Promises of a Messiah

24 December 2009

Promises of a Messiah: 12 Passages (and a surprise bonus)

In the 12 Sundays leading up to Christmas we looked at 12 passages from the Old Testament which looked forward to the coming of the Messiah. Here’s the full list, with a brief review of what we learnt about the Messiah in each…

Genesis 3:15 [read post]: The Messiah would be a human being, who would finally crush the power of Satan.
Deuteronomy 18:15-19 [read post]: The Messiah would be a prophet who spoke for God – we would be required by God to listen to Him.
Psalm 110 [read post]: The Messiah would be an eternal priest, and eternal king. He would be divine.
Isaiah 7,9 and 11 (part 1) [read post]: The Messiah would be God-with-us. He would be born of a virgin.
Isaiah 7,9 and 11 (part 2) [read post]: The Messiah would be a Divine Ruler, a wonderful counsellor, the Prince of Peace. He would rule from David’s throne forever.
Isaiah 7, 9 and 11 (part 3) [read post]: The Messiah would be a descendant of King David, filled with spiritual power. He would not judge from appearance, but judge justly.
Daniel 9 [read post]: The Messiah would arrive around the 30s AD. He would die. This would happen before Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed.
Zechariah 9 [read post]: The Messiah would be a Saviour, who would come humbly, riding the foal of a donkey. He would begin a process of salvation and judgement.
Psalm 22 [read post]: The Messiah would be a mocked and scorned. And yet He would be righteous from birth. His hands and feet would be pierced, and people would gamble for his clothes.
Micah 5:2 [read post]: The Messiah would come from Bethlehem in Judah. He would be a Ruler for Israel – a good Shepherd. But He would actually be someone who had existed from ancient times.
Isaiah 40-52 [read post]: The Messiah would come for Israel, and for all the nations. He would be a servant of God, foretold by a voice in the wilderness. He would be sent by God and His Spirit. He would be disgraced and afflicted – but willingly. He would bring good news, and must be obeyed.
Isaiah 53 [read post]: The Messiah would be a willing servant, afflicted by God for the sins of His people. The message would not be believed – in fact, He would be rejected. He would be wounded and beaten, finally He would die though He Himself was innocent. Though He would be buried as a wicked man, He would be buried with the rich. He would rise again, and God would give Him descendants.

I wonder who all these prophecies could possibly be referring to? 🙂

Of course we could have mentioned many others… but I was only doing 12 this year. But I think these 12 illustrate the incredible importance of this one Man – the God-Man, in history. In fact, in eternity.

Again, the springboard for this study was the book Behold Your King: Prophetic Proofs That Jesus is the Messiah, by William Webster. It can be ordered through the link if you want to continue your study into more prophecies, and what many Jewish writers have said about them.

And here’s a bonus for making it this far! There’s an interview with William Webster about his book and many of the wonderful prophecies of Scripture, that you can download and listen to for free. Go check out the William Webster interview from exactly a year ago today.

Also useful in these posts have been the following: Pierced for Our Transgressions by Steve Jeffery, Mike Ovey and Andrew Sach, and Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament edited by GK Beale and DA Carson.

Thanks for reading along! Feel free to continue the conversation by adding your comments or questions to the above posts.

Take the time to think about the promised Messiah who came to earth in humility to save us. May you look to Him for hope in the coming year, and forever!

20 December 2009

Promises of a Messiah: Isaiah 53

Jim Devotional and Bible 0

We come at last to a promise so amazing that it has been a battleground for many different reasons. Two of the biggest questions are – who exactly is Isaiah talking about? Is it the Messiah, or someone else? And if it is the Messiah, what exactly is His suffering supposed to accomplish?

This is the passage we were leading up to last week – one of the most famous prophecies in Scripture – Isaiah 53.

Today, Jewish Rabbis generally deny that this passage refers to the Messiah. A while ago I listened to a debate between a Jewish man and a Christian man. The Christian insisted that the passage could only be talking about Jesus Christ.

The Jew, on the other hand, insisted that the suffering servant was – the Jewish people. There’s no doubt that the Jewish people have suffered – and there’s no doubt that parts of Isaiah speak of the nation of Israel (or parts of) as the servant.

