

Signs of His Coming Gospel to the ends of the earth. Matthew 28 Restoration of Israel / sign of the fig tree. Isaiah 11, 43, Ezekiel 36, Jeremiah 31.10, Luke 21.29-33, Matthew 24.32-34 Jerusalem in the frame of world attention. Zechariah 12.2-3, Luke 21.24. Distress of nations in perplexity Luke 21.25 As days of Noah and Lot Luke 17.26-30

How will He come? The Rapture. Suddenly to take His own people to Himself. Only believers see this coming. John 14.1-3, 1 Thessalonians 4.15-17. The Second Coming. Publicly to judge the world in righteousness. Everyone alive sees this coming. Matthew 24.29-31, Revelation 6, 19. Because of the difference between these two events many have come to pre tribulation interpretation that the Lord comes first for the believing church before the final seven year tribulation and then comes with the believing church at the end of the tribulation.

Why will He come? The Rapture. To take the saints to be with Himself. ‘And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also’ John 14. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4.17-8. Saints to be saved from the time of wrath. 1 Thess 1.10. I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world. Rev 3.10.

Why will He come? The Second Coming. To judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17.31) To bring an end to the tribulation / war / reign of antichrist (Rev 6, 19) To save Israel (Zechariah 12-14, Isaiah 59.20-21, Romans 11.25-32) To set up the Millennial kingdom (Isaiah 2, Zech 14, Rev 20).

Where will He come to? The Rapture. ‘In the air’ (1 Thess 4.17) to take believers out of the earth to be with Himself. The Second Coming. To the earth with the saints. To Jerusalem at last battle (Joel 3, Zechariah 14). To stand on Mount of Olives. Zech 14.3-4. Rule the nations from restored Jerusalem. Isaiah 2, Zechariah 14, Revelation 20

When will He come? The Rapture. At an unknown date. Imminent. This could happen at any time Matthew 24.36-44, 1 Thessalonians 5.1-11. The Second Coming. At the end of the seven year tribulation. This cannot happen until the events of the tribulation have taken place. Therefore not imminent. Matthew 24.29-31, Revelation 19 Second Coming. When Israel calls upon Him. Hosea 5.15, Zechariah 12.10, Matthew 23.39.

So be ready! Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24.44 Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6.2. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Acts 16.31