Where Is The Peace?
Peace, or I should say, a lack of peace, can sometimes be an obstacle for believing that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled many of the Old Testament prophecies. Sometimes, because there is no world wide peace, all the other prophecies He did fulfill, are either overlooked or can seem insufficient.
The Old Testament biblical source for this expected peace comes from several passages, perhaps with Isaiah's description one of the most well known.
"They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore (Isaiah 2:4)."
So the question arises, "Where is this peace that Isaiah (and other prophets) foretold about that would be linked to the coming of the Messiah and His Messianic Kingdom"?
Well, I think everyone can agree that there is not, at the present time, this kind of peace in the world. Nor, as far as anyone knows, has it ever existed since Jesus was born.
So, to answer that question, first, we must answer the question, "Does the Old Testament indicate that all prophecies, related to the Messiah, will be fulfilled at the same time with one appearance?"
There seems to be more than one opinion on whether the Old Testament points towards more than one Messianic appearance or perhaps the same Messiah who appeared more than one time.
Believers in Jesus as their Messiah, hold to the belief that most messianic prophecies were fulfilled when Jesus came 2,000 years ago. There are a few that were not, such as this peace on Earth prophecy. When Jesus comes back (His Second Coming), He will, at that time fulfill any remaining messianic prophecies including peace on Earth.
Some people outside of this realm of thought might ask, "Does the Old Testament say the Messiah would come twice? Is it possible that believers in Jesus are making up this entire 'Second Coming' event to make excuses for unfulfilled messianic prophecy?"
At this point, we need to know a little bit of history. The Old Testament foretells of two different areas of Messianic prophecy. One area, as a Suffering Servant and another area as a ruling King, bringing peace. This is one reason why Jesus was not accepted by the Nation of Israel (San Hedrin Court) as the Messiah. However, there were thousands of Jewish people, including the Disciples, who did recognize Jesus as their Messiah on an individual basis. Israel was, during the time that Jesus lived, under Roman occupation. Israel wanted to be delivered from that and they wanted a Messiah that would do that for them. Jesus came in the role of a Suffering Servant and promised he would come back when the time was right to set up his Messianic Kingdom here on Earth.
Israel, partially blinded to the spiritual truth of who Jesus was (Romans 11:25), rejected Jesus. They were more focused on a King Messiah than on a Suffering Servant Messiah.
Rabbi Akiva:
Around 132 AD, sixty two years or so after the Romans destroyed the Second Temple in 70 AD, Israel tried to put together a revolt to fight the Romans. Israel, was being led by Rabbi Akiva, who is referred to in the Talmud as "Chief of the Sages." Rabbi Akiva declared a man named Bar Kokba, as the long awaited for Jewish Messiah. Bar Kokba was to be both their Messiah and deliverer, linking him to a messianic prophecy in Numbers 24:17 naming him the "Son of the Star." His Messianic movement ended in defeat and misery for the survivors.(1)
Bar Kokba was clearly not the Messiah. Israel was defeated and spread out into the rest of the world with a small presence remaining behind. Here is what we can learn from Israel's willingness to consider Bar Kokba as their Messiah.
Israel's "Chief of the Sages" was willing to accept that not all messianic prophecies were fulfilled in Bar Kokba. However, sometimes the peace on Earth prophecy is enough for some to reject Jesus, because of an all or nothing belief that goes something like this: Jesus either fulfilled all messianic prophecies in one appearance of he doesn't qualify as the Messiah.
Changes in Judaism:
With the temple destroyed and most of Israel scattered to other places, some aspects of Biblical Judaism were replaced with what is known by some as Rabbinical Judaism.
Having a belief that the Messiah is only going to appear 1 time has troubled Judaism. It's very hard to reconcile Messiah's role of a Suffering Servant and also be a King afterwords.
One of the most well known Suffering Servant passages is found in Isaiah 53: 3-9
3) He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces, he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
6) We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7) He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
8) By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9) He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth (Isaiah 53:3-9).
So, we can see here that the Messiah was to suffer to the point of death for our iniquities (sins). If this was Jesus 2,000 years ago, how is it He is coming back to set up the Messianic Kingdom and the missing peace?
From the New Testament perspective, it is simple. When God is ready and His timing is perfect, He will send the Messiah back. Also, when He does the entire world will recognize Him as the Messiah.
This includes Israel. "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn."(Zechariah 12:12)
For more on the Zechariah 12:10 prophecy please read Jerusalem In The Eye Of The Storm.
