Second Coming of Christ
(Part 1)
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The Coming One. The Messiah.
An Old Testament Perspective
The sacrifice had been made, the Passover Lamb slain; the One without “leaven” raised to Life, as a Firstfruit to God, the Firstborn from the dead. The first three feasts had been fulfilled in the Man Jesus. The long-awaited Messiah had come. But precious few recognized that He was the One prophesied about; for He had not come as they expected.
Forty days after His Resurrection, Jesus gathered these few together one last time, He prophesied the coming fulfillment of the fourth feast of the Seven, and promptly departed…
"Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." - Acts 1:6-11 NKJV
Yes, Christ Jesus indeed is coming again. The One whom the nation of Israel has been awaiting to come, conquer their enemies, restore the kingdom of Israel and bring peace to the earth, will one Day soon be manifest. The whole of the Old Testament prophecies will be fulfilled.
A little background ~
This understanding that the Jewish people are awaiting their Messiah is well known throughout the world and through history.
\Mes*si"ah\, n. [Heb. m[=a]sh[=i]akh anointed, fr. m[=a]shakh to anoint. Cf. {Messias}.]
The expected king and deliverer of the Hebrews; the Savior; Christ.
From Webster's 1913 Dictionary
Indeed, all the prophecies of a Savior came through the descendants of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel.
(Even the name “Israel” is prophetic of One who will ‘rule as God.’ But this is an incredible study for a future date.)
Messiah
In the Old Testament
(Strong’s Heb 4899) specifically, the Messiah -- anointed, Messiah.
mâshîyach: implies an anointing for a special office or function.
From mâshach (4886); anointed; usually a consecrated person (as a king, priest, or saint);
In Psalm 2 we see the prophesied Messiah of God, whom the enemies of God and His people come against, those wicked of the nations whom Israel longed to be free from forever.
“Why do the nations gather together?
Why do their people devise useless plots?
2 Kings take their stands.
Rulers make plans together
against Yahweh and against his Mashiach…”
- Psalm 2:1-2 NOG
“the rulers take counsel together against Hashem and against His Moshiach..”
- Orthodox Jewish Bible
Messiah
In the New Testament
(Strong’s Greek 3323) the Messiah, Anointed One
Of Hebrew origin (mâshîyach); the Messias (i.e. Mashiach), or Christ -- Messias.
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!”
– Acts 2:36 HCSB
In Acts 1, Jesus’ disciples meeting with Him, recognized that He indeed was “Lord” and the promised “Messiah.” He had been raised to Life, and granted complete authority by God; as He declared after His Resurrection, “All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” (Matt 28:18)
"Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" – Acts 1:6
Lord
(Strong’s 2962) kurios – from kuros: ‘supremacy, supreme in authority’
‘person exercising absolute ownership, right’
They were still expecting Him to fulfill the Promise now; especially after having been raised from the dead. I can understand their reasoning… He had defeated death. All authority had been given to Him by the Father. This is it, surely the time had come!
They knew of the prophecies concerning the Coming One ~
"For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His Name will be called Wonderful, Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
- Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV
The prophets foretold of His government, His Throne. The Roman government and the rule of the Caesars was not kind to followers of Yahweh and the disciples of Jesus. Can you blame them for wanting to end their reign and see the Messiah take charge, sit on the Throne of David, and establish His Kingdom.
They believed Jesus was that Child born. The Son given.
Indeed verse 6 had been fulfilled at the first coming of the Messiah Jesus. But verse 7 will be fulfilled when He is manifest again in the flesh.
The Apostles knew from the Scripture that the Kingdom of the Messiah of God would be established forever. And this they were now expecting as they gathered with Him that last time in Jerusalem. Now that He had been raised from the dead by the power of God, they hoped that this would be the time for Jesus to restore the Kingdom to Israel, and rule from the throne of David forever. They had been looking forward to it even as they walked with Him during His ministry. They thought they would see the fulfillment of God's promise to restore the Kingdom of Israel. That promised everlasting Kingdom, ruled by a righteous King that the prophets had written about.
