Chapter 3 - 3.2.a
In the book of Samuel, we read that the dynasty of David is an eternal dynasty and we learned that this does not mean that this must be an uninterrupted period. It teaches us that when the Messiah assumes his kingship, it must be from the father-to-son lineage of David and Solomon.
A question arises is: Now that we have been waiting for so long for the coming of the Messiah, is this kingship still imminent? We may certainly know, believe, and anticipate the coming of the Messiah and thus the establishment of the Davidic Kingdom because both the Prophets, the Torah and Moses our Teacher have spoken about it.
The one that does not believe in the coming of the Messiah and anticipates his coming not only denies the Prophets, but also the Torah and Moses our Teacher. For the Prophet Ezekiel said of him:
“And say to them, So says the Lord God: Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side, and I will bring them to their land. And I will make them into one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be to them all as a king:…. And My servant David shall be king over them.” (Yechezkel - Ezekiel - Chapter 37)
And it is written in the Torah in Bereshit - Genesis 49:10:
ֽא־יָס֥וּר שֵׁ֙בֶט֙ מִֽיהוּדָ֔ה וּמְחֹקֵ֖ק מִבֵּ֣ין רַגְלָ֑יו עַ֚ד כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣א שִׁילֹ֔ה וְל֖וֹ יִקְּהַ֥ת עַמִּֽים׃
“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the student of the law from between his feet, until - Shiloh- comes, and to him will be a gathering of peoples.”
“Shilo” is one of the names of the Messiah. Messiah means “anointed one”. The Hebrew word for “Messiah” is "Moshiach - משיח." Actually, the word “messiah” to mention: “the Moshiach” hardly occurs in Tanakh. Instead it often refers to a ritual of anointing and consecrating something or someone through oil. (I Samuël 10:1-2) It is used throughout the Tanakh in relation to a wide variety of individuals and objects; for example: for a Jewish king.( I Kings 1:39) Jewish priests (Leviticus 4:3), prophets (Isaiah 61:1), the Jewish Temple and his utensils (Exodus 40:9-11), unleavened bread — which were a sacrifice in the Temple (Numbers 6:15) and a gentile king (Cyrus, king of Persia, Isaiah 45:1)[1]. Messiah himself is not a name but indicates that he is set apart, committed to a specific purpose.
Other names for the messiah are: Menachem מ , Jinun י and Chiwara ח. Together with the name Shilo ש, the first letters of these 4 names form the name messiah as an acronym.[2]
We know that King David was anointed with oil by the Prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 16:13). He was an anointed one of G-d, just as the Messiah is an anointed one of G-d. Rabbi J. Schochet writes the following about balaam's prophecy prophesied about these two messiahs:
"The first Messiah was David who saved Israel from its adversity. The final Messiah will be of his sons and will deliver Israel from the hands of the descendants of Esau. It says, "I will see him, but not now" (Numbers 24:17) - this refers to David; "I see him, and not soon" (ibid.) - this is the King Messiah; "A star of Jacob shall go forth" (ibid.) - this is David; "and a scepter shall rise from Israel" (ibid.) - this is the King Messiah; "and will strike through the corners of Moab" - this is David; and so it says:
"And he smote Moab and measured them off with a line" (II Samuel 8:2); "and uproot all the sons of Seth" (Numbers 24:17) - this is King Messiah of whom it stands: "and his rule shall be from the sea to the west and from the river tot the ends of the earth." (Zechariah 9:10); "and Edom becomes a possession" (Numbers 24:18) - this is David, as it is written: "And all of Edom became servants to David" (see II Samuel 8:6 and II Samuel 8:14); "Yea, Seir a possession of its enemies” (Numbers 24:18) - this is king Messiah, as it says: "And saviors shall ascend Mt. Zion to judge the mountain of Esau..." (Obadiah 1:21)."
Just as the prophecy about King David has taken place, the prophecy about King Messiah will also take place.
3.2.b Commentary for Noahides
It is important to know the different names of the messiah and to realize that the messiah in itself is not a name but rather a "job" with different job descriptions. One of those job descriptions is to be king over the entire house of Israel, with all the tribes gathered and reunited in their own land. The land that G-d already promised Abraham.
יֵּרָ֤א יְ־הֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לְזַ֨רְעֲךָ֔ אֶתֵּ֖ן אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את וַיִּ֤בֶן שָׁם֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ לַי־הֹוָ֖ה הַנִּרְאֶ֥ה אֵלָֽיו׃
“And the Lord appeared to Abram, and He said, To your seed I will give this land, and there he built an altar to the Lord, Who had appeared to him.” (Bereshit – Genesis 12:7)
Brought By Angelique Sijbolts
Angelique Sijbolts is one of the main writers for the Noahide Academy. She has been an observant Noahide for many years. She studies Torah with Rabbi Perets every week. Angelique invests much of her time in editing video-lectures for the Rabbis of the Academy and contributes in administrating the Academy's website in English and Dutch. She lives in the north of the Netherlands. Married and mother of two sons. She works as a teacher in a school with students with special needs. And is a Hebrew Teacher for the levels beginners en intermediate. She likes to walk, to read and play the piano.
Sources
[1] Mashiach is written by Rabbi Jacob Immanuel Schochet. [2] Yeshu’ot Meshicho, Iyun Hasheni, chapter 3.
With thanks to dr. Michael Schulman
With thanks to Whitney Ann Sieverink-McNair
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