It hasn’t always been this way. Many ancient rabbis believed this passage spoke of Messiah, and the Talmud also speaks of this passage as Messianic:

What is his [the Messiah’s] name? — The school of R. Shila said: His name is Shiloh, for it is written until Shiloh come (Gen 49:19)… The Rabbis said: His name is ‘the leper scholar,’ as it is written, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted (Isa LIII,4).
» The Babylonian Talmud

Could Isaiah 53 be talking about Isaiah himself, or the people of Israel?

One major problem with this view can be seen in Isa 53:8: By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? (IsaÂ 53:8)

My people? Who is my referring to? It seems most reasonable that it’s Isaiah. So he can’t be the subject of the chapter. Who are my people? Well, it makes sense that it’s Israel (see Isaiah 52:9). So Israel can’t be the subject.

It’s someone else – someone who suffers for the people.

Why in the world would God plan so far in advance for this Person to suffer? The passage says,…it was the will of the LORD to crush him (IsaÂ 53:10) Why was this suffering necessary?

It’s clear that God Himself not only planned this suffering – He would inflict it!

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. (IsaÂ 53:4)

Smitten by God! A willing servant, submitting to being afflicted by God!

WHY?

Photo courtesy of Markus Kison

The Messiah would in fact be a substitute for the people. Notice how He takes the sins and grief of others:

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…(IsaÂ 53:4a)

But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. (IsaÂ 53:5)

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. (IsaÂ 53:6)

…as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? (IsaÂ 53:8b)

The concept of the Substitute in this passage – the innocent for the guilty – is so crystal clear, that even some who reject the whole idea have to admit that this is what Isaiah was teaching.

Otfried Hofius is a professor of theology in Germany. He strongly rejects the idea of Christ dying as a substitute for the wicked. He wrote this regarding Isa 53 in 2004:

What this song says about the Servant’s substitutionary death is theologically incomprehensible as it stands and as it is meant . . . being freed up from sin and guilt through human substitution is theologically simply unthinkable!
» Otfried Hofias in The Fourth Servant Song in the New Testament Letters

The prophecies of Isaiah are so remarkable, I would suggest that it’s clear that it’s the Word of God – and it’s clear what Isaiah is saying. But let’s note one thing about this quote – as we’ve seen in these promises, Jesus was not just human.

Interestingly, in Isaiah 52:13, the Messiah is said to be high and lifted up – a phrase used three other times in Isaiah, and nowhere else in the Old Testament – and every time it refers to the Most High God. (See Isa 6:1, Isa 33:10 and Isa 57:15)

Here are some of the other things Isaiah 53 says about the Messiah, and examples of their fulfilment:

The message of the Messiah was not believed (Isa 53:1; John 12:37-41)
He was rejected and despised by people (Isa 53:3).
He bore our griefs and sorrows – He healed people (Isa 53:4; Mat 8:16-17). (Note – the healing ministry of Christ was a part of the announcement of the entrance of the Kingdom – a Kingdom possible because of His death, which would eventually destroy the curse.)
He was wounded, crushed, and had "stripes" (blows, scourgings) (Isa 53:5; Mat 27:39).
He was silent before His persecuters (Isa 53:7; Mat 26:63).
He died (Isa 53:8-9; Mat 27:50).
He was innocent (Isa 53:9; 1Pet 2:20-25).
He was buried as a wicked man, and yet a rich man (Isa 53:9; Mat 27:38, Mat 27:57-60).
Even though he died without offspring, God would give Him offspring and extend His life (Isa 53:10-12; John 12:24, 1Pet 1:20-21)!

It was planned by the Triune God that the Messiah would suffer (by God’s hand) as a substitute for His people. …yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. (IsaÂ 53:12)

This passage, and many others, leave no doubt as to the identity of the Messiah, and why He died. The sacrifices mandated in the Old Testament laid the groundwork for what the Messiah would accomplish in perfection.

This great purpose is woven throughout the Promises of the Messiah in the Old Testament. An eyewitness of the Messiah – His ministry, His death, and His resurrection, explains it to believers in this way, as he spoke to servants who would sometimes suffer unjustly:

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

(1PetÂ 2:21-25)

Once again we have been confronted by the truth of the Messiah, who came as a Baby in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. The question is, have you returned to the Shepherd? What better time than now? What better reason to celebrate the coming of the Messiah?

This concludes our 12 part series on the Promises of a Messiah. Later this week we’ll summarize them all and wrap it up!

Especially helpful in this post were: Behold Your King by William Webster, and Pierced for Our Transgressions by Steve Jeffery, Mike Ovey and Andrew Sach. Some of the quotes above were taken from these books. These are great resources if you want to continue your study on the prophecies about Christ and the purpose of His death.