Since, He will be ruler and King over all, there will be no need for war or conflict. Whatever Messiah, The King of all kings, says, will go.
One Messiah Two Comings:
From the Old Testament perspective, as the rabbis studied the prophetic writings concerning the Messiah, they realized that most Messianic Prophecies seem to fall into two categories. The Messiah was to be both someone who died on our behalf and a Redeemer who would be victorious and rule forever, over the Messianic Kingdom. To explain what seemed like a contradiction, they concluded that there must be two different Messiahs. The one who would suffer and die was given the title, Mashiach ben Yosef (Messiah son of Joseph) and one who would reign as king was given the title, Mashiach ben David (Messiah son of David).
Instead of seeing the same Messiah come twice, some rabbinical traditions saw two different Messiah's. Christianity sees the same Messiah coming two different times.
So, for those who have faith that Jesus is their Messiah, they recognize He came the first time to be their substitute sacrifice for their sins. Shortly after that, the temple was destroyed so there was no alternative sacrificial system. He will come again to rule as King and there will be justice...biblical justice.
For those who don't recognize Jesus as their Messiah, they may be waiting for the same event to occur. For Messiah to come to Earth to set up His ruling kingdom from Jerusalem.
For that believer in Jesus, there is a peace in knowing that you have salvation in Christ, and that regardless of what happens here on Earth, that you have been forgiven for your sins due to the Messiah being your substitute sacrifice.
This brings a peace that transcends all understanding. So for the believer in Jesus as the Messiah, peace did come. It is on an individual basis but available to anyone and everyone who puts their faith in Jesus.
For those who don't want to believe in Jesus' first coming but still believe that there is a Messiah coming someday, then I guess they are waiting for that time to find peace.
Hopefully, they will find it before it's too late..
Nobody knows when for sure our Messiah will return and you should not pay attention to any date setters. What we do know is this prophecy in Daniel, known as Daniel's 70 Weeks (490 Years), is still partially unfulfilled. In this prophecy, a week of time is equal to 7 years. 69 weeks have passed and we are prophetically in-between week 69 and week 70. Week 70 is also known as the Time of Jacobs Trouble and has not started yet. This will be a 7 year period where things get really bad in the world but, especially for Israel. This 7 year period (sometimes referred to as The Tribulation period by Christians) will end with the literal, physical appearance of the Messiah.
At this time, He will set up his Messianic Kingdom, here on Earth. So, the same peace that is an obstacle for believing in Messiah, now for some, will be a saving peace, at that time, for those who are still alive after Jacob's trouble. Everyone has a choice. You can put your faith in the Messiah Jesus whom Isaiah in his Isaiah 9:6 prophecy gives the title to the Messiah of "The Prince of Peace." You can do that now if you haven't already, and have an individual peace knowing, you are forgiven. Your other option is to try to wait it out, hoping to survive Daniel's 70th week and then there will also be peace. For those who choose to try and wait it out, you should know this. All who have tried to wait it out over the last 2,000 years have failed. All have died waiting on a world peace instead of having faith in Jesus, as their Messiah, that brings them an individual peace. Peace on Earth will come just like God has promised, in His perfect timing. So will the rest of His promises.
Another interpretation of Isaiah 53 developed and became poplar during the Middle Ages. This other interpretation taught that the subject of Isaiah 53 was the nation of Israel and not an individual Messiah. It taught that Israel, as a nation, would suffer for the sins of the world and developed partially out of the need to help answer the question: Who else could be the promised Jewish Messiah besides Jesus Christ? (Even though it is clear that the grammar is speaking of a singular person and not a plural nation).
For more on the grammar of Isaiah 53, check out Is the Suffering Servant One Or Many?
Articles Related To Isaiah 53 Include:
The Talmud teaches that for the last 40 years, the temple stood (since the death of Jesus); there were signs from God that the traditional Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) did not provide atonement. For more on this, please read about the Crimson String.
Psalm 72 and Isaiah 11:1-10 are linked together through a Midrash among other ways.
The Talmud applies Psalm 72 as speaking of the righteous reign of the Messiah and makes the first verse to read as follows: "Give the sentence of they judgment to the King Messiah, and thy justice to the son of David the King." One of the names given to the Messiah, in the Talmud, comes from Psalm 72 verse 17. (Yinnon)(2)
1) http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/10730-messiah-false#anchor3
Also Jewish Encyclopedia quoting Talmud (Yer. Ta'anit, iv. 68d)
2) Roy Schwarcz, Chosen People Ministries.
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