“I will indeed gather all of you, Jacob;
I will collect the remnant of Israel.
I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,
like a flock in the middle of its fold.
It will be noisy with people.
13 One who breaks open the way
will advance before them;
they will break out, pass through the gate,
and leave by it.
Their King will pass through before them,
the Lord as their leader.”
- Micah 2:12-13 HCSB
As they had been led out of bondage in Egypt… as they were led across the Jordan… as they had often been led to victory in battle over their enemies… they now looked for the One to come who would lead them in to “forever” peace & safety, having triumphed over their adversaries, and establish righteous rule forever.
For the Scripture is full of such prophecy and promise concerning the Messiah.
“He was given authority to rule,
and glory, and a kingdom;
so that those of every people,
nation, and language
should serve Him.
His dominion is an
everlasting dominion
that will not pass away,
and His kingdom is one
that will not be destroyed.”
- Dan 7:14 HCSB
Israel was used to kings coming as conquerors, as deliverers who also judged the people. Even Moses had left the enemy dead in their wake as he led God’s people out of bondage. Great signs & power would accompany these as they sat to rule and judge (Elijah, Moses, Sampson, Samuel…) So, the people of Judah & Israel had precedent to look to, and expected this new King, the Messiah, would come in like manner.
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
And the horse from Jerusalem;
The battle bow shall be cut off.
He shall speak peace to the nations;
His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.’
- Zec 9:9-10 NKJV
“The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!
2 Clouds and thick darkness are round about Him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3 Fire goes before Him,
and burns up His adversaries round about.
4 His lightnings lighten the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The heavens proclaim His righteousness;
and all the peoples behold His glory.”
- Psalm 97:1-6 RSV
What a picture of the Savior! No wonder the people were excited when Jesus came “riding upon a donkey” into Jerusalem. He came in “lowly”; would the Word of Psalm 97 soon be fulfilled? Their adversaries defeated; the Messiah having come in all His glory; the Kingdom established?
Remember too, it was the Kingdom that Jesus preached from the beginning of His ministry. (Jesus never preached ‘going to heaven’, He declared the coming Kingdom of God, and pointed toward the convergence of the physical and spiritual realms one Day, when God Almighty would dwell among His Creation.)
"Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.”
- Mark 1:14-15 NKJV
“Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.”
– Matt 9:35 NKJV
When Zebedee's sons, James and John, had come with their mother asking if they might “sit one His right hand and the other on His left, in His glory, and in His Kingdom” (Matt 20:20-21, Mark 10:35-37), they weren't thinking of heaven or a spiritual kingdom. The promised eternal earthly reign of the Messiah was what they looked forward to. It was such OT prophecies that were on their mind.
“They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
12 To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.”
- Psalm 145:11-13 NKJV
The patriarchs and prophets of the OT, as well as the disciples in the NT, never had heaven as their eternal desire or goal. And again, Jesus didn’t teach such either. It was always the Kingdom being established on earth by a righteous King… and judges alongside Him.
“Indeed, a King will reign righteously,
and rulers will rule justly.”
- Isaiah 31:1 HCSB
“Then I will restore your judges as at the first,
And your counselors as at the beginning;
After that you will be called the city of righteousness,
A faithful city.”
- Isaiah 1:26 NAS
Yes, I believe some following Jesus, as we see above with James & John, had at least some understanding that this King would not rule alone, and they wanted to be among those who would reign with Him -
“And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them.”
– Dan 7:27 RSV
“The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion
To judge the mountain of Esau,
And the Kingdom will be the Lord’s.”
- Ob 1:21 NAS
As David had his “mighty men” with him, so to will the Messiah usher in His earthly reign with others by His side. The Lamb will have a counterpart, a “suitable helper”, who will sit with Him on His throne to rule creation and minister Life to the nations. Oh Glory! We’ll look a little closer at this perhaps later as we continue in this study.
In fact, let’s end here for now, before this turns into another 10 pages!
Peace & Blessings, Wisdom & Understanding to us all,
Michael
To be continued…