THE MESSIANIC HOPE

 

I recently studied, for the second time, the concept of “Messianic Hope”. I am amazed that the Jewish component of the House of Israel  ‘missed’ the Messiah when He came. In short, this is why: The Messianic Hope was taught from the beginning of time. Basically, the prophecies of Him portrayed the Messiah in a dualistic manner. He was to be the ‘suffering servant’ as prophesied in Isaiah 53 who would be a ‘man of sorrows’ (v3); one who stands ‘as a sheep before her shearers’ (v7); and one who takes our transgressions upon Himself. The other picture of the Messiah paints Him as the “King of Glory”. This title promises deliverance, political power, and the destruction of Israel’s enemies. Of course, the “suffering servant” foretells His mortal life and spiritual deliverance of His people. The “King of Glory” prophecies foretell His second coming when He will subdue all Israel’s enemies under His feet; put down all kingdoms; will sit on the throne of David; and ‘the government shall be upon his shoulder’ (Isaiah 9:6). The Jewish nation missed these two time periods and here is why.

 

As Israel toiled under the oppression of different ruling powers such as Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Ptolemies and Seleucids from 586 B.C. until 70 A.D., they hungered for liberation and their hope of Messiah gained political overtones. They wanted a Moses and a David, both of whom had delivered them from their enemies and thus they discounted the prophecies of the ‘suffering servant’. When Jesus came they recognised Him as the rightful heir of David’s throne due to His lineage but when He refused to take up the sword against the Roman Empire, they used His refusal as proof that He could not be the promised Deliverer.

 

This is what blows my mind: the mortal life of Jesus was prophesied in such detail that it is hard to believe the Jews were so blinded that they ‘looked beyond the mark’ (Jacob 4:14) awaiting another Messiah. And who was ‘the mark’? The Saviour Jesus Christ. Among many here are some details of His mortal life contained in ancient prophecies: he would be born in Bethlehem; He would be preceded by a forerunner; His ministry would begin in Galilee; He would teach in parables; He would perform miracles;  His message would be rejected; He would enter Jerusalem in triumph on the back of an ass;  He would be sold for thirty pieces of silver; smitten, spat upon and rejected. And the details of His crucifixion in ancient prophecies are staggering. All this foreknowledge could not have been given to the children of men unless it had come from God who knows all things from beginning to the end and who had revealed it to prophets throughout the ages by the power of the Holy Ghost. 

 

The Messianic Hope lives still. The Jews await the Messiah who they think will come for the first time. We await the true King of Kings who will RETURN. We are told that ‘the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy’ (Revelation 19:10). It is by this spirit that we can gain the sight to see the signs of His return as they “are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy’ (2 Nephi 25:4). We cannot afford to ‘miss the mark’….because if we do we will be unprepared. The extent of our eagerness to do this and to await His coming is a good indication of our love for Him and our testimony of His divinity.

 

The parable of The Ten Virgins is about us. Christ is the bridegroom and we, the members of His Church, are the bride, because we, the House of Israel, are the covenant people. The parable tells us only half of us will be prepared to meet Him. Put on thy wedding garments O Israel for the bridegroom cometh (D&C 88:92) and prepare to meet your Everlasting King!

 

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Divine Dignity by Stephen Sawyer)