Hope < Reality
Was the messiah hoped for, better THAN what Christian’s claim was provided?
Hope 1
Redeem the Jewish people
During the prophetic period of Israel’s history, the Jewish people were promised that God would raise up a redeemer from the seed of David..
Hope 2
Rebuild the Temple
the Jewish people will be ingathered back to the Land of Israel from the far reaches of the earth, the Temple will be rebuilt and the practice of animal sacrifice restored.
Hope 3
Usher in Perfect Peace
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land…
The “Anointed One”
The Hebrew word for messiah — moshiach (literally “the anointed one”)
The bible references many people being anointed. Both prophets, priests or kings as an example but was the Messiah, a prophet, priest, or king… Perhaps all 3?
Redeem (Ga’al or Pidyowm)
Redeem: ga’al. Verb. (Strong’s 1350).
The Hebrew verb “gaal” primarily means to redeem or act as a kinsman-redeemer. It involves the idea of buying back or reclaiming something or someone, often in the context of familial duty.
Redemption, ransom (Strong’s 6306)
The term “pidyowm” refers to the concept of redemption or ransom, particularly in the context of delivering or freeing someone or something through a payment or exchange. It is often used in the context of redeeming firstborn sons, animals, or land, as prescribed in the Mosaic Law.
Addressing the 3 hopes of the Jewish believers
Messiah as Redeemer (Hope 1)
If we look at this from a strictly Jewish perspective, we would assume that their Messiah is “buying them back”, and that would be some great news. However, what or who owns them currently where they would need to be bought back? Well in 2024 as I am writing this, they are Not under any sort of threat of an enemy that currently has them in servitude. Looking back thru history though, there have been many occupations… The Hebrew people were first redeemed from the Egyptians, and then from their time of bondage in Babylon, and much later to the German occupation of WWII. Perhaps we are to assume that there will be a future occupation; If we continue with this line of thinking, however I am not aware of anything prophesied about any future challenges.
But going back to the 1st part of YHWH’s covenant promise, to provide an Anointed one (redeemer) from the Line of David… a Messiah… I think we need to consider that The Messiah would become a new kind of Redeemer: in Exodus 13, in goes it to detail about the necessity of Redeeming the first born of all your livestock and sons.
11And after the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as He swore to you and your fathers, 12you are to present to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD. 13You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.
14In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 15And when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of man and beast. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb, but I redeem all the firstborn of my sons.’
What is not exactly clear in the text is, why will using a lamb redeemed a 1st born donkey or son? Well when you factor in that donkeys were in the list of unclean animals, but lambs were considered clean. In other words, a clean animal is used to redeem an unclean animal.
Now, back to the redemption of the messiah for his people; Will He “buy back” or “pay a ransom”? In either option, who is the Messiah paying that to? Well in the case mentioned before, with the lamb and donkey. The offering of the Lamb was paid (offered to) God, in order to redeem the Donkey or son. So it would make sense that if the Messiah was redeeming the children of Israel, it would be in an offering “to God”.
we now need to see if the title of Lamb has been put on him.
Isaiah 53
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—everyone—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
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?
John 1:29
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
1 Peter 1:19 17Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners. 18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. 20He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.