13 December 2009

Promises of a Messiah – Isaiah 40-52

Jim Misc 0

There are so many more promises of a Messiah that we could talk about, but we only have two weeks left before Christmas. So we’re going to go back to the prophet Isaiah for these last two promises – about 750 years before Jesus was born.

This week we’re going to do a quick, sweeping overview of Isaiah 40-52. There are many, many familiar passages here – as I read through I saw several passages that had been put to music, some that I sang as a child, others that may be familiar to those that know Handel’s Messiah.

God vs the idols

This passage of Scripture (and I encourage you to sit down and read it all, or listen to it here) has more than one major theme. One of the biggest is the True God vs idols.

Over and over, God mocks the idols that could do nothing, that knew nothing, and that could not save. God, on the other hand, was the Great Creator, the One who knows the end from the beginning, the only Saviour, the Good Shepherd:

He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
(IsaÂ 40:11)

I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior.
(IsaÂ 43:11)

… there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’
(IsaÂ 45:21-23)

Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god."
(IsaÂ 44:6)

God lovingly calls His people to return to Him – and promises deliverance for those who are truly His. And over and over and over He affirms that He is the ONLY true God.

The Servant

In these chapters, Israel is personified as the servant of the Lord…

Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
(IsaÂ 44:21)

But soon it becomes clear that there’s another servant being spoken of. Perhaps most clearly, in chapter 49, we see the servant being sent to Israel, to restore it:

He says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."
(IsaÂ 49:6)

This servant would not only bring salvation to Israel, but to the Gentiles. Sound like anyone we’ve been talking about?

Promises of a Messiah

So there’s another Servant being talked about here – the Messiah Himself. Now we see many passages speaking of the coming of this Servant. Right at the beginning:

A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
(IsaÂ 40:3)

New Testament writers applied this passage to John the Baptist, a messenger who would prepare the way for the Messiah (Mar 1:2-4; Luk 3:3-4; Joh 1:19-23).

Chapter 42:1-4 speaks of the Servant who would bring justice to the Gentiles, with great humility and tenderness. Matthew quotes this passage in Mat 12:15-21.

Another fascinating passage comes in Isa 48:16: Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there. And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit.
(IsaÂ 48:16)

Once again we see a hint of the Trinity here – the Servant (Jesus – who has existed from the beginning) being sent by the Lord God and His Spirit.

The Alpha and Omega - the Beginning and the End

Stained glass window from Wolfville Baptist Church, Nova Scotia, Canada
You may have already noticed titles here that are given to exclusively to God, which are also give to Jesus – the Saviour (ie 2Pet 3:18), and the First and the Last (see Rev 22:12-16), and the reference to every knee bowing (see Phi 2:9-11).

This passage may also have some familiar rings:

I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. But the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
(Isa 50:5-7)

Sound anything like the beating Jesus went through? Check out John 19:1-3, and Mat 27:27-30.

Then Isaiah talks as Moses did of the Sent One that must be obeyed:

Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.
(IsaÂ 50:10)

Description of the Messiah

So here we have this pre-existent Messiah, sent by God and His Spirit. He would be announced by a voice in the wilderness. He would come to bring salvation to Israel and the Gentiles. He would be humble, and tender. He was the One the people would need to obey.

And yet – as Israel suffered, so He would suffer. Disgrace, beating, spitting. How could this be? And why?

Next week we’ll find out.

But for now, one more section of this passage – which speaks not only of The Servant, but anyone who is sharing the Good News of God’s Salvation. Is this you?

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him
who brings good news,
who publishes peace,
who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."
(IsaÂ 52:7)

6 December 2009

Promises of a Messiah: Micah 5:2

Jim Misc 1

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
(MicÂ 5:2)

Of all the many prophecies of the Old Testament, this is probably one of the most familiar. So familiar, that we may miss some of the fascinating surprises hidden in it. So let’s take a look…

A little background

Micah was a contemporary of Isaiah, writing about 700 years before Christ. He prophesies against Samaria and Judah for their unfaithfulness to God and social injustice. He predicts destruction and captivity. He also predicts ultimate deliverance, including of course the coming of the Messiah.

At the point of the above prophecy, Micah is comparing the horrible judgement coming on Israel with its coming salvation.

