המשיח
The Messiah

The Promise of Messiah

There is no doubt that the Hebrew Bible has long been considered G-d’s revelation of Himself to man. Yet, the Hebrew Bible also contains the records of the beginnings of the universe, the world as well as the Nation of Israel, who would also be known as the Chosen People (Ex 19: 6). The Hebrew Bible would not only serve as the foundation for Israel’s existence but also the foundation of their laws, customs and traditions. In addition, the Hebrew Bible would not primarily contain words of historicity, but prophetic words concerning events yet to come. Through His Prophets, and the Writings (Psalms, Job and others), G-d would reveal His future plan of redemption not only for Israel, but for all of mankind. As time went on, the promise of this coming hope would grow with anticipation with each subsequent generation. Yet, how would this hope be recognized? By what means, or through whom would this hope be delivered? As these questions would occupy the mind of G-d’s people, belief in an “Anointed One,” a “Messiah” began to take form.

However, if the Hebrew Bible actually speaks of a Messiah - who is He? How would He be recognized? Would He be Divine, or simply another, prophet, priest or king? In order to give us a picture of redemption, G-d would set up the Levitical priesthood. These priests would not only lead Israel in worship, but they would also perform the sacrifices at the Tabernacle (and later the Temples) - pointing us to the One who would fulfill these sacrifices. While the Levitical sacrificial system would certainly provide a picture of atonement, it would be the words of the Prophets that would continue paint the clearer picture concerning the coming hope of redemption. In other words, a Redeemer was on His  way, who would be called the Messiah - “Anointed One.” Therefore, over the centuries the study of the Hebrew Bible and its prophecies intensified in order that the questions as to the identity and the time of this coming Messiah would be answered.

Yet, while many today continue to search the Scriptures in order to identify the person and the time of His coming, there has been for many others, One who has Come and fulfilled what has been written of Him. For many, this Messiah has come in the person of Yeshua, and it is He who has fulfilled the Divine promise of redemption. As we examine certain prophetic promises and events, we will see that the Hebrew Bible not only speaks of G-d’s plan of redemption for Israel and mankind, but that it also reveals to us the Messiah - who also called the Lamb of G-d.

While many agree that the Hebrew Bible contains prophecies of a coming Messiah, these prophecies do not directly or specifically identify the Messiah. Therefore, we must look at certain events, promises and predictions. So, intense has the hope of a Redeemer become that many have come to believe that there is not one Messiah, but two. Therefore, it is important to understand that the Hebrew Bible does not support the idea two Messiahs, who are called “Mashiach ben Jospeh” (Messiah the Son of Joseph) and “Mashiach ben David” (Messiah the Son of David) - but One, who came and will soon return. While many have come up with objections regarding the Messiahship of Yeshua, these objections can be directly addressed and answered by examining the Messianic promises of the whole Hebrew Bible, to include the Torah, the Prophets and the Writings - as Messiah Yeshua Himself had said, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify of Me" - John 5:39.

The Hebrew Bible clearly reveals that there is indeed a promise of a Redeemer, who is also known as the the Messiah, and the Brit Chadashah (New Covenant), identifies the Messiah as Yeshua - the only One who has fulfilled what was spoken of in the Torah, the Prophets and the Writings (Tanakh). Because many of the Messianic Prophecies of the Hebrew Bible are not direct or specific in identifying the Messiah, this has led to much liberal thinking as well as rejection of any Messianic Hope contained in the Scriptures. Thus, such prophecies that have traditionally been considered Messianic, have now recently been interpreted to be speaking of the Nation of Israel or are simply referred to as being general or symbolic - and therefore, should not be taken literal. This type of thinking is not merely restricted to Rabbinical Jewish circles, but it also exists among liberal evangelicals. Such thinking is dangerous and contrary to what the Hebrew Bible teaches. Therefore, it is vitally important that those who profess to be believers understand that the Hebrew Bible is indeed Messianic and that it identifies a Messiah - and it is MessiahYeshua, who is that Hope, which is a belief that His early Jewish talmudic (disciples) had no problem confessing - even to point of shedding blood or suffering death. 

In the Babylonian Talmud it is written, “All the prophets, all of them, did not prophesy except of the days of the Messiah” - Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 99a. This suggests that within traditional Judaism, there has been a long held belief in a Messiah. The primary reason for such a belief was due to the words of the Prophets themselves who, repeatedly alluded to “the Latter Days” (Num 24: 14) - that the redemptive promises of G-d were to be fulfilled at a later time to come. The “latter days” refer to a time still yet to come as the period when the national greatness of Israel would reach its zenith. In other words, it is the time when Messiah will rule and His Kingdom will be among us. Therefore, the Hebrew Bible is not primarily a record of Israel’s history, but also a prophetic record of Messianic Hope filled with the promise of redemption for Israel and the nations who profess faith in the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Yet, where did this promise of Messianic Hope originate or from whose mouth was it first spoken? Is the Messianic Hope of the Hebrew Bible simply an age, a culmination of events or is it a person? 

