Heart for Israel

The King Messiah is Coming

          The big contention between Christianity and Judaism is that Christians say the Messiah is coming a second time, and Orthodox Judaism says that He hasn’t come yet. They would argue that there is no second coming, only a first coming which hasn’t happened yet.

          However, we do agree that a personal Messiah-King is coming to save the Jewish people and the world, and that He will establish a Messianic Kingdom. Most of Judaism today speaks of an age of peace that is coming, but denies the idea of a personal Messiah. Part of their misunderstanding comes from their not embracing a literal interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures.

          Without addressing the concept of a first and second coming, I will look at what happens when the Messiah comes in the future. Both the Old and New Testaments show Him as a Warrior-King. This King, when He comes in Psalm 98, reveals His righteousness openly in the sight of the Gentile nations (v2). He remembers all of His promises and shows mercy to the house of Israel (v3). All of creation shouts for joy, and the people will sing before Yahweh, the King (v4-6). Yahweh is coming to judge the earth with righteousness and all the people fairly (v9). In Isaiah 34:2, the indignation of Yahweh is coming against the nations of the world. He will bear His sword, called the Sword of Yahweh (v6). This slaughter is called a sacrifice, and it will happen in Bozrah/Edom, today Southern Jordan (v6).

          In Joel 2:1, the Jews are instructed to blow the shofar and sound the alarm because the Day of Yahweh is at hand. It is a day of war, darkness, and earthquakes, which are called a terrible day (v3-11). When He comes, He says by the time He finishes, Israel will be “satisfied …and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen” (v19). One key reason Joel gives is in v18, which says that Yahweh is “jealous for His land, and pities His people”.

          In a final battle, Zechariah describes Jerusalem as part of the battlefield. He calls it “a cup of trembling”, and whoever comes up against the city will be cut to pieces (v3), and Yahweh will seek to destroy them (v9). In chapter 14:2, all nations will be gathered against Israel, but “Yahweh my God shall come, and all the saints with thee” (v5). And Yahweh will be “King over all of the earth, and there shall be one LORD/Yahweh and His name One/echad” (v9). This is just a small sample of what the Old Testament Scriptures say about the coming of the Messiah.

          In the New Testament, in 2Thessalonians 1:7-9 “…when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, ⁸ In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: ⁹ Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power…”. Sounds much like Zechariah 14, Isaiah 34, and Joel 2, and many other writings of the Old Testament Prophets.

          Jude 1:14-15 states that the Lord is coming with ten thousands of His saints to bring judgment against the ungodly of this world. Messiah is a Warrior-King who comes to battle and brings judgment. And of course, Revelation 19:11, the gates of heaven swing open, and behold, the Warrior-King appears on a white horse, which could be an angelic creature. He is called “True and Faithful”, and in righteousness He comes to make war and to bring judgment (v11). This sounds like Psalm 98, which says, He will judge fairly and righteously.

          This Warrior-King speaks, and out of His mouth comes a sharp sword, and with that sword He shall “smite the nations” (v15). His goal is to take back the world, which is rightfully His possession. He will rule with a rod of iron (v15) and pour out the wrath of Almighty God (v15). He will see to it that Satan and his demons will be bound in the Abyss for 1000 years as He will set up His Messianic Kingdom (Rev.20:1-2). So there will be an age of peace to come, but it is all brought about due to the Warrior-King.

          The world is in ignorance and blindness to these truths of Scripture. Everyone is divided politically over moral issues and other issues that have no meaning. One of the great divides today is Israel. According to Bible prophecy, Israel is not going away, and the Messiah is coming back to rule from Israel. He calls it “His land” (Joel 2:18). Our job is to “be ready” for the coming of the Messiah, the Son of Man, for He comes in an hour that you think not! (Mt.24:44).