Looking at the verse…

What is Bethlehem Ephrathah? Well, there were two Bethlehems – Ephrathah, an older name for the area, is used to differentiate. When Matthew talks about this verse in Matthew 2:6, he instead says,"in the land of Judah". He’s probably just updating the term so his current hearers would again understand which Bethlehem he was referring to.

We’re going to see Matthew make more than one change to the verse – we’ll talk about those as we go along. This one is pretty easy to understand.

What about this Bethlehem? Well, it’s small and insignificant. King David’s line of course had been scattered everywhere, and was going to be more scattered with the captivity. It’s incredibly unlikely, humanly speaking, that another great King in David’s line would come from Bethlehem.

Much of the difference in wording probably simply comes from the translation of the Old Testament that Matthew was using. And another note – Matthew is actually quoting from the chief priests and scribes, so was it them, a translation, or Matthew who made the changes? It’s not clear.

Looking out over modern Bethlehem

But at this point there’s a surprising twist – he (at least, this is as it’s written) completely changes the meaning of the next line, saying are by no means least among the rulers of Judah.

So is it the least, or isn’t it?

First, the change from clans to rulers may simply be a different way of saying the same thing.

But the key is in the next phrase, where Matthew says for from you shall come a ruler.

So Matthew is parallelling the rulers of Judah with the Great Ruler who was to come (same word). And he’s not contradicting Micah in meaning – for though Bethlehem was small and insignificant, it became significant through the birth of the Messiah. It’s a contrast – now that the prophecy was fulfilled, Bethlehem would be famous! And it is, isn’t it?

In Micah, we see the amazing statement whose going forth is from old, from ancient days. Of course, the Messiah, being divine, was ancient even in the time of Micah. He’s the Alpha and Omega (Rev 22:13-16), the Word who was God from the beginning (John 1:1).

The Good Shepherd

But Matthew leaves out this final phrase, and apparently borrows from later in Micah chapter 5. Verse 4 says:

And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.
(MicÂ 5:4)

Matthew writes: for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.

As with many prophecies we’ve looked at, Micah looks not only at the first coming of the Messiah but looks ahead to the second. What is begun at the first is completed at the second.

Jesus claimed to be the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-30). He would actually lay down His life for His sheep. Interestingly enough, at the same time Jesus declared His unity with the Father – and the Jews picked up stones to stone Him. Were they not familiar with Micah 5?

Of course Matthew points out that the Jews did know Micah 5 (see also John 7:40-43). The Targum of the Minor Prophets also clearly points to this passage as referring to the Messiah, as does Jewish literature even after the time of Christ.

We will talk more about the Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep later. For now, let’s remember His birth in Bethlehem – the little town that was insignificant, but now has become the opposite – one of the world’s most famous. In 1867, Phillip Brooks wrote the now familiar words:

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

Thanks again to Behold Your King by William Webster, and also Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament edited by GK Beale and DA Carson.

29 November 2009

Promises of a Messiah: Psalm 22

Jim Devotional and Bible 0

This week we’re going back to King David for another remarkable Psalm. David, apparently feeling forsaken and surrounded by enemies, wrote a magnificent piece of poetry in Psalm 22.

But there are some strange things about the Psalm. We don’t know of anything in this life of David that specifically and literally fits what he describes. It may be he’s speaking poetically, or maybe this is just an episode that wasn’t recorded in Scripture.

However, we do know the Psalm was prophetic – and we can see how it describes, with remarkable detail, the crucifixion of the Messiah a thousand years later.

Another interesting thing about Psalm 22 – there is no condemning of enemies and no demand of judgement. And no confession of sin. This is a righteous man being put to death by the wicked, and yet he doesn’t rail against his enemies.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
(PsaÂ 22:1-2)

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
(MarÂ 15:34)

But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; "He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!"
(PsaÂ 22:6-8)

And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads … So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’"
(MatÂ 27:39-43)

Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
(PsaÂ 22:9-10)

And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"
And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy–the Son of God…"
(LukÂ 1:34-35)

For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet –I can count all my bones– they stare and gloat over me;
(PsaÂ 22:16-17)

And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
(LukÂ 23:33)

they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
(PsaÂ 22:18)

And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.
(MatÂ 27:35)

There has been some discussion about the translation of the word "pierced" in verse 16. Using the imagery of the Psalm, it seems to refer to a tearing at the hands and feet by the animals (the wicked people attacking).