Because the Messiah hasn’t arrived yet for many - a majority of Jewish modern thinkers and non-Messianic Jewish rabbinical leaders have now “somewhat” concluded that the Messianic Hope to come doesn’t refer to the Messiah at all. Rather, many teach that the promises, refer to an era, or even Israel itself. Some among mainstream Judaism no longer hold on to the literal hope that the  Messiah Himself is coming or, has in fact come already - especially, in the person of Yeshua. Yet, early interpreters, rabbis, Messianic writers and the Bible itself suggest that the promises of G-d regarding redemption, do in fact point to the Messiah - and, for many among both Jew and Gentile, the Messiah is indeed Yeshua. 

Before, any further examination of the Messianic Hope of the Hebrew Bible, an explanation of the word Messiah (Anointed One), which is Mashiach in Hebrew must first be understood. The term mashiach appears in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) some 39 times. In the Torah (the First Five Books of Moses) it is used four times (Lev. 4: 3, 5, 16; 6: 15) to refer to the anointed High Priest (hakohen hamashiach), not the Messiah.  In other passages it refers to the Patriarchs twice (Ps. 105: 15; I Chron. 16: 22), and once to King Cyrus (Is 45: 1). In the majority of the passages, which appear in the Books of Samuel and Psalms, it refers to the “anointed” Kings of Israel, Saul, David and Solomon. Therefore, it can be argued that the Hebrew Bible does not clearly use the term mashiach to directly refer to the Messiah at all. Also, there is no concept of the Messiah as the son of David in the Torah, since David was not born until many years later.  Because the Hebrew Bible does not directly use the term mashiach to directly refer to the Messiah, one must examine the Scriptures in other ways, such as predictions, foreshadows and pre-illustrations as well as events that would point us to the Messiah. Such events would include, the Akedah (the Binding of Isaac), which is found in Genesis 22, the life of Joseph (Genesis 45) the promise of Jacob to his son Judah regarding the coming of the Messiah (Gen 49: 10). Yet, while these events speak of the Messiah, and the promise of His coming, these were not the first instances or references  regarding that promise. In the Book of Genesis, which is called “Beresheet” in Hebrew, creation as well as the fall of man is recorded. It is in the Garden of Eden where G-d’s creation, Adam and Eve, disobey Him through sin, and therefore, death comes upon the earth and is thusly, passed down to every generation thereafter. Because of their sin, and because G-d didn’t want them to be trapped in their sins forever, Adam and Eve were driven out of were driven out of the Garden (Gen 3: 22-24). Among both Judaism (Rabbinical and Messianic) and Christianity this act is considered the first sin. 

Before Adam and Eve are driven out from the Garden, G-d gives them an awesome prophetic promise, which says, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall crush your head, and you shall bruise Him on the heel” -Genesis 3: 15. These words spoken by G-d indicate that He is speaking of a future event yet to come, rather than an immediate event. This promise concerning the “Seed of the woman” is considered the “proto-euangelion” - the First Gospel - in Hebrew it is called HaBesorah. This promise would serve as the basis for all subsequent prophecies and redemptive history throughout the Hebrew Bible - revealing that the Messiah would come through humanity. In other words, Messiah would be born as man to deliver mankind from sin. It is also possible that this promise may also refer to the virgin, since He says, “her Seed?” As a result of this promise, every subsequent generation following Adam’s, would be looking for, and anticipating the arrival of the Messiah. An example of this is found in the Book of Genesis, when Lamech has a son and calls him Noach - “And he named him Noah saying, “This one will comfort us from our work and from the pain of our hands because of the ground which Adonai cursed” - Genesis 5: 29.

The name Noah (Noach in Hebrew), comes from the root word “nacham”, which means "rest" as well as "comfort." As a matter of fact, one of the names of the Messiah in Jewish tradition is “Nacham.” This is because, it will be through the Messiah that we will finally achieve rest. It seems that this understanding sounds somewhat familiar regarding the Messiah - “So there remains a Shabbat rest for the people of God” - Hebrews 4: 9. Interestingly, it seems that since the fall in the Garden of Eden, every subsequent generation had been awaiting the time of the Messiah - and the generation of Noah was not any different. Noah’s very name reveals this truth to us - his name in fact means, “rest.” Yet, his name does not appear to be a description, but rather a declaration - as it is written regarding Noah, when his father Lamech named him - “And he named him Noach, saying, “This one will comfort us from our work and from the pain of our hands because of the ground which Adonai cursed” - Genesis 5: 29. It seems that Lamech believed that Noach, could’ve have been the Messiah - the One prophesied of in the Garden of Eden after the fall. However, there was much more required of the Messiah who would come at a much later time to fulfill. Biblically speaking, there is no doubt that the Messiah would in fact bring us rest, but it wasn’t to be done through Noah. Generation after generation, many would seek for the Messiah, in hopes that one day He would arrive and redeem us from the evil in this world and deliver us into His rest - as it is written, “The nations will seek for Him, and His resting place will be glorious” - Is 11: 10b. In Messiah Yeshua, we have in fact found our rest - as He said of Himself, “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will you rest" - Matthew 11:28.