The translators of the Septuagint, many years before Christ, thought that "pierced" was accurate enough to use it in the Greek. Others translated it pierced or disfigured, such as the Jewish Yalkut Shimoni, and Aquila, a convert from Christianity to Judaism around 133AD.

And of course other passages refer to the Messiah being pierced, such as Isaiah 53:5 (the word wounded carried the idea of pierced through) and Zechariah 12:10.

The piercing or wounding of hands and feet is a remarkable thing to write, in a society where crucifixion was unknown – and wouldn’t be known for many hundreds of years. Taken together with the rest of the description, it’s clearly describing the scene that would take place outside Jerusalem in the time of the Messiah.

The author of the book of Hebrews quotes from Psalm 22 – the song of praise that the Messiah sings after saving His people:

But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, "I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise."
(HebÂ 2:9-12 – see Psalm 22:22)

The righteous Man was slain by the wicked – but it was a part of a greater purpose of God – to bring salvation. His people were crucified with Him, and will rise in His power, to the glory of God.

As the Apostle Paul said:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
(GalÂ 2:20)

22 November 2009

Promises of a Messiah: Zechariah 9

Jim Misc 0

It was obviously a significant day for Jesus. Was this the day that Gabriel spoke of to Daniel so many years ago, when the Messiah would come as Prince to Jerusalem?

He had come – in the midst of a shouting, worshipping crowd. He road a young donkey, and the whole city was talking – who is this?

Don’t you know? It’s the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee!

Jesus proceeded to the temple. He threw out those who were buying and selling, accusing them of turning the house of prayer into a robber’s den.

Then people began to bring the blind and lame to Him, and he healed them.

Was this the King coming to claim His kingdom? If so, there was a problem – the "keepers of the kingdom" started to confront Him.

The religious leaders, who should have been the first to recognize and accept the Messiah, began to confront Him, question Him, oppose Him. Jesus confronted them full strength – accusing them of rejecting God’s messenger, just as Israel had always done in the past, by killing and rejecting God’s prophets.

He taught them. He warned them. He finally silenced them, as you may remember, by talking about Psalm 110.

Then he proceeded to warn His disciples about the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of the day. And finally, He warned of the judgement that would be upon them:

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’
(MatÂ 23:37-39)

It was an important day for Jerusalem, and her leaders. But they hadn’t recognized it. Instead of leading their people to the Messiah’s feet, they had tried to hinder them. Now, as was predicted by the prophet Daniel, destruction was coming. And the next time the Messiah came, it would be very different.

Then Jesus began to tell His disciples about the future, what was to come. Appropriate for this, a turning point in history, as it had been in Daniel’s day, at the end of the captivity.

But we’re talking about promises of a Messiah – what was the promise? For this we need to go back five and a half centuries, soon after the death of Daniel. The Jews had arrived back in Jerusalem, and another prophet was bringing news of the coming anointed Prince.

Zechariah’s message from God in chapter 9 concerned first the nations around Israel – many of whom currently threatened Israel. God was going to bring a new era to Jerusalem – He would protect her from her enemies. He would save Israel and make her a blessing (Zech 8:13).

And who would rule in this new era?

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
(ZecÂ 9:9-10)

The King would come having salvation, humble, and mounted on a the foal of a donkey. And so it happened.

Once again, the prophecy looks at what began at Jesus’ first coming and what would continue until final fulfilment. He did bring salvation – and His rule will never end. The best is yet to come.

The ancient Jews sometimes recognized this paradox of the two comings of Christ. In the Babylonian Talmud, the idea was that He would come in one manner or another depending on the people:

it is written, And behold, one like the son of man coming with the clouds of heaven (Dan 7:13); whilst [elsewhere] it is written, [behold, thy king cometh unto thee…] lowly and riding upon an ass! (Zech 9:7) — If they are meritorious, [he will come] with the clouds of heaven (Dan 7:13); if not, lowly and riding upon an ass (Zech 9:9).

Rabbi Hersh Goldwurm wrote something similar on the commentary of Daniel.

But what if the Messiah was to come twice? Jesus Himself spoke of this one that day of His entry into Jerusalem. This was only part 1.

Finally, in the day that is coming, the Lord will punish the leaders that did not properly shepherd His people (Zech 10:3). He will come in power and save His people (Zech 9:14-17). That which began at His first coming will be completed at His second.

On that day the LORD their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. (ZecÂ 9:16)

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