Adam’s sin led to death, and because of sin death entered into this world. Now the whole human race dies because it is also under the power of sin through its connection to Adam. Thus, every man is considered - in as sense - dead to G-d and in need of redemption and resurrection (new life). Because man is now conceived into sin, and not born righteous he must be made righteous as the Lord G-d will judge every man according to his sin. Because sin separates us from G-d (Is 59: 2) a resolution in the form of a covenant needed to be established for man to be made righteous in the sight of G-d in order that he may escape the Judgment. The Mosaic Covenant, which G-d gave Israel, provided the foundation for establishing the Nation of Israel in regards to its revelation of G-d, its laws, customs and traditions. It also revealed the necessity of atonement and redemption through the Levitical sacrificial system and the worship of G-d in the Tabernacle and later the Temple( s) through this sacrificial system pointing to the Messiah. However, the Mosaic Covenant itself could not produce new life by itself (Rom 8: 3). Therefore, a New Covenant (Brit Chadashah) would be the resolution in order for man to receive resurrection, which is new life (Jer. 31: 31-34). Yet, this New Covenant would not be like the first. It would be unique. In that it would result in the life that G-d had promised to deliver in Genesis 3: 15 through the Seed of the Woman - the Seed being the Messiah.

The promise that G-d delivered unto Adam, Eve and satan in Genesis 3: 15 is traditionally considered a Messianic promise of hope in that it is not speaking of an immediate event, but of one that will occur in the future - that one day this “Seed of the Woman” would eventually bruise (or strike) the head of the serpent, who is satan. However, it has also been interpreted in other ways. For instance, some have considered that the “seed of woman” is speaking of collective humanity rather than one specific person as “the seed,” which could include any Messianic figure - like King Cyrus (Is 45: 1). This is to mean (according to modern rabbinical teaching), that one day humanity (the descendants of Adam and Eve) could actually bruise the head of the serpent( s). It has further been interpreted to mean that this promise is merely an etiology (a remedy for the sickness of death upon mankind) or symbolic - and doesn’t have to be taken literal. This would explain why snakes slither and also why snakes and humanity seem to be in perpetual conflict. 

The promise of Genesis 3: 15 has also been interpreted to be more symbolic, rather than Messianic by modern non-Messianic Jewish rabbinical scholars. However, the majority of early rabbinical scholars believe that this passage is indeed speaking of a  Messianic figure, who will come at a future time to bring about redemption and atonement to mankind. For example, the Targum of Jonathan, (an Aramaic paraphrase of the Hebrew Bible) interprets the Seed of the woman, to be a direct reference of the Messiah - as it is written, "Nevertheless for them there shall be a medicine, but for you there will be no medicine; and they shall make a remedy for the heel in the days of the King Mashiach” - Targum Jonathan Genesis 3: 15b.The idea of the Messiah being the remedy for the enemy was not overlooked among the Messianic writers of the New Covenant either, as Rav Shaul (Apostle Paul) wrote, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” - Romans 16: 20a. G-d would accomplish this through the Messiah - who is Yeshua.

The idea that Genesis 3: 15 speaks of a Messianic Hope that has existed among Biblical interpreters as well as the Biblical authors is not regulated strictly to the Bible. This idea has also existed among rabbinical authors and writers. For instance, Rabbi David Kimchi wrote that Genesis 3: 15 speaks specifically of the Messiah. He wrote, “As you went forth for the salvation of Your people by the hand of the Messiah, the Son of David, You shall wound Satan, the head, the king and prince of the house of the wicked.” In the Midrash Rabbah, Rabbi Tanchuma said in the name of Rabbi Samuel, “Eve has respect to that Seed, which is coming from another place. And who is this? This is the Messiah, the King.” Genesis 3:15 is not the only place where the promise of Messianic hope is spoken of or promised. The Hebrew Bible is replete with references to a coming Messiah who will crush the head of the serpent (satan) and bring redemption to the world. However, this passage lays out the foundation for all others in regards to this Promise - the Promise of a coming Messiah.